On behalf of the Minister of Education the Chairman of UQU Council, the President of UQU Dr. Bakri Bin M'atoog Bin Bakri Al-Assas chaired the 5th meeting of university council Thursday afternoon 19th of Sha’ban at 1:00 pm. He commenced the session saying “All praise is due to Allah and peace and blessing be upon the sealing of the prophets”, then he welcomed his colleagues, their excellences, the university vice presidents, deans of the college, institutes and supporting deanships and His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Interim Committee of the Council of Higher Education, Dr. Mohamed bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saleh. 

 
Meanwhile, he said that the honorable presence of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdul-Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Interior, Chairman of the Higher Committee of Hajj and the Chairman of the Higher Supervisory Committee of the Institute of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques for Hajj and Umrah in the opening of the 16th Meeting of Hajj and Umrah Research on Tuesday evening 17th of Sha’ban 1437H corresponding to 24th of May 2016, reflects the attention paid by our blessed state to the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and Hajj and Umrah, when HRH inaugurated in that blessed night on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques the 16th Meeting of Hajj and Umrah Research organized by University of Umm Al-Qura (UQU) represented by the Institute of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Hajj and Umrah Research, at King Abdul-Aziz Historical Hall, in the university city, Abidiah. 
 
He extended his thanks and appreciations to the Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz for his support and sponsorship of all the activities of the university, and to the Minister of Education, the chairman of the university council, Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Al-Eisa for his continuous follow up on the scientific, educational, academic, research and community trajectories of the university.
 
Additionally, he lauded the efforts of the Institute of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Hajj and Umrah Research exerted and still for achieving scientific and research studies serving all those bounding to the Two Holy Mosques, extending his thanks to Dr. Atif Asghar the dean of the Institute, the vice deans, heads of the departments and all the affiliates of the institute. 
 
All the more, he congratulated Dr. Adnan bin Fayez Al-Harthi on the occasion of assigning him as the dean of the Institute of Manuscripts and Revival of Islamic Heritage, in addition to his current post as the dean of library affairs following the royal decree issued recently to change the name of the Institute of Scientific Research and Revival of Islamic Heritage to the Institute of Manuscripts and Revival of Islamic Heritage. He also extended his thanks and appreciations to the ex-dean of the Institute Dr. Adil bin Mohamed bin Ali Asseri for his valuable contributions, visions, and ideas he made during his tenure, praying to Allah the almighty to grant them both all success.   
 
He also extended his congratulations on the advent of the Holy month of Ramadan wishing success, happiness, and prosperity to everyone. 
 
The decisions taken in this session include the following:  
-    A number of graduate students (MSc and PhD) were approved to have a further opportunity as per the recommendation of the council of the deanship of postgraduate studies.

  
-    To approve secondment and lending of a number of teaching staff to work outside the university.

-    A male and two female faculty members were approved to be transferred to Jeddah University in Jeddah. 

-    To consider recommendations of the scientific council on approving early retirement and resignation requests of a          number of teaching staff and persons of similar status. 

-    To approve granting sabbatical leave to a number of teaching staff.

-  To approve hiring and re-hiring of a number of retired teaching staff (signing new contracts and renewing of old contracts). 

-  To approve postponement of the sabbatical leave of a member of teaching staff and compensating all the postponed period to another one.

-    To approve membership of a number of teaching staff in some colleges councils and extend membership of others for a period of two years. 

-    To approve annual closing accounts of the university for the fiscal year 1436/1437 and the report of the external auditor in a prelude to forward it to the prime minister according to the regulations.

 
-    To brief the  council on the approving decisions by of the university president (as per the delegation of the university council) according to the resolution no.6 issued in the third session held on 29th of Dhul-Qe'dah 1424H (  decisions issued in the period from 1st of Dhul-Hijjah 1436H up to 8th of Sha'ban 1437H).  

-    To approve delegation of the council powers to HE the Minister of Education, the chairman of the university council in the urgent matters during the summer vacation of the current academic year 1436/1437H.

-    To approve the updated study plan adopted for the undergraduate program of the college of engineering and Islamic architecture.  

-    To approve the updated study plan adopted for the undergraduate program of the college of applied sciences.

 
-     To approve the study plan adopted for the undergraduate program of the college of Islamic Economics and Finance.  

-    To approve the study plan adopted for the undergraduate program of the college of Computer Science and Information Systems.

-    To approve the study plan adopted for the undergraduate program of the respiratory care specialization in the department of clinical technology in the college of Applied Medical Sciences.

-    To approve the updated curriculum of the college of medicine according to the study plan submitted to the council.

-    To approve details of the academic calendar for the year 1437/1438H 

The council also discussed several academic and administrative issues on which the it has recommended taking necessary measures upon them as stated by the secretary general of the council Dr. Thamir bin Hamdan Al-Harbi.