Higher education
18 Nov 2010
On this page
- Short description of the higher education system
- Types of degrees
- Quality assurance and accreditation
- Recent reforms
Short description of the higher education system
Higher education in Saudi Arabia has undergone a tremendous growth over the last five decades. The higher education system has expanded to include 21 government universities, 98 primary teacher colleges (18 for men, 80 for women), 37 colleges and institutes for health, 12 technical colleges and 24 private universities and colleges.
Types of degrees
Bachelor’s degrees are awarded by universities, teacher colleges, girls' colleges and Riyadh College of Technology. Bachelor’s degree programmes generally consist of four years or eight semesters of full-time study on top of a non-credit foundation year. Professional first degrees in medicine and law require five to six years of study. The minimum number of credit hours required is often higher than the minimum 120 credit hours, and students must keep their cumulative Grade Point Average above 2.00.
Public and private universities have significantly expanded their postgraduate programmes in recent decades. Both master’s and PhD-level programmes in Saudi Arabia usually involve considerable coursework, with less time devoted to dissertation/thesis preparation. Universities and girls' colleges offer three types of postgraduate programmes. Higher diploma programmes are vocationally-focused and offer specializations for specific professions. Master’s programmes general require coursework and a thesis and comprise at least four semesters of study. Students who have obtained a master’s degree may go on to a PhD programme, which are either coursework or research-based. PhD candidates have two to eight years to complete and defend their dissertation.
Quality assurance and accreditation
Recent rapid growth in the number of post-secondary institutions in Saudi Arabia has necessitated the creation of a government agency for accreditation and quality assurance. The National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (NCAAA) was established for this purpose in 2004. Granted administrative and financial independence, the NCAAA operates under the supervision of the Higher Education Council. Between 2005 and 2008, it developed and gradually implemented a comprehensive, three-stage quality assurance and accreditation system.
Recent reforms
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Higher Education was established in 1975. Over the last decades, its main objective has been to increase the capacity of higher education by establishing more universities and supporting a system of private higher education. Recent years have seen the foundation of a number of private universities clearly based on western (mainly American) models, including, most recently, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in 2009. This university is governed by an independent, self-perpetuating Board of Trustees (with international membership) and supported by a multi-billion dollar endowment. In 2010, the government further increased the education budget in order to increase participation in and enhance the quality of education.
