caa report emirates academy

knowledge conveys power—the power to shape our economy, the power to shape our society, and the power to shape our future. the colleges and universities of the united arab emirates, government-supported and private alike, play an essential role as we here in the u.a.e. seek to realize the tremendous potential of a knowledge-based future. it is therefore of the utmost importance that institutions in the u.a.e. offer the highest quality academic programs; programs that are recognized both within the country and internationally for their excellence. to ensure that the colleges and universities of the united arab emirates operate at international levels of quality, the commission for academic accreditation of the ministry of education conducts a program of licensure of institutions of higher education and accreditation of each of their academic programs. the caa published a new edition of the standards for licensure and accreditation in 2011; this edition continues the effort of the commission for academic accreditation to refine its existing standards and procedures to ensure that newly established institutions and programs, as well as existing ones, meet high levels of quality. the eleven standards provide measures of quality that all institutions must meet for licensure and program accreditation, and also reflect a consensus within the international higher education community on the essential characteristics required of institutions to achieve continuous improvement. as a result, students, graduates, their families, and the u.a.e. public can be confident that licensed institutions and accredited programs will provide the quality of higher education that they expect and deserve.