Kuwait establishes national authority for academic accreditation

Manama: Kuwait has established a national authority for academic accreditation and education quality.

The new authority will ensure the highest educational standards for Kuwaiti nationals and will be accrediting overseas academic institutions in which Kuwaiti students are enrolled as well as the private universities and academic programmes in Kuwait, Moodhi Abdul Aziz Al Hmood, the education minister, said on Monday.

The cabinet approved the decree on the establishment of the authority on Sunday evening, the minister told Kuwait News Agency (Kuna)

The decree named a board of directors for the new authority, headed by the education minister. Board members will include representatives of Kuwait University, the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, the Private universities Council and academics from educational institutions and three representatives from the private sector.

Kuwait has in the last two years stopped recognising several sub-standard universities and colleges.

The decision was deeply resisted by MPs whose constituents said that it affected the results of their sons and daughters. However, the minister stood firm and insisted on higher standards.

The decision subsequently affected private colleges in Bahrain after the education ministry launched a massive clean-up of irregular management and academic activities.

Several colleges in the Arab world, Eastern Europe and the Far East were also affected by the Kuwaiti minister’s decision.