Ministry of Higher Education`s Plan to Achieve Excellence in

Transcription

Ministry of Higher Education's Plan to
Achieve Excellence in Science and Technology
Ministry of Higher Education
Deputyship for Planning & Information
General Department for Planning & Statistics
(1431 H / 2010 G)
Plans for Achieving Excellence in S&T in Higher Education
©Ministry of Higher Education, General Department for Planning & Statistics, 2010
King Fahd National Library Cataloging –in- Publication Data
Saudi Arabia . Ministry of Higher Education.
Deputyship for Planning and Information
Ministry of Higher Education plan to achieve
Excellence in Science & Technology. / Saudi Arabia
Ministry of Higher Education. Deputyship for Planning
and Information- 2. – Riyadh , 2010
39p ; ..cm
ISBN: 978-603-17-0071-3
1- Saudi Arabia - Higher Education 2 –Saudi Arabia
- Universities and colleges
378.531 dc
I-Title
1431/4352
L.D. no. 1431/4352
ISBN: 978-603-17-0071-3
IV
V
VI
Contents
1-
23-
VII
Executive summary
Introduction
Current State of Higher Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
1-1: Educational Structure
1-2: The Educational process
1-3: Faculty members
1-4: Students
1-5: Scientific research
1-6: Investment in quality
1-7: Global leadership and international partnerships
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2
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3
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1-8: Information technology
Objectives of the main strategic plan for science and technology
Prospective Projects
3-1: Ministry's five-year plan
3-2: Horizon (Afaq) plan for higher education
3-3: National long-term plan for science and technology
3-4: The National plan for communication and information technology
3-5: The Comprehensive industrial strategy
Summary
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Executive summary
This report aims at surveying the Ministry of Higher Education's plan to
achieve excellence in science and technology. We will provide an overview
of the current state of the Ministry's initiatives and projects and report on
the achievements that have been accomplished in science and technology
through several indicators that measure the performance of the development
and excellence processes.
The developmental initiatives include updating and completing the
infrastructure of universities, developing the systems of information
technology, and creating a number of new colleges and universities such as
King Abdullah University for Science and Technology. Furthermore, these
initiatives focus on developing and preparing manpower within the system
of Higher Education for faculty members and students.
Targeting outstanding faculty members and students, a system of allowances
and incentives is being implemented. It aims to raise the competency of
faculty members and develop academic performance. The initiatives involve
developing the educational process, expanding the graduate studies programs,
consolidating scientific research, variegating its sources, and furnishing
it with a suitable environment through science parks, techno valleys, and
centers of research excellence. They also ensure quality by raising the level of
internal competency and improving educational outputs through the creation
of the National Commission for Assessment and Academic Accreditation
(NCAAA).
The distinctive features of these initiatives include keeping up with
international trends and cultural exchanges; formation of partnerships and
international alliances with distinguished universities, research centers, and
organizations through cooperative agreements; creation of international
consultative councils; and translation support for scientific books.
The paper also surveys prospective plans to develop higher education and
consolidate excellence in all areas, including science and technology curricula
through the "Horizon" (Afaq) plan to develop higher education, the national
plans for science and technology, and communication and information
technology, as well as the comprehensive industrial national strategy.
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Introduction :
The Ministry of Higher Education assumes many tasks in implementing
the state's educational policy in higher education including: complying
with the regulations; supervising universities in terms of planning,
coordination, follow-up; observing concomitance between current and
futuristic development and available personnel so as to optimize the use
thereof; meeting the actual future needs in terms of national, technical and
administrative competencies and specialties; and supervising exchange
students through cultural attaché bureaus which are meant to superintend
those students academically, socially, and financially. At the same time, the
Ministry works towards consolidating cultural relations with academic and
educational institutions and organizations abroad, and acquainting them with
the development, civilization, and progress the Kingdom is experiencing in
various domains.
The Ministry of Higher Education has prepared strategic plans to develop
the system of higher education in various fields and contributes to building a
knowledge-based society and an economic system based on the generation,
dissemination and use of knowledge in order to keep up with contemporary
international trends in higher education. For that purpose, the Ministry of
Higher Education seeks to give priority to scientific and technical disciplines
through consolidating the infrastructure, such as research centers and advanced
labs; developing and qualifying personnel, scientifically and technically as
well as developing the educational process and expanding graduate studies
and multidisciplinary programs.
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1- Current State of Higher Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Characteristics of developmental initiatives to accomplish excellence in
science and technology
1. Variegating initiatives and making them comprehensive in the fields
of science and technology
2. Observing the requirements of excellence in science and technology
3. Heading toward a knowledge-based economy
4. Accomplishing the criteria of total quality control
5. Benefiting from international practices
6. Creating a competitive environment among universities
7. Implementing the educated environment
1.1. Educational structure
a.
Building more public and private universities and colleges
Over the last five years, the Ministry of Higher Education created twelve
public universities, all the colleges of which fall under applied sciences.
These colleges cover various disciplines such as medical sciences in all their
branches (e.g., medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, applied medical sciences,
and nursing). There are also colleges of engineering, computer science, and
business technologies. Today, there are twenty-four public universities.
The Ministry of Higher Education has expanded the inauguration of colleges
that serve the requirements of national growth in order to accomplish
excellence in science and technology. During the past four years alone, 154
colleges were created in various public universities, all of which were in
applied medical specialties, engineering, and science. Meanwhile, private
education has witnessed a steady growth in the Kingdom since its inception
in 2001 (1421AH), with the number of institutions of higher educational
reaching eight private universities and forty private colleges, accomplishing
high distinction in terms of the quality of their programs and the developmental
plans on the basis of which they act.
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The following table clarifies the rate of growth in institutions of higher
education:
Specialty
Number of colleges
Growth rate
1
Medicine and medical sciences
54
400%
2
Science
27
285%
3
Pharmacy
13
333%
4
Computer science
18
500%
5
Engineering
26
271%
6
Community colleges
52
160%
Growth rate in a number of special-discipline colleges in the Kingdom
between 2003 and 2009
b.
Developing the infrastructure of the institutions of higher education
The Ministry is finalizing infrastructure projects for the newly-created
universities in order to enable them to carry out their respective missions as
required. The expenses from the budgets of these new universities reaching
the amount of SAR14 billion in the fiscal year 2007-2008 (1427-1428H)
and involving more than 171 projects, as well as over SAR1 billion from the
budgetary surplus spent on supplementary projects of university cities in five
other universities.
c.
Creating King Abdullah University for Science and Technology
King Abdullah University for Science and Technology is an international research
university at the post-graduate level. Research at the University focuses on areas
that are crucial for the future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the region, and
the world as a whole. Such research is to be carried out within international
caliber facilities serving students, researchers, and faculty members in areas
such as energy, environment, water desalination, industrial biotechnology, and
computer science applications. The University offers and supports the highest
standards of academic scholarships by giving both males and females throughout
the world opportunities based on meritocracy.
