Outstanding Muslim students from different countries will be able to pursue their doctoral studies in science and technology on IDB scholarship at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal beginning next year.
The Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank has signed an agreement with KAUST for the joint Ph.D. scholarship program, which comes into effect from the next academic year (2012-2013). "Under the program, students from IDB member and nonmember countries will be accepted at KAUST for a full-time four-year Ph.D. program in science and technology," the bank said.
IDB President Ahmad Mohamed Ali and KAUST President Choon Fong Shih signed the deal during a ceremony on the university's campus in Thuwal, 80 km north of Jeddah.
IDB launched its Merit Scholarship Program in 1993 as part of its Science and Technology Program to help its member countries and their institutions in developing high quality and high-tech human resources in science and technology areas. So far, 760 scholars from 50 countries have benefited from the program. “We are delighted to partner with KAUST, sharing IDB’s commitment of providing equal opportunities for students to do research in the field of science and technology. Through this partnership, we hope to achieve economic growth and eventually create a knowledge-based society for the 56 IDB member countries,” the IDB chief said. Shih was equally happy over the agreement. “Our university is eager to launch this important initiative to foster its relationship with an institution like the Islamic Development Bank, which is strongly promoting scientific education and research to boost development in its member countries,” he said. "We believe the scholars could benefit from the world-class faculty and research centers established at KAUST to bring about innovative research that could be of global significance," the university president said.
IDB launches Ph.D. scholarship program with KAUST
