Dubai: Students willing to join higher educational institutions in the UAE are advised to check the list of institutions licensed and approved by the Ministry of Education.
Students are also advised to make sure that the specialisation they are willing to pursue is accredited so that they can get their certificates attested at the time of their graduation.
“Having attested certificates is an essential requirement for working in federal government institutions and most of local employment bodies or for receiving a promotion as part of the career ladder or even for getting scholarships to pursue higher education abroad,” the Ministry of Education said on Saturday.
The Ministry’s Commission for Academic Accreditation is responsible for licensing educational institutions and regularly evaluating educational programmes to ensure their safety and compliance with the international standards.
Dr. Mohammad Ebrahim Al Mualla, Undersecretary for Academic Affairs for Higher Education, warned students against getting certificates that may be offered online for a price, saying that such qualifications are fake and will not be attested or endorsed by the ministry. Those looking to obtain these qualifications will have to bear adverse legal consequences in addition to the financial implications, he added.
“Recently, there have been lots of meetings on social media platforms for officials from UAE-based higher educational institutions which operate without getting the ministry’s licence. Although those officials reaffirm that their institutions issue higher education certificates from the mother institution in Europe, US and other countries, such qualifications will not be recognised in the UAE without the ministry’s licence, Al Mualla said.
He further said that students who wish to pursue their education abroad have to obtain a no-objection letter form the ministry so that they ensure the equivalency of their certificate in the UAE when they graduate.
Accrediting educational programmes by the ministry is subject to a number of scientific criteria including the objectives of the programme, educational outputs, study plan, contents of courses, educational environment, educational facilities, and sources of learning and qualifications of faculty members as well as their scientific levels among others, Al Mualla noted.
The licenced higher educational institutions include:
1. Abu Dhabi Polytechnic
2. Abu Dhabi School of Management
3. Abu Dhabi University
4. Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute
5. Ajman University of
6. Al Ain University of Science and Technology
7. Al Dar University College
8. Al Falah University
9. Al Ghurair University
10. Al Khawarizmi International College
11. Al Qasimia University
12. American College of Dubai
13. American University in Dubai
14. American University in the Emirates
15. American University in Ras Al Khaimah
16. American University of Sharjah
17. British University in Dubai
18. Canadian University in Dubai
19. City University College of Ajman
20. Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation
21. Dubai Medical College for Girls
22. Dubai Pharmacy College
23. Dubai Police Academy
24. Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management
25. Emirates Aviation University
26. Emirates University College
27. Emirates University College
28. Emirates College of Technology
29. Emirates College for Advanced Educational
30. Emirates Diplomacy Academy
31. Emirates Institute for Banking and Financing Studies
32. Emirates Institute of Naturalisation and Residency
33. European International College
34. European University College
35. Fatima College of Health Sciences
36. Gulf Medical University
37. Hamdan Bin Mohammad Smart University
38. Higher Colleges of Technology
39. Imam Malik College for Islamic Shariah and Law
40. Business School of the World (INSEAD) - Abu Dhabi
41. Institute of Management Technology (IMT) in Dubai
42. College of Islamic and Arab Studies in Dubai
43. Khalifa University of Science and Technology
44. Jumeria University
45. MENA College of Management
46. The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government
47. Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences
48. Mohammed V University Agdal - Abu Dhabi
49. National Defense College
50. New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
51. New York University Abu Dhabi,
52. Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD)
53. Police College - Abu Dhabi
54. Sharjah Police Academy
55. Rabdan Academy
56. RAK Medical & Health Sciences University
57. Rochester Institute of Technology
58. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
59. Saint Joseph’s University
60. Skyline University College
61. Syscoms College
62. The College of Fashion and Design
63. UAE University
64. University College of Mother & Family Sciences
65. University of Balamand in Dubai
66. University of Dubai
67. University of Fujairah
68. University of Sharjah
69. University of Strathclyde Business School Abu Dhabi
70. University of Wollongong in Dubai
71. Zayed II Military College
71. Zayed University
