Journal of Islamic Studies (Jan 2002)
Development Requirements of Higher Education: A Descriptive and Analytical Study about the Capability of Higher Education to Meet Development Requirements and Social Demand in Saudi Arabia
Abstract
This study aims at analyzing higher education in Saudi Arabia at the present time, and determining to what extent it meets development requirements and social demand. It also aims to present ideas and alternatives in which higher education could adapt in order to meet social and development demands. The study depended on analytical description which represents a thorough description of the higher education establishments. This has been done with reference to the official statistics which represent general education outcomes, population growth and social demand. It also gives a diagnosis of the capability of higher education facilities, estimated needs in the future and the process necessary to calculate the social demand on these establishments in the future. The study shows the following : 1- There is a rapid increase in population growth in which the yearly average of this growth is 3. 7%. Those who are below the age of 20 represent 60% of the total population. 2- Higher education establishments are working with their full capacity at the present time. The number of secondary school graduates is expected to double three times during the coming ten years, so higher education establishments will be unable to meet the social demands either at the present time or in the future. 3- Higher education outcomes are dominated by the educational and theoretical studies which form 79% of the total outcomes in the last five years, whereas the workforce demands technical and applied sciences. So, many literary and theoretical fields are not demanded by the workforce market at present time. 4- The public sector, which is the target of many higher education graduates, is now in no need of them. The general education sector is totally covered in most fields. So, the private sector is expected to attract most graduates. 5- Foreigners formed 60% of the total workforce in the year AH. 1413; 19% of them held higher education qualifications. In the light of these results, the study has presented the following recommendations: enlarge the different higher education styles such as community colleges, higher technical education, cooperative learning, charity-based learning, non-regular directed study, private higher education, night universities, and, finally, revising the existing educational programs.