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King Abdullah University for Science and Technology is run by an independent
and permanent board of trustees, and supported by several billion dollars
worth of endowment. It rests on the principle of meritocracy, and commits
itself to the following foundation principles:
• Forming an international community of scholars that spares no effort to
develop advanced sciences
• Welcoming leaders in science, technology, commerce, business, and
education through nomination and partnership
• Giving researchers free access to experimentation in order to achieve
excellence
• Embodying the highest international standards in the fields of science,
research, education, and learning
• Facilitating access to information, exchange of expert knowledge and
skill to accomplish growth and economic prosperity
• Fostering and protecting freedom of research, intellect, and discussion of
scientific work.
King Abdullah University for Science and Technology awards postgraduate
scientific degrees only, and the research plan is the basis of educational
syllabi at both the Master's and the PhD levels. The University awards
scientific degrees in eleven educational fields: applied mathematics and
computer science, biology, chemical and biological engineering, chemistry,
computer science, earth engineering, electrical engineering, environmental
science and engineering, maritime science and engineering, matter science
and engineering, and mechanical engineering.
King Abdullah University for Science and Technology endeavors to
accomplish its educational programs and research plan through four strategic
axes based on science and technology that concern the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, the region, and the world, which are the following:
• Resources, energy, and the environment
• Biology and biological engineering
• Materials science and engineering
• Applied mathematics and computer science
The University has established several multidisciplinary research centers to
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consolidate these axes. Research centers are the basic research units at King
Abdullah University and have a strategic nature based on objective fields
that drive research projects toward accomplishing their objectives.
The research centers at King Abdullah University rely upon the following
fields:
• Chemical catalysis
• Computer-based biology
• Engineering modeling and scientific imaging
• Membranes
• Genomic stress in plants
• Solar energy and alternative energy for science and engineering
• Science and engineering of the Red Sea
• Clean combustion
• Compound and nano-technological substances
• Ground and subterranean sensing
• Research center for nano-chemistry
• Ultra-Hertz technology
• Water desalination
A typical research center at King Abdullah University includes eight to
ten faculty members and number of graduate graduate students, scholars,
research engineers, postdoctoral researchers, visiting researchers (including
visiting scholars from industry), administrative employees, and technicians.
In addition to the aforementioned research centers, field centers and stations
are being created at King Abdullah University, specifically:
• The Center for Maritime Research and Ocean Research in collaboration
with Woods Hall Institute for Oceanography: This center is expected
to provide an operations base for the scientific research that King
Abdullah University and other universities and leading scientific
institutions in this field are doing in the Red Sea area
• The Center for the History of Islamic Science and Technology, where
researchers from various parts of the world do genuine research
and contribute in organizing and explaining special groupings of
archeological tools that cast light upon the historic role of Islam in
scientific excellence and discoveries. Through time, these groupings
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can develop into a leading international library and museum, which
will make King Abdullah University a leading international university
in this field of study.
1.2. The educational process
a. Creating science and technology-related programs, covering the
specializations of medical, engineering, computer science, and natural
sciences.
b. Updating syllabi and programs: This consists in revising syllabi and
programs, and linking education with outputs or what is known as
outcome-based learning. This is a new approach taken by the majority
of international universities, because of its importance in improving
output quality, which is in harmony with another trend known as
problem-based learning. Several universities such as King Khalid
University, Al-Qaseem University, King Faysal University, and Teeba
University have already revised the syllabi and programs of some
departments, which have been developed according to the most recent
international trends, the requirements of growth, and the job market.
c.Restructuring colleges: This consists in doing away with some
departments and merging some others, separating some programs and
transforming them into full departments, and transforming departments
into colleges, whereby over 100 new colleges have been established, and
573 departments have been restructured into 690 scientific departments,
taking into consideration male and female student interests, science
and technology specializations, the needs of the job market, and the
national need for personnel in various specializations such as medical
sciences, engineering, computer science, humanities, and languages
and translation, which are in harmony with the futuristic strategic
plans for developing the Saudi institutions of higher education.
d. Expanding science and technology-related graduate study programs,
which have reached 482 programs, with the number of dissertations
in Master's and PhD programs in 2008 totaling 349 in science and
technology, and the scientific databases available totaling 655 in
university libraries to consolidate scientific research carried out by
graduate students.
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e. Creating multidisciplinary programs in vital disciplines such as
nanotechnology, biotechnology, petrochemicals, bioinformatics, etc.
A sum of SAR150 million has been allotted for the project of creating
science and technology-related multidisciplinary programs.
1.3. Faculty members
a.
Implementing the development of innovation and excellence of
faculty members at universities
The number of faculty members in science and technology in all Saudi
universities total 5,484 members. Believing in the importance of faculty
members and seeking to raise the level of quality at Saudi universities, the
Ministry has been following-up and finalizing the project of innovation
and excellence of faculty members that it started implementing three years
ago. This significant project includes a number of programs and training
sessions to develop faculty member skills in collaboration with distinguished
international universities and expert institutions. Such programs include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Teaching, electronic publishing, and using the Internet in education
Effective teaching skills
Scientific research skills, training, and statistical analysis
Designing tests and evaluation skills
Communication and academic leadership skills
Independent topics (strategic planning, developing knowledge, thought
engineering, quality applications)
Faculty members participated in over 733 training sessions and external
workshops in 2008.
b.
Allowance and incentive system
Incentive system: The Council of Higher Education approved to a number
of benefits, compensations, allowances, and supplementary incentives for
faculty members at Saudi universities. The set of benefits are meant to
represent a developed concept of salary increases that are effectively and
directly correlated with the quality and level of performance, which would
constitute a rich reward technically and financially. The decision grants a
faculty member preference based on several factors that include the scarcity
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of his/her specialty and his/her research that is of such a standard as to
comete with local, regional, and international prizes in several fields, most
importantly science and technology. The incentive system shall contribute
to developing innovation and excellence at Saudi universities as well as
increase the competency of faculty members and prepare better work
environments, because these new incentives ensure psychological stability,
drive the development of academic performance forward, create a sense of
competition, and achieve a tremendous support for the outputs of higher
education. The law states that the excellence allowance amounts to 10% of
the basic salary for those who obtained a local prize, 20% for a regional
prize, 30% for an international prize, and 40% for an invention patent.
c.
