The partnership will oversee the development of collaborations in nanoscience, technology and engineering with the King Abdullah Institute of Nanotechnology.

Joint PhD projects, funded research and enterprise activities will be developed in medicine and health, biology, chemical manufacturing, electronics and other sectors.

The programme will be administered through the University of Leeds NanoManufacturing Institute and will provide new funding for PhD research and collaborative exchanges.

Nanotechnology is the science of the extremely tiny, involving the study and use of materials on an almost unimaginably small scale.

One nanometre is a millionth of a millimetre or about one eighty thousandth of the width of a human hair.

Professor Richard Williams, Leeds University's Pro Vice Chancellor of Enterprise, Knowledge Transfer and International Strategy, said: "We are delighted. This is our first major research and enterprise project in an area that draws on a distinctive research strength for Leeds in an area that has major societal impact.

Research

"We expect new research programmes to start within the next two months and look forward to welcoming academic staff from King Saud University (KSU) as visiting researchers and professors to Leeds."

The deal continues a series of educational agreements with KSU.

Professor Al-Ghamdi, Deputy Rector for Knowledge Exchange and Technology Transfer at King Saud University, added: "We have already appointed Professor Terry Wilkins of the NanoManufacturing Institute as the first visiting professor to KSU from Leeds and we look forward to welcoming more Leeds staff to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to work jointly on projects that will have long lasting impact."

The Nanomanufacturing Institute was established by Leeds University in 2005 with the vision of becoming Europe's leading academic centre for nanomanufacturing research for consumer and related products.

It draws upon the University's large nanotechnology base in science, medicine and engineering and activities at Leeds are led by Prof Wilkins.

The King Abdullah Institute of Nanotechnology is seeking to build the infrastructure needed for research and development in the field of nano science and technology to allow KSU to aid in building a knowledge-based national economy in Saudi Arabia.