Administrative Governance between Reality and Application in Saudi Universities: A Case Study of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University from the Perspective of its Faculty Members

The study aimed to explore the reality and application of administrative governance in Saudi universities, focusing on Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University. To achieve the study’s objectives, the researcher used the descriptive-analytical method and relied on a questionnaire as the main tool for field study. The questionnaire consisted of 43 items addressing governance principles. The results concluded that the six dimensions of administrative governance (participation, responsibility, independence, professional behavior and work ethics, disclosure and transparency, and strategic vision) were highly present at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University at an overall rate of 84%, with a general mean of (4.19). The principles of governance were ranked based on their application, as follows: Strategic Vision ranked first with a mean of 4.59 (92%) and a very high level of availability. Responsibility ranked second with a mean of 4.30 (85%) and a very high level of availability. Professional Behavior and Work Ethics ranked third with a mean of 4.21 (84%) and a very high level of availability. Independence ranked fourth with a mean of 4.20 (84%) and a high level of availability. Disclosure and Transparency ranked fifth with a mean of 4.12 (82%) and a high level of availability. Participation ranked last with a mean of 3.72 (74%) and a high level of availability. Also the study found no statistically significant differences at the significance level (α = 0.05) in the degree of governance principles’ availability due to variables of gender (male/female) or years of teaching experience.