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Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University
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| Princess Noura bint Abdur Rahman University | |
|---|---|
| جامعة الأميرة نورة بنت عبد الرحمن | |
PNU logo
| |
| Established | 1970; renamed 2008[1] |
| Type | Public university |
| President | Huda bint Mohammad Al-Ameel[2] |
| Provost | Walid bin Ibrahim Al-Mohawas |
| Director | Jawhara Fahad Al-Saud |
| Academic staff | 3,767[citation needed] |
| Admin. staff | 2,000[3] |
| Students | 52,308[3] |
| Postgraduates | 777 |
| Doctoral students | 331 |
| Location | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia New main campus: 24.772°N 46.725°E |
| Former names | Riyadh University for Women |
| Website | www.pnu.edu.sa (in English) |
Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University (PNU; Arabic: جامعة الأميرة نورة بنت عبد الرحمن) is a women's university in Saudi Arabia and largest women-only university in the world.[4][5] It is composed of 32 campuses across the Riyadh region and a new library capable of holding 4.5 million volumes.[3]The university was founded as the first College of Education for Women in 1970. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz launched the building of the world's largest and most modern women's institution of higher education in a self-contained higher education city. A new campus dedicated May 2011 can accommodate 60,000 students and 12,000 employees. It has a 300‑bed teaching hospital[4] and research centers for nanotechnology, information technology, and bioscience.[6]
Contents
[hide]History[edit]
The university was founded in 1970 as the first College of Education for women. In 2004. it was renamed to Riyadh University for Women. In 2008, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques inaugurated the campus and changed the university’s name to “Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University”. The King named the university after Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman, the sister of King Abdulaziz.[7][8] Nourah in Arabic means "light".[8]
King Abdullah launched the building of the world's largest and most modern women's institution of higher education in a self-contained higher education city. This vision has become a reality with the opening of the University City for the Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University for Women. The University City is expected to be fully functional by 2012. King Abdullah says:
"Women carry a responsibility that is more than a duty, to maintain the stability of society and contribute to building the economy of the nation, and to represent the community and the nation to the highest standards, outside and inside the country. To be the caring mother, exemplary citizen and productive employee. Outside the nation, to be the ambassador of her country and community, and to represent well her religion, faith and our values."
Women comprise 58% of Saudi Arabia's college students but only 14% of its labor force; much less than in neighboring Islamic countries. 85% of employed Saudi women work in education, 6% in public health, and 9% in the public sector.[5]
Faculties[edit]
Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University is composed of fifteen colleges and several departments:[9]
- Health and medical education colleges
- Medicine. Founded in 2012
- Basic Sciences
- Dentistry. Founded in 2012
- Preventive Dental Sciences (PDS)
- Clinical Dental Sciences (CDS)
- Basic Dental Sciences (BDS)
- Nursing, granting bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees
- Pharmacy, granting bachelors (six-year program), masters, and doctorates
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
- Rehabilitation Sciences
- Health Sciences
- Medical Technology
- Communication Sciences
- Medicine. Founded in 2012
- Arts and humanities colleges
- Art and design
- Interior Design
- Graphic Design and Digital Media
- Painting and Printmaking
- Fashion Design and Textiles
- Art and humanities, granting bachelors, masters, and doctorates. Departments:
- Arabic Language and Literature
- English Language and Literature
- Geography
- History and Civilization
- Library and Information
- Islamic Studies
- Education, granting bachelors, masters, and doctorates
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Early Childhood
- Special Needs Education
- Psychology
- Home economics
- Nutrition & Food Science
- Social services, granting bachelors, masters, and doctorates
- Languages and simultaneous translation, granting bachelors in English, French, German, and Chinese majors; masters; and doctorates
- Community service
- Computer Sciences and Information Technology
- Administrative Sciences
- Art and design
- Science colleges
- Business and administration
- Economics
- Law
- Business Administration
- Accounting
- Computer and information sciences
- Computer Sciences
- Information Systems
- Networking and Telecommunication Systems
- Science
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematical Sciences
- Biology
- Business and administration
- Continuing education
- Postgraduate education
- Preparatory education
- Administration: Admissions, Development, Faculty and staff affairs, Finance, Information technology, Legal, Libraries, Physical plant, Research, and Student affairs
Campus[edit]
The PNU campus spreads over 8 million square meters,[10] including a new library which will hold 4.5 million books. There are 800 buildings and ten gates between Riyadh and the university campus. In addition to housing for university staff and students, it features mosques, schools and kindergarten for children, and recreation facilities. It is one of the ten largest universities in the world and the largest university for women.[11]
The campus also includes sport facilities that students can use. However, they have not been opened to serve the students.[12]
Transportation[edit]
The campus and community has an 11.5 km automated metro for students, which uses the same AnsaldoBreda Driverless Metro technology as the Copenhagen metro.[10][13] It has 22 two‑carAnsaldoBreda trains each having maximum capacity up to 110 passengers and maximum speed of 60 km/h.[13] There are 4 lines and 14 stations. On 4 September 2012, the Saudi Railway Authority made the announcement that it would grant the University a license to operate automated trains on campus.[14]
The expansion of the campus was done in a record time of two years supported by 75,000 construction workers and latest building machinery and methodologies. University City is expected to be fully functional by 2012.
Thirty-eight of its buildings, totaling a million square meters, have applied for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating. The campus operates a metro shuttle and electric vehicles, and solar panels power 18% of its air conditioning.[15] The new PNU library has applied for the second highest LEED "Gold" rating.
See also[edit]
- Education in Saudi Arabia
- List of universities and colleges in Saudi Arabia
- Women's rights in Saudi Arabia
References[edit]
- ^ "Giant Noura campus to be ready by end of next year" Arab News, 15 October 2010
- ^ Abdul Ghafour, P.K. (24 April 2011) "Huda to head Nora university" Arab News
- ^ a b c "Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University" Saudi Ministry of Higher Education Portal
- ^ a b Jabaji, R. (31 October 2008) "Saudi Arabia's First Women's University" PBS
- ^ a b Miller, D. E. (17 May 2011) "Saudi Arabia opens world's largest women's university"Jerusalem Post
- ^ "Self-learning projects by PNU students on display" Arab News, 18 May 2011
- ^ Madawi Al-Rasheed (30 April 2013). A Most Masculine State: Gender, Politics and Religion in Saudi Arabia. Cambridge University Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-521-76104-8. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ a b Al Ghamdi, Mohamed (30 October 2008). "Light dawns on girls’ education". Saudi Gazette. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
