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interested staff, but other researches are done by collaborative researcher on con-
tract or part-time basis from Saudi universities.
Therefore one can state that CHERS has boosted, significantly, research activi-
ties in higher education in Saudi Arabia; see CHERS ( 2014 , 2015 ).
Due to initiatives of CHERS, the following present indispensable institutions of
Saudi higher education have been established:
- The National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment
(NCAAA) in higher education. It assesses and accredits programs and
institutions. - The Saudi National Centre for Assessment in Higher Education (NCAHE). It
organises various tests for enrolment in higher education and its graduates. - The National Centre for E-Learning in higher education. It develops material and
provides training for Saudi e-learning staff and technicians.
Recently CHERS has proposed, through its study teams, the need for
establishing: - National Academic Recognition and Information Centre (NARIC) for providing
information about Saudi higher education institution laws and regulations and
provides policy and procedures for recognising foreign qualification based on
reliable information - The National Teaching and Learning Centre (NTLC) for building excellent
teaching and learning environment through training programs
The needs for these and other coordinating bodies in funding, national qualifica-
tion framework, quality assurance and integration among institutions are becoming
indispensable at present day of the history of Saudi higher education. The recent
merger of both Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of Education in one
administration department has made the new department as the largest central
administration body in the Saudi government. This huge administration body might
have motivated two consecutive ministers of education to consider granting all
Saudi universities much wider autonomy. Saudi research communities in higher
education are, at present, facing abundance of new challenges and opportunity at
time to align with the Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ( 2016 ) which is forming the whole
development process including the structure, policies and the management of Saudi
higher education.
SJHE in Saudi Higher Education
The Saudi Journal of Higher Education (SJHE) forms a very specialized stage for
the Saudi higher education researchers; see SJHE ( 2016 ). The SJHE has recently
published its 14th issue of its biannual issues. The SJHE has appeared for the first
time in 2005 and continued for 2 years, but it was not published for few years later
until 2012 when it has started to appear regularly in the past 5 years. This journal is
A.M. Abouammoh