This thesis is devoted to examining the legal framework for, and efficacy of, the implementation of the Basel III framework that governs capital, liquidity and market disclosure standards. It is set against the backdrop of the 2007 to 2008 financial crisis and attempts to unpack the myriad challenges associated with current efforts to harmonise international risk regulation standards in the context of legal diversity. These challenges are sharply illustrated in the context of Saudi Arabia's Islamic legal system and its uneasy relationship with the government's ongoing attempts to subject Saudi banks to the Basel III authored market and risk regulation disciplines. Paralleling the growth of Islamic (equity driven) finance markets worldwide, Islamic banks in Saudi Arabia now compete in the global market for conventional (debt centred) banking products. The growth of, and demand for, conventional financial services in Saudi Arabia highlights the duality of the Saudi legal system and its banking sector, despite apparent divergences between conventional and Islamic finance models, legally and normatively. These divergences manifest themselves, both in the differential treatment of Islamic and conventional banking customs and norms in the context of the overall Saudi legal system, and in respect of the general suitability of the conventional basis of the Basel regulatory model as applied to Islamic finance contexts and instruments. The thesis will challenge the convention that Islamic financial practices are self-evidently less risk averse, or more ethical, than their conventional alternatives. In a second step, this thesis will consider whether the national implementation of Basel III standards provides Saudi banks with sufficient protection against future threats to the stability of the country's Saudi market-economy in periods of economic volatility. These aims will be synthesised to provide an overarching analysis of the 'gaps' in Saudi banking institutions and applicable law. Comparing the Saudi banking regime with the dual banking sector in Malaysia, this thesis will conclude with a defence of strengthened corporate governance regulation, transparency and 'rule of law' reforms in Saudi Arabia's legal system. These recommendations should be further accompanied by concrete efforts to formulate, and, more effectively, reconcile, local and Islamic disclosure and accountability related standards with Basel III-approved technical measures on risk-mitigation and measurement.

Within the context of a wide and structural transformation of the educational system within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the issue of privatization remains a relatively new phenomenon. As it stands, the vast majority of higher education institutions continue to be run by the state. However, this situation has led to an increasing number of debates about the ability of the current higher education system to meet modern educational standards, and produce graduates that are able to compete and succeed in the present labour market. The quality output of higher education is a particularly pressing issue for the country, given that Saudi Arabia currently faces an ever-increasing problem of integrating a large youth segment of the population into the requirements of the modern labour market. Critics contend that, both in terms of their management and their governance, higher education in the Kingdom is outdated. Excessive government control is seen as a key factor that is inhibiting the current higher education institutions from having the autonomy and flexibility required in order for them to succeed. This thesis set out to examine and gain a better understanding of the management practices used within the University of Business and Technology (UBT) in Saudi Arabia. In order to do this, it focused on three core areas: approaches to management by senior management at UBT, the view and experience of the academic staff in how such approaches are applied, and UBT‟s relationship with the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the broader social environment that exists in the country.

In today's world, knowledge is power; it is the capital that has the ability to transform nations. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has oil, giving it huge revenue that can be invested into the development of the country. Despite the massive expenditure to develop Saudi higher education, the question of the quality of teaching and learning is still debatable (Alkhazim, 2003). In particular, the low level of English language competency among the graduates of many higher Saudi higher education institutions is of concern to observers, as these graduates are not confident in using the global lingua franca that is widely used in international higher education as well as in the production of knowledge. The aim of this research is to explore student learning experiences in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) programme in Qudar University for Health Science (QU-HS) in KSA from three perspectives. The first is the institutional influence of QU-HS on student learning experiences using aspects of institutional theory. The second analysis examines the students' family educational background, using the notion of cultural capital. The final viewpoint is provided by analysing students' interaction with the teaching approaches used in the EFL programme in this university. Thus, the main research question of this study is ‘How do students experience teaching and learning in the EFL programme in QU-HS?' In order to address this research question, a case study approach within the paradigm of interpretivism was used. The data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and observations of teachers and students. Documents related to the context of the study were gathered and analysed. The data was collected and analysed in accordance with the three main themes: the policies of QU-HS in relation to the EFL programme, students' family backgrounds, and the teaching approaches used by EFL teachers in the programme. The first key findings of this study came from the analysis of the policies that the university adopted in relation to its EFL programme. It was found that these policies influence: (1) the use of English language as the medium of instruction and communication, (2) the different provisions of the EFL programme, and (3) the recruitment of EFL instructors. These policies have impacted on the EFL programme and this then affects the students' learning experiences. The second set of key findings emphasised the influence that family educational background has on the students' learning experiences in the EFL programme. The absence or presence of a family educational background significantly influences the way students approach their learning. The final key findings of this study stress the significant role played by teaching approaches in shaping the students' learning experiences. The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach encourages active engagement and more independent learning practices, whilst the Grammar Translation Method (GTM) ascribes a more passive and teacher-dependent nature to the way students learn. Such teaching approaches impact differently on the students depending on how students approach their learning. The findings of this study will contribute to the debate about teaching and learning in Saudi higher education by raising awareness about learning and the factors influencing the students' learning experiences in this specific context, which could then be used to inform studies in other contexts. Also, the conclusion of this study will help to inform future programme planning as well as EFL teacher training in Saudi higher education and elsewhere. This study highlights to the research community the importance of exploring teaching and learning in Saudi higher education and suggests avenues for further research which can contribute to theories of teaching and learning in higher education.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1983. / Vita. Bibliography: leaves [302]-308.

Thesis (M.A.)--al-Maʻhad al-ʻĀlī lil-Dirāsāt al-Islāmīyah, Bayrūt, 1984. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 407-416).

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