On behalf of Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, President of Arab Gulf Program For Development (AGFUND) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Open University; Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Region, patronized here Saturday evening, a ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the headquarters of the Arab Open University's Branch in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On this occasions, a number of speakers spoke about the University's goals and programs as well as hailed the educational progress achieved by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The cost of the University's headquarters in Riyadh is estimated to be US$ 30 Million. The University serves more than 45,000 students in its seven branches in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Oman. The University's branch in Riyadh has a strength of 11,000 students.