Letters: Making the right choice

The UAE has established an excellent and diversified system of higher education in a very short period of time. The country has a number of government institutions, and a wide range of private institutions, many with international accreditation.
The country now has one of the highest application-participation rates in the world. Ninety-five per cent of all females and 80 per cent of all males enrolled in the final year of secondary school apply for admission to a higher education institution locally or abroad.
The Ministry of Education has taken several initiatives and continues to encourage private education providers from abroad to bring in their expertise. Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City and Sharjah University City have been established in order to host a collection of leading universities and colleges in the same area so that students and faculty members from various nationalities can interact and make the learning experience unique.
To ensure that colleges and universities operate at international standards, the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR) conducts a programme of licensure of institutions of higher education and accreditation of each of their academic programmes.

Making the right choice
Many venture into the UAE looking for opportunities to invest in this investor-friendly environment. Many are attracted by the thriving education sector. So you will find plenty of institutions springing up year after year offering an international education.
Here are few things you should check before enrolling at a university:
1. Does it offer the programmes in which you are interested? Be very clear about what you want to study, how you want to learn, the kind of skills you want to develop and what you want to get out of the whole university experience and then look for an institution that meets your needs.
2. Is the institution licensed by the MHESR, UAE?
3. Is the programme accredited by the CAA? Accreditation means that the programmes have been carefully reviewed by an independent agency and found to meet its standards.
4. The curricula should meet industrial standards. The best practices taught in the academic world must come straight from the industry.
5. Check the credentials of the faculty and their research interests. A faculty’s research publications in international academic journals ensure that he or she is up-to-date.
6. Check the graduation rate of the institution. How many students graduate and over how much time.
7. Check the student services offered by the institution. The best way is by talking to former students.
8. Pre-admission hospitality. Ensure that when you approach the university, the administrative and teaching staff give you all the time you need. If they do not have the time now to assist you with a life-changing decision, you can be sure they won’t have the time later.
8. Are the educational system and examination qualifications recognised in your home country or the country where you want to settle down?
9. When you return to your native country, will your education be ahead of or behind that of your peers
10. What is the ranking and academic record of the institution? Maybe the parent institution back in the host country may be top ranked. That doesn’t always mean that the UAE campus has the same credibility.
11. Most institutions adopt a five-day week; some offer evening courses and others weekend classes. Choose one that best suits you, because most institutions have a policy requiring a minimum attendance of 70-80 per cent to qualify to sit for the final examination.
12. Check the course duration: Programmes usually range from a year to four years.
13. Check the availability of transportation and hostel facilities and make a cost-benefit analysis of the services.
14. Check whether campus recruitments are held and the placement rate of the institution.
15. Do they provide a student visa?
16. Make sure you have the minimum requirements prescribed for admission to the institution of your choice. For an undergraduate course in an accredited institution you need 60 per cent marks from a secondary school in the UAE or its equivalent. You also need a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 500 on the Paper-Based test, or the equivalent score on other standardised tests approved by the MOHESR. For a graduate course in an accredited institution you should have completed your undergraduation with Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0 or its equivalent and a TOEFL score of 550 on the Paper-Based test, or the equivalent score in other standardised tests approved by the MOHESR.

Conclusions
The commercialisation of education has attracted many international profit-seeking companies and universities to the UAE. The number of higher education institutions and the courses they offer are increasing day by day.
The government is taking all steps to improve the quality of education through licensing and accreditation. So you can easily find an accredited institution and rest assured you will get quality education there.

- Dr Manuel Fernandez, faculty in accounting, Institute of Management Technology, Dubai