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Advancing through academic ranks in Saudi Arabia requires a detailed understanding of each university's promotion criteria. These criteria encompass research publications, teaching performance, community service, and in many cases, academic leadership. A significant factor in faculty promotions is the number of required publications and the indexing status of the journals where research is published. This guide outlines the promotion requirements across several major Saudi universities, detailing the publication standards, indexing expectations, and evaluation processes.
In the academic framework of Saudi Arabian universities, faculty positions are structured in a hierarchical system similar to many global institutions. Each rank carries distinct responsibilities and expectations, particularly in teaching, research, and service. The path to academic promotion typically follows a structured sequence, and understanding these ranks is essential for faculty members aiming for career advancement.
Below is an overview of the core faculty titles and other academic positions commonly found across Saudi universities:
Role: Entry-level academic position, typically held by recent graduates (usually with a bachelor’s or master’s degree).
Duties: Assisting in teaching undergraduate courses, supervising lab sessions, conducting tutorials, and pursuing higher education (usually a master’s or Ph.D. abroad).
Promotion: Teaching assistants are expected to complete their postgraduate studies to qualify for a faculty position such as a Lecturer or Assistant Professor.
Publication Requirements: Generally not required at this level but encouraged to begin engaging with academic research as part of graduate training.
Role: Holds a master’s degree or higher and is responsible for teaching, assisting in academic advising, and participating in departmental duties.
Duties: Teaching undergraduate or diploma courses, engaging in some research, and supporting departmental initiatives.
Promotion: May advance to the Assistant Professor rank after completing a Ph.D.
Publication Requirements: While not mandatory, publications strengthen the case for promotion or appointment to a higher academic position.
Role: Entry-level faculty position for Ph.D. holders or equivalent.
Duties: Conducting independent research, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, supervising theses, participating in committees, and contributing to community service.
Promotion Criteria: Eligible for promotion to Associate Professor typically after 4 years, depending on the university's regulations.
Publication Requirements: Minimum of 3–4 peer-reviewed journal articles, many requiring publication in indexed journals such as Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), or JCR-indexed titles.
Role: Mid-career academic with established research and teaching records.
Duties: Advanced research, postgraduate supervision, curriculum development, securing research funding, leadership in committees.
Promotion Criteria: Eligible for promotion to Full Professor usually after 4–5 years in rank.
Publication Requirements: Typically 5–8 high-quality, peer-reviewed publications in internationally indexed journals, including JCR, SCI, SSCI, or AHCI indexed outlets.
Role: Highest academic rank, awarded based on distinguished achievements in research, teaching, and service.
Duties: Leading academic departments or research centers, mentoring junior faculty, representing the university in national/international forums, extensive publication.
Promotion: No further promotion beyond this rank; however, faculty are expected to maintain high productivity and contribute to institutional development.
Publication Requirements: A significant portfolio of high-impact research publications (6–10 or more), especially in Q1/Q2 indexed journals in Scopus or Web of Science databases.
Some universities, particularly those focused on health sciences or technical education, may use additional designations:
6. Clinical Instructor / Clinical Lecturer
Applicable to: Medical, nursing, and allied health colleges.
Duties: Clinical teaching, patient care responsibilities, and training medical students or interns.
Promotion Requirements: Based on teaching effectiveness, clinical expertise, and (in some institutions) scholarly output in PubMed-indexed journals.
7. Research Fellow / Research Associate
Role: Focused primarily on research rather than teaching.
Duties: Conducting scientific experiments, publishing in indexed journals, contributing to grant writing.
Promotion: Typically not part of the standard faculty track, but strong publication records can lead to faculty appointments.
