The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz today patronized the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of Qassim University City Second Phase Project. Accompanied by Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, King Abdullah was received upon arrival at the venue by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Qassim Region; Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Qassim Region; Dr. Khalid Alanqari, Minister of Higher Education; and Dr. Khalid bin Abdulrahman Alhomoodi, the Director of the university. Then the king laid the foundation stone of the project. Using a replica of the project, the director of the university briefed the king on the contents of the facility. The university's second phase includes 13 sub-projects costing SR1,020,000,000 including a 400-bed hospital, faculty of medicine and faculty of dentistry and other faculties. Phase one started ten years ago as part of the Riyadh-based Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University. Three years ago, it was promoted to an independent university of Qassim, according to the university's director. This year the university graduated as many as 1726 male and 104 female students. Then the king held a dialogue with the senate of the university before leaving. The event was attended by a number of princes and senior civil and military officials.
