MoHESR : Institutional licensing does not authorise new universities to offer academic programmes

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) has warned higher education institutions that obtaining an institutional licence alone does not authorise them to offer, advertise or promote any academic programme.

Ministry officials said in media statements and during panel discussions held on the sidelines of the inaugural forum in the “Future of Higher Education Dialogues” series, organised by the ministry in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, that obtaining either an initial or final institutional licence does not constitute programme accreditation.

They stressed the distinction between institutional licensing and programme accreditation, noting that a university’s institutional licence does not automatically grant it the right to offer any academic programme.

During the dialogue sessions, held at Fairmont Abu Dhabi, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research confirmed that an institution may not advertise an academic programme, enrol students in it or offer it before completing the programme accreditation process through the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA).

This makes verifying the accreditation status of the programme itself — and not merely that of the institution — an essential step for students and parents before enrolment.

Dr Ahmed Al Shuaibi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, revealed in a media interview that a new national framework for classifying universities, assessing the quality of their performance and overseeing their operations will be issued soon.

The framework will complete the regulatory system that the ministry began implementing this year, with the aim of strengthening confidence in higher education institutions, their academic programmes and their outcomes.

Speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural “Future of Higher Education Dialogues” forum, Dr Al Shuaibi said the forthcoming framework is part of the implementation of four regulatory decisions issued this year as part of efforts to develop an integrated higher education system and enhance the confidence of students, parents and employers in academic programmes offered by higher education institutions in the UAE.

Dr Al Shuaibi also stressed that protecting students is a priority when regulatory measures are applied to institutions, noting that a student “should not bear responsibility for a violation they did not cause” and that ensuring the continuity of their education comes first.

According to the framework presented by the ministry, the new system moves away from dealing with violations on a case-by-case basis and towards a unified and graduated framework of penalties and administrative measures that takes into account the seriousness and recurrence of a violation, as well as the circumstances surrounding it.

The system also introduces the principle of self-reporting of violations, which, subject to the applicable rules, may result in a reduction or waiver of the fine that would otherwise have been imposed on the institution.

Dr Al Shuaibi said the ministry had identified four key gaps addressed by the new regulatory framework: inconsistency in the application of licensing requirements; the absence of a clear and transparent published schedule of fees; inconsistency in dealing with violations; and the lack of an explicit provision for student protection.

In response, the new system establishes a unified national licensing framework, published review and service fees, financial guarantees, and a unified and graduated system for violations and penalties.

It also places student protection and continuity of education among the core principles of the regulatory framework.

The ministry’s approach to violations does not rely on a single measure in all cases. Instead, it follows a graduated system that takes into account the nature and seriousness of the violation and whether it has been repeated, allowing the measure taken to be tailored to the circumstances of each case.

The ministry reiterated during the forum’s sessions the distinction between institutional licensing and programme accreditation, stressing that obtaining a university licence does not automatically give it the right to offer any academic programme.

It confirmed that an institution may not advertise an academic programme, enrol students in it or offer it before completing its accreditation by the Commission for Academic Accreditation.

Students and parents should therefore verify the accreditation of the specific programme, rather than relying solely on the institution’s licensing status, before enrolling.

The approach forms part of a unified national licensing framework covering higher education institutions and their branches in the UAE. It regulates the institution’s entire licensing journey — from obtaining the licence and maintaining and renewing it, through amendments to the licence, to circumstances that may require its suspension or cancellation.

On financial protection, the ministry outlined the financial guarantee mechanism introduced under the new regulatory framework. The value of the guarantee is linked to the number of students enrolled at an institution and is intended to protect students’ rights and ensure the continuity of academic operations if an institution is unable to continue operating.

The guarantee ranges from Dh200,000 for institutions with fewer than 500 students, to Dh400,000 for institutions with between 501 and 2,000 students, and Dh800,000 for institutions with between 2,001 and 4,000 students.

Institutions with more than 4,000 students will be required to provide a financial guarantee of Dh1 million.

The guarantees form part of a broader package of regulatory decisions which, the ministry stressed during the forum, do not operate in isolation. Rather, they form an interconnected cycle covering institutional licensing, verification of compliance with requirements, financial guarantees, oversight and compliance, and the handling of violations.