Creation of deanships for skills and academic development
Deanships and vice-deanships for academic development have been created
at universities that do not include such units. It is expected that each
deanship will sponor important activities such as a quality and academic
accreditation center, the development of academic syllabi, updating systems,
professional development of faculty members, development of innovation
and excellence, etc. The Ministry has directed universities to create deanships,
vice-deanships, units, and offices of quality and development. In response,
King Saud University has created a "deanship of skills development," and a
"vice-deanship for development and quality" in each college. At King Faysal
University, a "total quality control unit" and "quality offices" have been
created at colleges. King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals is in the
process of developing an "office for quality and planning" and an "office
of internal control." King Abdulaziz University is busy creating a "center
for standards, evaluation, and academic accreditation" and an "institute for
administrative development and excellence." At Teeba University, a "deanship
of academic development for evaluation and academic accreditation" is
being established, while the Islamic University is establishing a "center for
academic accreditation and comprehensive quality."
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1.4. Students
a.
Consolidating student skills programs
A graduate student is the target of each institution of higher education. For that,
the Ministry supports a number of university programs devoted to developing the
quality of the output of higher education through a two-fold plan: an academic
specialization path, which focuses on equipping students with the necessary
qualifications in their area of specialization; and a professional skills path,
focusing on the development of student skills in communication, the use of
technology, and personal skills. These programs have emerged after a thorough
study of outstanding universities and some training universities in developed
countries. Examples of these programs include the preparatory year, centers for
developing and polishing personal skills, communication and research skills,
and self-learning for male and female students. The Ministry and universities
have secured agreements with companies and institutions to train students and
organize periodic field visits.
b.
Entrepreneurship program
This program aims to develop leadership thinking and knowledge-based
economies through an integrated system of activities whose objective is to
implement the concept of knowledge-based society and to move toward applied,
productive education. The activities of this program are centered around five
main fields, which are: education, training, consultancy, scientific research,
and communication. Applied research in science and technology represents the
largest part of scientific applications and consultancy.
c. The Ministry of Higher Education's program for distinguished students
The Program aims to organize specialized programs for distinguished students
abroad to be offered by expert companies and universities. It involves developing
English language skills and various educational and research skills. Ninety
percent of distinguished students within this program have been attracted to
work at Saudi universities in research and the applied technical field, and finish
their postgraduate studies in science and technology.
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d.
Developing student counseling services at Saudi universities
The Ministry of Higher Education has launched a competitive project among
universities to develop the programs and services of students counseling in
order to make available a nucleus for specialized counseling centers that
aim at rendering various advisory services and developmental, therapeutic,
and preventive programs, satisfying the student's psychological, social,
educational, and professional needs. The Ministry has supported over 58
advisory programs in a number of Saudi universities. Within these programs
come initiatives related to excellence, the development of innovation, and
incentives for students in science and technology.
1.5. Scientific research
a.
Variegation of funding sources for scientific research
The Ministry has encouraged the launch of special programs that stimulate the
wealthy and businessmen to allot endowments for universities. For instance,
King Saud University has launched the University Endowment Program, and
was able to collect SAR1.5 billion of a target amount of SAR10 billion. The
overall amount from the donations to the fund for supporting research and
educational programs at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, has
reached SAR200 million. King Abdulaziz University and other universities
in the Kingdom have created university endowment programs to diversify
their sources of income. Moreover, the Ministry has supported investment
in some university facilities, heading toward the construction of strategic
relations with the business sector in the Kingdom through a number of tools
and programs. And, some universities, such as King Saud and King Fahd
universities plan to invest tens of millions in businesses and towers that will be
built in techno valleys. Other universities have developed executive Master's
programs in business management and programs in parallel education and
community service.
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b.
Creation of research excellence centers at universities
The Ministry of Higher Education has adopted this project to support
public universities' research capabilities through the creation of a number
of research centers that excel in their management, funding, and evaluation.
This has led to the focus of each university on one or more research fields
to be funded by the Ministry in the form of contracts. This project is aimed
at the distinctiveness of universities in specific fields of scientific research.
Approval of seven research excellence centers has been issued, representing
the first stage of an overall budget of SAR450 million. Later on, six research
excellence centers have been approved, representing the second stage of an
overall budget of SAR150 million, with the two stages amounting to SAR600
million.
The centers are:
1.Research excellence center for bone fragility
2.Research excellence center for water desalination
3.Research excellence center for corrosion
4.Research excellence center for developing science and mathematics
teaching
5.Research Center for Hajj and Umra Research
6.Research Center for Palm Trees and Dates
7.Research Center for Medical Genome
8.Research Center for Environmental Studies
9.Research Center for Biotechnology
10.Research Center for Engineering Materials
11.Research Center for Renewable Energy
12.Research Center for Refining Petroleum and Chemicals
13.Research Center for Animal Wealth and Veterinary Epidemics
There are currently 1,167 research labs and 89 specialized research centers
at Saudi universities.
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c.Promising research centers
Motivated by its own drive to consolidate scientific research at universities,
the Ministry of Higher Education has launched the initiative of promising
research centers in order to finalize and consolidate the scientific research
system, and give the opportunity to nascent universities to establish centers
of scientific research that would be the nucleus for larger research centers
serving several new fields, and that would keep up with international scientific
trends.
d.
Nanotechnology program
The program is a direct translation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz's concern for nanotechnology and its utmost
exploitation towards the development of the Saudi community, whereby
the King, May Allah Preserve Him, has donated SAR36 million to create
nanotechnology research programs and centers. The sum has been distributed
over the following three universities: King Saud, King Fahd, and King
Abdulaziz, with SAR12 million for each. The Ministry has been following
up with these universities to finalize the infrastructure of nanotechnology
research programs and centers. King Saud University has already created
King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology.
e.
Science parks and technological incubators
The Ministry has supported the creation of technological incubators, whereby
King Saud University created Riyadh Techno Valley, which includes a
number of technological incubators. On the other hand, King Fahd University
of Petroleum & Minerals established Dhahran Techno Valley. So far, three
companies have joined business incubators, and there exists at the university
a support fund for research and educational programs, with donations
amounting to SAR100 million.
f.
Scientific research chairs program
The Ministry has strongly supported universities in establishing and
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disseminating the culture of scientific research chairs. For instance, the
number of research chairs at King Saud University amounts to over 94 chairs.
At King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, there are 24 research
chairs. King Abdulaziz University has over 13 research chairs, while Imam
Mohamed bin Saud Islamic University has over 15 chairs.
g.
Attraction of distinguished faculty members and scholars
This program focuses on quality while contracting with distinguished faculty
members. It offers incentives for expatriates at Saudi universities to promote
the quality of scientific research. Indeed, Saudi universities are attracting
distinguished researchers and faculty members to teach and supervise
postgraduate students. For instance, King Saud University has signed
service contracts with fourteen Nobel Prize laureates. Likewise, King Fahd
University of Petroleum & Minerals has attracted a number of distinguished
expatriate faculty members.
h.
