Article 1 of the Saudi Law of Universities

This is the definitions article of the Law of Universities, and the meanings apply wherever the terms appear in the Law. They can be divided into three groups:

First: the councils and their general powers

• Council of University Affairs: the authority competent to organize university affairs, draw up their policies and make the regulations governing them.
• Board of Trustees: the authority competent for the governance of the university and oversight of its academic, administrative and financial performance.
• University Council: the authority competent to conduct the scientific, educational, administrative and financial affairs of the university and implement its general policy.
• Scientific Council: the authority competent for scientific and research affairs, studies and publication.

All of this is in accordance with the provisions of the Law.

Second: the academic units

• College: a scientific establishment made up of a group of departments belonging to a general scientific field, and the College Council is competent to conduct its academic affairs.
• Academic department: an academic unit representing a general scientific specialization, and the Department Council is competent for its academic affairs.

Third: faculty members

They are professors, associate professors and assistant professors, and lecturers and teaching assistants are treated as faculty members. A lecturer and a teaching assistant are not faculty members in the strict sense, but they are treated like them wherever this term appears.

Note the gradation of roles: the Council of University Affairs at the level of all universities, the Board of Trustees for governance and oversight, and the University Council for conduct and implementation. Article 2 shows that the Law aims to organize higher education affairs and strengthen its scientific, research and community standing locally, regionally and internationally.