Private higher education is an important source for higher education in the Kingdom. This category of education is an active channel in the higher education system as it takes up large numbers of students for quality education in compliance with job market demands. It is therefore essential to disembark for a comprehensive vision for private higher education in the Kingdom.
Private higher education was recently introduced in the Kingdom and it has been attracting a considerable number of students which in turn reduces the government’s financial burdens. This category of education also offers educational opportunities to students for whom government sponsored university education could not be offered. It also represents a prospect for active participation of the private sector into higher education activities. This study is, therefore, significant in terms of establishing the administrative and organizational fundamentals for private higher education as well as defining the criteria that will govern the delivery of quality education.
This study –in general- aims at conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the Kingdom’s higher education institutes to appraise the need for the participation of private sector in establishing universities and colleges that will achieve quantitative and qualitative development in the higher education process. In addition, this study should achieve a number of additional objectives, represented in the following:
Quantitatively and qualitatively evaluating the existing capacity of all governmental and private higher education institutes, and pinpointing the gaps from demand, supply, and geographical distribution points of view.
Assessing total numbers of male and female students currently registered in both governmental and private higher education establishments and estimating the extent of enrollment in higher education institutes for the coming 25 years.
Foreseeing the need of private sector’s participation in establishing universities and colleges to enhance the geographic distribution as well as both the quantity and quality of higher education opportunities.
Proposing mechanisms and methodologies for the synchronization between demand and supply for private higher education.
Evaluating the possibilities for the active participation of private sector in offering higher education in specific majors demanded by the development process and current and future job market requirements.
Suggesting indices for appropriate education fees.
The scope of this study and its aspects comprise the following:
Conducting statistical studies on the quantities of secondary school graduates for the coming 25 years, including the flow of students into secondary school and university levels.
Performing statistical analyses on the available capacities in government sponsored universities for the coming three decades through the studying of the each university’s development plan.
Preparing statistical studies about market required majors through conducting qualitative studies of the academic programs in these universities.
Defining the levels of interaction and mutual interests between government sponsored universities and privately owned universities.
The study requires a high level of competency for executing a set of steps that will together provide a clear vision about government and private higher education. These requirements are:
Complete knowledge of the rules and regulations governing universities in the Kingdom
Comprehensive assessment of universities in terms of enrollment numbers and capacities in the coming three decades.
Comprehension of other countries experiences in areas of private higher education and particularly the controls of fees payment by students
Knowledge of fees systems implemented in private universities in other countries in the region and in the world in comparison to the respective majors; and proposing a fees system
Established contacts with officials from academy and administrative bodies to realize the difficulties and obstacles facing private universities
Appraisal of the levels of satisfaction from private university students; and the conduction of workshops and seminars related to the scope of this study
Comprehension of student evaluation systems and means; and comparing those to the applied ones in government universities
Awareness of methods adopted by private universities for the selection of textbooks
Reviews of the rules and regulations governing private higher education for realizing more economically feasible opportunities that attract private sector investment in higher education, but with no lapse in established quality criteria in programs and management
Knowledge of attractions to faculty in private universities, their qualifications, and salary scales with comparisons to government universities salary scales
Contacts with graduates of currently operating private universities and colleges to enquire about their levels of education as well as the offered job opportunities
Visits to currently operating private universities and colleges to assess the available facilities and their compatibility to the provided academic programs and the extracurricular activities
Surveys of classes in private universities and colleges to establish student to faculty ratios
Data about private universities faculty teaching loads
Characterization of financial resources for private universities in addition to student fees, with comparison to private higher education financial resources in other countries
This study should present a comprehensive report that includes the following:
An executive summary of the study.
A documentation of all reference information included in the study.
An assessment of total numbers of male and female students currently registered in both governmental and private higher education establishments and an estimation of the extent of enrollment in higher education institutes for the coming 25 years.
An evaluation of the required number of private higher education institutes that need to be established along with justified geographical distribution and a vision of the majors to be offered
The outcomes of this study in addition to highlights of the results of meetings with focus groups, general seminars, brainstorming seminars, workshops, etc. In addition, studying different scenarios, and the interactions between the variables that influence the private higher education policies and procedures.
Analytical studies of a selection of models of private higher education in the world along with a futuristic review of directions of this category of education both locally and internationally.
Listings of guiding indices and evaluation criteria for private higher education with the means for academic and professional accreditation processes required for enhancing the quantitative and the qualitative content of private higher education in the Kingdom.
Results of the assessment of the educational environment, the organizational procedures, and the infrastructure of private higher education establishments, along with descriptions of their weaknesses and strengths affecting their available opportunities for high quality participation in the higher education process.
The challenges diagnosed to be obstructing the utmost involvement of private higher education in the Kingdom. This part should be augmented with proposing the most appropriate set of components that should have positive effect on their performance.
An appropriate long-term strategy for overcoming weaknesses and enhancing strengths of private higher education in the Kingdom.
Capabilities and methodologies found to be enhancing the performance of private higher education institutes and improving the levels of interaction and response to future demands of development plans.
Proposals of various scenarios required to develop private higher education establishments in the Kingdom with specific reviews of important issues for discussion according to levels of importance. This approach should be associated with the required means for achievement of success and the required benchmarking procedures that define academic and professional accreditation criteria.
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.
Strategic alternatives designed to achieve the objectives and purposes of the long term higher education plan, their feasibility, and their applicability in connection to private higher education.
Proposed indices for appropriate education fees.
Practical recommendations for the promotion of private sector role in establishing higher education institutes.
An applicable model for linking the characters of job market and development requirements to the academic programs offered in private higher education establishments, so that more job opportunities could result for graduates.
Scientific conclusions and recommendations required to build a long term strategic plan for private higher education, as part of the strategic plan for university education in the Kingdom.
