Dr. Saad Al-Deen Hashim Al-Banna, supervisor of orphan schools at Imam Hussain Holy Shrine and the Imam Al-Redha Foundation, has announced the opening of Al-Asbat University College in Karbala for the upcoming school year. All orphan applicants will be accepted free of charge.

In a statement to Karbala Now Agency, Al-Banna emphasized, "The representative office of the Supreme Religious Authority, Sayyid Ali Al-Sistani, is deeply committed to the welfare of orphans, focusing significantly on their education and healthcare."

He further explained, "Al-Asbat University College, which is being constructed by the representative office of the Supreme Religious Authority in Karbala and will be directly supervised by His Eminence Sheikh Al-Karbalaey, will offer free admission to orphan students who have graduated from high school, based on their academic performance and the available specializations."

Al-Banna also highlighted the broader mission of the university, "The primary goal is to provide comprehensive support for orphans from their early years through their teenage education. These students have already benefited from elementary and secondary education in schools affiliated with the Imam Al-Redha Charitable Foundation, such as Sayyid Ali Al-Asghar and Sayyida Ruqayya schools. Now, they will have the opportunity to continue their education at the university level, receiving both financial and academic support until graduation and subsequent employment in institutions associated with the holy shrine."

The new university is being built on a 12.5-hectare plot along Al-Razzazah Road and will offer a range of academic specialties, including Civil Engineering, Nursing, Artificial Intelligence, and Administration and Economics. These four colleges are set to open next year.