Arab Educational Information Network

This study seeks to evaluate the efficiency of academic departments’ heads in King Faisal University from the perspective of its faculty members, and to observe the level of efficiency within it according to some independent variables. The study adopted the methodology of analytical descriptive survey-based research. The survey was developed by the author according to four dimensions, and was administered to a sample of (68) members who constitute about (7%) of the study population. Results demonstrated that the level of efficiency of academic departments’ heads in King Faisal University was moderate in general, and their efficiency emerged remarkably in administrative efficiency. No statistically significant differences were found in the total level of efficiency of academic departments heads from different colleges and nationalities, except for the academic efficiency in which the difference inclined to non-Saudi nationalities, while no such differences were found in the total score and all of the dimensions of efficiency of academic departments heads according to the variables of academic rank and years of experience. The most remarkable suggestions to develop the performance of academic departments heads in King Faisal University from the perspective of the population of the study is to offer departments heads the necessary authorities at work, and to choose departments heads according to academic criteria. The study put forward some recommendations of which the most notable are to set scientific norms to evaluate faculty members by academic section chiefs and to activate them in collaboration with university colleges deans, and to release a recurring training program for academic section chiefs about the elements of successful leadership in order to develop their leadership skills in administrating academic departments, and to support university leadership of academic departments to follow up coordinating between academic departments particularly with regard to scientific research. The study also suggested conducting relevant future research. (Published abstract)