Article 52 of the Saudi Law of Universities

This article sets the legal framework of the university's relationship with its employees, providing that their connection with the university is under the Labor Law.

Whom does the article cover? All university employees, and it expressly mentions:

• faculty members;
• administrative staff;
• technicians.

The word "all" together with the phrase "including" indicates that the provision is general for everyone who works for the university, and that these categories are mentioned for emphasis.

Faculty members, according to Article 1, are professors, associate professors and assistant professors, and lecturers and teaching assistants are treated as equivalent to them.

What does this mean in practice? That the relationship between the university and its employees is governed by the Labor Law, so the rights and duties relating to this relationship are referred to that Law. This article itself does not set out the details of those rights and duties, nor how those who worked under other laws before this Law came into force are transferred, so that should not be assumed from its text.

This article is linked to Article 51, which permits branches of universities to be established outside the Kingdom by decision of the Council of Ministers. Article 53 then brings a different provision on councils, permitting non-members to attend council meetings to provide information and clarifications, with voting reserved to council members only.

Anyone who works at a university and wants to know the effect of this article on his employment position may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases who has experience with university laws.