Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of administration and faculty members in developing character education within public and private universities in Kuwait. It further aims to explore the value of character education in effecting the quality experience of higher education. Design/methodology/approach: The researchers employed a quantitative research paradigm, using a questionnaire survey method to collect data from faculty members at major public and private Kuwaiti universities. They used Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to analyze a total of 298 questionnaires. Findings: The findings revealed that universities do indeed play a "strong" role in student character education. However, within public universities, it is the faculty themselves who form the key ingredient in the process rather than the administrative body, which is perceived to have a "Medium" effect. Conversely, at private universities, the administration and faculty both merited a "strong" role in developing character education. Practical implications: The study will provide leaders with several recommendations to improve the integrated development of universities through fostering character education. Originality/value: While K-12 education has received significant attention regarding the moral and character development of students over the last few decades, this study, extends this research significantly into higher education; focusing upon character development at university and comparing its implementation at both public and private institutions.