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General education at Effat University: A value-based liberal arts teaching model

Khalid, Mohammad
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At the core of this teaching model lies a fully dedicated program consciously called the General Education Program (GEP). The technical and social feasibility of GEP, as well as its inherent regard for diversity, are evident in its gradual but persistent transformation from merely a set of core and preparatory courses to the largest study program of its kind in the entire KSA. GEP not only represents an effective value-based teaching model of international repute but also affords many possibilities for future customizations, thanks to its intrinsically adaptable course offerings, teaching methods, and assessment mechanisms. Over the last few decades, the KSA has undergone a wide array of social developments, during which the Kingdom’s education system has significantly evolved. It has not only incorporated but also improvised on elements of Western educational philosophies, with liberal arts education (LAE) at the forefront. The dynamics between the modern Western education and the Islamic heritage of the Saudi society has given rise to ethico-Islamic models of teaching and learning, one of which is espoused in this paper. The impetus for this transformation is also strongly connected to women’s role in education, patronized by the late Queen Effat Al-Thunayyan. The late Queen established the KSA’s first women-only higher education institution in 1999, Effat College of Jeddah, which received a Royal decree to become a university in 2007.
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Qatar University
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TRADITION SHAPING CHANGE
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