UAE | Education
UAE students warned to check credentials
Prospective students should carefully consider the accreditation of the institute, says Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.
- By Siham Al Najmi, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:30 August 31, 2008
- Image Credit: Arshad Ali/Gulf News
- Pupils at the Indian High School in Dubai. More than 500,000 pupils returned to school across the UAE on Sunday.
Dubai: Prospective university students in the UAE should carefully consider the accreditation of the institute they plan to attend due to varying standards of excellence, Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said in an exclusive interview with Gulf News.
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"An unaccredited institution is not the responsibility of the commission or the government," Shaikh Nahyan said. "It is the student's responsibility to know better about the institution she/he decides to invest time and resources in. I think parents and students can make an informed decision by taking into account accreditation details."
No chance of being misled
He pointed out how students can easily find information on the institution they are considering. "If students go to the site of the [accreditation] commission, they can check which institutes are accredited," he said. "There is no chance of being misled."
Shaikh Nahyan also pointed out the variation in quality on campuses in the UAE, with top universities gaining proper recognition. "Those who seek accreditation from the accreditation commission go through a very rigorous evaluation and review [process]," he said. "Those who get the nod of the accreditation committee are guaranteed to offer quality programmes. But there are still those who are not particular about getting accreditation and it is a global issue."
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His comments came as hundreds of thousands of students returned to classes across the UAE yesterday.
Shaikh Nahyan stressed the need for educational facilities to be flexible in the courses they offer students. "In this age, changes in market requirements are rapid," he said.
"In most professions in the world, it is not enough to simply possess a university degree, there is a constant need to learn and adapt. The interdisciplinary approach in most programmes offered at universities is helpful in preparing students to enroll in the workforce."
Meanwhile, Hanif Hassan, Minister of Education, said that 1,200 new teachers have been appointed to schools nationwide. And he said that a new initiative that will be announced in the coming days will focus on improving the academic qualifications of educators.
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