Abu Dhabi universities and colleges must now seek Adec approval for new courses

A new approvals process has been introduced to ensure the capital’s universities and colleges offer programmes in line with the needs of the country.

Prof Dr Mohammed Baniyas, executive director of Adec’s higher education sector. Antonie Robertson / The National

ABU DHABI // Universities and colleges in Abu Dhabi are facing their biggest shake-up in years, with the aim of producing graduates whose qualifications match the country’s requirements.

There will be new emphasis on practical skills and experience in engineering and technology, specialised health sciences and technical education.

Education chiefs also expect the emirate’s more than 20 higher education institutions to introduce a raft of new courses in the nuclear field, statistics and chemical sciences. They will not only meet the needs of business and industry, but are also expected to improve the job prospects of new graduates.

The changes will be driven by a new approval system for university programmes and courses. Before, colleges had to seek accreditation for courses only from the Ministry of Higher Education. Authorisation must now be obtained from Abu Dhabi Education Council, which will impose a rigorous set of standards to ensure that the proposed course is worthwhile. Only then will the proposal go to the ministry for final approval.

The authorisation process was introduced by Adec last month.

“We believe that at this stage the country and the labour market are in need of different specialities,” said Prof Dr Mohammed Baniyas, executive director of Adec’s higher education sector. “The objective is to link courses to the needs of the emirate, the private and public sectors, and future needs.”

Prof Dr Baniyas said studies had shown that the labour market was in urgent need of diversity. He was confident that by next year many universities will be introducing new and innovative courses.

“There will be programmes in the nuclear field, in statistics, chemical sciences. This is good news. We will also see programmes in health management.

“If universities plan to introduce these programmes next year then they have to apply now because it will take around two months to receive approval from Adec. It may take less, we will try to make it more user friendly.

“The UAE is a small country and to establish a programme in every specialisation they need to look at feasibility and economic justification.”

A recent study showed a need for graduates in “engineering and technology, and specialised health sciences rather than general health sciences”, Prof Dr Baniyas said.

“There is a need for science teachers and Stem [Science, technology, engineering and mathematics], educators and cycle-three educators,” Prof Dr Baniyas said.

“In the business field there is more need for those with technical education and hands-on specialities such as technicians in different fields like the oil industry, aerospace.”

Employability is one of the main criteria, he said. “If a university wants to introduce a programme in law, we will ask them to provide us with evidence that graduates will be employed, that there is enough practical work in the course and that these are the future needs of the country.”

Prof Dr Baniyas is confident an increase in practical work will increase employment.

“Mathematics graduates might not find employment but if they are required to spend a period of time in a bank or a school teaching mathematics then there is a higher chance they get employed.”

The council is also assessing the standards of university graduates in what is called the Assessment of Education Colleges Learning Outcomes.

University students are being asked to take a standardised test in their field of study.

So far, seven education colleges have participated. “Adec conducted 190 pilot assessment instruments tests in all seven education colleges.”

The purpose of the tests is to advise universities on areas where students are lacking and not meeting international standards.

Adec is also collecting data on graduates, in cooperation with universities. “These studies looked at all university graduates in the emirate. They were all contacted and surveyed to see which ones are employed or not so this was another way of finding the needs of the market — if the graduates are employed then there is demand.”

There will also be efforts to make scholarships more inclusive. Adec sponsors more than 1,500 Emirati students at universities in the UAE and abroad under different scholarship programmes. About 700 women and 500 men have graduated in the past few years. “Previously we used to send students to a selection of the top ranked universities,” Prof Dr Baniyas said. “Now we will widen this selection and include those who were previously not on the list but where the programme offered is ranked as one of the best.”