saudi arabia unesco Suggested Teaching Programme (College of Economics and Business Administration, King Abdoul Aziz University of Jeddah)

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1 Distl'ibution: limitl'd " ~/PP /CONSUJJ'rANT saudi arabia Suggested Teaching Programme (College of Economics and Business Administration, King Abdoul Aziz University of Jeddah) by N. Tien Phuc Serial No. 239/RMO. RD/SS Paris, May 97 unesco

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS L ntroduction 4l' ~ L n. V. v. New teaching plan General teaching organization Research centre Proposed curriculum for the University of Jeddah Serial No. 239

3 . NTRODUCTON The College for Economics and Business Administration of the King Abdoul Aziz University of Jeddah has been operating for four years. The present teaching programme comprises: An elementary year devoted mainly to language teaching; three years of economics, mathematics and business administration; a fourth year (graduation) will be introduced as from October 97. At the moment the College consists of two departments, for economics and business administration respectively. The quality of the teachers and the teaching is such that the initial aims have been achieved, despite the difficulties any new institution of higher education has to overcome. The University is now running well and is beginning to win a reputation. However, the moment has now come to reconsider its teaching programme in the light of the experienc.e gained over the last four years. The following proposals have been discussed with different representatives of Jeddah University.. NEW TFACHNG PLAN The principal aims in teaching economics are: To meet the country's needs; to produce graduates and more highly trained people with further qualifications. Accordingly: At the different stages of the five-year programme (one introductory year plus four others), students must obtain the training and qualifications needed for the private sector or the administration. Teaching should become specialized towards the end, but be sufficiently interdisciplinary earlier to allow students to choose their specialization later as they wish. The proposed reorganization must therefore take account of the following points: Oil is the major sector of the econonw, but it is difficult for a country that has to rely on a single produot to achieve a balanced economic growth desiquilibrium is a permanent threat. The government is fully aware of this and plans to diversify the econonw by developing its agriculture, and encouraging small and medium industries. This should enable the country to save foreign currency and be less dependent on imports. Serial No. 239

4 - 2 - For political and economic reasons" transport is another sector that calls for priority development. The four key sectors accordingjjr are oil.. agriculture.. small and medium industry.. transport. Any realistic reorganization of economics teaching must take account of experience over the last four years.. availability of professors.. lecturers and visiting lecturers. This implies the need to train economists" and by this we mean practical training after graduation. t is consequentjjr necessary to create a research centre within the University This would provide in-service training permanently for the teaching staff who would have to direct the research" and also offer useful practical training for undergraduates. n addition.. a research centre.. through its publications.. would undoubtedjjr enhance the University's reputation. A University school of economics and business administration should also provide facilities for learning at least two languages. Only English is at present taught. n view of the importance of economic research being carried out in French" and of France's growing influence in international exchanges.. it would seem entirely logical that the second language should be French.. GENERAL TEACHNG ORGANZATON College for Advanced Studies in Econo Proposed new name for the College: mics and Management (CASEM). The five-year curriculum would include the following general programmes: ( a) ntroductory year: 5% slamic philosophy 0% introduction to economics 4~ languages 0% mathematics 25% accountancy. Some students may leave after the introductory year" either to take up other studies or to look for employment. They might be given a lower certificate (assistant interpreter or assistant accountant) (b) st and 2nd year: These two years form a whole, and no student could be given a diploma without completing them. Subjects: English and French (20%), statistics (20%).. economics (20%), accountancy (20%).. marketing (20%). After these two years students leaving could be awarded a certificate in economics and management. Serial No. 239

