Governance Standards and their Requirements in Private Palestinian Universities in the Southern Governorates and their Relationship to the Level of Performance

The study aimed to identify the governance standards and requirements in private Palestinian universities in light of the requirements for accreditation, quality and Palestinian classification of universities from the point of view of their employees and the relationship of which to the level of performance. The study was conducted in the universities of Palestine and Gaza. For collecting data, a questionnaire was designed based on previous studies related to university governance, the issue of governance, its principles, obstacles and stages of implementation. The questionnaire consisted of (42) items, covering the standards of governance in light of the requirements of accreditation, quality and requirements of the Palestinian classification of universities. The study population included the majority of workers, where the questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of (182) individuals. The study concluded that there was a positive relationship between the independent variables (governance standards, accreditation and quality requirements, and the Palestinian university classification) and the dependent variable represented by the performance of private Palestinian universities. The study recommended the need to develop a comprehensive and clear plan, either at the level of the higher education sector or Palestinian universities to spread and strengthen the culture of governance of Palestinian universities and to expedite the issuance of a governance guide for private Palestinian universities. A governance committee, at the level of the higher education sector or at the university level, should also be formed to follow up the implementation of governance standards at the universities and to make private Palestinian universities work on raising the level of practicing Governance principles. Keywords: governance, university governance standards, performance of private Palestinian universities.