Dubai: Several students, parents and branch university campuses at Dubai's academic free zones are anxiously awaiting the results of a quality assessment that will reveal whether they are up to par with their parent campuses.
Well-known universities say they are confident about the quality of their institutions. They suggested smaller and less prestigious institutions, which do not have quality assurance bodies in their home countries, may face problems.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) recently said two institutions may be put on probation, and face possible closure if they do not improve, and fewer than 10 university programmes have not fulfilled stipulated requirements.
In recent months the University Quality Assurance International Board (UQAIB), which is part of the KHDA, has been assessing more than 25 free zone institutions on quality.
The KHDA's Regulation and Compliance Commission is currently reviewing the recommendations of the UQAIB and will release its report next week, said Dr Warren Fox, Executive Director of Higher Education at KHDA.
"The fact that some universities are not meeting the academic requirement standards is shocking for students to hear," said Stacey Pinto, Media and communications student at Manipal University Dubai Campus in Dubai International Academic City (DIAC).
"As students we simply assume everything we are learning is up to standard and in line with the home campus, but obviously if it isn't the staff and faculty would know this already," she added.
"I'd be really upset if my programme shuts down because what I pay for one module here is the cost of a whole year at university back home in Nigeria," said Lotanna Ezegou, a business administration student at Middlesex University Dubai in Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV).
Difficult task
Dubai resident Susan D'Souza has a child in Grade 12 who wants to study at the Dubai campus of Mahatma Gandhi University or the University of Wollongong in Dubai. "We are trying to find the best college over here that is licensed and well recognised, but it's a really difficult task because newspapers are now saying licences are going to be revoked."
However, confidence is high among universities that have received feedback from KHDA. "We received confirmation from KHDA months ago, which said the documents we provided were satisfactory," said Denis Ravizza, Art Director and Managing Director of French Fashion University ESMOD Dubai in DIAC.
"We have been through much tougher auditing processes in the UK and US so I'm quite confident about this one," said Ehsan Razavizade, Regional director of Cass Business School Dubai located in Dubai International Financial Centre.
