Explore how advisory boards enhance higher and vocational education strategy, quality, and industry alignment across the GCC and US contexts.
Executive Snapshot –
Advisory boards have emerged as a vital instrument for enhancing governance, innovation, and strategic direction in higher education. From global research universities to local vocational colleges, these boards bring an outside-in perspective that can transform an institution’s trajectory. They help university leadership to govern more effectively by providing expert advice and oversight, and they inspire innovation by linking academia with the latest developments in industry and technology. By aligning educational offerings with employer needs and societal demands, advisory boards ensure that universities fulfil their core mission of preparing students for the real world, a mission that underpins institutional relevance. Furthermore, the connections and partnerships forged through advisory boards often translate into tangible competitive advantages, from better graduate employment outcomes to increased research funding and stronger community support. These boards support academic quality assurance, strategy formulation, and stronger links to industry, a pattern increasingly supported by regional higher education consulting services.
For universities in the GCC and beyond, leveraging advisory boards is becoming not just a best practice but a necessity in the 21st century. In a region investing heavily in education as a pillar of economic diversification, advisory boards provide a mechanism to synchronise academic goals with national development strategies. They bring global expertise into local contexts, acting as catalysts for educational reform and excellence. As highlighted, institutions like KAUST, MBSC, Zayed University and Gulf University Bahrain are already reaping the benefits of engaged advisory councils, be it in improved curricula, stronger industry ties, or contributions to innovation ecosystems.
To maximise the impact of advisory boards, institutions should approach them with clarity of purpose and a commitment to action. This means carefully selecting a diverse mix of members who have the skills, knowledge, and influence to drive positive change, and clearly defining the board’s mandate in areas like governance advice, curriculum review, or strategic planning. Regular meetings, robust information sharing, and a culture of mutual respect between advisors and university officials are likewise important for keeping the board effective. Many universities have found value in partnering with board advisory services or consultants to establish frameworks that ensure these boards are not just ceremonial but truly impactful. When advisory boards are integrated into the institutional fabric, their recommendations are taken seriously and translated into decisions; the results speak for themselves.
Introduction
Higher education institutions today face unprecedented change from technological disruptions and shifting job market demands to the drive for innovation and international competitiveness. In this complex environment, universities and vocational colleges are increasingly turning to advisory boards to gain external insights and strategic guidance. An advisory board in academia is typically a group of external experts, industry leaders, alumni, and community stakeholders who counsel an institution’s leadership on key issues. Unlike a governing board of trustees (which has formal decision-making power), an advisory board’s role is consultative, providing valuable advice and connections without direct authority. Yet their impact can be profound. These bodies strengthen university governance by introducing real-world perspectives, and they help universities remain agile and market-relevant. Many institutions engage higher education consulting services to establish or revamp such boards, underscoring how critical they are to modern management. The concept of advisory boards in education is not new, but its strategic importance has grown globally.
This article explores the value advisory boards bring to governance, innovation, employer alignment, and long-term strategy, starting from a global perspective and then focusing on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The discussion highlights how effective advisory boards contribute to institutional relevance and competitiveness, with examples from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Australia, and Canada. Throughout, we’ll touch on best practices and models of success, appealing to university administrators, policy makers, and consulting firms alike.
The Growing Importance of Advisory Boards Globally
Advisory boards bridge academia and the real world. Whether at elite universities or community colleges, they inject external insights that support long-term planning and agile responses to labour market trends. These boards typically include industry leaders, alumni, policymakers, and academic peers, depending on the institution’s focus.
Advisory Boards in the U.S.
In the United States, advisory boards are well established at all levels:
Elite institutions such as MIT and Stanford have high-level advisory boards guiding strategy. The MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, for example, convenes an external board to advise on fundraising, partnerships, and execution. Stanford’s Academic Council Advisory Board reviews all faculty appointments and advises the university president on major academic matters (Stanford University, 2024).
Vocational and community colleges rely on program-level advisory boards to maintain employer alignment. For instance, the City University of New York’s TechWorks Advisory Board partners with local industry to shape tech-related curricula based on emerging workforce needs (CUNY, 2024).
State-mandated advisory boards are common. In California, vocational education programs receiving public funding are legally required to maintain advisory boards with members from the business, labour, and education sectors (California Community Colleges, 2023).
These models demonstrate how advisory boards can enhance university governance and act as a vital channel between institutions and society.
Legally Mandated Advisory Boards in Saudi Arabia (2023)
In 2023, Saudi authorities formalised a requirement that all universities establish advisory councils. Under the new Universities Law (Royal Decree M/27, October 2020), every university “shall” form faculty and student advisory boards and “may” form international advisory boards. Building on this, in May 2023, the Saudi Council of Universities Affairs issued official “Rules for International Advisory Councils”, mandating each university to create an International Advisory Board. These boards (chaired by the university president) must have 10–20 distinguished members (maximum 10 non-Saudis) and meet at least semi- annuallycua.gov.sa. The new rules explicitly tie the boards to Vision 2030 goals: each international board is meant
“to develop the university in various fields to strengthen its position locally, regionally and internationally, and add a functional and strategic perspective to its research… and contribute to the development of the education and learning system…and to drive innovation”.
