Program Governance and Hierarchical Structure for All Academic Programs
The College of Languages and Translation at King Khalid University ensures that every academic program operates under a multi-layered, rigorous, and quality-assured governance framework. This structure is designed to uphold high academic standards, foster continuous improvement, and comply with NCAAA guidelines. The following sections provide a comprehensive overview of the governance and hierarchical structure, from the overarching college level to the individual program level.
The governance structure of any program within the College of Languages and Translation can be understood through three interrelated levels:
- College Framework: This outermost layer provides broad governance and strategic direction. It establishes institutional policies, ensures alignment with the university’s mission, and sets the overall vision for program development and academic quality.
- Departmental Structure: Nested within the college framework, the departmental structure is responsible for supporting the program with resources, coordination, and oversight. It ensures that program operations are aligned with departmental goals and facilitates communication between faculty, administration, and students.
- Program Level: At the core is the individual academic program, which serves as the primary unit for academic delivery and operations. This level is responsible for curriculum implementation, student engagement, instruction, and day-to-day academic activities.
This layered governance model ensures that each program benefits from both autonomy and structured support, allowing for both innovation and accountability within the broader institutional context.

1. Broader College Governance Structure
All academic programs benefit from the established governance framework that spans multiple administrative levels. This framework guarantees strategic oversight, appropriate resource allocation, and consistent quality assurance.
The governance structure for any academic program within the College of Languages and Translation is organized through a layered framework of institutional oversight and administrative support. At the highest level, King Khalid University provides overarching governance by establishing the institutional mission, setting regulatory standards, and articulating strategic priorities. This ensures that all academic units align with national educational objectives and maintain institutional coherence.
Within this framework, the College of Languages and Translation serves as the faculty-level authority. It is responsible for delivering academic leadership, implementing university policies, allocating resources, and ensuring quality assurance across its departments and programs.
Nested within the College, the English Department delivers targeted academic and administrative oversight for language-based programs. It manages curriculum development, faculty assignments, and day-to-day operations relevant to its disciplinary scope.
At the operational core lies the individual academic program, which represents the most direct point of student engagement. Here, instruction is delivered, learning outcomes are achieved, and academic goals are realized, all with the continuous support of the department, college, and university.

1.1 College Council
The College Council is the top decision-making body within the College of Languages and Translation. It is responsible for setting strategic goals and ensuring that every department—and, by extension, all academic programs—align with the broader objectives of King Khalid University and the Ministry of Education.
The College Council serves an integrative function by aligning various institutional priorities and frameworks, ensuring coherence across multiple levels of governance and strategy within the academic ecosystem:
- Strategic Goals: The Council ensures that the college's initiatives are aligned with its overarching strategic goals, promoting internal coherence and long-term planning.
- Department Alignment: It facilitates coordination across departments, ensuring that academic and administrative activities are harmonized and support both college-wide and institutional objectives.
- University Objectives: The Council plays a vital role in aligning college operations with the broader goals of the university, ensuring that programs, research, and services contribute meaningfully to the university’s mission.
- Ministry Alignment: The Council also ensures compliance with and responsiveness to national higher education policies and directives, aligning college-level priorities with those set by the Ministry of Education or other governing bodies.
This chain-like representation highlights the Council’s role in maintaining continuity and alignment between strategic, departmental, institutional, and national levels.

1.2 Dean of the College
The Dean of the College oversees the daily operations of the college, managing resources allocated to each department. In collaboration with department chairs, quality units, and various committees, the Dean supports program development, faculty recruitment, and quality assurance initiatives across all programs.
The model of Collaborative Academic Oversight within the College of Languages and Translation highlights the shared responsibilities among key academic stakeholders to uphold academic integrity and ensure operational excellence. It is structured around three primary oversight contributors:
- Dean: Ensures the implementation of academic standards and policy compliance at the college level. The Dean plays a central leadership role in upholding the academic vision and fostering a culture of excellence.
- Department Chairs: Oversee academic delivery, curriculum implementation, and faculty coordination within their respective departments. They uphold administrative standards while ensuring the quality of instruction and student engagement.
- Quality Unit: Maintains institutional and national quality benchmarks, monitors academic performance indicators, and ensures alignment with accreditation requirements and best practices.
At the intersection of these three roles is Academic Oversight, where collaborative decision-making occurs to ensure academic standards, administrative integrity, and strategic cohesion. Each unit brings a critical focus:
- The Dean upholds Academic Standards
- The Department Chairs ensure Administrative Standards
- The Quality Unit monitors and enforces Quality Assurance Mechanisms


