The UQU President, Dr. Bakri bin Maatouq Assas, has launched the university website in its new look. Available in four languages, the website is constructed on a world-class, advanced technology. This took place at the UQU President's Office at al-Abdiyah Campus. Attending were the Vice President for Academic Development and Society Service, Dr. Hani bin Othman Ghazi, Dean of Information Technology, Dr. Majid al-Gethami, and Vice Dean of IT for e-Transactions, Dr. Atef al-Hejeili.

At the beginning, Dr. Ghazi gave an account of the project phases, and the steps taken and workshops implemented leading up to the final version of the website. He said, "The website is now available in two languages: Arabic and English. Developed on state-of-the-art technology, the website is meant to cope with the latest updates in the field of web development, and satisfy the university's need for a website that offers a myriad of services for university students and staff."

The new design, according to Dr. Ghazi, goes in conformity with the university's visual identity. He added that, during the upcoming phases, the website content is bound to be available in two addition languages: French and Spanish.  He praised the UQU President's close follow-up and unending support; which was instrumental for launching the new website.

For his part, the Dean of Information Technology, Dr. al-Gethami, highlighted that websites of all colleges, supportive deanships and departments are automatically linked to the UQU organizational structure. Based on the President's resolutions designating deans of colleges and directors of departments and centers, al-Gethami expounded, competences are automatically granted to them at their respective profiles.

Through such profiles, they can view detailed information about academic programs and courses, as well as information of staff and faculty members. Users, moreover, are allowed to control visibility of their information. Al-Gethami lauded the the UQU President's unstinting support for, and keen interest in developing the university website, and the services it offers. He also praised the good efforts exerted by the Vice President for Academic Development and Community Service, Dr. Hani Ghazi.

After that, the Vice Dean of IT for e-Transactions, Dr. Atef al-Hejeili, provided an elaborate account of the progress made in the website. He briefed the president on the phases that the website project went through. Such phases include: study and analysis, website development and construction, data collection, editing and translation, and finally operation and testing.

The website encompasses galleries for images, audios, videos and files. As for menus, al-Hejeili maintained they are completely customizable. Moreover, main pages and access control lists (ACL) are open for personalization. The UQU new website, according to Dr. al-Hejeili, is made up of 250 subsites: one for each of the university subdivisions.

It followed that the UQU President announced that the three UQU subdivisions (colleges, deanships, etc) with the best subsites will be receiving awards. He allocated a sum of SAR 25.000 for the best subsite, SAR 15.000 for the second best subsite, and SAR 10.000 for the third subsite. He stressed that such awards would further ignite competition among the UQU divisions to maintain high standards in both the design and content of their respective subsites.

As the meeting drew to a close, the UQU President, Dr. Assas, made clear that, by developing the university website in line the world's best and latest web development technologies, the university demonstrates its interest in offering helpful e-services to its students, staff and faculty members, collectively mounting to over 110.000.

Besides the multiplicity of e-services, covering admission and personnel services, he said, the website pays particular attention to research and creativity. Concluding, Dr. Assas praised the efforts made by the Vice President for Academic Development and Community Service, Dr. Hani Ghazi, the Dean of Information Technology, Dr. Majed al-Gethami, and all who participated in developing the website.