International students are likely to find it much easier to pursue their studies in the United Arab Emirates, as the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) has unveiled new guidelines for recognizing qualifications from foreign higher education institutions (HEIs). This initiative is part of the Zero Government Bureaucracy program aimed at simplifying various processes.
The newly established guidelines specify critical requirements, which include validating the authenticity of qualifications and confirming that the foreign HEI is legally formed, accredited, and licensed by the appropriate authority in its country of origin.
These measures aim to facilitate the recognition of overseas qualifications, minimizing the required documentation and processing time while ensuring the integrity of the qualifications being assessed.
This policy change comes after a successful pilot program that led to a reduction of over 70% in requirements compared to the prior system, with the number of students holding recognized qualifications increasing from 5,780 to 12,180 compared to the previous year.
The number of documents needed has been cut down from 14 to 4, resulting in improved accessibility to recognition data and a decrease in rejected applications from 8.3% to 3.5%, according to statistics from the pilot launch.
Ahmad Ibrahim Alsaadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Higher Education Operations Sector and Director of the International Education Support and Scholarships Department at MoHESR, commented, “The improved system offers a cohesive integration with local scholarship organizations to facilitate the recognition of international qualifications through two standardized processes applicable to all disciplines and institutions. This enhances the experience for graduates, simplifying the recognition of certificates for employment or further postgraduate studies.”
Pursuing education in the United Arab Emirates offers the prospect of tax-free income upon graduation, and according to the QS World University Rankings, the country is home to some of the top universities in the Gulf region.