Efforts on to have two varsities listed in top 500

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) has decided to raise the level of higher education in the capital, and make them at par with international levels, through a 10-year education strategic plan.

All the universities in Abu Dhabi with the exception of the UAE University, which ranks as 374 among the Times Education Top 500 for 2009, are ranked relatively low in accordance to international higher education standards.

"Zayed University and the UAE University currently are the only universities in Abu Dhabi internationally recognised because they meet global requirements in terms of individual programmes and subjects," Wyatt R. Hume, Provost at the UAE university said. "The UAE university made the top 500 because it is the oldest and the largest university in the capital," Rafik Makki, Executive Director in the Office of Planning and Strategic Affairs at Adnec, added.

The aim by Adec is to have at least two universities listed on the Jiao Tong Top 500 and the Times Top 200 list by 2018. "This plan is not just words. Abu Dhabi aspires to become an oasis of culture and intellect…and the foundation of all of this is in the higher education system," Makki said.

During the launch of Abu Dhabi's higher education strategic plan, at the Emirates Palace yesterday, Makki told Gulf News on the sidelines of the meeting, that there are several determinants used to ensure that universities do meet international requirements.

"These include the quality of the faculty, the entry standards for the students and the alumni and their achievements. The research production of the university, in terms of how many of its works are cited by other institutions, as well as its overall reputation is also important," he said.

A total of 15 per cent Emirati and expatriate students, make up the sum of individuals from the capital that decide to continue their higher education outside the UAE, Hume told Gulf News.