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Saudi Arabia’s open university

Saudi Arabia has opened its latest university, 50 miles north of Jeddah. The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, covering 36 square kilometres and with an endowment of over $10 billion, has the aim of raising the profile of research and science in the kingdom which depends on oil revenues to a high level.

The thing which makes this new institution different from any other university is the setting – in the middle of the desert, a sprawling mini-metropolis designed to enhance the lives of students and staff. Oh and one other thing – the country’s usually strict segregation and religious laws concerning women have been loosened to keep everyone on-task at the best of their abilities. This means women will be allowed to drive on-campus, sit in the same lectures as male students and socialise together. However, it is expected that the strict laws governing alcohol consumption and bans on the presence of males inside the female accommodations will remain.

It is hoped that with the $1.5 billions worth of equipment at the site, including one of the world’s fastest supercomputers, Saudi Arabia will be able to source revenue through research in key areas and end its reliance on oil exports. Whether this works or not remains to be seen, though.