Hekma College in Jeddah announced that it has received institutional accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), Washington, D.C. It makes the college the first private institution of higher education in the region to achieve full institutional accreditation from a US accrediting body. A press conference was held at the college on Monday afternoon at which Dr. Suhair Hassan Al-Qurashi, President of the College, announced receiving formal notification from ACICS on Dec. 17. “Dar Al-Hekma extends its thanks to the entire college community – students, faculty, and staff as well as alumni, trustees, and friends – for their confidence and contribution, and for their vital role in making this achievement possible,” Al-Qurashi said. It is commendable that the ACICS accrediting team from the United States, after a very tough and challenging assessment certified the college's high standards, efficiency, and effectiveness. “It ensures the continued advancement and excellence of the college in the years to come,” added Al-Qurashi. Dar Al-Hekma, one of the first and one of the leading private colleges for women in Saudi Arabia, has ambitious plans for its future. These will be further strengthened and enhanced by its status as the first nationally-chartered private institution in the region to achieve international institutional accreditation. The college is celebrating this achievement as it approaches the completion of the tenth year of its operations in summer 2009. Dr. Al-Qurashi, proudly proclaimed at the closing of the meeting: “By the grace of God we did it – and women in Saudi Arabia led it!” Four new colleges Dr. Khaled Bin Muhammed Al-Anqari, Minister of Higher Education, has given the go-ahead for setting up of four new colleges at Dar Al-Hekma in Jeddah in preparation to convert it into a private university with an admission capacity of 4,000 students in the next seven years. Al-Qurashi said the new colleges will have courses in nursing, speech and occupational treatment, law and international relations, diplomacy and international relations, business and economics, banking, financing, marketing, human resources and accountancy and designing and architecture.
