• Universities are scientific and cultural institutions that operate in accordance with Islamic Sharia. They implement educational policies by providing higher education and postgraduate studies, advancing scientific research, engaging in authorship, translation, and publication, and serving the community within their areas of expertise.

• Each university enjoys a legal personality with a financial capacity that grants it the right of ownership, action, and litigation.

• There shall be a council for universities and other higher education institutions called the Higher Education Council, and each university shall have a council called the University Council.

• This Law applies to:

  • 1 - Umm Al-Qura University, headquartered in Mecca.

  • 2 - Islamic University, headquartered in Medina.

  • 3 - Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, headquartered in Riyadh.

  • 4 - King Saud University, headquartered in Riyadh.

  • 5 - King Abdulaziz University, headquartered in Jeddah.

  • 6 - King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, headquartered in Dhahran.

  • 7 - King Faisal University, headquartered in Al-Hofuf.

  • 8 - Universities that are established in the future unless their establishment decision states otherwise.

• Each university consists of a number of colleges, institutes, research centers, deanships, and supporting centers. The universities specified in the previous article consist of colleges, institutes, research centers, deanships, supporting centers, scientific institutes, and schools below the university level that exist at the time of the issuance of this law, as well as the deanships and supporting centers approved by the Higher Education Council.

• The names of colleges, institutes, research centers, deanships, and supporting centers may be amended by a decision from the Higher Education Council based on the recommendation of the relevant university council.

• Some colleges, institutes, or research centers may be located outside the university's headquarters by a decision of the Higher Education Council based on a proposal from the relevant university council.

Each college or institute consists of a number of departments if the nature of the college or institute requires it. New departments may be established by a decision of the Higher Education Council based on a proposal from the relevant university council, provided that similar departments do not duplicate in the colleges or institutes of the same university located in one premises.

• Each college, institute, and supporting deanship shall have appropriate powers in scientific, financial, and administrative matters in accordance with what is issued by the relevant university council within the limits of its jurisdiction or powers from regulations that define the competencies of the councils of colleges, institutes, deans, their deputies, department councils, and their heads.