KSA Universities’ Role in Promoting the Sustainability of Food Security: Faculty Opinions

Abstract

Universities can make significant gains in two very important areas: food security and environmental sustainability. However, the results will not come by themselves, as policies and educational and learning activities can contribute to these gains. The current study aimed to explore the role of universities in enhancing the sustainability of food security, which is necessary to lay the scientific foundations for the universities’ approaches in the service of development. The current study was based on the opinions of 272 faculty members from Saudi public universities. The data were collected using a developed questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study showed that the level of a university’s role was high in promoting the sustainability of food security in the fields of education and learning and policies and regulations. It also showed that there were no differences in the study sample’s estimations of this role according to gender. In addition, there were differences in the levels of the role of universities in achieving sustainable food security between faculties, with the humanities in favor of this role. The authors of this study recommend that universities adopt an educational policy that includes specific measures that support the sustainability of food security and are linked to the state’s general plans in this field, as well as being reflected in the courses and activities they provide to students.