Higher Education in Saudi Arabia: Rooted in Bureaucracy, Inspired by an EFL Semi-Decentralization Model

Abstract

Educational initiatives and plans worldwide are now heading towards more decentralized systems including curricular decentralized models which are assumed to enhance teaching and learning outcomes and allow the whole educational community to participate in decision making. Decentralized approaches foster whole communities to share the development of teaching and learning management and processes. Providing a comprehensive description of a proposed semi-decentralized model, smoothly built into a higher education institute in Saudi Arabia and synchronized with the current Saudi Vision 2030, this paper illustrates a planned and deployed road map that guided the reform of some major aspects of the organization starting from the vision, mission, philosophy, principles, curriculum and decision-making, to teachers’ autonomy and creativity, and students learning outcomes.