Effat University students attend the graduation ceremony on Thursday night.

:: The president of Effat University has said 58 percent of the university’s graduates are employed in various jobs in the Kingdom or abroad.

Dr. Haifa Jamal Al-Lail was speaking at a graduation ceremony at the university on Thursday.

“The number of our graduates has reached 1,300 and 58 percent of them have received job opportunities nationally and internationally, while 11 percent are completing their postgraduate studies,” Jamal Al-Lail said.

She added that the university has received a license from the Ministry of Education to offer a Master of Science program in Energy Engineering in two streams: Petroleum Engineering and Renewable Energy.

This, she said, makes Effat the first university to offer this major to Saudi women and the only university in the Kingdom to offer it at postgraduate level.

Addressing the new graduates, Jamal Al-Lail said: “Our confidence in your ability to lead businesses and serious projects and play great roles as active participants in building the nation and its service will be our support in achieving the scientific, economic and social civilization in the global competitive race.”

The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Dr. Beverly Warren, president of Kent State University, Ohio, US.

An internationally respected and widely published scholar in the fields of education and exercise physiology, Dr. Warren’s most recent research focused on urban education, including access and success for urban youth and the preparation of teachers for urban environments.

After Dr. Warren’s inspiring address, the graduates spoke. Reem Oudah, a master’s graduate of Urban Design, said: “Studying at Effat University has taught me that any dream that you think is impossible to achieve will surely come true with patience, passion and perseverance.”

Effat has now graduated the first group of students in Master of Science in Translation Studies and the first bachelor students in the Visual and Digital Production (VDP).

Najla Al-Deeb, a master’s student of translation who is graduating this year, said: “I was looking for this degree. It is a great experience on personal and professional levels. I got the opportunity to join this major which is not available in other local universities.”

She added: “I got introduced to work-like environment by my professors who introduced me to translation, interpreting and audiovisual translation techniques.”

Huda Fouda, a graduate of Visual and Digital Production, said she was required to produce a short film of up to 15 minutes as her final project. Apart from the university courses Fouda said they were required to do 480 hours of internship. “I took my internship in a Turkish company, and I now look for a job.” Asked about the possible jobs they may have in Saudi Arabia she said, “We may work in advertising companies or in television related jobs.”

The ceremony was held at Effat Hall in the presence of Princess Lolowah AlFaisal, vice chair of the Board of Trustees and general supervisor of Effat University, and with the attendance of several media and social figures as well as the students’ families.