Attraction of researchers and postgraduate students
This program attracts outstanding non-Saudi postgraduate students. Indeed,
Saudi universities such the Islamic University, Imam University, King Saud
University, and King Fahd University, have attracted a big number of foreign
students to study and work in research programs, fill research chairs, and work
in labs. The number of non-Saudi students affiliated to graduate programs at
Saudi universities, has reached 1,820 students in 2008.
i.
Encouragement of distinguished research
This program seeks to encourage distinguished research and publication in
international scientific journals through offering incentives for invention
patents and publication in distinguished international journals. Thirteen
faculty members at King Saud University, King Abdulaziz University, and
King Fahd University have won a number of invention patents and have been
honored by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah Preserve
Him, who granted them King Abdualaziz first degree medal in consideration
of their efforts and to motivate their colleagues to follow their example. The
number of registered invention patents reached 33 in 2008.
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j.
Criteria of measurement and evaluation of scientific research
The project aims to determine the referential level and study the current state
of scientific research in higher education. It contributes to drawing futuristic
strategic policies for scientific research in the Kingdom. The project includes
the following criteria areas:
•
Researchers and their competencies
•
Allotted financial support
•
Scientific research products (publication, patents, etc)
•
Opportunity and training
•
Graduate studies
•
Scientific research activities
1.6. Investment in quality
a.
National Commission for Evaluation and Academic Accreditation
(NCEAA)
The objective of the NCEAA is to raise the external capabilities of universities
via improving and ascertaining the quality of outputs. It follows universities'
accomplishment of the required self-evaluation, improvement of national
qualifications, and commitment to quality in syllabi, students, administration,
faculty members, as well as other requirements.
b.
National Center for Measurement and Evaluation (NCME)
There is now an incinternational trend to establish national centers for
measurement and evaluation across the world, with various science experts
and faculty members, with the support of a team of measurement and
evaluation specialists in humanities, psychology, sociology, mathematics,
and analytic statistics. For this reason, the Ministry established the National
Center for Measurement and Evaluation in 2000 in order to determine and
implement the criteria of admission and measurement in the Kingdom.
The center started its activities in 2002 through programs that serve the
educational process in the institutions of higher education. NCME renders its
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services to a number of institutions of higher education seeking to perform
objective scientific educational measurements that accomplish further justice
for students' admission to the institutions of higher education.
1.7. Global leadership and international partnerships
a.
King Abdullah Scholarship Program
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' program for foreign exchange
was launched to send students to study abroad in view of accomplishing
a qualitative leap in higher education outputs in science and technology
at the Bachelor, Master's, PhD, and medical fellowship levels, and raising
these outputs to international standards. The Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz' program for foreign exchange
started in 2005 with 2,800 exchange students and has reached now 50,000
in vital specialization in outstanding universities in countries such as the
United States, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, France, Japan, Malaysia, China, India, Singapore, and South
Korea.
b.Partnerships and international alliances
The Ministry has supported some universities in entering into cooperative
agreements and partnerships with a number of international universities
and research centers. For instance, King Saud University has signed about
54 agreements with universities and research centers in France, the United
States, Italy, India, China, Germany, Sweden, and Singapore. Likewise,
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals has developed collaborative
and strategic relations with international institutions and local centers, as
well as 10 active agreements. Moreover, the National Center for e-Learning
and Distance Education has made agreements with an international expert
organization. In 2008, the number of faculty members participating in
international research teams with research projects has reached 369.
c.
Consultative international councils
The Ministry has supported the creation of consultative international councils
at some universities whose philosophy is based on attracting distinguished
international experts and benefiting from them in the development process
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at universities. For instance, King Fahd University and King Abdulaziz
University established the "Consultative International Council," and a
number of consultative meetings of the Council have been organized.
d.
Translation of books in higher education
The Ministry has launched a two-track ambitious project. The first track aims
to enrich university libraries in Arabic by a number of leading international
books in higher-education-related areas, especially higher education planning,
management, quality, methods of learning, etc. The series of translated books
has totaled 68 books that have been reviewed and published throughout
the world. However, the second track aims to translate the most prominent
textbooks in the various specializations of fundamental sciences, engineering,
humanities, and others. This project constitutes a practical step to facilitate the
acquisition of modern scientific knowledge in Arabic by university students
and to enrich the Arabic library with the most internationally widespread
scientific reference books and textbooks.
e.
Scientific societies
Scientific societies play a leading role in developing scientific and professional
performance. They determine the criteria and value of scientific specialties,
create scientific communities focusing on the advancement of the specialty,
determine the levels of quality, and contribute to building knowledge-based
societies. Saudi universities host 123 scientific societies. For that, the Ministry
has launched competitive projects among universities to encourage scientific
societies. The Ministry also encourages universities to undertake innovative
activities that accomplish their objectives according to modern international
trends in the field of scientific societies, the development of executive rules
and the level of administrative and technical organization, the development
of their personnel standards, the diversification of sources of funding that
support their activities and programs, and the establishment of international
partnerships. Moreover, the Ministry supports societies through funding
the creation of their headquarters, which enables them to have independent
activities and develop their professional work.
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1.8. Information technology
The Ministry has endeavored to accomplish its objectives, arrive at the higest
performance levels, keep up with modern developments, and implement
electronic governance. In these endearors, the Ministry realizes that dealing
with government transactions electronically importantly accomplishes the
strategic orientation toward information technology in the Kingdom, and
renders e-services to individuals, public and private institutions, and the
state's various sectors.
Based on this, the Ministry has prepared a strategic plan for information
technology whose objectives coincide with the Ministry's strategic plans,
the "Horizon" (Afaq) plan for higher education, and the five-year plan for
science and technology, which aims to develop information technology at
the Ministry.
The objectives of the main strategic information and technology plan are:
• Pursuing the accomplishment of complementarity and congruity
between current information systems and those planned for in the
future at the Ministry.
• Supporting a harmonious relationship within the Ministry between its
information systems, networks, objectives, and responsibilities. This
will raise its competency and improve its performance while assisting
in the accomplishment of Ministry objectives and strategies, and
meeting the requierments of networking between the Ministry and its
annexes and other governmental bodies.
• Raising the competency and capabilities of information systems and
networks at the Ministry as required by its strategic role
• Constantly seeking better benefits from the resources of information
technology at the Ministry.
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a.Ministry’s infrastructure
Bearing in mind the importance of a sound infrastructure that can handle
services currently being offered by the Ministry and can satisfy prospective
expansion by adding new services, the Ministry of Higher Education has
set up a fully-integrated information center. This infrastructure will host all
servers within the Ministry and will incorporate plans and policies that will
to ensure the security and confidentiality of information and communications
in order to make optimal use of modern technology.
b.
Automation of the workflow of the Ministry and Cultural Missions.
