Strategic use of ICT in the Saudi system of higher education: KSU

The use of ICT in Saudi HE has increased immensely in the last few years. Universities have rushed into deploying the latest ICTs, and refresh their existing technologies. However, this process has been far from being adequately researched in order to identify its successes as well as its failures. Using a naturalistic approach in pursuing the inquiry and making use of mixed methods, the research questions in this book were investigated using surveys and in-depth interviews. The findings indicated a boom in ICT adoption over the course of the recent years. However, this process did not follow a clear strategic plan. Rather, it was based on an administrative decision. Finally, the study revealed many ICT enablers in the Saudi HE system, such as the generous financial support provided by the government, the positive attitudes, and the changing role of the university, as well as the technical, administrative and sociocultural barriers facing more ICT integration in Saudi HE, and how KSU dealt with these opportunities and threats. Based on the results, implications for future research were elicited and recommendations for better practice were provided.