Different Saudi universities may define publication expectations for non-faculty roles such as Lecturer or Teaching Assistant differently. Below is a brief summary:
University | Teaching Assistant | Lecturer | Publication Requirement |
King Saud University (KSU) | Encouraged to pursue higher education | Must have a master’s degree | Publications not mandatory but beneficial |
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) | Expected to obtain Ph.D. for promotion | Involved in teaching and projects | Publication may be required for transition to Assistant Professor |
Alfaisal University | May involve research assistant roles | Often expected to participate in research | Strongly encouraged to publish in Scopus/WoS journals |
Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU) | Typically not involved in publications | Required to support academic tasks | Publication may be considered in performance reviews |
Prince Sultan University (PSU) | Focus on obtaining further academic credentials | Encouraged to publish | Some departments require Scopus-indexed publications |
King Abdulaziz University (KAU) | Progression requires higher degree | Lecturers often transition to faculty | Publications valued but not always required |
A consistent theme across all Saudi universities is the emphasis on publishing in peer-reviewed, indexed journals. These journals serve as a quality assurance measure and are considered an objective metric for evaluating research output. Below are the most commonly accepted indexing standards:
Index | Description | Usage in Promotion |
Web of Science (WoS) | Includes SCI, SSCI, AHCI | Most preferred; mandatory in many cases |
Journal Citation Reports (JCR) | Provides impact factors; part of WoS | Often required for Professor rank |
Scopus | Large abstract and citation database | Widely accepted; sometimes used with Q1/Q2 rank |
ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index) | Part of Clarivate Web of Science | Accepted with limitations; not sufficient alone |
PubMed / Medline | Biomedical and life sciences research | Required in health sciences universities |
SJR / SNIP / CiteScore | Journal ranking metrics (Scopus-based) | Used for evaluating publication quality |
ISI (Thomson Reuters) | Older term often used synonymously with WoS | Still referenced in many guidelines |
Policy Document: Faculty Promotion Regulations (2022)
Promotion Criteria:
Assistant Professor → Associate Professor:
Minimum of 4 peer-reviewed publications.
At least 2 of these must be indexed in Clarivate Analytics databases: SCI, SSCI, or AHCI.
Associate Professor → Full Professor:
Minimum of 8 peer-reviewed publications.
At least 5 must be indexed in SCI, SSCI, or AHCI.
Accepted Journal Indexes:
SCI (Science Citation Index)
SSCI (Social Sciences Citation Index)
AHCI (Arts & Humanities Citation Index)
JCR (Journal Citation Reports)
ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index) – accepted but weighted less.
Additional Considerations:
Research quality, citation count, and journal impact factor are evaluated.
Teaching effectiveness, research supervision, academic service, and leadership roles are integral to the review.
The promotion committee focuses on quality and academic impact over mere publication quantity.
Policy Document: Faculty Promotion Policy (2023)
Promotion Criteria:
Assistant Professor → Associate Professor:
Minimum of 3 peer-reviewed journal articles.
At least 2 should be in Q1 or Q2 journals indexed in Scopus or Web of Science.
Associate Professor → Full Professor:
Minimum of 5–7 peer-reviewed publications.
Priority is given to publications in Q1 journals or those with high impact factors.
Accepted Journal Indexes:
Scopus
Web of Science (SCI, SSCI, AHCI)
ESCI (recognized but not sufficient alone)
Additional Considerations:
Contributions to research leadership, external grants, and community service are required.
Participation in research conferences and collaboration in funded projects is encouraged.
Journal quality and reputation are more important than volume.
Policy Document: Promotion of Faculty Members (2014)
Promotion Criteria:
Assistant Professor → Associate Professor:
At least 3 publications in indexed journals (SCI, SSCI, or Scopus).
Associate Professor → Full Professor:
5–6 publications, with most indexed in SCI or SSCI.
Accepted Journal Indexes:
Web of Science (SCI, SSCI)
Scopus
ESCI (accepted with supporting documentation)
Additional Considerations:
Strong teaching record and research supervision are essential.
Active participation in university and research committees.
Faculty must submit a detailed dossier including research output, teaching evaluations, and service contributions.
Policy Document: Faculty Promotion Guidelines (2023)
Promotion Criteria:
Assistant Professor → Associate Professor:
Minimum of 3 publications in ISI-indexed journals (SCI, SSCI, AHCI).
Associate Professor → Full Professor:
Minimum of 5–7 publications.
Preference for journals with high impact factors.
Accepted Journal Indexes:
ISI Web of Science (SCI, SSCI, AHCI)
JCR (highly preferred)
ESCI (considered with lesser weight)
Additional Considerations:
Emphasis on citation count, research influence, and innovation.
