شبكة المعلومات العربية التربوية

The institutions of higher education, especially the universities are vulnerable to several pressures and challenges in the present time. Most of these challenges come out of the utmost care and desire to increase economic growth and success, searching for financing resources, and responding to the social needs in general in the light of big role and mission that are undertaken by these universities. The study discussed the role and importance of applications of the governance at the Saudi universities. It underlines the manner of the governance applications in helping these universities to respond to the previous challenges and others in a complicated environment; in the light of governmental policies that tend to lower the finance and its strong tendency in offering the universities more freedom and independence in managing their affairs and works. The study concluded that the governance of universities is an integrated process that creates balance to all their activities and works. The mentioned balance resulted from the participatory of all concerned sides whether in the university or the educational process. The study deals with the manner that the governance enables the institutions of higher education/universities to manage themselves and guarantee their independence and development together with enhancing the major social and economic aims. Finally, the study presents a conceptual model for the principles of governance and its standards, and the indicators of measurement of the institutions of higher education/universities, in addition to a number of recommendations and proposals in this respect. (Published abstract)