King Abdullah has approved the establishment of four universities grouping dozens of existing colleges for medicine, engineering, computer sciences, architecture, design and other specialities. The universities will be located in Dammam city and the provinces of Kharj, Shaqrah and Majmah. The decision of the Higher Education Council chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was based on student saturation levels at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh and King Faisal University (KFU) in Dammam, said Higher Education Minister Khaled Bin Muhammad Al-Anqari. The levels were high and raised the possibility of academic and research performance being affected, Al-Anqari said. KSU has 73 colleges in 15 provinces with a total enrollment of 120, 000 students; KFU has 66, 000 students in 38 colleges spread across six provinces. The new university in Dammam will encompass 24 existing colleges in Dammam, Qatif, Jubail, Hafr Al-Baten, Nairyia and Khafji affiliated to it. In Kharj, the university will incorporate 20 existing colleges in Kharj, Dalm, Aflaj, Wadi Al-Dawaser, Hotat Bani Tamim and Salail. The Shaqra university will have 21 colleges in Shaqra, Huraimla, Quwaqa, Dawadmi, Sajr, Darma, Afif, Thadiq and Al-Mahmal. The Al-Majmma university will be linked to 12 existing colleges in Majmma, Ghat, Zulfi, Hotat Sudair and Ramah.
