H.E. the Rector, Dr. Khalid Al-Sultan, Inaugurates the Ministry of Higher Education’s Academic Leadership Workshop

Dr. Khalid Al-Sultan, in his capacity as Supervisor of the Ministry of Higher Education’s Academic Leadership Program, inaugurated a recent two-day workshop sponsored by the Program and held in coordination with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, U.K. Dr. Sultan declared that the Program is intended as an early step towards the preparation of academic leaders for Saudi Arabia’s universities through an integrated scheme that will include various events. The workshop was held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Jubail and was attended by participants from King Adulaziz University, King Saud University and King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.

The workshop afforded the participants opportunities to communicate with their peers from throughout the Kingdom and thereby assess their own and others' contributions and effectiveness, establish goals, and be exposed to new developments in higher education as well as the cultural context of higher education in the Kingdom. Gaining greater understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of higher educational institutions was also a major objective.

The workshop was formally divided into three segments in which were discussed ideas about leadership, the relationship between university leaders and their several constituencies (in particular, their faculty), and finally ways to improve institutional leadership. In the context of the leaders relationships with constituencies much emphasis was on how such interactions can promote institutional renewal. One of the highlights was participation by an expert from the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, U.K., who presented several successful case studies based on the Foundation’s research in this field.

H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM, explained to the participants that distinguished events such as the workshop were the innate outcome of the generous support offered to the higher education sector in the Kingdom and the continuous support and dedication rendered by H.E. Dr. Khalid M. Al-Ankari, Minister of Higher Education. He also stressed that there will be a series of workshops, in the near future, designed to build up and enhance the required leadership skills for the higher Educational institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.