Amalgamation at the prearranged time fears for the future of higher education

The largest oil exporter in the world is seeking to transform its system of higher education. With the recent appointment of Dr. Assam Al-Dacha as the new Minister of Education, dramatic changes have occurred. The biggest is the merger of two ministries - higher education and education ministries - in a ministry called the Ministry of Education.

This surprise move has generated fears among a number of academics working in the higher education sector. Despite major investments in higher education have led to a sharp increase in the number of universities in Saudi Arabia, the move could be seen to threaten or limit this process.

In a recent article in Times Higher Education Professor Philip Attach out a roadmap for exiting universities in Saudi Arabia to achieve world-class status. He cautiously said that bureaucratic and administrative structures could stand in the way of this objective.

Merger with notoriously bureaucratic Ministry of Education is seen as a step in the wrong direction and is seen as adding more administrative structures.

Although the country has invested a lot in recent years in higher education in terms of the number of its universities, student admission and scholarship programs, there are concerns that the merger could threaten the rapid growth of government spending for excellence and performance.

Some 25% of last year's budget was devoted to education, one of the highest levels in the world. Moreover, the cost of higher education grew steadily to nearly 10% of the budget under the late King Hussein. However, the old Ministry of Education is known for delays in its projects and its unreasonable costs over the years. The concern is that the merger may delay government expenditures and direct wave of steady growth to bureaucratic siding.

Autonomy

The merger could create serious problems and confusion regarding the autonomy of universities. Government policy is to push universities to the status of the knowledge economy and global level. Consequently it was developed a number of practices and incentives linked to performance and autonomy in the academic profession.

Merger contrary to this policy is a step back to the old way of doing things, in which academic institutions are considered as only about teaching and preparing students for the labor market. Supporters of the move say that the new ministry will be a governing body that is responsible for students from the initial stage of university level.

However, this means more emphasis on teaching and leaving little resources for research and world-class performance - with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, or KAUST - exception. Of course, there is a lack of clarity about it. It is still unclear how the new ministry will balance what he wants to happen and what actually happens. If so, politicians should be clear definition of roles and tasks of universities.

Overall, the surprising move to merge the two ministries was afraid to represent floating policy in higher education in Saudi Arabia. It is not clear how it will address the legitimate concerns of autonomy and excellence, but what is true is that the system of higher education in Saudi Arabia is in the process of plastic surgery. Only time will tell whether this is worse or the best.

Rewashed Alruwaili assistant in languages ​​and translation department of the University of Northern Borders, Saudi Arabia.