5 -3- (c) ~rd and 4th years: There would be four departments: economics statistics and operational research~ business administration 6 marketing. Students could specialize in any of the four. There would be one course (seminar) common to all four, dealing id.th the economic and technical aspects of the four main economic sectors (oi 6 transport, agriculture, small and medium industry). This would represent 30% of the full programme. Every section would devote 0% of its time to language study and the rest (60%) to its specialization. The final degree ( after five years) would be a degree in the specialization chosen. V. RE3EARCH CENTRE The Centre would be directed by a Director who is an established professor assisted by two senior research workers from the first graduates who obtain the final degree. There would be a team of three to six research workers for the first stage. The Research Centre should have an Advisory COmlittee 6 of which the teaching staff in economics and statistics would be ex-officio members and the Dean would be chairman. t would have its own documentation. After a running-in period of about two years 6 assistant to look after the administration. the Director should have an The Centre might have four sections: air transport 6 road. transport.. railway transport 6 sea transport. t might start with a monography on the transport infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.. a survey of the development of the different means of transport (aircraft.. roads.. railways.. maritime.. pipeline).. an econometrical survey to determine the traffic figures as well as origin and destination of goods and people. The above is the basis for the proposed five-year course outlined below. V. PROPOSED CURRCULUM FOR THE UNVERSTY OF JEDDAH 5. First, introductory year (a) slamic philosophy (b) ntroduction to economics description of the national and international economic institutions description of the economic agents State enterprises household Serial No. 239l

6 - 4 - (c) (d) Financial mathematics compound interest actualization amortization replacement problems Accounting elementary book-keeping ( e) Languages English French 5.2 First cycle: first and 2nd years The two first years ccnstitute a unit and a diploma ma.v be awarded at the end of the second. The same subjects are taught progressively over the two years. (a) Statistics First year: 2nd year: descriptive statistics probability calculation statistical laws. (b) Economic analysis First year: 2nd year: elementary micro and macro economics production consumption Keynes theory History of economic theory Monetary and bbllking systems creation of money control of monetary circulation ( c) Accounting First year: 2nd year: accountancy national accounting methods of estimating production aggregates exaraples from a few countries Accountancy and management national accounting regional accounting conversion from national accounting to ordinary accountancy Serial No. 239

7 (d) Marketins First year: 2nd year: the enterprise and its context flow of products flow of money analysis of production sequences measurement and consequences of concentration knowledge of the market and factors influencing the marketing of products ( e) Languag~ First and 2nd years. t will probably be necessary to dvide students into groups having more or less the same level of knowledge. They will be concel"'ll'e'd mainly with technical and economic terminology in English and French. 5.3 Second cycle - third and fourth years These two years also constitute a unit with one general course and a choice of one of four specializations. During the transitional period (97-972) the two existing choices can be maintained; each can later be subdivided into two. As in the first cycle l the teaching of French and English will be concerned mainly with economic and cormnercial texts. The specialized seminar common to the four sections will be devoted to the study of the economic problems relating to oil l transports agriculture and small and medium industries. The programme of the four sections could be as follows. ( a) Economic ana]ysis Third year 3 - nternational economics national optimum. and internal equilibrium effects of external and customs tariffs the international monetary system 32 - Growth models in a competitive economy' Coefficient Fourth year 4 - Public finance Public investment and their economic returns Cost-benefit analysis and PPBS (planning, programming budgeting system) Serial No. 239

8 Taxation Comparison of tax structures ( b) Statistics and operational research Third year 32 - Theory of statistical testing / Operational research methods" graphs" PERT methods / Time series and forecasting Fourth year 42 Decision theory /2 422 Game theory / Demography / Data collection: sample surveys and joint exercises /2 \dth students of other departments ( c) :Ebsiness administration Third year 33 - regal aspects of business problems Commercial law Labour legislation Fnancial business management Credit requirements and relations wth baxlks Staff management and business psycho-sociology Fourth year 43 - Strategy models in business (Ansoff type) Management control Basis for a price policy :Ebsiness forecasting /2 /2 At this level" a great part of time has to be devoted to practical training in such fields as finding solutions for specific business problems and management simulation. ( d) Marketing Third year Distribution policy Serial No. 239 Trade marks Marketing networks Market divisions

9 nvestment criteria 34) - Commercial life of products Fourth year Reviving a product market Launching new products 44 - Quantitative models in business management Stock management Optimum location production and sales locations Marketing surveys and motivation Administering an advertising budget. /2 /2 As in the business administration section" some of the teaching will be devoted to solving practical business problems. Some cases could be handled jointly by the two sections. The )rd and 4th year students must accordingly attend:. The common seminar 2. The main lectures each year in the chosen specialization ). The full or two half courses (as indicated above) in the remaining sectors. Having to choose a course in a subject other than their particular spec:i.alization means that students have to mix and compare ideas on all the economic problems studied" work together on Joint projects and in studying practical problems. Fourth year operational research students could e.g. work with fourth. year marketing students on a problem selected in consultation with their professors. Such team work should be the best guarantee of success for graduates who must take over responsible jobs immediately after leaving the university in the local industrial and commercial world. Students passing the fourth year examinations are awarded a degree in economics and business. They could then enter the Research Centre and prepare a post-graduate research thesis on transport problems. On the basis of a 24.hour academic week" the weekly time-table would be as follows: Serial No. 2)9

