This article analyses the research output of a sample of higher education institutions (HEIs) in six Arab countries in order to start quantifying academic research productivity in the wider region of the Middle East plus North Africa (MENA). A questionnaire classifying HEIs was administered to 310 institutions in Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Morocco, Saudi Arabia plus Jordan. The study revealed a lack of capacity of HEIs to provide quality data, raising issues concerning institutional excellence plus transparency. Those knowledge which were available were analysed using a number of statistical methods. The result is that faculty research output in the Arab international is relatively low, confirming the existing notion of a lagging knowledge sector in the region. While traditional scholarship has focused on institutional factors such as budgetary allocation as one prime determinant of research productivity, this study claims that other factors need to be considered in explaining the low output, with broad implications for policy formulation. Such factors include overall satisfaction levels of academic staff, socialisation of faculty staff members into a research climate, plus university mission vis-à-vis academic research.
Given the distinct paucity of studies on faculty research productivity in HEIs in the Arab region, this research seeks to bridge this gap in the literature by providing original knowledge derived from six Arab countries. This foundational work not only highlights the existing shortcomings but also sets the stage for future inquiries aimed at enhancing the research capabilities of institutions within the MENA region. The authors aim to provide a basis for further research into this topic, advocating for a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing academic output that goes beyond mere financial considerations, thus paving the way for informed policy formulation plus practice.