(WASHINGTON, DC) - According to the Open Doors 2010 report, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now ranked seventh among countries in sending international students to study in the United States. The Open Doors report is an annual study released by the Institute of International Education. The Kingdom moved up from tenth last year, reflecting the Saudi government’s substantial investment in study abroad scholarships.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz scholarship program is aimed at fostering human interaction at the most basic levels. Qualified Saudi students are sent to attend colleges and universities around the world to learn, make friends and experience foreign cultures. The Saudi government has already offered scholarships to more than 90,000 students to study in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and others. These students are exposed to ideas and ideals that will shape and inform their lives in the years to come, and Saudi Arabia will benefit from their experiences.

In addition to providing education opportunities for Saudis around the world in 2009, King Abdullah established the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) a graduate-level research university that brings international students and professors to Saudi Arabia. KAUST is dedicated to inspiring a new age of scientific achievement in the Kingdom that will benefit the Middle East region and the world. During its inaugural year KAUST had students and professors from over 60 countries.

For more information on Saudi Arabia’s education initiatives please visit www.saudiembassy.net or follow the Embassy on Twitter @SaudiEmbassyUSA.