5.3.2 Policy for women applications and entry

SDG 5: Gender Equality — Policy 5.3.2.

Contents

1. Purpose of the Policy

2. Scope of the Policy

3. Legal framework and national strategic mandate

4. Women’s equality (applications, acceptance, enrolment, studies, and employment) 

5. Women’s equality (access to university facilities)

6. Women’s equality (participation and engagement)

7. Protection against discrimination and harassment

8. Feedback and complaints

9. Policy monitoring and review

1. Purpose of the Policy

1.1. Qassim University is a modern educational establishment, responsible employer, part of the local and wider community committed to its civic mission, and a proud representative of the higher education sector of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As such, Qassim University aims to comply with modern, worldwide-accepted norms and regulations in terms of equal treatment of women and men.

To this end, the current document — Qassim University’s policy for women’s applications, acceptance, and participation (hereinafter: Policy) — outlines the university’s commitment to providing women with the same opportunities as men regarding applications (for study or work), acceptance / enrolment, and participation in the activities at the university.

1.2. This Policy ensures that women at Qassim University have access to, and actively participate in, all educational, research, employment, and administrative opportunities on equal footing with men, while complying with the laws and national strategy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

2. Scope of the Policy

2.1. This Policy applies universally to all colleges, deanships, academic departments, research centres, administrative units, and external partnerships affiliated with Qassim University. It covers all stages of engagement for women, including:

• Applications — For undergraduate, graduate, and professional academic admission, as well as for all levels of faculty, administrative, and research employment;
• Acceptance — Based exclusively on merit, academic qualifications, and professional competence, but not on gender;
• Participation — Involvement in decision-making bodies, research projects, extracurricular activities, and community service.

2.2. Within this scope, women shall be treated equally to men.

3. Legal framework and national strategic mandate

3.1. This Policy is established in alignment with the highest legal and strategic directives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:

• Saudi Vision 2030 — Directly supports the objectives of empowering women, increasing their participation in the national workforce (particularly in higher education and knowledge sectors), and providing equal opportunities for all citizens to build their future;
• Labour Law (Royal Decree No. M / 51, amended) — Regulates the labour-related issues, and in its amended form which came into effect in 2025, this Law (in Article 3) prohibits employers from discriminating both employees and applicants on grounds of race, colour, gender, age, disability, marital status, or on any other grounds;
• Civil Service System (Article 1) — Upholds the principle that merit is the basis for employee selection in the public sector, applying the same regulations regarding appointment, promotion, and wages for both men and women;
• Anti-Harassment Crime Law — Aims to combat and prevent harassment, as well as protect victims, in circumstances which include (but are not limited to) workplaces, places of study, situations in which perpetrators may have some kind of authority over the victim, and situations with victims who have special needs / disabilities.

4. Women’s equality (applications, acceptance, enrolment, studies, and employment)

4.1. All admission and employment processes within Qassim University shall be strictly merit-based. Criteria, standards, and evaluation methods must be identical for all qualified applicants, be it men or women.

4.2. Regarding academic applications and admissions (students), the Deanship of Admissions and Registration shall ensure that:

• Admission criteria for all undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programmes (including minimum required GPA, standardised test scores, and interviews) are applied uniformly to all male and female applicants;
• There shall be no quota or restriction limiting the enrolment of qualified women in any major or college (including Health, Engineering, Computing, and Agriculture) based on gender;
• The availability of study places in parallel departments (where physical segregation of the genders necessitates separate sections) shall be adjusted annually to reflect the qualified applicant pool, ensuring that women are not disadvantaged by capacity limitations based on such segregation requirements.

4.3. Guardian consent (consent from a male guardian), in line with the national legal reforms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is explicitly not required for any woman over the age of 21 to apply to, enrol in, or withdraw from any university programme.

4.4. Requirements for identity verification (national ID / Iqama), academic records, and medical clearance shall be identical for all applicants — men and women.

4.5. All university-sponsored scholarships, grants, and financial aid programmes (including external and internal research funding) shall be offered and awarded based solely on academic merit and / or demonstrated need, without gender bias.

The university commits to actively promoting targeted scholarship programmes designed to encourage female enrolment in historically underrepresented fields (e.g., specific engineering or computational science specialisations) to try achieving gender parity in specialised knowledge sectors.

4.6. Regarding faculty and staff applications and recruitment, Qassim University shall avoid gender-specific language in job advertising (academic, administrative, technical, leadership vacancies) and commit to equal treatment of men and women. The University will use inclusive outreach strategies to attract qualified applicants of both genders for all positions, ensuring balanced representation at all levels.

4.7. When selecting and appointing applicants to fill vacant positions, the following shall be taken into account:

• Selection committees — Such committees for all faculty and administrative positions must operate while ensuring fairness, objectivity, and transparency;
• Qualifications and experience — Evaluation of candidates shall be based exclusively on documented qualifications, experience, research output, and teaching effectiveness, regardless of gender;
• Equal remuneration — Upon appointment, women and men performing work of equal value, requiring the same qualifications, effort, and responsibility, shall receive identical salaries, allowances, professional benefits, and grading scales, as mandated by the national Labour Law and Civil Service System.

4.8. Women employees (faculty and staff) shall have equal access to all professional development opportunities, training courses, administrative mentorship programmes, and executive leadership pipelines offered by Qassim University.

5. Women’s equality (access to university facilities)

5.1. While Qassim University may maintain separate administrative departments or physically demarcated academic sections for male and female students and staff in adherence to Saudi cultural norms, the principle of equity shall be applied, dictating that the quality, accessibility, and utility of all infrastructure and resources provided to women must be fully equivalent to those provided to men.

