Umm Al-Qura University will award honorary doctorate to ambassador of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques in France, the ex-Minister of Education Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al-Angari for his efforts in the field of higher education during his tenure as the minister of higher education for more than 20 years in a celebration to be organized tomorrow Sunday March 26, 2017 at King Abdul-Aziz historical Hall at the university campus in Abdyia. The celebration will be attended by the Minister of Education Dr. Ahmed bin Mohamed Al-Iesa, their excellences, UQU Vice Presidents and Deans.    

 
Meanwhile, UQU President Dr. Bakri bin M'atooq bin Bakri Assas said the university has previously taken the honor of awarding  honorary doctorate to late Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz in humanitarian service, and to the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz during his tenure as the Emir of Riyadh in the field of arts for his contributions and interest in culture, civilization and history, particularly history of the Arabian peninsula. He added the honorary doctorate was also awarded to HRH Prince Naif bin Abdul-Aziz in sharia policy and to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan upon his tenure as the prime minister in the service of Islam. 

Moreover, he cherished the confidence entrusted by the wise leadership on Umm Al-Qura university saying the noble approval to award honorary doctorate in serving higher education to the ambassador of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques in France, the ex-Minister of Higher Education Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al-Angari for the significant support he received from the wise leadership which enabled him to upgrade level of higher education over two decades in the Kingdom either in the field of different levels of educational aspects or in the research and innovative fields.

  
He went on to add that after the issuance of the royal decree to grant the honorary doctorate to Dr. Khalid Al-Angari, the subject was presented to the third meeting of the university council for the academic year 1437/1438 h that took place at King Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz hall at the university campus in Abdyia who unanimously approved granting honorary doctorate to Dr. Al-Angari in tomorrow celebration which will be organized at King Abdul-Aziz Historical Hall at Abdyia campus. 

For his part, the Secretary General of the Interim Committee – acting for the Higher Education Council - Dr. Mohamed bin Abdel Aziz Al-Saleh said the higher education witnessed quantitative and qualitative achievements in implementation of the royal directives then, whereas the number of universities increased from 7 to 28 governmental universities and 10 national universities by creating more than 500 quality colleges in line with the needs of the labor market and national development planes in less than 10 years. Also the teachers colleges amounted to about 120 colleges  and the health colleges amounted to 17 colleges were attached to the universities. Additionally he said, Dr. Al-Angari headed personally  teams involved in restructuring these colleges and total restructuring underwent by the universities its colleges and specialties according to the requirements of the developmental plans. He also headed implementation of the Custodian of the Two holy Mosques  Scholarship program and the internal scholarships program, and was very keen to satisfy aspirations of the rulers in this regard.      

 
Further, Dr. Al-Saleh praised efforts exerted by the UQU President Dr. Assas and his imitative to honor and award honorary doctorate to Dr. Khalid Al-Angari who served higher education in the Kingdom giving emphasis to the prominent scientific status of Umm Al-Qura university. He added such a horning is reckoned an horning to all members of  higher education council extending his thanks and appreciation to Umm Al-Qura university for this noble initiative.    

Within the same vein, the UQU Vice Presidents said the approval of the monarch to award ambassador of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to France honoray doctorate by Umm Al-Qura university is a culmination of the university's scientific role and enlightenment march provided that the university includes Sharia College which is the kernel of the higher education not only in the Kingdom but also in the GCC Countries.  They valued  confidence entrusted by the rulers in the Saudi universities in general and Umm Al-Qura university in particular saying that UQU involved in honoring  pioneer figures in the different scientific, research. economic and social fields.