Are creative thinkers different in their decision-making process: Rational or heuristic way of thinking

Creative thinking is seen as the most important skill found in higher education institutions in general, especially in private universities, where creative thinking is essential to making sound and successful decisions. There is a close link between decision-making and creative thinking. This study has been applied to Islamic universities eligible in Iraq; the researcher relied on a statistical analysis sample of 260 professors, and 155 questionnaires were distributed and 147 of them retrieved a valid questionnaire for statistical analysis. The study reached several conclusions, including that the faculty members have strong thinking skills and can generate new and innovative ideas in making decisions that concern the university and that enhance the work of professors by maintaining an environment open to innovation and creative thinking. This creative thinking has a direct impact on the decision-making process. This research aimed to know the connection between creative thinking and the ability to make decisions for professors in higher education at this university and to show the differences in the variables of seniority and academic qualification in creative thinking and in the ability to make decisions