4 requirements for accrediting academic programs in “higher education”

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has set four requirements for accrediting academic programs in higher education institutions in the various emirates of the country. It is not permissible for any university to present or advertise the academic program, whether on the institution’s website, or through any other means, with the aim of enrolling students in it. Only after obtaining approval and accreditation for these programs.

The Ministry’s requirements, which Emirates Today reviewed, emphasized that the institution must have a valid institutional license from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in order to apply for academic accreditation for the program.

The Ministry said: “The institution must submit a complete application to obtain accreditation, through the electronic services portal, provided that it includes an electronic copy of all required documents, prepared in accordance with the requirements stated in the approved framework.”

The Ministry stressed the need for the application to obtain initial accreditation for a new academic program to include a detailed description of how the university achieves each of the standards that apply to it, with reference to the supporting documents, stressing that it is mandatory that all documents be “current and consistent” with each other at the time of application. Obtaining accreditation for the academic program. The Ministry stressed, among the requirements, the importance of the institution’s commitment to submit a request for renewal of accreditation three months before the end of the period specified for accreditation, and in a manner consistent with the requirements of the framework.

In a related context, the Ministry has established controls and mechanisms for renewing accreditation for academic programs, as it has provided universities with communication channels to find out how to prepare applications, the important dates for submission, and procedures for evaluating the application, via e-mail to the Commission for Academic Accreditation in the Ministry, CAA@mohesr.gov.ae.

The Ministry stressed the importance of the institution being licensed and having first accreditation for the targeted program, in order to apply for renewal of accreditation for the program. The application must be submitted in full through the electronic services portal, accompanied by an electronic copy of all documents, in accordance with the approved framework requirements.

The Ministry stressed that it is mandatory for the application to obtain renewal of accreditation for an academic program to contain a detailed description of how the institution achieves each performance indicator from the framework, with reference to the supporting documents.

The Ministry summarized the documents required for renewal in “an academic accreditation renewal application form approved by the head of the institution, with all required information prepared and submitted, in accordance with the Output-Based Evaluation Framework (OEF) prior to the visit.”

. “Higher Education”: The academic program may not be offered or announced before accreditation.