# Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University

> The largest public women’s university in the world, located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia

**Wikidata**: [Q4118886](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4118886)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Nourah_Bint_Abdul_Rahman_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/princess-nora-bint-abdul-rahman-university

## Summary
Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University (PNU) is a public university located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Recognized as the largest women's university in the world, it serves as a major institution for higher education. The university was established in 1970 and is named after Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Saud.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (also known as PNU or Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University).
- **Location:** Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Coordinates: 24.847°N, 46.726°E).
- **Inception:** 1970.
- **Classification:** Public university; higher education institution; academic institution for further education.
- **Namesake:** Named after Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Saud.
- **Distinction:** Cited as the largest public women’s university in the world.
- **Membership:** Member of the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie.
- **Website:** http://www.pnu.edu.sa/
- **Social Media:** Twitter handle `_PNU_KSA` (verified) and Instagram handle `_pnu_ksa`.
- **Identifiers:** GRID ID: grid.449346.8; ROR ID: 05b0cyh02; ISNI: 0000000405017602.

## FAQs
### Q: Where is Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University located?
A: The university is located in Riyadh, which is the capital of Saudi Arabia.

### Q: When was the university founded?
A: Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University was established in 1970.

### Q: Who is the university named after?
A: The institution is named after Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Saud.

### Q: Is this a co-educational institution?
A: No, it is an all-female institution. It is described as the largest public women’s university in the world.

## Why It Matters
Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University holds a unique and significant position in the global academic landscape primarily due to its scale and specific demographic focus. As the largest public women’s university in the world, it represents a massive infrastructure dedicated to female higher education in the Middle East. Located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, the university plays a critical role in the region's human capital development by providing specialized academic and further education opportunities exclusively for women.

Its establishment in 1970 marks it as a historical pillar in the modernization of education within the kingdom. The institution's connection to the royal family—being named after Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Saud—underscores its cultural and national importance. Furthermore, its membership in international organizations like the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie indicates its integration into the broader global academic community, facilitating cross-cultural research and educational collaboration. By consolidating higher education for women into a single, sprawling entity, PNU acts as a central hub for female empowerment and professional development in the country.

## Notable For
- **World's Largest Women's University:** Holds the status of being the largest public university for women globally.
- **Capital Location:** Strategically situated in Riyadh, the political and financial hub of Saudi Arabia.
- **Royal Namesake:** Bears the name of Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Saud, highlighting its prestige.
- **Extensive Reach:** Maintains a significant digital footprint with hundreds of thousands of social media followers (over 337,000 on one platform as of 2023) and content available in over 10 languages on Wikipedia.

## Body
### Overview and Classification
Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University (PNU) is a prominent higher education institution classified as a public university. It is widely identified by its acronym PNU and various other aliases, including Riyadh University for Women and Princess Noura University. The institution focuses on further education and operates on a large scale within the academic sector.

### History and Naming
The university was founded in **1970**. It is named in honor of **Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Saud**, a historical figure in the region. The institution has grown significantly since its inception to become a leading educational entity.

### Location and Geography
The university campus is situated in **Riyadh**, Saudi Arabia. The precise geographical coordinates for the institution are **24.847 latitude and 46.72613611111111 longitude**.

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
The university maintains an active online presence.
- **Website:** The official portal is `http://www.pnu.edu.sa/`.
- **Social Media:** As of February 2023, the university's Twitter account (`_PNU_KSA`) recorded **337,117 followers**. The account was created in May 2013.
- **Academic Identifiers:** The institution is indexed under GRID ID `grid.449346.8` and ROR ID `05b0cyh02`. It also holds an ISNI value of `0000000405017602` and a Ringgold ID of `202708`.

### Organizational Affiliations
PNU is a member of the **Agence universitaire de la Francophonie**, connecting it to a global network of French-speaking and Francophile universities. It is also associated with the Open Funder Registry (ID: 501100004242).

## References

1. GRID Release 2017-01-10
2. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20221123144401/https://www.auf.org/les_membres/nos-membres/)
3. ROR release v1.19
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. [Source](http://www.pnu.edu.sa/)
6. GRID Release 2015-12-14
7. GRID Release 2016-12-06
8. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
9. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
10. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)