We cannot compromise on higher education

Putting three UAE universities on probation reflects the high requirements demanded of this sector, writes Minister of State for Higher Education Ahmad Belhoul.

The University of Jazeera in Dubai is one of three placed on probation by the Ministry of Education. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

Oxford. Cambridge. Harvard. Yale. Cornell. The world’s best universities are well-known because they provide graduates with a level of prestige that speaks not only of their academic experience but also of their potential to contribute to the betterment of society.

One of the common denominators that links these renowned universities is the consistency of the high-quality education they provide, ensuring students are graduating with the knowledge and skill set to successfully enter the global workforce.

While the UAE is a well-established regional hub for higher education, we must continue to improve our university system by ensuring all state-owned and private institutions are constantly meeting the benchmarks set by the Ministry of Education.

These efforts will help ensure that both Emirati and international students, regardless of which university they are studying at, are provided with the high quality education they expect and deserve.

Furthermore, in today’s interconnected and ever-changing world, we must offer our students educational opportunities that not only meet, but also surpass the standards set by best institutions from around the globe. Unfortunately, we are not uniformly meeting this challenge.

As such, we have temporarily suspended admissions at three universities after they failed to meet the ministry’s licensing and accreditation standards.

These universities are working with the ministry to ensure issues with their curriculums and facilities are addressed as quickly as possible. It is of utmost importance to note that this suspension will not affect students who are already enrolled.

Furthermore, this action is part of our commitment to work with universities across the country to better understand how we can support them and ensure that the quality of higher education continues to improve.

When probation was enforced in the past, the ministry has worked closely with the relevant academic institutions to guarantee the necessary improvements for the universities to meet accreditation standards.

While it is not ideal to resort to these measures, at times this course of action is necessary to ensure that benchmarks are upheld. As the Minister of State for Higher Education, I am committed to taking the steps needed to address the current deficiencies in our university system while at the same time bolstering elements that work well.

This process will also require investment in establishing and expanding research and development in both public and private universities, as well as building partnerships with the private sector so that we create synergies between national objectives, personal aspirations and market needs. As we aim to build a robust knowledge-based economy, these elements are critical.

We must continuously hold ourselves to international standards across the entire spectrum of higher education in the UAE. This will ensure that our university students can be confident they are graduating with the necessary skills to contribute to the modern global economy.

Moreover, establishing the right educational curriculums and supporting infrastructure will help the UAE in maintaining its global competitiveness over the next decade.

These efforts demonstrate the importance our country places on the development of its human capital as well as securing the country’s economic future. On this, we cannot afford to compromise.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul is the UAE’s Minister of State for Higher Education