The Ministry has set up a number of systems to facilitate its tasks and those
of its cultural missions. Such systems are geared to help offer services
to its beneficiaries. There are twenty-eight systems that have either been
installed, are in progress or are in planning stages. Such systems include, for
instance, the electronic service for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
scholarship program, the administrative and financial affairs system, the
student exchange system (annexation, follow-up, promotion, and records),
the national education system, the national private higher education system,
and the system of recommended universities.
c.
E-services at the Ministry and its attaché bureaus
The Ministry has made over 125 different types of e-services available within
fourteen systems to help facilitate the National Plan for Communication and
Information Technology and to keep up with the developments in e-service
execution methods for the Ministry’s employees, exchange students, and
applicants for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program
and government institutions. An additional eight systems are being set up by
the Ministry to help increase the number of services offered.
Among such e-services are applications that serve the needs of exchange
students, beginning with their application for scholarship through their return
home, including initiation to the job market and ticketing in the cultural
adjunct institutions. In addition, there are e-services related to diploma and
certificate equivalency, (such as equivalency application forms, conditions,
etc.), and many more.
19
d.
Smart buildings
Through acknowledgment of the important role of educational facilities in
securing an integrated educational environment that helps universities carry
out their respective missions, the Ministry has adopted a “smart buildings”
program which involves utilizing advanced technology in the management of
facilities. Smart buildings are one of the advantages of the rapid development
of information technology. They help carry out tasks of measurement,
assessment, response and compliance with on-going developments in order
to ensure firm control of all operations inside the building.
e.
The educational network
This project aims to maintain continuous communication with the universities,
providing services and knowledge sources as well as programs and databases.
The project would enable universities to take part in the services provided
by the Ministry. The current programs and databases are undergoing a major
transitional phase due to the mounting needs for higher education and the
use of technology. This circumstance necessitates the collaboration of the
Ministry and the universities in order to improve the services and legislation
within the higher educational system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This
project has resulted in engaging the Ministry with certain universities to
carry out a number of applications in the field of journalism, conferences,
and symposia systems while more are being planned for the future.
f.
Higher educational statistics
This subprogram is designed to develop a higher educational statistics system
in order to make accurate information on higher education and documented
data available to assist in policy and strategy development, in order to achieve
higher education objectives and realize the aspirations and hopes of officials
and law makers.
20
g.
Improving the University's websites
Websites and electronic portals constitute the real façade of universities
and the most frequently used tools to access information. Ample services
are offered through such portals to those affiliated with the universities as
well as visitors and researchers. The Ministry came up with an initiative
to improve these portals through workshops and various training programs
meant to upgrade them and update their contents, in addition to offering a
variety of interactive information services.
h.
Creating the National Center for e-Learning and Distance Education
The National Center for e-Learning and Distance Education embodies the
vision and strategy of the Kingdom for the promising future horizons of
education. The center is the cornerstone and main support of e-learning.
Established in 2006, the Center is a constructive step on the part of the
Ministry of Higher Education to work for the realization of a vision that
is based on accomplishing the mission of the Kingdom in disseminating
science and knowledge according to magnanimous Islamic values through
the establishment of a national center that supports the educational operation
at all its stages, categories, and layers. The Center provides the opportunity
to create distinguished broad educational environments known as integrated
education to cover the needs of higher education in the Kingdom and spread
e-learning centers in its quarters.
The Center's mission stems from the belief that all available capabilities
should be exploited to support the educational operation in the institutions
of higher education through the best use of information technology so that
communication can be consolidated and the community's needs can be
satisfied, including facilitating the realization of the ambitions of individuals.
The accomplishment of individual’s ambitions to develop scientific and
practical capabilities.
i.
Deanships of information technology transactions
The Ministry is creating deanships of information technology transactions at
Saudi universities in order to enhance and upgrade such transactions. This is
carried out by putting forth a strategy for information technology, building
applied systems that help automate manual work procedures in the various
administrations, and training or enhancing the computer science skills of
university staff member.
21
2. Prospective Projects
Within the framework of the rapid developments that have taken place in the
field of educational reform in the Kingdom, several changes have occurred
in the higher education sector. The Ministry’s prospective objectives have
been formulated, especially in the field of communication and information
technology, to ensure consonance with international trends.
The Ministry’s strategic plan takes into consideration the objectives and
projects of the strategic plans of the goverment sectors affiliated to the
Ministry. The prospective projects have been divided in accordance with the
plans devised for them. The most important of such plans are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The long-term national plan for science and technology
The Ministry’s five-year plan
Horizon (Afaq) plan for higher education
National communication and information technology plan
Comprehensive industrial strategy
2.1. Ministry's strategic Plan
The Ministry of Higher Education is keen on working out its strategic plans
and ensuring their compatibility with the government’s development plan.
To this effect, the Ministry has put in perspective a number of vital objectives
in its ninth five-year plan while attempting to benefit from the international
trends by attracting international experts in the field of higher education
strategic planning.
The plan has also included the distribution of programs and projects based on
its objectives, as well as the adoption of specific performance criteria in order
to monitor the execution process of projects. Among the most prominent of
such objectives are:
•
Research and development
The research and development program is one of the five-year plan’s main
programs. It consists of four subprograms:
22
a.Research and development studies for higher education
Working in conjunction with universities in the Kingdom, the Ministry is
preparing studies and research projects that will help upgrade higher education
and put an end to the problems hindering its progress and development.
Prominent among such studies and research endeavors are the future need
for creating more universities and colleges throughout the Kingdom, factors
influencing learning and performance among college students, upgrading
community colleges, reforming exchange students programs, and addressing
the problem of failure and “dropouts” within the higher educational institutions
and elsewhere.
b.
Collaboration and coordination among universities
This subprogram aims to maintain and consolidate positive collaboration
among universities in particular, and between universities and other higher
educational institutions in general, while maintaining sound coordination
between and among them through conferences, symposia, and exchange of
expertise.
c.
National universities and colleges
This is aimed at supporting and motivating the private sectors in their
investment endeavors to build more national universities and colleges,
therefore taking part in the higher educational process in accordance with
the set principles and bases in this respect.
d.Research excellence centers
This subprogram aims to encourage universities to take interest in research
and development by providing support for research projects and trends at
Saudi universities in a number of disciplines and fields, while highlighting
strengths and excellence areas therein and seeking to crystallize them in
academic research centers in order to achieve prominence at both the national
and international levels.
23
•
Scholarship and cultural exchange programs
The Scholarship and cultural exchange programs consist of the following
three subprograms:
a.
Cultural collaboration and exchange at home and abroad
This subprogram is geared to corroborate and consolidate cultural ties with
scientific institutions and organizations at home and abroad by continuing to
work out international agreements, and organize cultural exchange, visits,
joint research, symposia, discussions, and other academic ties between
universities within the Kingdom and abroad.
b.
Supervision of exchange students
The cultural bureaus assume the task of supervising exchange students, and
providing them with outstanding advisory services. The plan envisages the
creation of four new cultural bureaus in Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and
Russia.
c.
