Oxford University signs Memorandum with Prince Sultan University

2 November 2006

The University of Oxford has celebrated its long and distinguished tradition in the study of the Middle East and Arab world by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The signing took place during a visit by a delegation from Prince Sultan University (PSU), led by the Rector, Dr Ahmed Yamani, and including the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Dr Abdelhafeez Feda, and Dr Kathleen Guillaume, the Chair of the English Language Department at PSU’s College for Women.

They met with Oxford University’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr John Hood, and representatives from the University including academics from the Faculty of Oriental Studies, the Khalili Research Centre, the Ashmolean Museum, the Said Business School, the Computing Laboratory and the Continuing Education Department.

The Memorandum of Understanding seeks to foster mutual understanding between the Kingdom and the UK and to broaden the study of the Middle East and Arabia at Oxford.

It records Oxford’s commitment to administer a scholarship scheme, which, named after the Prince, forms part of his benefaction of £2 million for the Ashmolean Museum’s Gallery of Islamic art. Over the next 25 years, it will enable up to 10 Saudi nationals to take up a place of study at Oxford, if they have been offered a place after satisfying Oxford’s admissions criteria in the usual way.

The document also expresses the wish to seek collaboration between the University’s Department of Continuing Education with PSU on tailored short courses in Riyadh or Oxford in areas including public policy, with a joint certificate of attendance. Oxford and PSU further expressed their willingness to endeavour to support and encourage research collaborations that their respective members of staff wished to carry out.

In 2005, HRH Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud gave £2 million for the Ashmolean Museum’s Gallery of Islamic art and 10 scholarships at the University of Oxford for Saudi Arabian students. (see report on 20 April 2005).