In other words, all public universities (and many private institutions under the Council’s remit) are now required to have advisory bodies that bring external expertise and industry insight into university governance and planning.
Academic Research on Advisory Board Effectiveness
A growing body of peer-reviewed research supports the value of advisory boards. Studies show that:
- Clear roles, defined expectations, and strategic alignment are key to effectiveness (Genheimer & Shehab, 2009).
- Advisory board diversity and stakeholder representation lead to better curriculum relevance and graduate employability (El Refae et al., 2016).
- Members are most engaged when they see alignment between their expertise and the institution’s strategic goals (Adams et al., 2025).
Importantly, ineffective boards, those with vague mandates or passive engagement, can waste institutional resources and become a liability rather than an asset.
Impact of Advisory Boards on Institutional Relevance and Competitiveness
When implemented effectively, advisory boards can be a game-changer for an institution’s relevance and competitiveness. Relevance in this context means that a university or college continually adapts to meet the needs of its students, employers, and society. A relevant institution offers academic programs that map to current and emerging fields, conducts research that addresses real-world problems, and produces graduates who are prepared for today’s (and tomorrow’s) jobs. Advisory boards contribute directly to all of these areas. By keeping the institution tuned into external trends, whether technological innovations, industry standards, or socio-economic shifts, they ensure that the education provided does not become outdated. For example, if an advisory board composed of tech industry veterans warns a university that data science and cybersecurity are in high demand, the institution can respond by expanding programs in those areas, thus staying relevant. Similarly, if employers on an advisory panel highlight a gap in soft skills among graduates, the college can integrate leadership, communication, or critical thinking modules across the curriculum. In this way, advisory boards act as an early-warning system and a source of ideas, helping institutions pivot and update proactively.
Competitiveness, on the other hand, refers to an institution’s ability to attract and retain students, faculty, funding, and partnerships in a competitive global education market. Effective advisory boards bolster competitiveness in multiple respects. First, they often help improve graduate outcomes (such as employment rates and career success), which enhances the institution’s reputation among prospective students and parents. Schools that systematically involve industry advisors tend to have stronger career placement services, indeed, advisory board members frequently assist with job placement for graduates and open doors to internships. The result is graduates who find quality jobs more easily, boosting the institution’s standing in rankings and student satisfaction metrics.
Second, advisory boards can aid in fundraising and resource acquisition. Members with corporate or government ties may help the university secure sponsorships, research grants, or donations. They can also champion the institution in public forums, leveraging their influence to benefit the school. Third, an engaged advisory board sends a positive signal to accreditors and ranking organisations that the university is connected to the needs of the economy and is forward-looking. For example, accreditation criteria for vocational and technical programs often require evidence of employer engagement, and an active advisory committee checks that box emphatically.
Another aspect of competitiveness is differentiation. In a crowded education marketplace, having an advisory board of prominent experts can be a differentiator that attracts students and faculty. It offers the promise that the curriculum is shaped by leading-edge knowledge and that students will have networking opportunities with industry leaders. Some universities even market the presence of star advisory board members as a badge of prestige. Moreover, advisory boards can help institutions identify niche areas of strength and build specialised programs that set them apart. Through their strategic counsel, they might suggest, for instance, that a university could excel in sustainable energy engineering or digital finance given regional opportunities, thereby helping the institution carve out a competitive niche. This kind of strategic insight is invaluable for long-term positioning.
In essence, advisory boards make universities more agile, connected, and quality-driven, which are all traits of a competitive institution. It is no surprise that many university leaders now view investing in advisory boards as investing in the future-proofing of their institutions. As one governance expert noted, if a university thinks it might need an advisory board, it probably does. And if the board’s guidance is heeded, the payoff comes in the form of an institution that remains relevant in the face of change and that holds its own (or leads) in the global higher education arena.
Advisory Boards in the GCC Driving Relevance and Competitiveness
The role of advisory boards is especially pertinent in the GCC region, where countries are aggressively pursuing educational excellence and economic diversification. Nations such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have launched ambitious national visions (e.g. UAE Vision 2071, Saudi Vision 2030) that call on the education sector to produce innovative, job-ready graduates and to strengthen links between academia and industry. In this context, universities and vocational colleges in the GCC are increasingly establishing advisory boards to inject global expertise into their governance and ensure alignment with national priorities. These boards support academic quality assurance, strategy formulation, and stronger links to industry, a pattern increasingly supported by regional higher education consulting services.
