The Private Education Directorate at the Ministry of Higher Education is studying applications of foreign universities to open branches in the Kingdom.
A source at the ministry said the government has received tens of applications from a number of foreign and Arab universities to open branches in the Kingdom and is carrying out discussions with its consultants as well as consultants from Saudi universities to draft a special regulation for foreign universities.
The ministry will then meet with officials from the investment authorities to streamline this regulation with the foreign investment arm.
The source emphasized the ministry’s seriousness in granting licenses to outstanding foreign universities to open branches in the Kingdom. He said the ministry stipulated that universities should be among the Top 100 universities in the world, and its staff should be subject to the employment regulations in the original university.
The university should teach the same subjects as the original university, in addition to Islamic culture and Arabic language. These university branches will be familiarized with the customs and traditions of the Islam and should conform to the rules and regulations of the Saudi state. The branches would need to have separate departments for males and females, the source said.
He said the ministry aims to raise the standards of higher education in the Kingdom, and minimize sending students on government scholarships to cut spending. Allowing foreign universities to open branches in the Kingdom will create competition among local universities and bring about quality education.
The ministry is studying the possibility of including these universities in the foreign scholarship program.
The source said these universities will be subjected to 99 percent of the internal private education regulation and the foreign investment law with certain amendments.
They will also be subjected to quality specifications approved by the ministry. Additionally, they will be asked to provide specialties that are needed in the Saudi market, and will only be permitted to open one branch in a single location. The fee structure will also be similar to those of private universities.
The source said that the branches were to use their international names. However, the ministry would not offer any facilities to these universities until after the project proved to be a success.
The private university regulation states that universities should offer educational and training programs to raise the level of scientific specialties that suit the educational framework of the Kingdom. The law also states that universities should have a minimum of five partners, and at least three colleges that provide specialties needed by the market, and meet the developmental plans of the country.
Furthermore, the university should conform to scientific specifications in its educational and technical plans and programs related to the educational curricular. Universities should also manage their internal affairs in compliance with the Kingdom’s rules and regulations.
The law stipulates that the university’s board of trustees should include a representative from the Ministry of Higher Education. The university’s dean should be a Saudi and will be appointed by the minister. The duration of his appointment will be 4 years and his contract is renewable. The university will be under the supervision of the ministry in relation to the approval of its regulation, study plans, scientific programs and research centers.
The universities’ performance will be reviewed on a regular basis through reports and field visits.
Ministry studying plan to allow foreign universities
