The vice president of king Saud university of academic and educational affairs Dr. Abdullah Bin Salman Al-Salman hosted a workshop entitled "The mechanisms of approving academic programs and study plans: Local and international experiences.", organized by the academic programs and plans department of the deputy university of academic and educational affairs. The workshop targeted king Saud university officials, and local private and public universities. The workshop examined local, Arabic and international experiences in approving academic programs and plans.

The opening ceremony started with verses from the Holy Quran followed by a speech by the assistant of the university vice-president for the academic and educational affairs for the plans affairs Dr.Abdulrahman Al Angary who explained that this workshop is held to inform on the latest developments in approving academic plans, and to exchange experiences on the mechanisms of approving academic plans in the university. In addition to informing the university community on the international approving procedures of academic plans. "The university has given the academic programs and plans importance by forming a department specialized in academic programs and plans." He added.

 

After that the workshop sponsor Dr. Al-Salman gave his speech expressing his appreciation for conducting this workshop saying " We are extremely happy to meet with this assembly of scientists and professors who are all here to discuss a topic that we have been waiting for so long to be discussed which is 'the academic programs and plans'. King Saud university has given this topic attention and priority to keep pace with the university's vision and objectives. In addition to the aim at improving educational output to be in conformity with development plans, labor market needs, and academic accreditation standards. Therefore, the university has established a new administration of academic programs and plans following the deputy university of academic and educational affairs as a result of many challenges such as:

·        The expansion in knowledge and technology facing the educational process in all fields.

·        The current repeated, typical study plans.

·        The need for more clear criteria and mechanism of preparing the plans and academic programs.

·        Little consideration to the opinion of public and private employment institutions.

·        The weakness of the knowledge and skills content in the current study plans.

·        The weakness in defining programs and study plans objectives and relating them to the outcome.

Thus, the university has laid down many factors that will aid in successfully preparing study plans such as:

·        Relating the study plan to the academic department's vision, mission and objectives.

·        Developing a clear systematic procedure in preparing programs and study plans.

·        Getting acquainted with similar local, regional, and international experiences.

·        The active participation of male and female faculty members, students, graduates, and both the private and public sectors.

Dr. Al-Salman also explained that this workshop "was proposed to set forward real work that is needed to improve study plans and content. In addition to exhibiting local, regional, and international experiences by presenting samples of programs and study plans that resulted in excellent educational outcome." He also mentioned that this gathering of scientists, university deans, deputies, heads of departments, and faculty members clearly shows the importance given to quality of programs and study plans and that what will be presented in the future will be of high quality because of these open effective discussions and exchanges.

 

After that, the workshop sessions started with the first session held by the vice president of king Saud university of academic and educational affairs. Dr. Zuhair Bin Salah Abduljabar talked about the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment NCAA and its criteria and conditions for accreditation of programs and study plans.

Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Angery then mentioned king Saud university's experience in approving study plans and that it was decided after looking at most international experiences in programs and study plans. It is worth mentioning that the academic programs and study plans administration issued a guide about the administration.

 

The third paper in the first session was presented by Dr. Ahmad Bin Saad Al-Mugrin on Al-Yamamah university's experience in approving academic programs and plans.

The second session of the first day headed by the vice president for development and quality Dr. Hamad Al-Sheikh started with a paper by Dr. Mohammed Bin Iqbal Khan on the British experience followed by Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Suhaibany's paper on Prince Sultan University's experience. The second session ended with Dr. Mohammed Zuaidi Dawood on the Malaysian experience.

 

Two sessions were held on the second day. The first session headed by the assistant of the university vice-president Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Angery started with a paper by Dr. Mohammed Alnaser Bin Mansour Aziz on the experience of Wisconsin Madison University, USA. It was followed by a paper by Dr. Hani Altabba on the Jordanian experience then a paper by Dr. Samir Al-Masri on the Australian experience.

The second session headed by the assistant of university vice-president Dr. Abdullah Al-Omair included the presentation of two papers: Dr. Murad Bin Ahsan Barakat's paper on the American experience (the ABET standards), and Dr. Muheiden Muhsib's paper on the Egyptian experience in approving programs and study plans.

All the sessions were followed by lively discussions that enriched the workshop activities and created a light and appreciative atmosphere. The final session was concluded with an intervention from the vice president of academic and educational affairs who explained that the colleges and departments must renew the academic programs and study plans. He further emphasized that the university acknowledges that there are programs and plans that haven't changed and that is why it has established the programs and plans administration aiming to change the current situation.