The President: There are many prospects and opportunities for fruitful cooperation between the public and higher education
In a paper presented within the activities of the 17th Conference of the Saudi Society for Educational and Psychological Science
King Khalid University President: There are many prospects and opportunities for fruitful cooperation between the public and higher education.
The President of King Khalid University, Prof. Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al Dawood has this morning, participated in the 17th conference of the Saudi Society for Educational and Psychological Sciences, which is held in King Saud University, under the title "Educational integration between the public and higher education." President Al Dawood presented a working paper in which he talked about the integration of education between the public and higher education from the educational policies perspective.
President Al Dawood emphasized through his paper, on the preparation of effective policy for a comprehensive development of the Saudi education system from the integration perspective between the public and higher education, showing that it requires a great and organized effort, to be followed by a scientific and clear approach, which will take into account all principles and considerations that are summarized, as there are many prospects and opportunities for fruitful cooperation between the public and higher education. The President said that that it can be relied on, as pivotal points for the desired integration to take place. He pointed out that there were a lot of challenges that we should pay attention to, and prepare appropriate scenarios to overcome them.
President Al Dawood further clarified that the distance between the higher and public education caused a number of problems: In higher education, those problems are in the balance between the availability and quality, the lack of efficiency of the system, the efficiency of its output, and the weak link with the labor market, as well as the waste resulting from failing. On the other hand, the problems of public education are in the decrease of the competencies in human resources, and the lack of attention regarding the human professional sustainable development, in addition to the weakness of the link between graduates of general education and the university entry requirements.
Still pointing out further, the President said that there were a number of initiatives that might aim at activating the integration, and at contributing in the exchange of experiences between the public and higher education, saying that the most important initiative was the establishment of virtual academy to include all areas of the current and proposed integration, to determine the level of progress in every area of the applicable integration, and to discuss the most important obstacles to integration from the reality of the actual application. In addition, there should be a putting forward the best relevant practical practices, whether those which have already been made at the level of the Kingdom, and have achieved special results, or applicable to international practices in any educational system. The president recommended that the academy should include 'Think Tank' to receive and study proposals which would be received from all concerned people, from community members and the from institutions, allowing for the enrichment of integration, for enhancing the community participation and for the confidence of the community in its educational system, and in its leaders.
The University president clarified that the nature of policy, the integration, and the development are considered to be continual and permanent operations. They are like the endless circle; its diameter gets wider of what is added to it from the experience, and new goals come up after the completion of the pervious objectives. Still, this circuit moves the Saudi education system and the Ministry of Education, to what is known as the Learning system, which is inevitable with the existence of the serious determination to develop the education system, and the creation of the knowledgeable society.
On a final note, the president stressed that there were many available opportunities that prevail integration and that overcome the challenges, which are represented in the great support being received by the education system from the wise leadership, and from expedience and enthusiasm of the Minister of Education, in addition to the diverse and distinctive experiences and the great national efforts, which are available in the institutions of higher and public education alike.
