International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN: 2319-7064 SJIF (2022): 7.942 Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2024 Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal www.ijsr.net Systematic Review of Cloud Computing Studies within Higher Educational Institutions in Saudi Arabia Aminah Malkawi School of Computing, College of Art and Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Malaysia Email: am.malkawi[at]gmail.com Abstract: Cloud computing has emerged as a transformative technology with the potential to reshape the teaching, learning, and administrative functions within educational institutions. This systematic review explores the state of cloud computing studies within higher educational institutions (HEI) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). KSA, a nation with a burgeoning higher education sector, has witnessed a growing interest in adopting cloud computing to enhance educational practices, research endeavors, and institutional efficiency. This review employs a rigorous methodology to assess the existing literature, analyzing several research articles, conference papers, theses, and reports published between 2018 and 2023. The primary objectives of this review are to identify the key themes, contributions, models, and methods employed in cloud computing studies within KSA’s HEI and to highlight the impact of these initiatives on teaching, learning, and institutional operations. The findings of this systematic review provide a current snapshot of cloud computing research and offer insights and recommendations for future research directions and practical implications. Ultimately, this study contributes to the ongoing discourse on integrating cloud computing technologies to enhance the quality and efficiency of HEI in KSA and offers valuable insights that can inform policymakers, educators, and researchers in the region. Keywords: Cloud computing, Higher educational institutions, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Review 1. Introduction The rapid advancements in information and communication technologies (ICT) have prompted HEI to enhance their learning and teaching methods [1], [2]. Various industries have widely adopted cloud computing for IT services, influencing people's daily lives [3], including its growing use in global education [4]. KSA is one of the pioneering Arab countries emphasizing cloud computing. Also, with the introduction of cloud systems by significant companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, Saudi citizens and industries have begun adopting more cloud applications [5]. Cloud computing has emerged as a viable solution to meet the increasing need for high-performance, reliable, and cost- effective technology in education [6], [7], significantly enhancing e-learning and collaborative learning [8], [9]. Therefore, this study will examine and review the articles published on the scope of cloud computing within KSA‟s HEI within the last five years and highlight the gap in the literature. The first section covers the background of the study context, followed by the purpose of the study, methodology, findings, discussion, and conclusion. Cloud computing has become a firmly established infrastructure and a prominent research domain in KSA. It offers a wide range of applications and has notably simplified and enhanced e-learning, leading to substantial reductions in the costs associated with maintaining and developing learning resources [4]. Numerous well-known cloud service providers, including Google for Education, Amazon Education Cloud, and Microsoft Office in Education, have embraced the growing trend of utilizing cloud computing for educational purposes [6]. For instance, it allows the sharing of educational resources, scholarly articles, research papers, and references utilizing cloud storage platforms such as Google Docs or Dropbox [6], [10]. Cloud computing offers numerous advantages to users, including enhanced availability, performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional data centers [7]. It is now akin to a utility, similar to electricity, water, telephone, and gas, allowing users to utilize resources as needed and pay for their consumption accordingly [2]. Scholars have classified cloud computing into service and deployment models [1]. The service model comprises software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS). On the other hand, the deployment models include private, public, hybrid, and community clouds [1], [8]. Cloud computing has proven to be a viable solution for HEI facing financial constraints or struggling with technological complexity [11]. Known for its 'pay-as-you-go' approach, cloud computing allows clients to pay only for the resources they utilize, resulting in lower operating costs during periods of low service demand [12]. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) states that cloud computing allows on-demand access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources [13]. Furthermore, the appealing features of cloud computing encourage HEIs to integrate it into their systems and resources. For instance, monitoring devices and software updates have become more streamlined as vendors update systems automatically and replace damaged servers without additional costs through cloud server services [12]. Moreover, cloud computing develops IT quality and facilitates IT competencies while allowing educational administrators and managers to focus more on their institution's outcomes, Paper ID: SR24105185022 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR24105185022 713