Abu Dhabi: “I don’t know which university to go” is something many students in the UAE often say due to the lack of a university ranking system in the country.
However, a system is soon to be introduced. It will be a valuable reference tool for thousands of students in the country and bring vital comparative information into the public domain, a top official told Gulf News during the Quacquarelli Symonds Middle East and North Africa Professional Leaders in Education (QS MAPLE) conference.
Professor Badr Abu Al Ela, director of the Commission for Academic Accreditation and vice-president of the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said: “The UAE is the front- runner to produce such a classification in the Arab world. We are confident that this ranking will provide the most detailed information in areas of central importance to decision-makers, leaders of higher education institutions, students and the public at large.”
“The ranking will measure each private and government higher education institution in the UAE in terms of teaching quality, human and physical resources, academic reputation, student’s achievements, active participation and social interaction,” he added.
Abu Al Ela added that the UAE is not yet in the top 100 world universities list in scientific research.
‘Room for improvement’
“Most universities in the UAE met the minimum standards and requirements; however, they are not as excellent as their counterparts when it comes to offering high-quality education and scientific research. There is always room to learn, grow and improve,” he said.
A survey, which was conducted at the conference to compare the efficiency of private and public universities, revealed that out of 300 surveyed, 62 per cent of respondents consider private universities as effective as their public counterparts when it comes to offering high-quality education.
The QS MAPLE conference was inaugurated in the capital with an exhibition of higher education institutes and academic providers from around the region.
The three-day conference, which ends on Thursday, is held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and hosted by Khalifa University.
“This conference offers those of us in higher education a wonderful opportunity to meet, share and explore ideas with one another. It is my hope that this conference will help strengthen the bonds between our academic communities and expand relevant partnerships, collaboration and best practices in higher education leadership,” Dr Tod Laursen, president of Khalifa University, said.
When asked about the difference of scientific research in Arab and Western countries, Abu Al Ela said: “In the West, research is mainly supported by industry; however, in Arab countries we need to change the mindset. We don’t have to rely completely on the government and private sector and industry leaders must have a vital role in this process.”
