Scientific research is facing a critical situation in Arab nations. While international rankings have become the first priority of universities engaged in research across the world, most universities undertaking scientific research in the Arab region are occupied with other matters more vital to their survival. Given the current crisis in some universities in the Arab region, this study seeks to understand the factors responsible for the falling standards in scientific research and the lack of global recognition of these universities. Through interviews with university rectors or their designates along with three international experts on higher education policy, this investigation considers the social, economic, and political factors responsible for the crisis in some Arab universities that undertake scientific research. The investigation also probes the effect that political instability has on the Arab universities, particularly in light of the “Arab Spring” and how top administrators propose to improve research capabilities in their institutions. Thematic analysis of the interviews suggests lack of research infrastructure, funding and resources, and English publications, in addition to unmotivated faculty, as primary causes for the dilemma of Arab universities. The findings also indicate that in countries that are mired in political crises, lack of security is preventing higher education institutions from functioning and preserving their role in society as institutions of intellectual rigor and research. Although these Arab universities cannot control the political destiny of the country, international experts who were interviewed emphasized the importance of building a research infrastructure and an environment that motivates researchers. Furthermore, using English as the language of research and the emphasis of basic science are crucial elements to developing a sound research university.

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This case study addresses the transition of a university from a local to a global institution in the unique cultural and economic circumstances of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Specifically, the authors investigate the case of Princess Nourah Bint Abudulrhman University (PNU), the largest women's university in the world with over 39,000 students. Saudi Arabia, and PNU in particular, offers a unique case of higher education development where economic and cultural issues pose both extraordinary opportunities and complications compared to other developed and newly industrialized countries. Although this case is of women's higher education in Saudi Arabia, the study offers a broader application into understanding the developing role of women in other Muslim countries and their participation in the public sphere of a Kingdom guided by Sharia Law. This study of PNU provides a case example for other national universities struggling to maintain a cultural, social, and economic balance between local needs and global influences. The administrators and faculty interviewed for this study indicate PNU's future as a global institution depends on its ability to maintain a delicate balance among the educational, economic, social, and cultural needs of women in the face of changing cultural mores. Herein lies the promise PNU offers other women's universities in the Arab World in their transition from a local to a global institution. The critical message from this study for other universities in transition in both developed and developing countries is the need to preserve cultural identity in the face of globalization.

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