The Strategic Plan for King Saud University

Higher Education - in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia -has gone through various stages in which the universities adopted temporary strategies addressing mainly community needs and availing university education for secondary school graduates interested in pursuing their university education. Needless to say that higher education in the Kingdom was addressing - as a major priority - the question of admission of secondary school graduates to these universities. Hence student admission was a major concern of all universities, including King Saud University. Consequently matters like:-

• student admission and related
• the number admitted
• seats offered in lecture halls  
• recruitment of appropriate teaching faculty took most of the university's concern.

Now with around 23 universities (government and private)  in the Kingdom and an ambitious scholarships' program - namely the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' program - which raises a good opportunity for these universities to think - more clearly – of drawing  subtle competitive strategies capable of qualifying them for international repute ; particularly in this 21^st  century characterized by a fierce competitive race for international fame emanating from the ability of nations to excel themselves in pursuit of attaining the greatest and most important resources – namely the human factor. That is why all – including universities – sacrifice and strive in the hope of attracting internationally –reputed faculty, researchers and professionals and investing in them as well admitting high quality students.

The status quo of higher education in the Kingdom, dictates on King Saud University to opt for an ambitious, subtle comprehensive future strategy capable of allowing the university attain its future aspirations!  The university is well aware of the importance of strategic planning and its impact on developmental issues; that is why it has started the " King Saud Strategic Plan " Project  through which the university draws its future plan in the hope of being a pioneer and attaining international fame in respect of the educational process, research and community service.

This Project is intended to push the university to international status characterized by Knowledge Economics and Investment in the human brain! Through this project, the university hopes to adopt communal and international partnerships through which it can achieve its visions and fulfill its future aspirations leading to distinctive international fame.

The University Strategic Plan has to take into account

• the university's global status
• its strong infra structure
• supportive budget
• distinguished highly qualified experts from internationally reputed universities and institutions.

King Saud University should set out for itself a future strategy capable of putting it among competitive national and international universities. Through such a strategy the university should adopt specifications of international universities characterized by financial stability and resources sufficient to support their needs. The university should also have programs – strong enough to attract students, researchers and distinguished faculty at the national and international levels. The plan should be flexible and realistic enough to achieve all KSU aspirations. The plan should be directed to qualify the university as an attractive source of work and study as well as being a pioneer university playing a leading role in the next 20 years towards achieving international distinction as well as in the production and generation of knowledge, with a graduate able to create a work opportunity supporting national economy. The university is expecting the strategic plan to contribute to improving the internal efficiency of the university as well as securing the quality of its throughput. The plan should also build on the university as an environment attracting distinctive caliber as well as attaining the requirements of assessment and academic accreditation at the national and international levels.  At this juncture, it gives me great pleasure, to invite all colleagues - faculty and employees - and my sons and daughters the students as well as those concerned of my country nationals and community elites to cooperate and communicate with the strategic plan team and pass their comments, recommendations and views – which no doubt build strongly on drawing the university strategy; since they all share the same future. I am also inviting them to pass their views, comments and participations through the workshop groups and seminars conducted for this purpose as well as through the internet.

May I also urge all to grasp this opportunity and make strategic planning a way and means of life to build a knowledge community, planning their lives on strategic grounds. Summing up we should all be proud of being affiliated to this profound and esteemed university as well as being founders of life and history looking forward to the university playing a leading role in the next 20 years in the production and generation of knowledge with our sincere gratitude and respect for all those who contributed in the development of the university.

Prof. Dr. Abdullah Abdurrahman AlOthman

   President, King Saud University