Biography of the Founder
H. E. Abdulaziz bin Ali Al-Tuwaijri
Chairman of the Board of Trustees

• H.E. Abdulaziz bin Ali Al-Tuwaijri was awarded a bachelor degree in Business Administration from King Saud University in 1967.
• After graduation, His Excellency served as an administrative expert and general supervisor in the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh, before being awarded a scholarship to continue his higher education in the United States where he obtained his Masters degree in public administration in 1971 from the University of Southern California.
• H.E. Al-Tuwaijri served in various posts in the Ministry of Finance until he became the Deputy Chairman of the Saudi Customs Services in 1975. 
• His Excellency then made the move to serve his country in another role, as a member of the National Guard.  His Excellency’s service there extended from 1978 to 1993, during the course of which time he held the post of Deputy Chairman of the Saudi National Guards.
• His Excellency has made numerous contributions to the national education system.  In 1994 he established Dar Al Uloom Schools, a group of fully-fledged schools which host students at all grades from K to 12.
• The pinnacle of these contributions was the establishment of Dar Al Uloom University.  This notable event, through an ambitious vision and substantial investments on his part established the exalted place of H. E. Abdulaziz bin Ali Al-Tuwaijri in the realm of Saudi higher education. His Excellency is now the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dar Al Uloom University.

Milestones in the Establishment of DAU

• In the year 2000 G, and following on the establishment of Dar Al Uloom Schools, the founder H.E. Abdulaziz bin Ali Al-Tuwaijri expressed his ambition to contribute to the development of Saudi higher education by establishing Dar Al Uloom Colleges.
• A positive reply to His Excellency’s request to do so was received from the Ministry of Higher Education in 2001, accompanied by the relevant regulations approved by the Council of Ministers in Resolution No. 212, dated 28 November 2000.
• On the basis of the above mentioned regulations, a feasibility assessment was conducted and, in 2004, Dar Al Uloom Company was established.  A comprehensive submission was communicated to the Ministry of Higher Education that same year.
• The Ministry of Higher Education issued a Provisional Endorsement, ref. 24912, dated 01 November 2004, to establish Dar Al Uloom Colleges.
• Upon the fulfillment of all requirements and obligations by Dar Al Uloom Company, the Ministry of Higher Education issued a Final Endorsement, ref 44576, dated 26 June 2008.
• Subsequently, Dar Al Uloom Colleges were established and immediately thereafter preparations to obtain university status were begun.
• In accordance with Article VII of the Rules of Private Universities, Dar Al Uloom Colleges submitted a patent for an upgrade to a university status.  This patent was reviewed by the General Secretariat of the Council of Higher Education, which in turn acknowledged the fulfillment of all requirements and obligations.
• The patent and the recommendation from the General Secretariat were submitted to the Higher Education Council at its 52th meeting, held on 24 November 2008.  The Council adopted Resolution No. 3/52/1429, acknowledging the eligibility of Dar Al Uloom for university status.  This resolution was endorsed by the commander of our renaissance, the builder and catalyst of our prosperity, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Chairman of the Higher Education Council - God bless him – through the wire, ref. 2155-m-b, dated 03 March 2009.

Brief History of DAU 

After more than eight years' preparatory work by the Dar Al-Uloom Group (Education Division), Dar Al-Uloom University (DAU) was founded.  The company was particularly enabled in this venture by its decade-long experience in education.

Behind the setting up of DAU were an ambitious vision and considerable, solid investments.  As the project was such an ambitious one, the founders called in educational experts  from both within the Kingdom and abroad to advise on the main axes, identify suitable scientific disciplines, write the academic programs and put the practical and technical foundations in place.

The first step in constructing the DAU campus was to examine the best designs available and judge their suitability for helping us achieve our educational goals in a modern setting. The Campus aims to combine ease of communication with privacy of gender separation, while providing all that is required for a rich academic environment along with modern facilities and equipment.

The next step was to conduct surveys on the current climate of higher education and particularly, private higher education here in Saudi Arabia.  This was followed closely by detailed studies to ascertain which scientific disciplines high school graduates of both sexes were interested in following. These surveys and studies directly helped to determine which academic disciplines would be best suited to the needs of the students and of Saudi society.

Specialized workshops were held, with more than 80 experts in Computer Science, Business Administration, Law and Educational Sciences, to decide on the precise needs of the academic and business sectors.  We needed to determine what the specifications for these fields of study at graduate level should be, as well as at the level of general and specialized subjects taught in the University.

Simultaneously, the academic programs and study plans were developed, with the founders consulting the finest universities with the most relevant expertise in the respective areas, in order to achieve DAU's scientific and practical aims.  Thus, the DAU vision and mission became a reality and Dar Al-Uloom University was launched.

Among DAU`s aims is to gain distinction in the future as a provider of high-quality graduates, both men and women.  A DAU education should open up a wide range of job opportunities for those who study with us.  Finally, DAU hopes to contribute to general human development by providing a modern education of international quality which is academically accredited.