Majmaah University, in central Saudi Arabia. SPA
Majmaah University, in central Saudi Arabia. SPA
Majmaah University, in central Saudi Arabia. SPA
Majmaah University, in central Saudi Arabia. SPA

Number of Saudi universities in top global rankings leaps to 14


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Five universities in Saudi Arabia have been added to the QS World University Rankings 2022, bringing the number of the kingdom’s higher education establishments on the list to 14.

Three institutions – King Abdulaziz University, King Saud University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals – moved up the list.

Education reforms are part of the Ministry of Education’s efforts to improve standards as part of Vision 2030, a far-reaching economic development plan.

In 2019, there were nine universities on the list.

Saudi citizens who have first-hand experience of the country’s education system told The National they could hardly believe the rapid progress its institutions had made.

“If you look back just 10 years ago, there’s no way we could imagine such a leap in education reforms, let alone our universities ranking high globally,” said Hala Alghamdi, an educator in Jeddah.

“It is a huge win for the government and Ministry of Education, but most importantly for parents who seek to send their children to top universities abroad but now have the option at home,” she said.

“We would rather send our children to Saudi universities as they would like to thrive here eventually, and I have to say the next generation is going to witness the best time in the country thanks to our current leadership.”

King Saud University moved up 80 positions from its 2019 ranking in engineering and technology, and now sits at 185 globally.

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Getty Images
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Getty Images

King Abdulaziz University’s ranking in the same subject rose to 51st in the world, up from 125 in 2019, taking it into the world’s top 100 international universities in the field of engineering and technology.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2022 had already ranked King Abdulaziz University as the best higher education establishment in the Middle East.

In another big jump up the league tables, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals was ranked 87th in the list of the top 100 universities in engineering and technology, climbing 83 places from its ranking in the 2019 QS index.

“What’s amazing is that Saudi universities are offering more courses, diverse subjects with specialisation opportunities,” said Lulwah Hamdan, a Saudi doctor in Jeddah.

“My brother is doing engineering, my sister is studying coding and tech. I myself am a graduate from King Abdulaziz University. We feel proud of our country and it is further strengthens your belief in the education system – the fact that it is making progress when it is being recognised globally.”

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The specs

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Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

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Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

On sale: now

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Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

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Range: 400km

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Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

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Range: 456km

Price: from Dh437,900 

On sale: now

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Company%20Profile
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The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

RACE SCHEDULE

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm

Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm

Sunday, October 1
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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

List of alleged parties

 

May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff 

May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'

Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff 

Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson 

Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party

Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters 

Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz 

Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party 

Sheer grandeur

The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.

A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.

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Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

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The five types of long-term residential visas

Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:

Investors:

A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.

Entrepreneurs:

A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.  

Specialists

Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.

Outstanding students:

A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university. 

Retirees:

Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.

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Updated: April 14, 2022, 6:42 PM