King Saud devoted great attention to higher education. He started by establishing the first university in the Kingdom, the University of King Saud, which was opened according to a Royal Decree on 21/4/1377 H (1957). Classes started in it in the first year with one faculty, the Faculty of Arts, and the number of students in the first class was 21. In the second year, the Faculty of Science was added, and two additional faculties were established in the third year: the Faculty of Commerce and the Faculty of Pharmacy. The first branch for female students with an entry system was opened in 1381 H (1961).
The university students were continuously sent abroad for higher studies because the late king wished to educate competent men in all the fields and specializations which could help achieve development throughout the country. The number of religious institutions increased and became ten in 1378 H (1958).
Due to the importance of spreading the mission of Islam in the world through "dawa" and higher education, and in order to educate scholars specialized in Islamic Sciences, the late king ordered the establishment of the Islamic University in Al-Madinah on 25/3/1381H (1961) in compliance with the proposal of Sheik Abu Bakr Al-Jazairy. This was mentioned in an interview made with him in the magazine Al- Y amamah number 1526, published on Jumada II 20, 1419 H (October 10, 1998).
The university students were continuously sent abroad for higher studies because the late king wished to educate competent men in all the fields and specializations which could help achieve development throughout the country. The number of religious institutions increased and became ten in 1378 H (1958).
Due to the importance of spreading the mission of Islam in the world through "dawa" and higher education, and in order to educate scholars specialized in Islamic Sciences, the late king ordered the establishment of the Islamic University in Al-Madinah on 25/3/1381H (1961) in compliance with the proposal of Sheik Abu Bakr Al-Jazairy. This was mentioned in an interview made with him in the magazine Al- Y amamah number 1526, published on Jumada II 20, 1419 H (October 10, 1998).