Students to have access to more private varsities

The Private Colleges Council has agreed to allow more private universities and colleges to be set up in Kuwait, its secretary-general said yesterday.

Imad Al Atiqi told reporters the Council had approved the Middle East American University in affiliation with the US-based Purdue University and the Medicine Department at Canada's University of Calgary.

He said the council had initially approved the setting up of the Science and Technology College of Kuwait in affiliation with the Indian Institute of Technology of New Delhi, in addition to establishing a branch of Boston University in Kuwait.

"The Minister of Education and Higher Education Rasheed Al Hamad has approved the council's decision, which includes approving the Gulf University of Science and Technology [GUST] for three years," said Al Atiqi.

He added the council had also academically approved the Maastricht College of Kuwait and the Arab Open University for two years. These universities should complete the necessary formalities to retain their academic approvals.

The writer is a journalist based in Kuwait.