Management of internal review processes for the accreditation of academic programs in universities

Abstract

The study aims at identifying the reality of the management of internal review processes for the accreditation of academic programs in Saudi universities. A mixed-method approach was used in collecting primary data through the questionnaire and the interview. The questionnaire returned 298 valid responses from academic staff randomly selected from six Saudi universities. Further, six deans of colleges were interviewed. The questionnaire data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, while the interview results were thematically coded and synthesized. The overall results of the study the internal evaluation process related to accreditation of academic programs in the universities is primarily based on the overall university academic plan created at the central level. Implementation follows the planning during which various university offices at college and departmental levels were additionally involved. The last phase of the program accreditation is the recurrent evaluation of the system to ensure that the program offerings are in sync with global best practices cultured to the needs of the Saudi Arabian economy.