(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Scholarship Program, inaugurated in 2006, has sent 62,000 students to colleges and universities around the world.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education for Scholarship Affairs, Dr. Abdullah bin Al-Moussa, also announced that as the scholarship program heads into its fifth year, it has placed students in 24 countries and nine specialized programs including ones focused on medicine, finance and engineering, among others.

“The King Abdullah Scholarship Program exemplifies Saudi Arabia’s commitment to educating our youth to prepare them to succeed in the global economy. The Kingdom’s wealth can only be truly measured by the achievement of our people,” said Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir.

Since the program began four years ago, more than 23,000 students have been sent to study in the United States. The scholarship program is an integral aspect of the Kingdom’s comprehensive education plan, focusing on job creation so that future generations of Saudis are prepared to compete in an increasingly global economy.