His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday requested university presidents to draw up a clear work plan on their ideas and proposals to enhance the role of higher education institutions in the Kingdom.

Meeting with university presidents at an iftar Sunday, King Abdullah asked them to present these proposals next month.

Underlining universities' key role in providing the labour market with skilled and competitive graduates, the King also emphasised the importance of universities' independence and the need to activate the role of their boards of trustees.

The King also directed the government to look into financial support to universities that would enable them to offer an optimal educational environment in a manner that ensures their graduates' competitiveness in the local and international labour markets.

At the meeting, the university presidents briefed the King on the main challenges facing the higher education sector, saying that the higher education faced both financial and social pressure.

They also briefed the King on the progress achieved in the implementation of the higher education strategy that was endorsed over a year ago, upon Royal directives.

The King and the presidents also discussed the issue of qualified university staff who move from state to private universities or to other countries.

Prime Minister Nader Dahabi, who attended the meeting, expressed the government's support for universities, adding that it has a clear strategy to upgrade higher education.

Expressing support for the implementation of accreditation criteria at state universities, Dahabi said the government will draft legislation needed to activate the role of university boards and to ensure their independence.

During the meeting, also attended by Royal Court Chief Bassem Awadallah, Minister of Higher Education Omar Shdeifat highlighted the main challenges facing this sector and proposed solutions.