Umm al-Qura University

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UMM AL-QURA UNIVERSITY

Saudi Arabian university.

King Abd al-Aziz University was founded in Jidda in 1967 as a private college. Later taken over by the Saudi state, it opened branches in Mecca and Medina; the former became independent as Umm alQura ("The Mother of Villages," a name for Mecca) University in 1979. It opened another campus at alTa'if in 1981. Umm al-Qura University offers programs in the sciences, Islamic studies, Arabic language, education, and agriculture. Student enrollment numbers more than 20,000. King Abd al-Aziz University employs more than 2,000 teachers and has a student population of more than 39,000.

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