Track: Engineering Education

Abstract

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has recently experienced a remarked, strategic increase in interest in higher education, associated with a corresponding increase in the number of higher educational (public and private) institutions. This has also subsequently led to a growth in the number of expatriated students from different countries, including nearby gulf, Arab, Muslim, and other countries. This paper is aimed at shedding the light at current trends and figures for foreign students currently enrolled and graduates from different engineering disciplines in the currently existing 32 universities nationwide, and the impact that this has had on the quality of engineering higher education in KSA. Furthermore, the authors highlight different challenges that are facing such students through a student survey, as well as present recommendations aimed at promoting a healthier and more successful educational environment for such minorities.