Article 32 of the Saudi Law of Universities
المادة 32 من نظام الجامعات · الفصل الثامن: رئيس الجامعة ونوابه
The article allows a university president who holds a public post or was a faculty member to keep his post during his presidency, and counts the presidency in his service for periodic raises, promotion and retirement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا كان رئيس الجامعة يشغل وظيفة عامة، أو كان عضو هيئة تدريس، فيحق له الاحتفاظ بوظيفته خلال مدة رئاسته للجامعة، وتحتسب تلك المدة في الخدمة لأغراض العلاوة الدورية والترقية والتقاعد.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 32 explained in plain English
This article protects the employment position of the person who takes the university presidency, and deals with the effect of the presidency on his career path.
First: whom does it cover?
A university president who is in one of two situations:
- He holds a public post.
- Or he was a faculty member.
Under Article 1, faculty members are professors, associate professors and assistant professors, and lecturers and teaching assistants are treated as such.
Second: the rights provided
- Keeping his post during the term of his presidency of the university, so he does not lose it by taking the presidency.
- Counting the term of the presidency in his service for three purposes:
- The periodic raise.
- Promotion.
- Retirement.
The text is worded "he is entitled", so this is a right provided to him.
The importance of this provision is that the presidency of a university is for a limited term, so the holder is assured that these years will not be lost to him in his original post, and that he can return to it without falling behind in his raises, promotion or years of service for retirement.
This article is linked to Article 31, which sets out the powers of the university president in managing its affairs, representing it before the courts and assigning deans and heads of departments. It is also linked to Article 33, which provides that the university president has one or more deputies from among the faculty members, assigned by decision of the board of trustees on his nomination for three years, renewable once.
A person who needs to assess the effect of this provision on his employment or retirement rights may consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases.
Practical example
A professor in a college of medicine at one university was assigned to be president of another university. Under this article, he is entitled to keep his original post as a faculty member during his presidency, and this period is counted in his service for the purposes of the periodic raise, promotion and retirement.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 32 of the Saudi Law of Universities
Does a university president lose his original post?
No. If he holds a public post or was a faculty member, he is entitled to keep his post during his presidency.
Is the term of a university presidency counted for retirement?
Yes, it is counted in his service for the purposes of the periodic raise, promotion and retirement.
More articles on University President and Vice Presidents
- Article 5
The article specifies the bodies that undertake the governance, management and conduct of the university's affairs: the Board of Trustees, the University Council and the university president.
يتولى حوكمة وإدارة وتصريف شؤون الجامعة: مجلس الأمناء مجلس الجامعة رئيس الجامعة
- Article 30
The article provides that the university president is assigned by order of the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the chair of the Council of University Affairs after nomination by the board of trustees, and is contracted under the Labor Law for three years, renewable.
يكلف رئيس الجامعة بأمر من رئيس مجلس الوزراء، بناء على توصية رئيس مجلس شؤون الجامعات بعد ترشيح مجلس الأمناء، ويكون التعاقد معه على نظام العمل لمدة ثلاث سنوات قاب
- Article 31
The article makes the university president accountable to the chair of the Council of University Affairs and responsible for managing the university, and lists his powers, including representing it before the courts, assigning deans and heads of departments, and the annual report.
مع مراعاة اختصاصات مجلس الأمناء ومجلس الجامعة، يكون رئيس الجامعة مسؤولاً أمام رئيس مجلس شؤون الجامعات طبقاً للنظام، ويتولى رئيس الجامعة إدارة الجامعة وتصريف جمي
- Article 33
The article provides that each university president has one or more deputies from among the faculty members, assigned by the board of trustees on the president's nomination for three years, renewable once, subject to an exception by the Council of University Affairs.
يكون لكل رئيس جامعة نائب أو أكثر من أعضاء هيئة التدريس، ويكون تكليفهم بقرار من مجلس الأمناء بناء على ترشيح رئيس الجامعة، ويكون التكليف لمدة ثلاث سنوات قابلة للت
- Article 34
The article makes the deputies assistants of the university president with powers set by the regulations, lets the president assign one of them to act in his absence, and lets the chair of the Council of University Affairs name whoever runs the university when the presidency is vacant.
يعاون النواب رئيس الجامعة في إدارة شؤونها، وتحدد اللوائح صلاحياتهم، ولرئيس الجامعة تكليف أحدهم -عند تعددهم- للقيام بمهمات رئيس الجامعة عند غيابه، ولرئيس مجلس شؤ
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.