This track deals with studying all aspects related to the scientific research (with both its theoretical and practical aspects) since it’s considered as the basic component of the activities of the higher education system that contributes efficiently in developing the educational process, building and distributing information, and contributing in solving all the community, private sector, and industry issues.
This study is significant because helps in identifying the reality and trends of the scientific research in the higher educational institutes in the Kingdom, its situation, available possibilities, and its prepared modern technologies. In addition, it helps in identifying it organizational and administrative aspects, role in the educational operation, reaction towards the development, industry, and community demands, and identifying the best methods for solving any aspects of weakness in the scientific research as well, all to enhance its external quality at the end.
This study in general aims at evaluating the reality of the scientific research in the higher education institutes and its coordination with the private sector, and understanding the areas of strength and weakness in it, as well as figuring out objective recommendations to enhance it and to enable it to contribute in the developmental process efficiently, and develop the capability of the educational process.
This study should also achieve a number of additional objectives, represented in the following:
Evaluating the reality of scientific research in the higher education institutes, and understanding the areas of strength and weakness in it as well as all related challenges and issues.
Indicating the priorities of the scientific research in the higher education institutes in the Kingdom.\
Evaluating the co-operation between the higher education institutes and the private sector in the aspect of scientific research, as well as defining all areas of strength and weakness, and the related challenges and issues.
Suggesting the best mechanisms to enhance the scientific research in order to enable it to contribute in developing the capability of the educational process and building information efficiently, as well as contributing in solving the problems of the community, private sector, and industry.
The scope of this study and its aspects comprise at least the following:
Identifying the current situation of the scientific research performed in various aspects.
Evaluating the actual demands for scientific research, estimating its level, available aspect for performance, types, capability, efficiency, production, mechanisms, and surveying the most the most obvious models of the research projects.
Revising the rules and policies related to the scientific research, and defining the obstacles facing the research institutes, and the available and demanded motives for the research activity.
Studying the link between the scientific research activities applied at the higher education institutes and the scientific and technological national plan and the developmental plans, as well as their contribution towards solving the development problems and the cooperation with the private sector as well.
Evaluating the possibility of the scientific research contribution in facing the actual challenges facing the community, and enhancing its capabilities.
Evaluating the importance of spreading the concept of scientific research and its necessity among the community for its development.
Studying the level of cooperation between the research centers and the concerned centers for serving the scientific research activities, and comparing it with what is wide spread in order to enhance its efficiency in the scientific research movement, and the technological development as well.
Studying the human experience situation, and the information accumulation in the scientific research centers subordinated by the higher education institutes. In addition, predicting mechanisms for preserving, developing, and using it efficiently.
Studying the most essential international indicators in the scientific research, methods of development, and methods of developing the quality of the scientific research and its outputs as well.
Developing suitable methods to solve the problems of the scientific research, and enhance the contribution of this activity in the developmental process, and founding the cooperation with the private sector as well.
The information used for the study should be complete and authorized. In addition, the study needs the contribution of both stakeholders and the audience via convening seminars, workshops, and intensive brainstorming meetings.
A qualified and skillful team should be formed, and the team shall consult international experts -when needed- in order to complete the study as requested. Moreover, the established scientific procedures should be used in satisfying the needs of the study.
The study’s perspective for the future should comprise the duration of the plan for the coming 25 years (i.e. until the year 2032).
The basic components of this study should be indicated accurately, and studied in terms of the various changes, indicators, and both local and international criteria, in addition to the Kingdom’s development including the economical, social, demographic, technical, and scientific aspects, as well as the requirements of consecutive national development plans.
Literature, theoretical concepts, international experience, and best practices should be reviewed for not fewer than five higher education information technology experiences from different countries of varying development records. The characteristics of those experiences, the reasons for their positive and negative outcomes in the study, as well as the possibility and the way of applying their positive outcomes, and dealing with the findings in the Kingdom effectively, all should be previewed.
The current situation should be studied by reviewing the different aspects of this study, such as challenges and problems, different phenomena, supply and demand, and the effects of different operations in higher education institutes that are related to the study.
The conditions of higher education institutes in the Kingdom should be compared and contrasted within the framework of this study locally, and then compared with international experiences and against educational standards.
Various aspects of the current situations should be analyzed, and the efficiency of related policies and methods should be estimated. In addition, the vital methods required for developing the higher education system should be identified in order to achieve synchronization with the developmental needs and various issues according to their importance and changes both for now and in the future.
A comprehensive strategic analysis for the subject of this study should be performed and should indicate the related issues, aims and future objectives. The analysis should reflect on the challenges and opportunities, obstacles, and the areas of strength and weakness (through comparative and gap studies), then the needs of the stakeholders should be addressed. Indicating the basis of success, drawing the expected scenarios, analyzing the strategic options and their applicability, all help in achieving the real objectives of that long-term plan.
All the changes mentioned in this study should be linked so as to enable deriving comprehensive conclusions. Achieving this might -as needed- demand designing mathematical models to represent interactions between various reciprocating relationships such as components and variables related to the scope of this study. That will provide the tool required to forecast the future behavior of these variables and to conduct reliability analyses for the coming 25 years, .i.e. until the year 2032.
The most effective factors in this study should be the subject of prognostic studies that should be compiled and supported whenever applicable by graphical representation.
The methods and best practices should be presented, and the requirements for achieving the objectives of the study should be proposed.
The study should introduce total quality methods and mechanisms that shall achieve close and harmonic coordination among the parameters of the study and the recommended practices so that their application fits labor market demands, international changes, and the current and future local needs.
Determining the results and giving recommendation
Specific Requirements
Methods for improving both internal and external quality of the scientific research should be researched and suggesting high-quality mechanisms to enhance its quality level.
Methods for building experiences and informal accumulation should be researched, and suggesting the best methods for keeping, developing, and using it in the best way that serves the scientific development in the Kingdom.
Methods for enhancing the cooperation with the private sector in the aspect of scientific research, and developing it on the level of cooperation.
A seminar, workshops, and meetings with focus groups should be held in order to conceive and take note of different opinions that help in giving recommendations.
All the activities done in these brainstorming meetings, the seminar and the workshops should be documented and presented to the Supervising Committee of Aafaq.
This study should present a comprehensive report that includes the following:
Executive summary of the study.
An analysis of the results of the current situation analysis study, comparative studies, prognostic studies, and the needs of development plans ,and the scientific research relation with the national plans, developmental plans, the community’s issues and problems, the quality of the experience and informal accumulation, the successful and failed international experiences, and the results of the quality and efficiency evaluation.
Highlights of the outcomes of meetings with focus groups, general seminars, brainstorming seminars, workshops, etc.
Indicating the obstacles for enhancing the scientific research in the higher education institutes in the Kingdom according to its importance, and the strategic options and the possibility and manner of their application.
Indicating the issues related to cooperation between the higher education institutes and the public and private labor sectors, and enhancing this cooperation.
Indicating the priorities of the scientific research in the higher education institutes in the Kingdom on the short term, and predicting these priorities on the long term.
Comparing the internal capability of the scientific research process, and evaluating it relying on international criteria.
Suggesting suitable methods, plans, trends, and mechanisms for developing the scientific research in the higher education institutes.
Determining the needed methods of execution, budgets, temporal plan, execution responsibilities, training requirements, changing demands, and other technical parameters that affect the performance of the admission and capacity operation.
Defining a monitoring and control system, benchmarks, measuring criteria, and standardized indicators.
Practical recommendations that would play a major role in forming the long term future plan regarding the scope of that study.