Scholarships
The Ministry’s plan covers 29,521 exchange male and female students at all
educational levels in the next five years as follows:
Doctoral
6,827
Master’s
12,150
Fellowship
4,886
Bachelor’s
4,105
Diploma
1,553
2.2. Horizon (Afaq) Plan for Higher Education
The higher educational system plays a pivotal role in meeting development
requirements by securing a scientifically-qualified human force with highprofile technical expertise and good ethics within the framework of the
Islamic law.
24
In the same way as other, similar systems throughout much of the world,
higher education in Saudi Arabia faces a number of challenges. Prominent
among such challenges are the mounting demand for higher education, the
correspondence level between the capacity of its institutions and those of the
production and service sectors in the field of scientific research and technical
development, its capacity to keep up with modern and contemporary
technological developments in education that have been prompted by
international changes and economic globalization, the task of upgrading the
performance level of its institutions at home, and bolstering the compatibility
level between its outputs, the requirements of the development process, and
the job market needs.
In light of the above, the Ministry of Higher Education took upon itself to
engage a comprehensive reform process of the higher educational system in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This should be carried out by devising a longterm plan that would help face up to the various challenges standing in its
way, work out effective solutions for its shortcomings, and seek to bolster its
positive aspects in a scientific and balanced way.
The plan included all higher educational institutions in the process of project
development, and had its own share in this regard by carrying out a number
of projects such as:
•
Developing creativity and excellence among faculty members
This program aims at setting up a framework (or system) for the development
of faculity members performance. It would provide faculity members with
the necessary means and resources to help them upgrade their creativity and
effeciency levels in the fields of teaching and research. More precisely, the
set objectives in this respect are as follows:
-
Adopting effective methods in the areas of teaching/learning and
scientific research
-
Enhancing faculty potential in order to achieve excellence in
teaching and scientific research
-
Exchanging expertise and resources between universities in the field
of faculty performance development
-
Sponsoring and guiding the relevant initiatives in the Ministry of
Higher Education
25
•
Developing student skills
This program is geared to assist universities in helping graduate highly
productive individuals who could play an effective role in the nation’s
development. It focuses on developing the necessary learning, job market,
and social skills in general. More precisely, the program is aimed at achieving
the following goals:
-
-
-
-
Developing basic student skills that are needed in the job market and
society in general
Improving the students’ ability to continue their education, find
appropriate solutions to problems, and develop their thinking skills
Developing graduates’ vocational, social, and personal skills
Enabling students to broaden their knowledge bases
The availability of a unit in charge of guiding and coordinating student skill
development activities would render the process more apt to optimize the
exploitation of resources and confirm its ability to realize its objectives.
•
Creating applied programs
This program generally aims to make available a new series of applied
programs that are meant to help qualify graduates for jobs that are much in
demand in the job market, in addition to its contribution to the Kingdom’s
economic development. The program’s special objectives are:
-
Contributing to the Kingdom’s economic development
-
Catering for the needs of development in the regions
-Preparing students and equipping them with the necessary working
skills and knowledge
-
Enriching and diversifying the programs offered at Saudi universities
-
Encouraging Saudi students to work in applied fields
-Maximizing compatibility between college learning outcomes and
the Saudi job market
26
•
Consolidating the quality assurance system in higher education
In addition to accountability, the higher education quality assurance
systems seek to enhance quality, self-improvement, and the dissemination
of knowledge. Accountability requires a solid data collection and report
preparation system to ensure the provision of objective information on the
performance of the different higher educational institutions.
The program aims to achieve the following objectives:
-
Enhancing the activities of the National Accreditation and Evaluation
Commission
-
Upgrading academic performance and quality in higher education in
the Kingdom.
-
Carrying out the quality assurance process within the higher
educational system in an institutional format
•
Partnership with the industry and business sector
This program is geared to help ensure the improvement of creativity and
research potential as well as the development of human resources by
establishing links between universities and the industrial sector. The program
includes the following:
-
Developing the practical skills of faculty members, researchers, and
students through training and consultancy programs
-
Increasing the compatibility level between the curricula and the
academic programs as well as the needs of the industrial sector and
the job market.
-Making employment opportunities available for college graduates
and improving job promotion systems
-Making creative ideas for research available and attractive as well as
maximizing funding sources to enhance scientific research and
university activities and programs
-
Supporting the research and development units within the local
industrial facilities.
27
-Making available applied creative ideas and enriching scientific
incubators and technological science parks
-Motivating qualified individuals from the industrial and business
sectors to take part in college teaching and research activities
•
Developing e-learning and distance education
This program is geared to make e-learning an integral part of the college
educational system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as a supplement
to the other modules in order to achieve excellence in the field of teaching/
learning. The program’s main objectives are as follows:
• Diversifying the learning environment through virtual learning by
implementing information technology in college teaching
• Supporting and corroborating the educational and research processes
• Upgrading the internal efficiency of programs and universities.
• Improving learning opportunities by facilitating unlimited access to
resources and services
• Diversifying educational opportunities for all, especially females
• Preparing the community for the era of digital systems, and bridging the
digital gap in order to build a knowledge-based society
•
Information systems in higher education
The effective use of information at both the strategic and operational levels
is a factor of paramount importance in the success of higher educational
institutions. Information systems help carry out specific objectives for such
institutions in the area of information and its production, use, application
and dissemination. As a result, information will help create a favorable
environment for scholarships, research, and learning. The Program includes
the following objectives:
• Ensuring the dissemination and use of information systems and technology at universities
• Improving quality and development, minimizing costs, and increasing
accountability
• Achieving complementarity of the information systems of various
universities
28
• Facilitating interaction between universities
• Achieving joint interest between universities in the adoption of information
systems according to international standards
• Achieving a high-speed educational network linked to the internet
This program is geared to build a high-speed educational network that covers
the higher education institutions. Furthermore, such a network will be
connected to the internet through high-speed channels. The program seeks to
enable all the employees of higher educational institutions including faculty
members, students, and staff to have access to, and benefit from, the network.
This network would offer general and specific informational services for
its users, depending on their academic and administrative needs, as well as
internal and external internet communication services.
• Creating digital knowledge content
This program aims to produce and disseminate an advanced digital knowledge
content featuring a wealth of knowledge in all fields. It also aims to make such
content available to all the people involved in higher educational institutions,
including professors, students, staff members as well as the public. In addition
to this, the program seeks to support the technical infrastructure, secure the
necessary resources for the desired knowledge content, upgrade such an
infrastructure, and implement and augment resources on a continuous basis.
Ultimately, the program aspires to help improve the performance of higher
educational institutions and enhance their achievements and benefits.