Strong teaching, research supervision, and academic service required.
External peer review reports play a significant role in promotion decisions.
Policy Document: Faculty Promotion Guidelines (2021–2022)
Promotion Criteria:
Assistant Professor → Associate Professor:
At least 3 publications in indexed, peer-reviewed journals (Scopus or Web of Science).
Associate Professor → Full Professor:
Minimum of 5 high-quality publications.
Most should be in journals listed in the JCR with a recognized impact factor.
Accepted Journal Indexes:
Web of Science (SCI, SSCI, AHCI)
Scopus
ESCI (limited contribution to overall evaluation)
Additional Considerations:
Emphasis on research quality, awards, grants, and institutional service.
Contributions to mentoring, university initiatives, and academic leadership.
Policy Document: Faculty Promotion Guidelines (2023)
Promotion Criteria:
Assistant Professor → Associate Professor:
At least 4 peer-reviewed publications.
At least 3 must be indexed in SCI, SSCI, or Scopus.
Associate Professor → Full Professor:
Minimum of 6 publications.
Emphasis on publishing in high-impact journals.
Accepted Journal Indexes:
SCI, SSCI, ESCI
Scopus
JCR (preferred for high-impact evaluation)
Additional Considerations:
Strong teaching performance, academic leadership, and community service.
External evaluations and citation metrics may be required.
University | Assistant → Associate | Associate → Professor | Required Publications | Accepted Indexes |
KSU | 4 (2 in SCI/SSCI/AHCI) | 8 (5 in SCI/SSCI/AHCI) | 4–8 | SCI, SSCI, AHCI, JCR, ESCI (less weight) |
PSU | 3 (2 in Q1/Q2 WoS/Scopus) | 5–7 (Q1 journals preferred) | 3–7 | Scopus, Web of Science, ESCI |
IAU | 3 (SCI, SSCI, Scopus) | 5–6 (mostly SCI/SSCI) | 3–6 | SCI, SSCI, Scopus, ESCI |
KFUPM | 3 (ISI-indexed journals) | 5–7 (high-impact journals) | 3–7 | ISI (SCI, SSCI, AHCI), JCR, ESCI |
Alfaisal | 3 (WoS or Scopus) | 5 (JCR journals) | 3–5 | WoS, Scopus, ESCI |
KAU | 4 (3 in SCI/SSCI/Scopus) | 6+ (high-impact journals) | 4–6+ | SCI, SSCI, Scopus, ESCI, JCR |
Faculty promotions in Saudi universities depend heavily on where research is published. The following indexing databases are most commonly accepted:
SCI (Science Citation Index): Recognized for scientific research; must-have for many institutions.
SSCI (Social Sciences Citation Index): Essential for social sciences publications.
AHCI (Arts & Humanities Citation Index): Vital for arts and humanities disciplines.
JCR (Journal Citation Reports): Preferred due to inclusion of journal impact factor.
Scopus: Broad multidisciplinary index accepted across all universities.
ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index): Accepted but with less weight compared to SCI/SSCI.
PubMed / Medline: Required for health science-focused institutions.
Journals must be peer-reviewed and demonstrate measurable impact in their fields. While Scopus and Web of Science indexes are standard, institutions like KFUPM and KSU prioritize publications in high-impact or Q1 journals listed in JCR.
Verify Journal Indexing:
Use the official Saudi Scientific Council journal list or consult your university’s academic affairs department to confirm the indexing status of a journal.
Aim for Quality:
Prioritize journals with strong impact factors (Q1 or Q2).
Focus on originality, citation potential, and relevance.
Maintain a Strong Teaching and Service Record:
Document all academic contributions, mentorship, and university service.
Stay Updated:
University policies and approved journal lists are updated regularly. Always refer to the latest guidelines before submission.
Seek Professional Guidance:
Services like SITA Academy offer support in journal selection, formatting, and submission.
Conclusion
Faculty promotions in Saudi universities are highly structured processes that emphasize academic merit, publication quality, and holistic professional contribution. Understanding the expectations regarding publication quantity and accepted journal indexes is crucial for successful Publication.