5.2. Female students and faculty must have equitable, unimpeded access to classrooms, lecture halls, computer laboratories, specialised research labs, and libraries. Where separate facilities exist, they must offer equivalent equipment, capacity, and hours of operation.

5.3. Access to the university’s Learning Management System (LMS), research databases, email accounts, library electronic resources, and internal administrative portals shall be granted simultaneously and identically to all enrolled students and employed staff upon acceptance / appointment. Gender-based restrictions on digital resources or network access are strictly prohibited.

5.4. Core administrative services (Registration, IT Support, Student Affairs, Financial Services) must be equally accessible to women through dedicated physical offices, remote services, or designated service hours, ensuring women do not face disproportionate delays or barriers in accessing essential functions.

5.5. The Deanship of Student Affairs shall ensure the provision of comprehensive academic advising, career counseling, and psychological support services for female students, staffed by qualified professionals and operating under equivalent confidentiality and quality standards as those provided to male students.

5.6. Female students and staff shall have timely and confidential access to comprehensive health services, including specialised women’s health programmes, provided by the university’s Health Centre, in accordance with the quality and accessibility standards guaranteed to all.

5.7. Qassim University shall ensure safe and reliable access to and from designated women’s campus areas, providing well-lit pathways, monitored entry points, and facilitating safe and accessible transportation solutions for female students and staff.

6. Women’s equality (participation and engagement)

6.1. Women faculty members shall be fully eligible to serve as Principal Investigators (PIs) and co-investigators on all internal and external research grants. Allocation of research funds shall be based on the scientific merit of the proposal, regardless of the PI’s gender.

Qassim University commits to promoting and supporting the integration of female researchers into national and international collaborative projects.

6.2. The university guarantees women’s ability to participate in intellectual exchange, including delivering lectures, presenting research, attending conferences, and participating in public forums, provided that all such activities comply with the university’s established guidelines for conduct and public interaction.

6.3. Qassim University ensures fair representation of qualified members of both genders in all governance and decision-making bodies.

6.4. Leadership positions within the female sections of colleges and departments must be clearly defined and carry commensurate authority, resources, and influence within the overall university structure, ensuring that women leaders are integral to the institution’s core decision-making processes.

6.5. Female students have the right to establish, organise, and lead student clubs, societies, and voluntary groups in all fields (academic, cultural, sports, social, and entrepreneurial).

The budget and resources allocated for female student activities must be proportional and equitable, ensuring equivalent opportunities for events, competitions, and field trips.

6.6. Women students and staff shall be actively encouraged and facilitated to participate in community service, outreach programmes, and university-organised public events, serving as visible role models and contributors to local and national development, in compliance with university regulations regarding conduct and external engagement.

7. Protection against discrimination and harassment

7.1. Qassim University maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of gender-based discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment, as defined by the Anti-Harassment Crime Law), bullying, or retaliation.

7.2. Discrimination (for the purposes of the present Policy) includes (but is not limited to) any distinction, exclusion, or restriction made on the basis of gender which has the effect or purpose of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise by women, on a basis of equality with men, of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

7.3. The university is obligated to:

• Create and maintain an academic and work environment free from harassment and discrimination;
• Provide training on non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies for students, faculty, staff, and leadership;
• Take immediate and appropriate disciplinary action against any individual found to have violated this Policy, which may include reporting to governmental bodies.

8. Feedback and complaints

8.1. Qassim University shall introduce surveys and specific feedback mechanisms to systematically gather information about women’s experiences across all aspects of university life, targeting female students, faculty, and staff.

8.2. Surveys will be used to thoroughly assess levels of inclusivity, the adequacy of support systems, and the accessibility of resources. The resulting data will be used to pinpoint areas for improvement to ensure a more supportive and equitable environment.

8.3. A specialised, confidential, and easily accessible channel shall be established within the relevant administrative structure (e.g., the Deanship of Student Affairs for students; Human Resources for staff and faculty) for women to submit complaints regarding discrimination or harassment.

8.4. All complaints must be investigated promptly, objectively, and impartially, ensuring due process and confidentiality for all parties involved.

8.5. Female students or employees may choose to have a female administrator or legal representative accompany them during any stage of the investigation or disciplinary proceedings.

8.6. The outcomes of the investigation and any resulting sanctions must be communicated clearly and fairly, following all regulatory frameworks. Retaliation against any individual who files a complaint or participates in an investigation is strictly prohibited and constitutes a severe disciplinary offense.

9. Policy monitoring and review

9.1. The university shall regularly (at least yearly) monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to gender equality, including:

• The percentage of female applicants accepted into all colleges, especially in STEM fields;
• The ratio of male-to-female faculty members at all ranks (such as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor);
• The percentage of women in mid-level and senior administrative leadership positions (such as Director, Dean, Vice-Dean);
• The balance of research funding awarded to female PIs;
• The resolution rate and nature of gender-based discrimination complaints.

9.2. This Policy shall be reviewed every two years by the University Council, in consultation with appropriate internal and external bodies, to ensure its continued relevance, effectiveness, and alignment with rapidly evolving national legislation and international best practices for gender equality in higher education.

9.3. Annual reports summarising compliance and progress toward gender parity goals must be submitted to the University Council for public record.

9.4. The President of Qassim University, delegated through the relevant Vice-Presidents and Deans, holds the ultimate responsibility for the implementation and enforcement of this Policy.