Saudi Arabias spending on information technology is expected to reach SR46.3 billion by 2015, Muhammad Al-Suwaiyel, president of King Abdul Aziz City of Science and Technology, said yesterday quoting a recent study. In 2010 the Kingdoms spending in the information technology sector rose to SR27 billion, he pointed out while highlighting the importance of the International Conference on Computing and Information Technology at Taibah University in Madinah.

The three-day conference, which opens today, aims to bring together scholars and industry practitioners representing a wide variety of specializations in computing and information technology. This conference will be a platform for exploring latest results, best practices and future trends, said one of the organizers. We have invited scholars and industry practitioners to submit results of their original research and case studies, he pointed out.

Conference topics include: Computer science, information systems, software engineering, computer networks, information security, computer engineering, e-government and e-transactions. In a statement on the occasion, Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for his support to the conference that aims at promoting transfer of science and technology to the Kingdom. These kinds of conferences are an important means for the teaching staff and students of Saudi universities to learn the latest developments in the field and enhance their skills and knowledge, he said.