10 - 8 - ~.Y. 'otal st 2nd 3rd 4th hours Subject (ultimate) slaudc philosophy Languages Transitional period EconoDW (5)* Financial mathematics 2.5 Statistics and operational research 5 5 lo(5)* 0(5)* Accounting Marketing 5 5 0(5)* 0(5)* Blsiness management lo(5)* 0(5)* 20 0 Seminar * Trensitional period.e. for business econonw and business administration a total of 3 hours per week to which are to be added 3h 30 for languages and 3 hours for the seminar. On the basis that a professor gives 0 lectures a week. a staff of 3 would be needed in economics and management. as follows: Economic analysis 3 Statistics and operational research 3 Accounting 2 Marketing 3 Business management 2 On the basis of qualifications. the following arrangement of teaching staff is suggested: Economi9., analysis and economic theor; : Professor. Dr. JASSN Professor. Dr. GHASSAN GAHBRA Professor. Dr. ABDUL:rAWAD NAEF A.! fusiness management and accolultanc;v: Professor. Dr. REDA KHASHM Professor X Serial No

11 - 9 - Marketing Professor l Dr. MAHMOUD FAYEZ Professor X Statistics and operational research Professor Dr. JAAS EL SAYYAD Prcfessor X Professor Dr. JASTANAH could assume responsibility for organizing the Transport Research Centre. As from 972 when the whole arrangement is in full operation l part of the teaching could be provided by the new graduates who have gone on to the Research Centre. During the transitional periodl the nulnber of lectures could be reduced to 9 hours l with two options instead of four in the second cycle (3rd and 4th years). At least one extra professor woul.d be needed to start the Research Centre and atogether l ten professors instead of the existing seven. Three new professors should therefore be appointed vel7 soon: Accounting Marketing Statistics and operational research t must however be emphasized that the staff will still be insufficient and must gradually be brought up to 3 to handle the preparatory year and the first and second cycles. t will have to be increased subsequently if new specializations are added or the number of students so increases tr~t it becomes necessary to duplicate courses. Teaching is best if the number 0: students per lecture does not exceed (or 30 in the case of the seminar). Dr. Jasta'iah l as a future Director of the Research Centre should be able to call on specialists to organize certain courses. A transport specialist will be needed to start off the Centre. Finallylit is desirable that a Unesco expert should be sent on two 5-d.a missions during each of the first two yearsl in order to supervise the whole operation. Serial No. 239

12 ntroductory yeal c: o } slamic philosophy Languages ntroductlon to economics Financial mathematics Accounting SUGGESTED CURRCULUM j st cycle years st 2nd Languages Economics Marketllg Statstics Accounting FOR JEDDAH UNVERSTY 2nd cycle 3rd cycle years, 3rd r 4th -- j Languages Semllar Teaching as assistants - -:; Research Lecture in the r--- centre for chosen specialty ---7 transport Lecture in a different specialty than the chosen one --- Cl <J> <J> '" '2 a.. g'.<::: u r- '"... Starting career Lower degree Starting career Medium degree nternational National Starting career - Economics accountancy Highest degree 2nd option: Statistics and operational research Growth models in a competitive economy Taxation f---+--t! / / Theory of statis- Decision pro-./ tical testing gramming Operational research methods Game theory Analysis of Demography chronological i services! and prevision Data collection i \ j Publ ic sector / 7' ~ Private sector 3rd option: Business management 4th option: Marketing Legal Problems. Business Commercial lawlabour legislation strategy models -to t Financial business management Staff management Distribution policy 4 nvestments criteria Life cycle of products Management control Quantitative management models Market surveys and motivational research, i i, Accent on finance. Accent on commerce