Administrative Affiliation and Reference
The Center is administratively and financially affiliated with the Vice Presidency for Academic Affairs and operates under its general directives and executive plans.
Appointment of the Director of the Academic Excellence Center
The Director of the Academic Excellence Center shall be appointed by a decision of the University President, based on the nomination of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, for a renewable term of two years.
The appointee must meet the following criteria:
- Hold the rank of Associate Professor or higher; an exception may be granted—by a justified decision—to an Assistant Professor demonstrating outstanding academic and administrative competence.
- Possess a minimum of two years of administrative experience in academic or related administrative fields.
- Demonstrate proven competence and leadership capability in managing institutional initiatives and academic development.
Duties of the Director of the Academic Excellence Center
The Director shall lead the Center’s operations and oversee the achievement of its mission and objectives. Key responsibilities include:
- Developing and overseeing the implementation of the Center’s operational plan, ensuring achievement of its objectives and performance indicators.
- Providing overall supervision of the Center’s units and coordinating their activities to ensure institutional integration and effective academic governance.
- Leading academic assessment and evaluation systems, including the approval of assessment tools, performance reports, and improvement plans.
- Overseeing the review of academic programs and general education curricula to ensure alignment with national and international frameworks and accreditation requirements.
- Engaging internal and external experts and specialists to support the Center’s functions and initiatives.
- Supporting the development of new academic programs, specializations, and high-impact initiatives in alignment with labor market needs and university priorities.
- Promoting academic and leadership capacity building, and supporting initiatives for teaching and learning enhancement.
- Representing the Center internally and externally and fostering institutional partnerships that support academic excellence.
- Managing the Center’s human resources in accordance with approved regulations and policies.
- Submitting periodic reports to the Vice Presidency for Academic Affairs, including performance analysis, progress updates, challenges, and recommendations for improvement.
Powers of the Director of the Academic Excellence Center
The Director shall exercise the necessary authority to fulfill his duties, including:
- Proposing policies and regulatory frameworks related to academic governance for approval.
- Requesting data and performance indicators from colleges, programs, and academic units for evaluation and improvement purposes, in accordance with approved regulations.
- Forming specialized teams and committees within the Center’s scope of work.
- Approving operational plans and initiatives of the Center’s units.
- Endorsing evaluation reports and studies prior to submission to relevant authorities.
- Coordinating directly with deans and department heads on matters related to program and curriculum development.
- Recommending allocation of necessary resources for the implementation of the Center’s initiatives and programs.
- Representing the Center in meetings and committees relevant to its functions within and beyond the University.
Appointment and Responsibilities of Unit Directors
A faculty member shall be appointed as Director of each unit within the Academic Excellence Center by a decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, for a renewable one-year term, based on the nomination of the Center Director.
Each Unit Director shall manage the operations of their unit and oversee the implementation of its operational plan within the framework of the Center’s objectives, reporting directly to the Center Director.
First: Director of the Academic Programs Unit
Responsible for:
- Overseeing the review of academic programs and curricula in alignment with national and international frameworks.
- Supporting the development of academic governance policies for programs.
- Supporting the establishment of new programs and specializations.
- Monitoring the development and governance of general education curricula.
Second: Director of the Academic Assessment and Studies Unit
Responsible for:
- Overseeing the evaluation of programs and learning outcomes in accordance with approved standards.
- Conducting diagnostic studies and gap analyses.
- Preparing performance reports to support improvement and informed decision-making.
Third: Director of the Academic Initiatives Unit
Responsible for:
- Proposing high-impact academic initiatives that support program quality.
- Developing implementation plans for initiatives and ensuring their sustainability.
- Coordinating partnerships related to academic initiatives.
- Preparing periodic reports on implementation progress and impact.