The Degree of Practicing Academic Freedom at the Jordanian Public and Private Universities in the Northern Region from the Point of View of the Faculty Members

Abstract

The study aimed at identifying the degree of practicing academic freedom by faculty members in Jordanian public
and private universities in the Northern Region from the point of view of the faculty members. The researcher
applied the analytical descriptive survey method. The study population was composed of faculty members of
Jordanian public and private universities in the Northern Region for the year 2017/2018. Their number was 1210
faculty members: 893 males and 308 females. The study sample was 445 males and 155 females, 50% of the study
population. To achieve the objectives of the study, a study tool was developed. It is a questionnaire consisting of 50
items distributed on 5 domains. The findings of the study showed that the degree of practicing academic freedom by
faculty members in Jordanian public and private universities in the Northern Region from the point of view of the
faculty members on all domains of the tool was medium. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant
differences at the level of significance (0.05 α ≤) in the degree of practicing academic freedom by faculty members
in Jordanian universities due to the variable of the type of university, and the existence of differences in the degree of
practicing academic freedom by faculty members in Jordanian public and private universities in the Northern Region
can be attributed to the academic rank between those whose rank is professor and associate professor on the one hand,
and the rank of assistant professor on the other, for the benefit of the rank of professor and associate professor, ie, in
favor of the upper rank. The researcher recommended the need to increase the practice of academic freedom by the
faculty members at the Jordanian public and private universities in the Northern Region.