Arab Educational Information Network

World-class Universities appear in response to the requirements of knowledge production, building their communities, globalization challenges, global competition and achieving sustainable development. The study aimed to identify the degree of transformation of emerging Saudi universities into worldclass universities and the obstacles to their transformation. The researcher used the descriptive survey approach and the questionnaire as a study tool for collecting information from the class randomized study sample which its number is 327 persons of the academic leaders in five emerging Saudi universities. The study clarified that the degree of transformation of emerging Saudi universities into world-class universities came with a low degree and an arithmetic average (2030), and the degree of obstacles to the transformation of emerging Saudi universities into world-class universities came significantly and with an arithmetic average (3080). The study recommended restructuring the emerging Saudi universities, developing their systems and regulations, and reviewing their strategic plans to support their transformation into world-class universities. (Published abstract)