ONLY UNIVERSITY TO HOST UP TO 50,000 STUDENTSRIYADH: King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, inaugurated the largest women-only university campus in the Kingdom. The $5.3-billion (more than SR20 billion) new campus of Princess Noura Bint Abdul Rahman University, spread over eight million square meters (26 million feet) on the outskirts of the capital, could host up to 50,000 students in its 15 departments. It is also planned to be a car-free environment, operating a shuttle monorail train and electric buggies for internal transport, while solar panels stretched on the campus will reportedly generate 18 percent of the power needed for air-conditioning. The campus also boasts a 700-bed hospital and accommodation facilities that could lodge 12,000 students. Upon his arrival, King Abdullah boarded an automatic train and toured the site. He was briefed about the various facilities. The King moved on to an electric car and toured the administrative building and the central library. He also watched a documentary about the project and then he announced the opening of the university. Tim Philips, the British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said opening of the university is a huge step forward. “I'm confident that this education edifice will contribute in providing a world-class education to Saudi female students and lead to carrying out their full roles in building the future of the Kingdom.” King Abdullah was received by Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Riyadh Region; Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance; Dr. Khalid Bin Mohammed Al-Anqari, Minister of Higher Education; and Dr. Mohammed Al-Maziad, Deputy Minister of Finance and supervisor of the project to create the school. The event was attended by a number of princes and senior officials. The huge campus was completed in a record time of less than three years on the instructions of King Abdullah, who laid the foundation stone for the university in October 2008. Staff and students at the university voiced their hope and pride as they prepare to move to the new facilities. Najla' Al-Mubarak, lecturer at the Faculty of Literature, described the move as an “honor and responsibility”. “We promise the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques that we will be up to that responsibility,” she said.
