Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz, head of the board of trustees of the Arab Open University (AOU) and head of the Arab Gulf Development Program (AGFUND), opens in Riyadh Wednesday a new AOU branch in the Saudi capital.

In statements, AOU Director Modi bint Abdulaziz Al Hammoud said the new eco-friendly branch would represent a qualitative leap in our quest to improve educational thinking in the university.

The inauguration is expected to be attended by Riyadh Emir Faisal bin Bandr bin Abdelaziz.

In 1996, Prince Talal officially announced the concept of establishing the Arab Open University as a non-conventional academic institution and as a foundation which contributes to steering development in scientific, social and cultural spheres.

This initiative developed to a full pledged Arab Open University in 2002 in a strategic partnership with the Open University in the United Kingdom.