Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University

Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University (PNU) in Riyadh is one of the outcomes of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to higher education for women.

Women’s Education in Saudi Arabia

Support for women’s education has helped Saudi women pursue their ambitions and distinguish themselves locally and internationally. Their achievements in culture, specialized research and science have earned international recognition, demonstrating success comparable to their peers in other advanced countries.

Development of Women’s Colleges

The General Presidency for the Education of Girls established the first women’s college in 1390 AH (1970 CE). Further openings brought the total to 102 university, intermediary and community colleges across 72 Saudi cities, serving 600,000 students.

Founding Colleges in Riyadh

The six colleges in Riyadh incorporated into the university were:

• College of Education for Liberal Arts Disciplines
• College of Education for Scientific Disciplines
• College of Education for the Development of Teachers
• College of Social Services
• College of Home Economics
• College of Fine Arts

University Establishment

In 1427 AH, a royal order established the first university for women in Riyadh under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education. It brought together the city’s six colleges and several new colleges created to support women’s education and development in the Kingdom.

The university was inaugurated in 1428 AH with the appointment of its first rector, H.H. Dr. Al-Jawhara bint Fahd Al-Saud.