King Saud University has recently begun a massive program of investment and development to create a truly world class research university. Among the many initiatives to realize this aspiration are the recruitment of many distinguished international researchers, the Riyadh Knowledge Corridor, the Nobel Laureates Program and the establishment of several centers of research excellence. Recent appointments include Louis Ignarro, winner of the 1996 Nobel Award for medicine.There are no tuition fees at the university and generous scholarships are available for Saudi and international postgraduate students. Research and library facilities are of international standards. The university offers postgraduate courses in civil, electrical, mechanical, petroleum and chemical engineering, business administration, psychology, economics, accounting, law, political science, archaeology, European and Asian languages, education, social studies, Islamic studies and history and has special strengths in biology, chemistry, medicine and environmental sciences.