Universities in Bahrain will open their doors to students today after classes were cancelled amid last week's unrest.

While Arab Open University and the Royal University for Women (RUW) remained open, students were advised not to attend classes for security reasons.

The Arab Open University, which remained open daily until 2pm, will resume classes as normal from Thursday.

RUW reported almost full attendance last week, yet had fewer students from Saudi Arabia who reportedly encountered problems crossing the King Fahad Causeway.

Attendance was left to the discretion of parents who kept some students at home, said an RUW university professor.

Classes are now going ahead as normal.

All lectures had been cancelled at NYIT in Adliya, but returned to normal on Sunday with a full attendance.

Arabian Gulf University closed last Thursday as a result of the violence at Pearl Roundabout and to put anxious parents' minds at rest, said a university spokesman.

'We have a lot of students who come from all over the Gulf and due to the situation, we gave them last Thursday off so that they could travel home to worried families,' he said.

Lectures will resume today.

Bahrain University reported lower attendances yesterday on the first day back to class after the university's Spring holiday. However, classes are continuing as normal.-TradeArabia News Service