Saudi College Life Different, But Many Similarities
- Pipeline
- Saudi Aramco News
- Sponsored Tours
Author: Dr. Elaine Adams, HCCS
Released 17 November 2004
Dr. Elaine Adams
Photograph by Aramco ExPats
This past summer a delegation of 13 Houston educators sponsored by Aramco toured Saudi Arabia. We arrived in the country during the period of final exams and graduations. While in the Kingdom's second largest city, Jeddah, the women in the group were invited to attend the graduation ceremony of Dar Al-Hakmah College, a premiere all women's college. The two men in the group were assigned to other activities. This separation of men and women is not unusual for Saudi Arabia. In this instance, tradition dictates that the young women of the college be protected from exposure to male non-family members.
Jeddah is along the route to the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. As a mark of respect for Saudi customs, when in public the Houston women wore abayas, long black robes covering their regular clothing, and tarhahs, headscarves covering their heads. When we arrived at the graduation site, the lobby and auditorium were packed with happily chattering women similarly attired in black abayas, frequently distinguished with uniquely embroidered designs. When indoors among women, the hair could be uncovered and the abayas removed, often revealing the latest Western fashions.
The graduating students, wearing the familiar graduation caps, were dressed in black abayas with embroidered bands in colors representing their fields of study. The young women were graduating with Bachelor's degrees in the fields of Management Information Systems (MIS), Special Education, Interior Design, Graphic Design, or Nursing. The students in the various programs of study remained in groups accompanied by their teachers.
The graduation ceremonies were conducted in Arabic. The Houston educators were fitted with headsets, and a translator provided descriptions of the activities. This event was very special, since the Saudi Royal Princess Johara was present to confer recognition on the students. In her presentation, Her Royal Highness exhorted the mothers in the audience to take care that their children did not fall under the influence of false teaching. Several other women on the stage addressed the audience, including one of the graduating students.
Certain elements of the graduation were distinctly different from our HCC graduations. Men were not present in the auditorium itself, but were able to witness the ceremonies via television in the separate viewing room. This ban extended to male relatives, including fathers, brothers, grandfathers, and uncles. There was no official graduation photographer, since Saudi customs discourages women from being photographed as an invasion of their privacy. The ceremony also recognized with monetary awards students who had distinguished themselves by memorizing the Koran.
There was much that was reminiscent of HCC graduations, however. For example, a wide range of footwear accessorized the graduation attire. Female friends and families lent moral support with shouts and applause, as well as occasional ululations. The girls threw their caps in the air when the last graduate crossed the stage. Additionally, an enthusiastic alumna led a pep rally during which the new graduates and alumnae from earlier classes gathered on stage to sing a tearful rendition of the school song. Human beings are so much alike.
The next day, the Houston men and women split up again. This time the Houston female delegation visited Effat College, named for Her Royal Highness Queen Effat and Saudi Arabia's first private college for women. While classes at Dar Al-Hekma College are conducted in Arabic and English, English is the language of instruction at Effat. Since students must be English proficient to enroll there, the familiar TOEFL exam surfaces. Students needing preparation for immersion in English or additional support in mathematics or study skills may enroll in the Effat Academic Institute (EAI) which is somewhat like HCC's Intensive English Program for international students and the Developmental Studies Program.
Effat students may earn Bachelor of Science degrees in Information Systems, Computer Sciences, Kindergarten, English Language and Translation, or Psychology. HCC students might be surprised to know that financial aid is heavily based on Academic Excellence Incentives -- the higher the GPA, the greater the tuition reduction. To be admitted to the College, one must submit along with other documents recent photographs wearing the veil and be interviewed personally. Another requirement that differs from HCC is the request for the names of the father and grandfather, with no mention of female relatives.
A comment in one of the Effat college's publicity booklets reads like it could have come directly from a student at HCC. The Effat student says, "The great thing about Effat is that you're encouraged to get involved. It means you discover so much more about yourself and what you can offer the outside world." Although the colleges are infused with Islamic traditions, the faculty and staff strive to help students meet the demands of a global society. Helping students meet the challenges of today's world is an effort with which we all can identify.