1.2.1 College Governance and Organizational Structure

1.3 Department Council
At the department level, the Department Council supports the Department Chairs in decision-making related to academic policies, curriculum development, and faculty matters. This council ensures that each program is responsive to the needs of both students and faculty, thereby upholding academic excellence.
The Department Council plays a critical role in supporting the success of academic programs within the College of Languages and Translation. Its contributions to program excellence are reflected through four key areas of oversight and decision-making:
- Department Chair Support: The council provides guidance and reinforcement to the department chair, enabling effective leadership and fostering informed administrative decisions.
- Academic Policies: It participates in the development and refinement of academic policies that shape the structure, standards, and progression of the academic programs.
- Faculty Matters: The council addresses issues related to faculty performance, development, workload distribution, and engagement, thereby enhancing instructional quality and staff well-being.
- Curriculum Development: It plays a vital role in reviewing, updating, and aligning curriculum content with academic goals and labor market needs, ensuring that program offerings remain relevant and robust.
Each of these elements contributes directly to the overall success of the academic program, reinforcing the Department Council’s pivotal role in maintaining educational quality, institutional alignment, and student-centered outcomes.

1.4 Vice Dean for Research & Higher Studies
This office is instrumental in fostering research initiatives and postgraduate education across the college. It oversees research activities and postgraduate programs, ensuring that all academic programs align with the university's strategic vision and support innovative practices.
The Vice Dean for Research & Higher Studies plays a pivotal role in supporting postgraduate education and research activities within the College of Languages and Translation. This position ensures that all initiatives are strategically guided, academically rigorous, and institutionally aligned. The role encompasses three core functions:
- Postgraduate Programs: The Vice Dean manages and enhances postgraduate offerings, ensuring that programs—such as master's degrees—are academically robust, well-resourced, and aligned with both student needs and institutional priorities.
- Research Activities: This office oversees and promotes research initiatives, fostering a research culture that contributes to academic advancement and addresses relevant linguistic, pedagogical, and societal needs. All research efforts are expected to support the college’s strategic goals.
- Strategic Alignment: A key responsibility of the Vice Dean is to ensure that all research activities and postgraduate developments are in harmony with the university’s broader strategic vision. This includes fostering innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and responsiveness to national and regional priorities.
Through this integrative approach, the Vice Dean ensures that research and postgraduate education not only advance scholarly knowledge but also reinforce the strategic objectives of the university.

1.5 Vice Dean for Academic Affairs & Quality
Tasked with maintaining high academic standards, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs & Quality monitors teaching effectiveness, curriculum delivery, and assessment practices across all programs. This role is central to ensuring that academic benchmarks are met at both national and international levels.
The Vice Dean for Academic Affairs & Quality holds key responsibilities within the College of Languages and Translation, serving as a central figure in safeguarding the academic integrity of all programs. This role ensures adherence to academic standards and oversees ongoing quality improvement. Four interconnected domains form the foundation of Academic Quality Assurance:
- Academic Standards: The Vice Dean ensures that all programs adhere to nationally and internationally recognized academic benchmarks. This includes compliance with accreditation requirements and institutional policies.
- Teaching Effectiveness: This involves monitoring and enhancing instructional quality through faculty development, student feedback, and performance reviews to ensure optimal learning outcomes.
- Curriculum Delivery: Oversight includes evaluating the implementation of curriculum plans to ensure they are delivered as designed, in line with learning objectives and pedagogical best practices.
- Quality Assurance: The Vice Dean leads efforts to establish, review, and refine quality assurance mechanisms across programs, ensuring that academic offerings remain competitive, coherent, and responsive to evolving educational standards.
Together, these components reinforce a culture of excellence and accountability, ensuring that all academic programs operate at the highest standards of educational quality.

1.6 Vice Dean for Female Campus
This office ensures that all academic programs are accessible and supportive of female students by managing facilities and resources tailored to their academic and extracurricular needs.
The Vice Dean for the Female Campus plays a vital role in fostering an inclusive and supportive academic environment for female students within the College of Languages and Translation. This role integrates three key areas that collectively ensure female students are well-supported in their academic journey:
- Student Support: The Vice Dean addresses both academic and extracurricular needs, ensuring that female students receive adequate guidance, engagement opportunities, and personal development support throughout their studies.
- Academic Programs: Oversight is provided to ensure that all programs are equally accessible and appropriately tailored to support female learners, promoting academic success and equitable learning environments.
- Facilities Management: The office manages resources and physical infrastructure specific to the female campus, ensuring that learning environments are safe, well-equipped, and conducive to educational excellence.
Together, these functions affirm the college’s commitment to supporting female students by ensuring access, inclusivity, and high-quality educational and extracurricular experiences.

