The family of late King Faisal has donated the Riyadh palace of the late monarch to set up a non-profit Alfaisal University. Besides, the family has donated SR500 million for the purpose, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, announced here on Wednesday. The Emir was addressing an open meeting with businessmen in Jeddah Chamber for Commerce and Industry here. “This university is the latest project of King Faisal Foundation and is aimed at spreading the late King's message of helping Islam and the humanity. Prince Khaled recalled that at his last press conference before his death, King Faisal had spelled out his vision of Saudi Arabia after 2000. “I hope that it will be a beacon of light for helping the humanity,” Prince Khaled quoted his father as saying. The proposed university will offer bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees in business, medicine, science and engineering. The university will also exchange programs with US and UK academic institutions, Prince Khaled said. Businessmen, he urged, should support non-profit establishments and take care of private education. Prince Khaled said private education is a crucial channel to create a generation that is able to hold the responsibility and contribute in the national development. “The cooperation of the private sector is not meant to bring the liquidity only but to give a chance to the private thoughts to contribute in the education,” said Prince Khaled. Uniqueness is the on the top of the university's priorities list. The most famous universities in the world are, in fact, private universities, he said. “It's a non-profit university emerging from a non-profit foundation. We aim to make this university a top institution,” he said.
