​On Sunday 3^rd April 2016, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Issa, Minister Education inaugurated the 7th Rector’s Workshop organized by the Academic Leadership Center of the Ministry of Education under the title "Successful Student Transitions to University-Level Learning".

HE said this annual event is becoming an important function in the agenda of the Rectors due to the unique nature of the topics discussed every year, the highly qualified experts and speakers, and the valuable shared experiences and the topic selected for this year is a timely and well-selected as the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) at many Saudi Universities is undergoing through assessment phase and many educators are ambitious for much better effectiveness and efficiency of this program.

From the perspective of efficiency, PYP is expected to play a crucial role in preparing students for transition to university environment, growing up their skills, helping them select their majors and future career, retaining them and enhancing the attainment, and as a result, making a difference in the university outcomes. Thus, we all need to be sure that the PYP is fulfilling these expectations.

But from the efficiency perspective, there are many challenges regarding PYP administration and operation, which requires thorough assessment and exploration.  At the same time, we believe there are also many opportunities for improving the PYP that can be grasped if proper insights and smart approaches are adopted.  He added.

For his part, Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, KFUPM Rector and the General Supervisor of Academic Leadership Center that in the past 15 years many Saudi universities launched their own Preparatory Year Programs. Many institutions believed that such programs have been proven to be successful and were necessary for the students’ smooth transition to university studies. The different preparatory programs share, more or less, the same ultimate objectives, but each one has its own unique components that are aligned to the institution’s own mission, vision and priorities. Most, if not all, programs aim to improve English language proficiency and basic science skills, as well as prepare the students for university life by emphasizing personal and thinking skills and also health and well-being.

The workshop discussed numerous and diverse topics all relating to the preparatory programs. These topics include an overview of preparatory education both in the United States and in Saudi Arabia. The discussion addressed the different models for successfully delivering such preparatory programs as well customizing them to the institution. The scope expanded to include preparatory education beyond the first year in the university. 

This workshop, the 7^th in its series, organized for Rectors of the Universities by the Academic Leadership Center (ALC) which proved to be an impactful institution in developing academic leadership and has succeeded in holding numerous training programs, workshops and forums serving all Saudi universities and covering a very wide range of important topics.

Since its inception in September 2009, ALC organized 300 workshops and the number of participants was 7,000 male and female participants. These workshops focused on Saudi universities needs regarding leadership aspects and addressed many emerged issues targeted rectors, vice-rectors, deans and departments' chairmen. The center sought to attract the best international experts in the field of academic leadership to manage these workshops.

The Center has established close cooperation with leading international centers in the field of academic leadership, such as the Academic Council for Education in the United States, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education in the United Kingdom and The Lockheed Martin Leadership Institute in the University of Melbourne in Australia.

It is worth mentioning that the workshop hosted a number of international experts, including Professor Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus and University Professor of Public Service at George Washington University, Professor Michael Martin, president of Colorado State University System, Dr. James Anthony, director of Higher Education and a faculty member in the Department of Graduate Studies at Harvard University and Professor Abdul Rahman Abu Ummah, a former adviser to the Center for Research and Study of Higher Education at the Ministry of Education.​