Several GCC institutions illustrate the value of active advisory boards. Saudi Arabia’s drive to modernise its universities, for example, has led to the creation of advisory councils at top institutions and specialised colleges. We have already noted KAUST’s Industry Advisory Board, which aligns that graduate research university’s agenda with industry and innovation. Another notable example is the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business & Entrepreneurship (MBSC), a private institution in Saudi Arabia. MBSC has convened an Industry Advisory Board as a forum for leaders from various sectors to share knowledge and build relationships with the college. The goals of this board are clearly defined: to leverage insights from members to bridge the gap between industry and MBSC’s programs in alignment with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 priorities, and to strengthen relationships with employers so that MBSC becomes an institute of choice for developing the future. In practice, this means MBSC’s curriculum and initiatives are continuously reviewed against the evolving needs of the Saudi economy, ensuring that the college contributes to Vision 2030’s aims of a skilled, employment-ready workforce. Advisory board members also help identify areas of strategic alignment between external entities and the college, whether that’s launching new programs in high-demand fields or collaborating on research that serves national development aims. By all accounts, such industry-engaged governance has been vital for MBSC’s early success and relevance.
In the UAE, both federal and private institutions have embraced advisory boards to boost their competitiveness. Many universities in the UAE include industry advisory councils or national advisory councils composed of business executives, government officials, and community leaders. For instance, the College of Communication and Media Sciences at Zayed University has a National Advisory Council populated by media industry figures and government communication strategists, ensuring that its programs keep pace with the fast-changing media landscape in the UAE. Likewise, branch campuses of international universities in the UAE make use of advisory boards to localise and enrich their offerings. And in Bahrain, Gulf University has established an Industrial Advisory Board to facilitate meaningful collaboration between academia and the professional world. This board provides “invaluable insights and guidance to the university” on curriculum development, research and innovation, experiential learning opportunities, and talent development, drawing on seasoned industry leaders from sectors like IT, engineering, finance, and healthcare.
Such examples show that across the GCC, there is recognition that advisory boards can significantly enhance the quality and relevance of higher education. By aligning academic output with labour market needs and by fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, these boards help GCC institutions become more competitive both regionally and globally.
The concept of advisory boards is still maturing in the region. According to one assessment, formal advisory board structures in some GCC countries have historically been limited or informal, sometimes referred to by other names like “councils” or “committees”. This is changing as global norms influence regional practices. GCC universities are increasingly formalising the role of advisory councils in their governance charters and seeking out high-profile members (including international experts) to lend credibility and insight. The net effect is that Middle Eastern institutions are narrowing the gap with their Western counterparts in terms of stakeholder engagement. By embedding advisory input into governance, GCC colleges and universities aim to ensure their programs remain relevant to economic needs, aligned with future skill demands, and competitive in attracting students and research partnerships.
Comparing Advisory Board Models in the U.S. and KSA
In conclusion…
Advisory boards represent a powerful convergence of academia and the broader community. They exemplify the idea that higher education does not operate in isolation, but thrives through continuous dialogue with society. For university administrators and policymakers, the message is clear: engaging an advisory board is an investment in university governance, innovation capacity, and strategic agility. As higher education becomes ever more dynamic and competitive, those institutions that harness the collective wisdom of advisory boards will be best positioned to remain relevant and excel. The adage “two heads are better than one” rings true here, and in the case of advisory boards, a dozen or more well-chosen heads can make all the difference in guiding a university toward long-term success.
References
- Adams, S., Burnette, C., & Evans, R. (2025). Best practices for effective advisory board member engagement in higher education. Frontiers in Education, 10(1), 55–67.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education - California Department of Education. (2024). Career Technical Education Framework. Retrieved from https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct
- Council of Universities Affairs. (2023). Rules for International Advisory Councils. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- El Refae, G., Khatib, S., & Naser, K. (2016). The effect of advisory board diversity and engagement on higher education quality in the Middle East. International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 12(1), 66–78.
https://www.inderscience.com/jhome.php?jcode=ijebr - Genheimer, S. R., & Shehab, R. (2009). A survey of industry advisory board operations in engineering education. Journal of Engineering Education, 98(2), 169–180.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21689830 - MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative. (2024). Advisory Board. Retrieved from https://mitsloan.mit.edu/Sustainability
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- OECD. (2019). Employability of Higher Education Graduates: OECD Indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2019/09/education-at-a-glance-2019_892e172e/f8d7880d-en.pdf
- Stanford University. (2024). Stanford Faculty Senate Bylaws and Academic Council Advisory Board Functions. Retrieved from https://facultyhandbook.stanford.edu
- Texas Administrative Code. (2023). Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 9. Community and Technical Colleges. Retrieved from https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us
- Title 5, §55601. California Code of Regulations. (2024). Vocational Education Advisory Committees. Retrieved from https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs
- Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). (2022). Guidance and Results. UK Office for Students.
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