Dudley College to create new colleges in Saudi Arabia

Officials have won a three-year deal to mentor Saudi staff creating three colleges in the country.

Teams of between 10 and 15 staff from the college will be based in Saudi Arabia at the new institutions over the initial three year period.

Staff will work alongside Saudi teachers in improving the performance of the new colleges, including best practice on teaching and the curriculum, English language skills and leadership training.

Dudley College principal Lowell Williams said: "The college has been successful in being awarded three capacity and capability building contracts in Saudi Arabia, two male colleges and one female, where our staff will work alongside the Saudi college staff to improve their capacity.

"The total value of these contracts is £18 million over three years. Income from these projects will support the ongoing capital development of the college in Dudley.

"We see this as an exciting opportunity for both Dudley and education in Saudi Arabia, as this supports the country's vocational training reforms."

The news comes following growing concern about Saudi Arabia's record on human rights after it emerged Karl Andree, a 74 year-old UK citizen, has been sentenced in the country to 350 lashes for possession of alcohol.

And just last week David Cameron scrapped a £6 million deal for the British Ministry of Justice to train Saudi Arabian prison staff amid criticism of its human rights record. According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia executed 102 people in the first six months of this year, more than the whole of 2014.

But Mr Williams added that while it was aware of the issues raised the college could not comment on individual cases.

He said: "In agreeing to take assignments in Saudi Arabia, Dudley College Worldwide consulted closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). The college's own policies promote tolerance, respect and the celebration of diversity."

It comes after the college struck a new relationship with banking giant Santander which has helped with financing their building projects. The bank is also working with Dudley College to raise income through international work such as the deal with the Saudi Government.

The Saudi money will help Dudley College complete work on its Learning Quarter, creating a new town centre campus. Planning proposals for the £12 million Centre for Advanced Building Technologies to be built near the Dudley Advance campus off Priory Road, will be submitted within days.

If approved the centre, the final campus to be built in the town as part of the Learning Quarter, would be open in 2017.

Dudley College has already received £8 million from the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership to help pay towards the new centre.

It will serve more than 3,250 students over five years to give them skills to take up construction jobs, included those expected to be created by high speed rail project HS2 across the West Midlands.