A STUDY OF FACULTY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AS PERCEIVED BY ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY MEMBERS IN SAUDI ARABIAN UNIVERSITIES

The purpose of this study was to determine faculty development needs as perceived by administrators and faculty members in Saudi Arabian universities. It was also to determine differences of perception of faculty development needs between administrators and faculty members, among faculty members according to their academic fields (humanities, natural sciences, and Islamic studies) and according to their nationality (Saudi and non-Saudi faculty members), and to determine which elements of faculty development are or are not being practiced. Three Saudi Arabian universities were involved in this study (King Saud University at Riyadh City, Umm AL-Qura University at Makkah City, and University of Petroleum and Minerals at Dhahran City).;Questionnaires were administered to 79 administrators and 398 faculty members in the three universities. The data were analyzed using the t test for the differences of perception of faculty development needs between administrators and faculty members, and between Saudi and non-Saudi faculty members.;The major conclusions of the study were: (1) There was a high degree of agreement between administrators and faculty members on their perceptions of faculty development needs in Saudi Arabian universities. (2) There was a high degree of agreement between administrators and faculty members that development needs were not being practiced in Saudi Arabian universities. (3) The study indicated that a strong need exists for faculty development in Saudi Arabian universities. (4) This study should be considered when planning for faculty development programs in Saudi Arabian higher educational institutions. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.);The objectives of this study were to answer the following questions: (1) What are the more and/or the less important items of faculty development needs as perceived by administrators and faculty members in Saudi Arabian universities? (2) Are there differences between administrators and faculty members in their perception of faculty development needs? (3) Are there differences among faculty members in the perception of faculty development needs according to their academic fields (humanities, natural sciences, and Islamic studies)? (4) Are there differences among faculty members in their perceptions of faculty development needs according to their nationality (Saudi and non-Saudi faculty members)? (5) What factors and elements are or are not being practiced among administrators and faculty members?...