The Saudi government has granted UOW Global Enterprises an "investment licence" which allows steps towards developing a campus to take place.

The deal is certain to ignite criticism at home over Saudi Arabia's record of human right abuses, which includes subjugation of women, torture and murder of dissidents, and censorship of debate.

The 2022 Freedom in the World report rated Saudi Arabia 7 out of 100 for freedom, including 1 out of 40 for political rights and 6 out of 60 for civil liberties.

Its regime is a stark contrast to the "values" described on UOW's website, which include openness, empowerment, inclusiveness and diversity.

A UOW spokesman confirmed the issuing of the investment licence.

"The license is a requisite first step to permit foreign companies to legally operate and conduct business activities in Saudi Arabia," he said.

"It allows UOW Global Enterprises to undertake detailed market and legal analysis to better understand the opportunity before taking any further steps towards a potential higher education institution.

"Further detailed work, as well as internal and external approvals, are required before any decision on opening a campus in Saudi Arabia is made."

The Mercury asked why UOW was dealing with Saudi Arabia, given its human rights record. This question did not receive an answer.

UOW Global Enterprises has prepared a document announcing the Saudi licence was granted on February 29, but this has not been published in Australia.

In it, UOW Global Enterprises calls itself the "No.14 modern university worldwide".

This appears to be a reference to the 2021 "Top 50 Under 50" QS ranking of universities that have been around for less than 50 years, where UOW was 14^th. Overall, QS the same year ranked UOW No.196.

Partnerships with the oil-rich Saudi kingdom have proved lucrative, particularly in sports including golf and football which have enjoyed the generosity of the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

But they have drawn strong criticism owing to Saudi Arabia's human rights record, including its use of the death penalty (81 men were executed in one day in 2022), significant subjugation of women - who must have a male legal guardian - and torture of prisoners.

In 2018 US journalist Jamaal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, a killing allegedly ordered by the highest levels of the Saudi government. Investigators concluded his body was dismembered before being disposed of.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund has also bought a slice of live entertainment Live Nation, which operates shows at Anita's Theatre in Thirroul, and owns prominent sales agent Ticketmaster.

The split caused by its LIV Golf tour was well-documented, with tour professionals accusing LIV signees of taking "blood money".

LIV Golf was accused of using its money to "sportswash" the kingdom's human rights atrocities.

UOW is working with the Saudi monarchy's Digital Knowledge Company, which posted a picture of UOW's Dubai branch president Professor Mohamed-Vall M. Salem Zein alongside a representative of the Saudi Ministry of Investment.

The DKC also had a message about the Memorandum of Understanding signed with UOW.

"Proud moment today during the Human Capability Initiative conference held in Riyadh when it was announced that the University of Wollongong has been awarded the first investment license for operating a foreign branch campus in Saudi Arabia, in association with the Digital Knowledge Company," it said.

"We are looking forward to working with our Australian counterparts to establish this initiative in the near future, and thereby contributing to the provision of quality international education for the community in line with Vision 2030."

UOW had recently celebrated 30 years of its Dubai campus. The university's overseas operations now include Hong King, China, Malaysia and Singapore as well as the United Arab Emirates.

Saudia Arabia is an absolute monarchy ruled by the Saud dynasty.

The Washington, DC-based think tank Freedom House wrote about the gulf kingdom in 2021: "Saudi Arabia's absolute monarchy restricts almost all political rights and civil liberties.

"No officials at the national level are elected.

"The regime relies on pervasive surveillance, the criminalization of dissent, appeals to sectarianism and ethnicity, and public spending supported by oil revenues to maintain power.

"Women and religious minorities face extensive discrimination in law and in practice."