| This study examines the establishment of private universities in Saudi Arabia, through exploring public university faculty members' perceptions. Ten faculty members at Saudi Arabia's leading university were interviewed for their perceptions about a variety of issues regarding the establishment of private institutions: whether there is a need for private universities, the social impact and concerns about inequality if private universities are established, and the role of the Ministry of Higher Education in the process of establishing private institutions. The study sheds some light on the crises of the workforce and work opportunities in the country and how these might be influenced by the establishment of private universities.; The analysis of faculty members' perceptions indicates that there is a serious need for private universities in Saudi Arabia for three salient reasons: (1) the increasing number of high school graduates unable to find seats in public institutions of higher education, (2) the fact that more than fifty percent of the Saudi population is under the age of fifteen, an alarming percentage for a country that is currently unable to educate its existing college-age student population, and (3) diminishing financial resources from the government for public institutions.; Without exception, the faculty members' perceptions indicate that the government must open the door for the private sector to participate in the higher education process, as it did for public general education. At the same time, the government must contribute, at least initially, financially and logistically to the establishment of private institutions, to ensure their quality and success.; Supported by Williams' (1995) and Callan et al.'s (1999) theoretical framework for the interplay among higher education, the state, and the market, this study demonstrates that the role of the state is essential both in influencing and regulating the market and higher education institutions. As Williams suggests, the role of the state changes as the forces of the state, market, and higher education change. In effect, the role of the state is that of a “referee” as well as a supporter of consumers in the marketplace. Concluding that Saudi Arabia today is at a crossroads in its development, particularly with reference to its higher education needs, the study concludes with thirteen recommendations for the establishment of private institutions. |
