Saudi Arabia's Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University will officially allow female students to exit campus without the consent of a male guardian.
The decision, which was announced by the educational institute on Sunday, continues to make the rounds online and is being celebrated as a triumph for women in the kingdom.
Before the order was passed, female scholars weren't allowed to leave the university premises before a male guardian arrived to sign them out.
This is because its officials followed a rule that's widely implemented across colleges in the kingdom, which effectively bans female students from going out in between classes or exiting alone at the end of their course sessions.
The regulation had been widely criticized by Saudi women for years and their activism on the matter is now paying off.
"This is such a huge leap forward"
Speaking to StepFeed, Sarah, a 32-year-old student advisor at one of the kingdom’s universities, explained what the decision really means to female students across Saudi Arabia.
"I know this might sound shocking to women in other countries, but to us, this is a huge step forward. Yes, being able to leave university and drive back home, alone, is something we always dreamed of. The rule banning females from arriving or leaving their colleges alone affected millions of us for years and still does," she said.
Even though the young woman is happy with the latest news, she also noted that there’s so much more to be done.
"There are tens of other institutions where this unjust, problematic regulation still applies. It’s amazing for all the girls at the Princess Nora University but there are thousands of others still suffering. Their voices must also be heard," she explained.
The news took Saudi Twitter by storm
As news of the latest move forward for Saudi women started circulating online, it garnered thousands of reactions.
While some sexist tweeps tried to attack the decision, so many others hit back at them, stating that it's about time female students in the country are given a basic right.
A few were against the decision
"A bad decision."
So many people were all for it though
"All universities in the kingdom must implement a similar decision. Imagine a female student freely arriving at college in her car early every morning but being unable to sign out unless a male guardian is present!"
And thought this should be implemented at other colleges too
"What about other universities and colleges in the kingdom? Don't you care about them?"
"A great decision! Waiting on it to be implemented at other institutions"
The university's decision comes during a triumphant year for Saudi women
Even though the kingdom continues to be criticized for several decisions it has made when it comes to women's rights, including the recent arrests of several prominent female activists, it made a few notable strides.
Earlier this year, the country officially lifted a ban on women driving. In recent months, it was also announced that women will be joining several professions previously limited to men.
Last year, the kingdom took major steps to improve women's rights in the country, including issuing reformed laws governing child marriage, divorce, alimony, and the custody of children.
However, more still needs to be done to ensure that women in the kingdom receive all their basic rights.