Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Thursday, Jul 24, 2025

KPMG: Autonomous universities offer distinctive advantages for Saudi Arabia

KPMG: Autonomous universities offer distinctive advantages for Saudi Arabia

Given the new Universities Bylaw, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education (MoE) has envisioned a substantial change in the higher education system by granting disciplined autonomy to universities in framing their academic, financial, and administrative regulations.
Universities will need to be ready for this significant level ofchange as they have been granted the opportunity to set their own strategic direction and organisational ways of working. However, with this freedom comes accountability. University leaders will be held accountable for adopting new policies, determining a future distinctive position within the higher education system, and creating a level of financial resilience that allow them to leverage all the benefits and opportunities of an autonomous model, this according to a new KPMG publication titled “Distinctiveness - The future of higher education in Saudi Arabia.”

The publication aims to explore trends and critical factors for future success in an autonomous higher education system in Saudi Arabia. It illustrates the issues raised in the shift from supply to demand-led strategies, digital ways of working, and the age of the learner as a customer.

Universities can now formulate their specializations and programs in accordance with the development needs and job opportunities in the regions that come under their jurisdiction.

Embracing this changing operating environment will require a paradigm shift from centrally funded delivery of education to universities being in the business of education.

“Universities in Saudi Arabia are at a crossroads. The new mandate to transform universities into autonomous organizations presents some challenges on the one hand, but many opportunities on the other,” commented Ziad Zakaria, Senior Director at KPMG’s firm in Saudi Arabia.

Universities will now be given more possibilities to drive their own strategic intent around who and what they want to be known for and move their purpose forward within the academic ecosystem, he added.

In this newly created autonomous market, the Kingdom’s universities must challenge what they currently do and develop a strategic intent to deliver this into an operational reality. This, in turn, will lead them to become distinct and relevant places within the international higher education landscape.

The journey to an autonomous self-reliant and resilient higher education sector will not be without challenges. It will take considerable effort, flexibility and resilience by leadership at all levels within the ministry and the universities.

KPMG has constructed a framework to draw together some of the critical success factors in a university’s evolution and success toward building an autonomous higher education ecosystem. This framework consists of six interrelated design principles built around a 6R framework, including reimagined strategy, reimagined academic portfolio and student experience, a rejuvenated academic programs, refreshed and strengthened institutional governance, realigning and redesigning the university operating model and revenue diversification.

“Higher education institutions need to prepare, develop and implement strategies for change so that they are ready to lead this fundamental and possibly radical transformation process,”emphasized Zakaria.

The publication further suggests that a strategic frameworkshould be set up, defining the core strategic themes, broken down into institutional goals, objectives, and key performance indicators, and all decisions made should be referred back to these core strategic themes and objectives.

The next step is to redevelop the university operating model to become digitally enabled, with streamlining structures, processes, policies, and procedures. This develops a sustainable funding mechanism where universities have a financially sustainable operating model to fund world-class teaching and research – putting investment at the point of delivery for the benefits of students, creating employable graduates and delivering world class research that makes the university distinctive from others.

A clear transformation strategy and execution plan to guide the university to the future strategic and operating position will be required to achieve this.

“If we are to achieve Vision 2030 and its wide-ranging objectives, we must turn policy and strategic intent into operational reality,” Zakaria concluded.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
×