King Saud University (KSU)
King Saud University (KSU) was established in 1957 as Saudi Arabia’s first university, addressing the country’s growing need for skilled professionals. King Abdulaziz initiated the modernization of the nation’s education system, and his son, King Saud, formalized it by creating the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Education in 1953. Under Prince Fahd, the first Minister of Education, KSU was founded to promote knowledge, advance sciences and arts, and revive Islamic civilization.
Key Milestones and Colleges:
- 1957–1960: College of Arts, College of Sciences, College of Business (now Public Administration), and College of Pharmacy established.
- 1961: KSU granted independent status via Royal Decree No. 112.
- 1965: The College of Agriculture was established, and KSU took over the Colleges of Engineering and Education.
- 1967: Name changed to University of Riyadh (reverted to KSU in 1982).
- 1969–1976: College of Medicine, Arabic Language Institute, Deanships of Admission and Student Affairs, College of Dentistry, and College of Applied Medical Sciences established.
- 1980–1981: College of Medicine (Abha), College of Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, and Economics and Administration (Qassim) established.
- 1984–1995: Colleges of Computer and Information Science, Architecture and Planning, and Languages and Translation were founded.
- 1996–2003: Expansion includes community colleges in Jazan, Riyadh, and Al-Jouf, plus the College of Engineering (Qassim).
- 2023: KSU became an independent non-profit academic institution.
Today, KSU hosts 40,000 students, including 7% international students, offering programs in sciences, humanities, and professional studies. The university continues to be a leader in higher education in Saudi Arabia. Further details are available on the official KSU website.
