Shaqra University

Shaqra University (SU; Arabic: جامعة شقراء [ALA-LC: Jāmiʻat Shaqrāʼ]) is a public university in Shaqra, Saudi Arabia. It comes under the supervision of the Ministry of Education.^[1][2][3] The university comprises twenty-four colleges that span a diverse range of disciplines. Its main campus is situated in Shaqra, while its colleges are distributed across a vast area of the Kingdom, covering several governorates and sub-governorates to the west of Riyadh.

Shaqra University

جامعة شقراء
Type	Public
Established	2009
President	Ali Bin Mohammed Alseaf
Academic staff	1980
Students	32000
Address	Main Campus, Al Duwadimi Road , Shaqra , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia 25°10′24.5″N 45°08′35.6″E
Campus	Suburban and rural. Multiple sites, spread across approx. 450 km (280 mi)
Website	www.su.edu.sa

History

Shaqra University was established on the 3rd of Ramadan 1430 (Gregorian date 24 August 2009), as per the decision of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Higher Education Council, Saudi Arabia.

Previous Rectors

	Name
1	Saeed bin Turki Al-Mulla
2	Khalid bin Saad bin Said
3	Khalid Bin Saad Al Muqrin
4	Adnan Alshiha
5	ِAwad Al-asmari
6	Ali Alsaif

University faculties

The university currently has 20 colleges distributed in the governorates and sub-governorates, namely Shaqra, Al-Quwaiiyah, Al-Duwadimi, Sajir, Dhurma, Afif, Al-Muzahimiyah and Thadiq wa Mahmal. The colleges of Shaqra University are spread across a wide area of approximately.

While geographic distribution enhances the university's accessibility and impact, serving a wide array of communities throughout the region, it has also put a strain on resources. This prompted the university to undergo a re-structuring process. ^[4] Such re-structuring plans and closure of branches caused communities in the region to feel harmed as rural youth in the region are deined educational opportunities. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

Geographical Area of Shaqra University

Colleges at Shaqra University

Colleges at Shaqra University

Shaqra	Afif	Dhurma
College of Medicine College of Computing and Information Technology Applied College College of Applied Medical Sciences College of Science and Humanities College of Education	College of Science and Humanities College of Business Administration	College of Science and Humanities
Dawadmi	Al Quwaiiyah
College of Engineering College of Education College of Science and Humanities Applied College (branch) College of Applied Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy College of Medicine	College of Applied Medical Sciences Applied College (branch) College of Science and Humanities
Sajir	Thadq	Al Muzahimiyah
College of Science and Arts	College of Science and Humanities	College of Education

Athletics

Shaqra University participated in the Gulf championship for universities known as "The Eighth Sports Tournament for Universities and Institutions of Higher Education in the GCC Countries" in November 2017.^[8]

In November 2021, Shaqra University table tennis team won first place and the gold medal in the singles category at the Saudi Universities Sports Federation Championship, held at the University of Hail. ^[9]

Accreditation

Shaqra University has just received full institutional accreditation from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, represented by the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Evaluation ("Accreditation"), which is valid until February 2028. This accreditation was granted in recognition of the university's fulfillment of quality and academic accreditation standards through an active strategic plan aimed at achieving its desired goals.^[10] Notably, the university also offers programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Evaluation (NCAAA). The currently accredited degrees by the NCAAA include undergraduate programs in Electrical Engineering (full accreditation), Medicine, Computer science, Nursing (conditional accreditation). ^{[11] [12] [13][14]}

Collaborations

Shaqra University has actively pursued partnerships and collaboration agreements to enhance its academic and research capabilities. Notable collaborations include international memoranda of understanding with University of California, Irvine, University of Sheffield, and Huawei. ^[15][16][17]

Research

The university offers a range of research funding programs to support researchers and encourage innovation.^[18][19] These programs include:

1. High-Quality Publication Support Program: Aims to encourage researchers to publish their work in high-impact scientific journals.
2. Open Access Publication Fee Support Program: Provides funding for publishing costs in open-access journals, making research freely accessible to the public and increasing its reach and impact.
3. Support Program for Sponsored Researchers: Offers support to sponsored researchers, helping them advance their studies and benefit from global academic resources.
4. Regular Research Funding Program: Provides periodic funding to support distinguished research projects in prioritized fields.
5. Community Innovation Support Program: Aims to support research projects that contribute to solving societal challenges and offer innovative solutions to community issues.

According to the university, these programs seek to foster a thriving research environment within the university and support academics in achieving outstanding scientific accomplishments. The university has several periodic refereed scientific journals, and research groups.

See also

• List of universities and colleges in Saudi Arabia