If you have just started your search for a UAE-based university, to begin your next phase of education, one of the first questions that may come to your mind is – how do I know if the university or college is accredited in the UAE?
Ensuring that you study at an institution that is recognised by the relevant authorities is of critical importance, because at the time of applying for a job once you graduate, you would need to submit an attested degree.
The UAE’s Ministry of Education also emphasises the necessity for students to register with accredited higher education institutions and programmes to ensure that their qualifications can get attested and recognised by employers.
On its website, the Ministry also stresses that students should ensure that the selected specialisation is accredited by the Ministry, to be sure that the obtained qualification will be attested by the Ministry.
Universities accredited in the UAE
The Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) is the UAE Federal Government Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. You can easily find the list of list of licenced institutions in UAE on the CAA website here: https://www.caa.ae/Pages/Institutes/All.aspx
To find specific specialisations that have been accredited by CAA, you can visit this website: https://www.caa.ae/Pages/Programs/All.aspx
In Dubai, Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has established the University Quality Assurance International Board (UQAIB) to assure the quality of education at international branch campuses. UQAIB uses a validation model to ensure that the academic programme delivered in Dubai is the same accredited programme taught at the institution’s home campus. All higher education institutions located in Dubai’s Free Zones must undergo the UQAIB quality assurance process. According to the KHDA website, this process complements the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA). “The CAA is a function of the federal Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, which licenses and accredits all higher education institutions outside the free zones,” the website states.
You can find a list of all the higher education institutions that have been certified by KHDA here: https://web.khda.gov.ae/en/Education-Directory/Higher-Education
Students who graduate from higher education institutions in Dubai’s free zones will be able to have their degrees certified by KHDA for employment and other purposes in Dubai, as per the KHDA website.
In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is the authority responsible for authorising higher education institutes operating in the Emirate. You can find out which universities and colleges have been authorised by ADEK, here: https://www.adek.gov.ae/Education-System/Higher-Education/List-of-Higher-Education-Institutions-in-Abu-Dhabi
