UAE: Now, higher education institutions can get licensed, accredited in 1 week

In keeping with the UAE’s Zero Government Bureaucracy programme, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has streamlined the licencing of higher education institutions and accreditation of academic programmes.

The ministry has also introduced a unified, outcome-based evaluation framework for both existing and new institutions.

The University Evaluation Framework includes six key pillars and the performance of higher education institutions is assessed based on the following indicators and their respective weightings.

To improve the licencing and accreditation processes for higher education institutions, the number of required documents is now reduced from 28 documents to 5 for granting a new higher education institution its institutional licensure and commencement of operations.

From 13 to 1 document

For granting a new higher education institution accreditation for academic programmes for the first time.

From +11 to 1 document

For renewing the institutional licensure or academic accreditation for existing higher education institutions.

From 13 to 1 document

For granting an existing higher education institution accreditation for a new academic programme

Additionally, time for licencing new higher education institutions has been reduced From 6 months to 1 week, provided all requirements are met.

The time to obtain accreditation for new academic programmes has been reduced from 9 months to 1 week.

The renewal of accreditation for existing academic programmes has been reduced from 9 months to a maximum of 3 months.

The updated system includes immediate licencing for universities accredited by trusted bodies in their respective countries, as well as immediate accreditation for internationally recognised academic programmes.