Higher Education in Saudi Arabia: Rooted in Heritage and Values, Aspiring to Progress

Abstract

This paper attempts to answer three questions about the challenges posed within Saudi Arabian society by recent developments in the Kingdom’s higher education policies, namely: Is the promotion of higher education in accordance with religious values and heritage in Saudi Arabia? How can the Saudi Arabian vision of higher education reconcile globalization with respect for traditions, culture and beliefs? How does the current rapid development of higher education in Saudi Arabia affect social change in the country? This paper makes the point that, although education per se is not seen as a threat to religious values and heritage, the advance of globalization is sparking a debate inside and outside Saudi Arabia on how to reconcile tradition and globalization within the framework of the Kingdom’s vision and plans for its higher education system.