How UAE ministry de-accredited university misused local office

Fujairah: The Fujairah office of Midocean University, which lost UAE ministry recognition this week, was operating far beyond its stated purpose, resulting in serious violations that led to the ministry’s action.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) on Monday announced the withdrawal of the recognition for all qualifications issued by the university after discovering that its office had been running educational activities without accreditation.

The decision came after MoHESR, working alongside Fujairah Free Zone Authority, discovered fundamental breaches in the university's operational mechanisms, programme delivery controls, and adherence to approved national standards.

According to Midocean University's official website, the Fujairah facility is described as a "licensed operations centre" established to "support logistical services and services of infrastructure, technology and development, as well as ensuring business continuity, and performing the financial work, including disbursement and collection."

It is not known when the website was last updated. According to the details currently available on its 'about' page, the university states that "the degree-granting body for all study programmes is Midocean University in the United Republic of the Comoros,” suggesting the UAE office plays no role in academic delivery.

Though the website claims the facility exists solely for administrative and infrastructure support, the joint inspection by MoHESR and Fujairah Free Zone Authority found a starkly different picture.

Investigators discovered the office had been offering registration services and conducting educational programmes without obtaining necessary ministry accreditation—activities that extended far beyond the support functions outlined on its website.

The ministry found the Fujairah office was running educational activities that do not comply with UAE legislation governing higher education institutions. Officials discovered the institution was offering online academic programmes without a clear quality assurance mechanism.

Significant discrepancies were also identified between student and programme data submitted to authorities and what was observed on site during the inspection.

The university's website lists 27 academic programmes, including five bachelor's degrees, 15 master's degrees, and seven PhD programmes. It is not immediately known which of these programmes were offered through the UAE office or how many students were enrolled in them.

The investigation revealed fundamental breaches in the university's operational mechanisms, programme delivery controls, and adherence to approved national standards. These violations formed the basis for the ministry's decision to strip the institution of its recognition status.

MoHESR conducted a thorough verification and technical assessment to determine whether the institution met approved national standards. The evaluation results prompted the ministry to withdraw recognition for all qualifications issued by the university.

The institution's status in MoHESR's official recognition lists has now been changed to "not accredited" in accordance with established regulatory procedures.

Midocean University describes itself as "an investment of The Everyone's Smart University Holding Group in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with registration no. 1010664457."

The institution claims accreditation from the Ministry of Education in the United Republic of the Comoros with no. MENERSFIP/SG/110-22 and membership in the Association of Arab Universities.

According to its website, the university "offers its services to the citizens and residents of Comoros in addition to offering it globally through its licensed operations centre, located in Fujairah, UAE."

The gulf between the stated purpose of the Fujairah office and its actual operations became a central issue in the ministry's investigation.

The ministry said the measure reflects its dedication to protecting students and the academic community whilst safeguarding the credibility of academic qualifications across the Emirates.

"The Ministry aims to ensure that all educational institutions adhere to the regulatory standards that maintain a trustworthy learning environment while preventing unlicensed or misleading educational activities," it stated.

MoHESR has urged students and parents to verify that academic institutions and their programmes are properly licensed and accredited before enrolment. Verification can be done through the ministry's official website or by contacting its Customer Happiness Centre at 800511.