The Role of Boards of Trustees in Developing Higher Education Institutions: A Comparative Analysis of International Experiences

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the regulatory framework of Boards of Trustees at the University of California as a model of public universities, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a model of a private non-profit university, within the context of the U.S. higher education system. The study focused on examining the formation mechanisms of Boards of Trustees, their powers, and their roles in university governance, while identifying the similarities and differences between the two models. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach to examine the governing laws and regulations of the Boards of Trustees, along with a comparative approach to analyze the two models. The significance of the study stemmed from the scarcity of Arabic research addressing this topic in a systematic analytical manner. The findings indicated that Boards of Trustees in both models played a fundamental role in setting general policies and appointing top leadership, with notable differences in composition and degree of independence. The study concluded with a set of key insights that could be utilized to enhance and develop Boards of Trustees in Arab universities and improve governance effectiveness.