2.3. National long-term plan for science and technology
The national policy for science and technology is currently drawng the outlunes
of the prospective general trends for the science and technology system and
innovation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This aims at setting an integrated
framework of guidance as a reference source that guarantees the continuation
of the efforts geared to develop and enhance the system’s performance in
order to realize the Kingdom’s long-term desired objectives.
Such a policy’s framework is based on a set of principles that help define
its trends as well as on general objectives and strategic bases that form its
main components and are consonant with the trends and objectives of the
national development plans and the various sectors plans and policies in
29
the Kingdom. The long-term vision for this policy consists of making the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a knowledge-based society and economy by the
year 2025. This will be carried out through the following stages:
- First five-year plan
Completing the main structure of the National system for Science, Technology
and Innovation by the year 2010
- Second five-year plan
Making the Kingdom one of the leading countries in the region in the field
of Science, Technology and Innovation by the year 2015
- Third five-year plan
Making the Kingdom one of the leading countries in Asia in the field of
Science, Technology and Innovation by the year 2020
- fourth five-year plan
Making the Kingdom a knowledge-based society and economy and a
developed and industrial country by the year 2025
The plan includes over 200 technological projects for Saudi universities in
addition to the projects being executed by the Ministry of Higher education.
The Ministry has created a science and technology unit that would assume
the task of carrying out the following projects within the framework of the
National Plan for Science and Technology.
•
The project of expanding the multi-disciplinary programs
This project comes in response to the provisions of the second strategic basis
of the “National Plan for Science and Technology” document and particularly
in the first policy which states that “the educational and training institutions’
outcomes ought to be linked to the actual needs of the system, and an effective
mechanism should be put in place to carry that out.” Likewise, the sixth policy
states that the “graduate studies programs ought to be upgraded in terms of
variety and level … with special attention directed to graduate studies in the
relevant applied scientific and technical fields.” The project aims to create
multi-disciplinary programs that would help keep up with scientific and
30
technical developments and contribute to the preparation and qualification
of national personnel in the field of research and development. This would
be carried out through an integrated evaluative study of the current programs
in the field of science and technology and the designation of new multidisciplinary programs, in addition to determining the obstacles in the way of
implementing such programs and coming up with suggestions to overcome
them as well as collaborating with the private sector and finding the proper
mechanism to maintain support for the new programs therein.
•
The project for establishing and supporting creativity and
innovation centers
This project aims to put in place a comprehensive strategic plan to care for
the gifted. The plan would comprise most up-to-date international practices
in this regard while taking into consideration the geographical balance in
the discovery of and care for such individuals throughout the Kingdom, in
addition to building scientific centers for the same purposes and supporting
existing initiatives in this respect.
•
The project of upgrading the capabilities of university research
centers
This project is geared to enhance the resources and capabilities of university
research centers, and ensure their congruence with the national policy plans
for science and technology and comprehensive development in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia. The project seeks to upgrade the capabilities of university
research center, conduct a comprehensive scientific study to strengthen
the research centers potentials throughout the Kingdom and create a
comprehensive program for the priority research fields, in addition to setting
in place a comprehensive strategic plan for scientific research centers as well
as supporting scientific studies, research, and initiatives.
•
The project of organizational innovation project
This project aims to restructure research institutions and centers at the
organizational and administrative levels in order to ensure their responsiveness
to the environmental, social, economic, and cultural changes and to help them
31
carry out their task of adopting and developing creative ideas. These projects
envisage innovation in terms of administrative performance and behavior,
such as the creation of new technologies, modern training techniques, and
unique solutions for certain human, and material problems. As a result,
the research outcomes of these institutions and centers would meet the
developmental needs of the community in all its sectors.
•
The project of bolstering scientific research potentials and
technological development
This project aims to implement the role of scientific research and
technological development, and utilize technology in the service of science
and development. The project includes plans to encourage research in the
area of scientific creativity, in addition to orienting scientific research towards
the appropriation and development of technology. The plans also envisage
the supervision of joint student research in the various disciplines through
the creation of a joint-research unit for innovators.
•
The project of creative teaching
The project is geared to upgrade teaching methods and the ways of organizing
scientific subjects in order to maximize benefit from the creativity process.
This project includes the proposal of new teaching methods and techniques
that would help develop the creative potentials of instructors, in addition
to the development of academic programs, modules, and evaluation and
benchmarking methods that are aimed at fostering creative thinking among
students. The project also includes training programs for professors in order
to equip them with the proper methods of fostering talents and creativity.
•
The project of investing in creativity
This project aims to implement creativity as an indispensable mechanism to
upgrade competitiveness among the various economic sectors in order to carry
out the knowledge economy process, which is considered one of the most
important sources of wealth in contemporary societies. This project includes
plans for the construction of business incubator systems to help support small
enterprises and upgrade their creative level. It also envisages the creation and
the encouragement of promising opportunities for creativity and innovation
in the industrial, commercial, and agricultural sectors through the proposal
of creative solutions to problems related to the improvment of the quality of
production, minimizing loss and cost of the production process, and creating
32
production techniques and systems that would help utilize inexpensive
and more available materials. This ensures the availability and variety of
sources of consolidation of innovation through commercial enterprises and
the business sector as well as creating an informational journal focused on
creativity and innovation and forming a scientific society to this effect.
•
The project of discovering creative and talented minds
This project is geared to activate human resources for science, technology
and innovation by means of creating benchmark systems for the purpose of
designing and developing the proper materials, equipment, and criteria for
the discovery of creative and talented minds.
•
The project of fostering creativity and innovation
This project aimed at creating a favorable atmosphere for fostering creativity
and innovation. They include plans for building scientific and technological
potentials via the construction of a variety of science and technology
incubators such as science parks, technology cities, internet incubators, etc.,
in addition to proposing projects for the long-distance fostering of creative
minds, such as the “e-solution”, which is a website designed to answer
innovators’ queries and challenge their creative potentials, thereby providing
them with the impetus for further achievement in this regard. In addition to
fostering innovators from outside the university, these projects include plans
for the creation of scientific clubs in the field of creativity and innovation
as well as for ensuring psychiatric and social care for innovators which is
important for the development process of talent and creativity.
•
The project of partnership and integration
This project is geared to ensure integration with major scientific and
economic entities in order to establish and develop joint scientific and
technological research centers in the region and abroad in order to foster
talent and innovation. Such projects include ideas and plans for the study
of international experiences and the observation of successful practices in
the field of talent and creativity. In addition to this, the projects include the
provision of summer visits (for gifted students) to international centers,
associations and institutions concerned with talent and creativity as well
as the organization of local and joint summer programs for the talented at
universities throughout the Kingdom.
33
•
The project of training and habilitation
This project is geared to provide the gifted with specialized training sessions
in certain innovation and creativity-related fields, in addition to organizing
habilitation courses for faculty members in the field of business leadership,
as well as discovering and fostering creativity and innovation.