1.7 Students Advisory Council
The Students Advisory Council provides an essential feedback loop by allowing students to voice concerns and offer suggestions. Their input plays a critical role in shaping the academic experience and driving continuous improvement across all programs.
The Students Advisory Council plays an important role in promoting continuous program improvement within the College of Languages and Translation. It follows a cyclical and participatory model that empowers students to actively shape their academic environment. The process is composed of three key stages:
- Feedback Collection: Students are provided a structured platform to voice their opinions, share concerns, and suggest improvements. This inclusive approach ensures that a wide range of student experiences are captured.
- Feedback Analysis: Collected input is systematically reviewed by academic and administrative stakeholders. Patterns, challenges, and actionable insights are identified to inform decision-making and development strategies.
- Program Enhancement: The analyzed feedback is translated into tangible improvements in curriculum design, academic services, and overall student engagement. These enhancements contribute directly to a more responsive and student-centered learning experience.
By establishing this feedback loop, the Students Advisory Council plays a pivotal role in ensuring that academic programs remain dynamic, responsive, and aligned with student needs and expectations.

1.8 Internal Audit Committee
The Internal Audit Committee evaluates both academic and administrative processes across the college. Through rigorous auditing of compliance with internal and external standards, this committee helps ensure that all programs consistently meet quality and operational benchmarks.
The Internal Audit Committee within the College of Languages and Translation plays a crucial role in maintaining both academic and administrative integrity. It is responsible for systematically evaluating and auditing key operational areas to ensure alignment with internal guidelines and external standards. Its oversight process unfolds across two main domains:
- Evaluates Academic Processes: The committee reviews educational activities, instructional methodologies, curriculum execution, and related academic operations. This evaluation informs the audit of overall Effectiveness, determining how well the program achieves its learning objectives and institutional goals.
- Evaluates Administrative Processes: Administrative procedures, resource management, documentation, and operational protocols are also reviewed. This supports a thorough audit of Compliance, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards, institutional policies, and quality benchmarks.
The insights gained from these audits directly inform the improvement and assurance of any academic program within the college, reinforcing transparency, accountability, and continuous enhancement.

2. Program-Level Structure
Each academic program is embedded within a specific department and operates under a dedicated hierarchical structure that guarantees effective management and robust academic oversight.

2.1 Departmental Oversight
Every program is housed within its respective department, which is responsible for providing direct academic and administrative oversight. Departments ensure that all programs adhere to the university's guidelines as well as the national education policies established by the Ministry of Education.

2.2 Department Chair
The Department Chair manages overall program operations, overseeing curriculum development and faculty performance, and ensuring that each program meets its educational objectives. The Chair also collaborates closely with the Dean to secure the necessary resources for program success.

2.3 Quality Unit
The Quality Unit is dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the academic quality of each program. By monitoring teaching practices, curriculum relevance, and program outcomes, the unit works collaboratively with the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs & Quality to promote continuous quality improvement.

2.4 Program Coordinator
The Program Coordinator handles the day-to-day operational tasks of each program, including student admissions, curriculum management, and faculty coordination. This role is key to ensuring that programs run smoothly and efficiently while upholding established academic standards.

2.5 Program Advisory Committee
Comprising experts from both academia and industry, the Program Advisory Committee provides strategic direction and recommendations. This committee advises on curriculum updates, program expansion, and alignment with current trends in the field to keep programs relevant and forward-thinking.

2.6 Academic Advisors and Faculty Members
Academic Advisors and Faculty Members are responsible for delivering high-quality instruction and mentoring students. Their roles encompass curriculum delivery, student advising, and active engagement in research, ensuring that programs remain robust and responsive to evolving educational demands.

3. Collaborative Oversight and Quality Assurance
A cornerstone of the governance framework is the collaborative oversight that bridges college-wide policies with program-specific management:
- Integrated Quality Assurance:
The Quality Unit works in close collaboration with the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs & Quality to ensure that every program meets stringent academic and quality benchmarks.
- Strategic Coordination:
The Program Coordinator and Program Advisory Committee are instrumental in maintaining program relevance and facilitating continuous adaptation in response to advancements in the field.
- Holistic Management:
This integrated structure, combining top-down oversight with program-specific management, guarantees that all academic programs within the College of Languages and Translation operate with excellence, transparency, and a commitment to ongoing improvement.
