English abstract
This study aimed at identifying the reality of academic advising process in private Higher Education Institutions (HSIs) in the Sultanate of Oman. It also aimed at shedding light upon the mechanisms for development of academic advising in the light of the experience of the United States of America.
In doing so, an author-designed questionnaire of 35 components was prepared. These components were divided into two main domains, namely academic advising practices and challenges facing the process of academic advising in private HEIs. The study sample comprised of 140 faculty members who were working in private HEIs in the Sultanate of Oman.
The study findings showed that the academic advising in private HEIs was practiced at a high level, as the arithmetic average of academic advising practices was 3. 85 from the viewpoint of faculty members (i.e., academic advisors). There were no statistically significant differences among the averages of individuals for the reality of academic advising practices in Private HEIs among the faculty members due to the variables of the degree, years of experience or the educational institution. The degree of challenges facing the process of academic advising in private institutions ranged between 3. 01 and 3.43, representing a medium to high range.
Based on these findings, the study proposed some suggestions that could contribute in the development of academic advising in private HEIs, among which, the advisory process takes an institutional dimension by establishing associations specializing in Academic Advising, to advance the process of academic advising in a manner that approximates practices in advanced Universities, establishing a special center for academic advising in each of the private higher education institutions ( Colleges and Universities) in the Sultanate of Oman to play an important role in sustaining students, finding advisory programs that help the academic advisors in cooperation with the college administration. The study concluded with suggesting a number of related studies that can be conducted in the future.
