University education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia began with a small initiative in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in 1949, with the establishment of the College of Sharia, which initially had a limited educational scope focused on Islamic jurisprudence. The college (which later became one of the colleges of Umm Al-Qura University) was founded by a Royal Decree from Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, introducing a modern form of higher education in Islamic studies alongside traditional lessons held in the Grand Mosque. In 1953, the supervision of the college was transferred to the Ministry of Knowledge (Ministry of Education currently), and its name was changed to the College of Sharia and Education. In 1962, it was renamed the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies. This marked the beginning of higher education expansion in Saudi Arabia, leading to the establishment of King Saud University in 1957, followed by King Abdulaziz University in 1967.