Opening with a quote from the Egyptian poet Hafiz Ibrahim, Clinton emphasized the importance of education and women's contribution to a nation's economic development.
"I have been in many parts of the world where the education of girls is not yet occurring," she said in her opening remarks. "Where young women are not provided the opportunity to live up to their own potential."
In the approximately 75-minute question-and-answer session, students, faculty and invited guests asked the state secretary a range of questions. The event was scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. but started two hours behind schedule.
Clinton earlier visited the headquarters of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to formally introduce the Rashed Hussein as US special envoy.
Clinton is concluding a three-day state visit to Saudi Arabia and neighboring Qatar.