Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University

Princess Noura bint Abdul 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-Geek
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°46′19″N 46°43′30″E / 24.772°N 46.725°E / 24.772; 46.725
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 the first women's university in Saudi Arabia and largest women-only university in the world,^[4][5] 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 Riyadh University 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 40,000 students and 12,000 employees. It has a 700 bed teaching hospital^[4] and research centers for nanotechnology, information technology and bioscience.^[6]

History

The university was founded as Riyadh University 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. 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. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques 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 95% in the public sector.^[5]

Faculties

Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University is composed of fifteen colleges and several departments:^[7]

• Health and medical education colleges
  • Nursing, granting bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees
  • Pharmacy, granting bachelors (six year program), masters, and doctorates
  • Physical therapy
• Science, arts and humanities colleges
  • Art and design
  • Art and humanities, granting bachelors, masters, and doctorates. Departments:
    • Arabic Language and Literature
    • English Language and Literature
    • Geography
    • History
    • Islamic Studies
  • Business and administration
  • Community service
  • Computer and information sciences
  • Education, granting bachelors, masters, and doctorates
  • Home economics
  • Kindergarten education, granting bachelors; diplomas in abnormal children, normal children, and children's literature; masters; and doctorates
  • Languages and simultaneous translation, granting bachelors in English, French, German, and Chinese majors; masters; and doctorates
  • Science
  • Social services, granting bachelors, masters, and doctorates
• 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

The PNU campus spreads over 8 million square meters, 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.^[8]

The large campus and community have their own unique transport system. The world's largest Automated People Mover (APM) train system is at the university. APM railway total length is 14km having the rush hour capacity of 7000 passengers/hour. It has 33 trains each having maximum capacity up to 224 passengers and maximum speed of 60 km/h.

The expansion of the campus was done in a record time of two years supported by 75000 construction workers and latest building machinery and methodologies. The 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 monorail shuttle and electric vehicles, and solar panels power 18% of its air conditioning.^[9] The new PNU library has applied for the second highest LEED "Gold" rating, and will bring university holdings to six million volumes.

See also

	Saudi Arabia portal
	University portal

• Education in Saudi Arabia
• List of universities and colleges in Saudi Arabia
• Norah al-Faiz
• Women's rights in Saudi Arabia

References

1. ^ "Giant Noura campus to be ready by end of next year" Arab News, October 15, 2010
2. ^ Abdul Ghafour, P.K. (April 24, 2011) "Huda to head Nora university" Arab News
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University" Saudi Ministry of Higher Education Portal
4. ^ ^{a b} Jabaji, R. (October 31, 2008) "Saudi Arabia's First Women's University" PBS
5. ^ ^{a b} Miller, D.E. (May 17, 2011) "Saudi Arabia opens world's largest women's university" Jerusalem Post
6. ^ "Self-learning projects by PNU students on display" Arab News, May 18, 2011
7. ^ University English web site
8. ^ "princess-noura-bint-abdulrahman-university-for-women-in-riyadh". eArabGirls. 10/10/09. http://earabgirls.com/princess-noura-bint-abdulrahman-university-for-women-in-riyadh/. Retrieved August 23, 2011. 
9. ^ Ali, J. (May 16, 2011) "Saudi Arabia opens largest women’s university in the world" Middle-East-Confidential.com

External links

• Official site in Arabic and in English
• Aerial view and building photos
• Photographs from Tridonic.fr and SkyscraperCity.com
• Dedication of the new campus by King Abdullah (video)