Recruitment Practices for Special Education Faculty: Implications for Saudi Universities

Overview & Synopsis

We explore how the research standards for hiring faculty in Saudi Arabia are compatible with effective practices in the field. Specifically, we examine the outcomes of recruiting practices for special education faculty in the United States, in addition to the worldwide production of special education research. A descriptive analysis was conducted, examining the educational backgrounds of 124 faculty members in top special education programs in the United States and 140 highly cited researchers in special education worldwide. Fewer than 10% of the faculty members and researchers hold special education degrees at all three levels of education (bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees). Recruitment practices in the United States and worldwide generally seem to differ from those used by Saudi universities. Implications for Saudi special education departments/programs are discussed.