2.4. The National Plan for Communication and Information Technology
•
The transition towards an information society
The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has realized the importance
of keeping up with ongoing changes characterizing the information age. The
entire world has now entered an advanced stage in the information age a stage
which utilizes the technologies and various potentials available in the field
of information and communication technologies for the purpose of building
an informed society and strong economy. Governments have sought to keep
up with modern changes in the world of technology and to invest it in what
is called the trend towards achieving an information-based society in which
information constitutes one of the core pillars for contemporary human life
in all the service and production fields.
Based on the above, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by its various
sectors, aims to upgrade the level of general awareness and understanding in
order to support trends that help transform the Kingdom into an informationbased society. The government of Saudi Arabia also seeks to make greater
efforts to expand the scope of participation to include all members of society
in order to bolster the development process in the country and highlight the
importance of active interaction that would lead to the accomplishment of
the requirements of this transition. Today, such an endeavor is considered a
vital top-priority trend for the nation.
The Ministry of Higher Education has defined the projects through which it
could contribute to the process of transforming the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
into an information-based society. The Ministry has indeed commenced to
carry out a number of projects in this regard such as:
34
• Augmenting budgets allocated to communication and information
technology projects in the areas of teaching and training
• Creating highly advanced specialized programs in the fields of
communication and information technologies
• Building an advanced university institute in the fields of communication
and information technologies
• Creating joint Master’s programs between the various communication
disciplines, information technology, and other disciplines
• Encouraging universities to grant loans to faculty members for
rehabilitation purposes in the field of communication and information
technologies
• Encouraging employees and staff training programs to apply international
quality criteria and proper benchmarking tests for validation and
accreditation purposes
• Applying international quality standards in the communication and
information technology center
• Developing local policies in order to ensure whole integration of
information and communication technologies in the management of the
organization of educational institutions
• Encouraging technological exchange and technology transfer as well as
developing and training human resources
• Developing a flexible system capable of responding to and keeping up with
the different changes in the communication and information technology
sector
• Encouraging the connection of research and development institutions to
a high-speed network
•
Transition towards electronic transactions
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has sought to
prepare and follow up the implementation process of the national plan for
communication and information technologies in order to determine the extent
to which governmental institutions have succeeded in their transition towards
carrying out e-transactions. The general secretariat of the national plan for
communication and information technologies initiated the establishment of
performance criteria in order to follow up the prospective projects of the
concerned governmental institutions.
35
The Ministry of Higher Education is continuously coordinating with the Plan’s
general secretariat in order to keep it posted on the progress of the projects
undertaken by the Ministry. The following are among such projects:
- Making computer science and the internet an integral part of the
curricula
- Creating a higher educational diploma in the field of communication
and information technology
- Creating every year teaching-assistant positions at all universities in the
field of communication and information technology
- Requiring all training and educational institutions to review and
implement academic plans periodically and to verify their compatibility
with job categorization
- Creating joint Master’s programs involving the communication and
information technology disciplines and other disciplines
- Creating centers for the transfer of technology from universities to the
community
- Creating a national center for electronic education
- Creating an outstanding university institute in the field of communication
and information technology
- Encouraging programs that train personnel according to international
quality criteria
- Utilizing communication and information technology in the service of
teaching and learning
- Equipping educational institutions with communication and information
technology systems
2.5. The Comprehensive Industrial Strategy
The Ministry of Higher Education is working in conjunction with the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry to work out an industrial strategy and
set a prospective vision for industrial development up to 2020 under the
rubric, "The Integrated Program: Strategies of Enhancing Competitiveness
and Diversifying the Industrial Base in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." This
program aims to enhance the competitiveness of national industries, and
motivate industrial variety within the arena of the world economy. It also
36
aims at contributing to the support of the national economy and minimizing
its reliance on a single source of revenue (e.g., oil). The industrial strategy
is comprised of three major issues: enhancing industrial competitiveness,
providing the industrial sector with the necessary services and infrastructure,
and upgrading and setting the proper legislation. The industrial strategy deals
with important issues related to the development and implementation of the
following policies:
- Development of production technologies and diversification of industrial
products
- Transfer and appropriation of relevant technology
- Development of relevant skills to upgrade the industrial sector
- Attraction of national and international investment in order to facilitate
added value for targeted industries
- Construction of industrial databases to achieve industrial interconnection
and integration
- Development of applied programs to implement benchmark standards
and search for the improvement of quality in order to facilitate access to
world markets
-Motivation of the diversification of relatively special products and of
those complementing them
- Encouragement of investment in developing the basic infrastructure of
industrial cities and technological regions
- Development and upgrade of the performance of businesses, systems,
and industrial transactions electronically
- Development of new small and medium-sized industries as well as
traditional industries
37
Summary
This report covered the current situation in higher educational institutions as
well as the Ministry of Higher Education’s plan to achieve excellence in the
field of sciences and technology. The Ministry’s developmental initiatives
have yielded the following:
1. An outstanding infrastructure for the new universities, the upgrade of
research infrastructures in existing universities, and the development
of higher educational institutions’ electronic environment in order to
keep up with the rapid development in the world of technology and the
internet and the accompanying newly-initiated educational methods and
techniques such as distance learning and e-learning.
2. Developing academic curricula and plans expanding the graduate studies
programs, and attracting outstanding students.
3. Upgrading faculty member capabilities through workshops and specialized
courses at home and abroad, qualifying personnel, and facilitating access
to applied information, knowledge, and skills.
4. Improving employment incentives for faculty members at universities
which have resulted in the motivation of college professors and the
creation of a competitive academic environment in the field of creativity,
innovation, and production. This has been achieved by increasing the
number of invention patents.
5. Investing in quality by means of creating a national accreditation
commission to monitor the educational process.
6. Enhancing cultural exchange and positive interaction at the global level
and promoting cooperative agreements with international research centers
and distinguished universities in the field of research.
7. Assigning the higher educational sector a broader role in making a
knowledge-society through the transformation of knowledge into a
valuable investment in the economy through the implementation of new
initiatives such as science parks, technological incubators, intellectual
property, and international leadership.
38
The report has also presented the prospective strategic plans amenable to
excellence in the fields of science and technology. Such plans include projects
in the fields of creativity, innovation and talent fostering. In addition to this,
the paper puts into perspective the issues of compatibility and integration
between the projects and the programs within future strategic plans.
It is also worth mentioning that major funds have been invested and qualified
human personnel employed in the execution process of such initiatives and
plans. In fact, 25.5% of the 2010 overall government budget has been allotted
to the education, higher education and training sector.
39
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Ministry of Higher Education
Deputyship for Planning & Information
General Department for Planning & Statistics
www.mohe.gov.sa
ISBN:41
978-603-17-0071-3

Ministry of Higher Education`s Plan to Achieve Excellence in

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