Privatization of Kuwait Higher Education: Policy and procedure Imad M. Al-Atiqi Lafi M. Alharbi Farida M. Ali Private Universities Council – Kuwait

1. Introduction:  The Kuwaiti government has recently taken fundamental steps in facilitating private higher education.  In 2000, the Kuwaiti National Assembly passed law 34/2000 organizing Private Education.  The Ministry of Higher Education then formed a special committee of senior scholars to propose the executive bylaws, which was later passed by the Kuwaiti’s Council of Ministers.  The executive office which puts together the procedures and regulations for licensing and accrediting private institution.  We will present some detail about the formation of the Private University’s Council (PUC); Policies adopted for licensing private institutions; and Procedures for maintaining quality control in Private Education.

2. Private University Council (PUC)  The Private Universities Council (PUC) is an independent organization composed of eight members in addition to its chair; the Minister of Higher Education.  The PUC memberships, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers upon the recommendation of the Minister of Higher Education, are specialists possessing a wide range of experience and commitment to the filed of higher education.  PUC members are not involved in the business of running private education throughout the period of their membership.

The PUC has the following mission:  Decides on the establishment of a private institution.  Determines the requirements of the academic credibility of the private institution, and apply quality and control measures to insure full compliance with the proved terms and conditions in the decree of establishing.  Adopts universal standards at programs of study, and frequently reassesses these standards for better performance and quality of higher education.  Establishes measures of accreditation, and validates degrees and certificates issued by private institutions, and equates them with their counterparts in the public sector.  Looks into cases where the activities of a private institution are to be adjourned, combined and/or cancelled.  Looks into further issues of concerned as referred by the Minister of Higher Education.

Private University Council General secretariat Licensing Committee Research & development committee Accreditation Committee Evaluation Teams/Agencies Internal Scholarships Committee Figure (1) : PUC Organizational structure.

3. Licensing Procedure:  Proposals for new private institutions are put forward to a designated committee (Licensing Committee). Based on careful examination of various parts of the proposed institution, the committee recommends dismissal, approval, or sometimes resubmissions.  The licensing procedure takes basically two turns.  Initially, a preliminary application will be put forward for preliminary review. If approved, then, it will be supplemented with a detailed application.

Phase I: Preliminary Application.  The preliminary application will include the following details:  Name of institution, Mission and objectives, Founders and their detailed CVs.  Affiliation with other institutions, if applicable.  Resources available, Financial assets and Founders shares.  Detailed Feasibility study.  The institution’s proposed structure.  Regulations governing: policy of enrolment, academic requirements, study fees and scholarships.  Terms of study, examination, awarding of degrees, certificates and diplomas, accompanied with the pre-approved programs of study by the affiliate international institution, if any.  Plan for institutional and programs’ accreditation.  Names of proposed First Council of Trustee and their CVs.  The proposed dates for commencement of study.

 The proposal-study committee will look into the abovementioned detail, and thoroughly examine the content of the preliminary application to assess to what degree the application meets conditions and standards set by the PUC.  The assessment at this stage will be chiefly concerned with the statement of the proposed institution and to what degree it serves the objectives of high education in the country, and if so, does the proposed institution possess the material and human resources to achieve its mission.

Phase II: Detailed application:  Within one year from date of the initial application approval, the founders should submit the following documents:  A detailed plan of the buildings: (study and research halls, libraries, labs, appliances and student activity’s services and management buildings and other service.  Financial guarantee to insure the availability of the said fund for execution of the project.  Within six months of the submission of detailed application, the PUC will answer back to the founders of the decision made on their proposal, either to submit further document, or the final approval.  Upon PUC recommendation, the Council of Ministers will issue the decree to establish the private institution.  It is worth mentioning here that the private institution may not commence its activity prior to proper establishment of its required material and human resources, and a written approval by the PUC.

Founder Licensing committee PUC Founder Preliminary approval Preliminary Application Clarification Phase 1 Recommendation Phase 2 Rejection Licensing Committee comments PUC Recommendation Detailed Application Final Approval Council of Ministers Rejection Institution License by His Highness the Amir Figure 2 : licensing process

3. Accreditation Criteria and Procedure:  PUC requires every licensed institution to go through institutional and academic-program accreditation.  Institutional evaluation is carried out by an independent external team formed by PUC.  Program evaluation is carried out by internationally recognized accreditation establishment.

 The institutional accreditation considerations:  Mission:  Private university shall aim to contribute to achieving the goals of higher education and applied education in the country in a manner that provides research service and serves the goals and the needs of the developing society.  Management:  From date of the decree, the private institution shall enjoy an independent legal status, and will be legally presented by its chairman to practice the rights to obtain various types of funds, to be part of financial contracts, and to accept donations.

Council of Trustees of the private institution carries the following responsibilities:  approves the institution regulations  manages its funds  elects its chairman and other key figures  Upon permission from the PUC and the standards determined by Council of Ministers, the private institution shall accept donations, grants, gifts and trust fund (waqf) in a manner that shall not contradict its mission and objectives.  appoints the financial auditor, which must be a licensed accountant.  approves the annual balance sheet and financial account.

Teaching staff:  The teaching staff at private institutions and/or the branches of foreign universities should be holders of PhD (or equivalent). Full time staff shall not be less than 70% of the total staff.  The private institution shall organize staff contract, contract renewal, promotion, system of delegating and secondment, and policy governing evaluation of performance and others of administrative issues.

Students’ affairs & degrees and certificates  Students not obtaining a certificate of completing secondary school study or its equivalent may not be enrolled at the private institution.  The private institution shall establish polices, regulations, conditions and procedures of enrolling students, students’ follow up, dismissals, re-entering, and graduation, as well as schema of student registration and guidance and other issues concerning student affairs.

Financial affairs:  Private institution must observe a regular maintenance of its financial resources and keep up-to-date records of its accounts and financial records. Periodical financial statements shall be subject to the approval of one or more licensed auditor whom Council of Trustees shall appoint. Council of Trustees must approve the annual financial report of the private institution.

Financial Report Technical committee Evaluation Team Licensed Institution Technical Report Self – assessment Report Assessment Report Accreditation Committee Feed back on Assessment Report Recommendation PUC Accreditation Decision Figure 3 : Institutional Accreditation Process

Performance Criteria  Effectiveness: how well did you do  Efficiency: How did you utilize resources.  Internal Structure: Is your organization consistent with the mission  Growth and Renewal: can you sustain progressive improvement

The outcome:  The response of Kuwaiti community to the law establishing private institutions was overwhelming.  Over 30 applications for establishing private higher institutions were received.  There are a number of factors in favor of private institutions in Kuwait:  Specialized institutional accreditation.  Mandatory international affiliation.  Mandatory Program accreditation.  International campus design and standards.  Little political interference.  Training, research, development and business incubators encouraged.  Gives priority to job market demand.

 So far ten decrees have been issued to license private high institutions.  - Five institutions have already commenced their activities. Table (1) below lists the approved programs in these institutions.  - Four institutions are branches of internationally accredited institutions, and six others are affiliated with internationally accredited institutions. Table (2) below summarizes the international partnership of the licensed institutions.  - As of 2005/2006 around 9,000 students are enrolled in private institutions. The approved student capacity is 18,000 and the projected capacity by year 2025 is 60,000 students.  - One institution has been awarded the institutional accreditation by PUC for 3 years.  - Four other institutions are in the process of obtaining the institutional accreditation.

Thank you.