The Ministry of Higher Education has approved the establishment of 13 research centers in various Saudi universities at a cost of SR550 million. This is part of the first phase of the Centers of Research Excellence project to help universities develop scientific research, according to a report of Arabic newspaper "OKAZ." The Centers of Research Excellence designated to benefit are: King Saud University's Material Engineering Center, Biology Center and Science and Mathematics Education Development Center; King Abdul Aziz University's Genomic Medicine Center, Environmental Studies Center, Osteoporosis Center, and Water Desalination Center; King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals' Petroleum and Petrochemicals Refining Center, Renewable Energy Center, and Corrosion Center; the Palms and Dates Center at King Faisal University; the Hajj and Umrah Center at Umm Al-Qura Univesrsity, and the Fiqh Center of Contemporary Affairs at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University.
