Dubai UAE, March 16, 2008 – A new board of academics from all over the world is to be responsible for setting standards across international higher education on offer in the Emirate’s Free Zones.
The board, named the University Quality Assurance International Board or UQAIB, has nine members (see separate sheet for biographies). They have gathered here in Dubai this week for the first time from as far afield as South Africa, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Dr Abdulla Al Karam, KHDA’s Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General, said: “We are delighted to have such an influential board helping to set our standards for international higher education in Dubai’s Free Zones and contributing to the growth of the relationship between education and the workplace.”
UQAIB will be chaired by Dr Warren Fox, Executive Director of Higher Education in the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) of Dubai Government who has been working to launch this initiative.
Dr Fox said: “This supports Higher Education Providers by giving them a format by which the quality of what they offer is transparent and easily understood by the public.”
UQAIB will review all licensing applications (and applications to renew licenses) of Higher Education Providers in Dubai Free Zones, and make recommendations to the Director of Licensing on accepting or rejecting these applications.
One major aim of the Board will be to ensure that a degree earned from an international higher education establishment on a campus in Dubai is of the same value as that achieved in its country of origin.
As Dubai’s student population is predicted to grow to 90,000 by 2010 (compared with 24,000 in July 2007), a guarantee of the highest-possible standards is obviously crucial.
During this initial visit the board has a busy schedule. Members will be visiting higher education institutions in the Free Zones to get a feel of the sector, as well as attending briefings to get up to speed on the unique demands of Dubai’s higher education system.
One of its important tasks will be to co-ordinate higher education with the needs of the workplace to produce the highest quality of young professionals in all walks of life.
The board will ensure that all international higher education institutions in Dubai’s Free Zones are properly accredited in their home country, or conform to international and the Emirate’s standards.
UQAIB, established by Resolution Number 1 (2008), with its board members designated by Order Number 1, will also set up a grievance procedure for parents, students and staff, and will make inspections of the institutions periodically if needed.
Additionally it will advise KHDA on international trends and developments in higher education quality management.
Since last April, when KHDA assumed charge of the entire education and human development continuum in the Emirate, ensuring quality has been the mainstay of all its programs.
UQAIB will focus on higher education just as Dubai’s Schools Inspections Bureau, which was set up last December, concentrates on schools. Both initiatives are in line with KHDA’s commitment to excellence in education in Dubai.
Since December, KHDA has begun licensing all educational institutions in the Emirate (schools, Free Zone colleges and universities, adult education and training institutes), the Authority’s approach was to introduce improved quality, access, reliability, and transparency.