Ministry of Higher Education automatically recognises qualifications of graduates from 41 universities across UAE

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has announced its ongoing efforts to expand its initiative for the automatic recognition of academic and professional qualifications issued by higher education institutions in the UAE by bringing more universities into the initiative. The initiative has achieved notable success, with 41 universities currently benefiting from the service and 20,536 certificates automatically recognised as of mid-August.

The automatic recognition initiative is one of the key manifestations of digital transformation and the UAE’s efforts to eliminate bureaucracy through digital integration. It enables graduates of participating institutions to have their qualifications recognised automatically upon graduation, without the need to submit a separate application, through direct electronic integration between the Ministry and higher education institutions.

In this regard, the Ministry held a series of coordination meetings with accredited higher education institutions in the UAE as part of its efforts to further expand the automatic recognition initiative for academic and professional qualifications issued by these institutions and transform the service into a proactive digital experience through direct electronic integration, eliminating the need for customers to submit separate applications.

The first meeting targeted the 41 institutions already benefiting from the initiative to review progress made, while the second meeting brought together 45 higher education institutions planning to join the initiative. The meetings aimed to enhance the system’s readiness to expand the provision of automatic recognition services. Meanwhile, electronic integration with 18 universities is currently being completed in preparation for their joining the initiative.

UAE Government’s Digital Transformation Agenda

During the meetings, the Ministry outlined the objectives of the initiative and its alignment with the UAE Government’s drive towards digital transformation and the elimination of bureaucracy, as well as the role of higher education institutions in implementing it. The discussions also covered the technical requirements for electronic integration, registration and service-access procedures, technical testing and launch processes, ensuring the secure and seamless transfer of data and documents between institutions and the Ministry.

Abdul Wahab Abdullah Al Jamhi, Director of the Higher Education Qualifications Recognition Services Department at the Ministry, said the automatic recognition initiative contributes to providing students and graduates with a more convenient and efficient experience by moving away from traditional procedures based on application submission and manual review towards a proactive digital service based on direct integration with higher education institutions.

He added that the Ministry continues to work with institutions to complete their enrolment in the initiative and monitor the efficiency of electronic integration with institutions already participating. This will accelerate graduates’ access to recognised qualifications, enhance the integration and reliability of data, and support their readiness to enter the labour market.

Automatic Recognition of Academic Qualifications

Al Jamhi commended the pivotal role played by institutions that have joined the automatic academic qualifications recognition service, noting that their cooperation has helped transform the initiative into a successful national model for delivering proactive digital government services. He called on other higher education institutions to invest in this vital initiative and expedite the completion of all procedures required to join it, thereby facilitating graduates’ journey.

Under the initiative, educational institutions electronically transmit certificates, academic transcripts and related data to the Ministry’s systems. The information is then verified and the recognition procedures completed before the documents are electronically returned to the institution and the student’s digital wallet.

The service also facilitates digital access to documents through channels including university portals and the UAE’s unified digital identity, while providing secure mechanisms for verifying the authenticity of qualifications.

Automatic Integration with the Nafis File

The automatic recognition initiative has also supported the employment of more than 9,837 UAE nationals through the automatic creation of a Nafis file for beneficiaries whose qualifications have been recognised, thereby accelerating their readiness to access employment opportunities.

The process of joining the initiative includes providing institutions with technical requirements, timelines and documentation; holding preparatory meetings to clarify roles and responsibilities; completing registration and integration procedures; providing training and technical support; and conducting the necessary tests before moving to the actual operational phase. The integration mechanism varies depending on the type of institution — whether federal, local or private — to take into account the approved channels and systems applicable to each category.

The Ministry continues to monitor the performance and use of the service in coordination with higher education institutions, supporting faster processing of transactions, reducing the procedures, documents and visits required, and providing students and institutions with a more efficient digital experience, in line with the UAE’s objectives for digital transformation and the elimination of bureaucracy.