Understanding faculty perceptions of quality assurance in Saudi higher education

Research in the field of quality assurance (QA) in education ranges from accreditation to employing specific quality systems. In Saudi Arabia (KSA), QA in education is relatively new, and studies on QA in Saudi higher education institutions (HEIs) are limited. HEIs in KSA follow different approaches while being loosely connected by government accreditation guidelines. As faculty are key stakeholders in developing quality teaching and learning, more research on faculty perceptions of QA is needed. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of English language educators, teachers, and leaders surrounding QA in HEIs in KSA, specifically the perceptions of QA procedures and processes. Furthermore, it aimed to discover perceptions on implementation, including the extent and success of QA implementation in Saudi HEIs and surrounding teaching and learning. The study employed a qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of English language educators’ perspectives on QA in KSA. Semi-structured online interviews were used to gather data on the perceptions of eight participants. All participants were English language teachers or leaders; however, they were from different HEIs across KSA. The results were analyzed using qualitative analysis processes. The interviews were transcribed. The results were then organized per question. They were then analyzed and coded before being reorganized into common themes for further analysis. The results revealed some key commonalities surrounding perceptions of QA in Saudi HEIs, namely the purpose and challenges faced. The research results may be used to gauge a clearer understanding of the current status of QA in Saudi HEIs. Saudi HEIs and educators will be able to use the research results to reexamine their own internal QA processes. On an academic level, the findings helped to build a clearer picture of how QA is developing across Saudi HEIs and where other studies may be able to inform or enhance the findings