To enhance student enrolment and align academic programs with labor market needs, the MoHESR has granted flexible admission criteria to UAE Higher Education Institutions. This directive, which now applies to a continuum of levels of academic learning, is to facilitate more personalized pathways to higher education.
Part of recent updates effected by the Ministry has permitted HEIs to set admission criteria regarding bachelor’s degree, higher diplomas, diplomas, partial qualifications, and short learning units (levels 4 and 5 within the National Qualifications Framework). The move is part of an extensive strategy that seeks to reform the entire higher education system in the country so that it can better meet the needs of the labour market.
Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Higher Education Operations Sector Ahmad Ibrahim Alsaadi explained that this flexible approach seeks to increase the number of students as it leads to wider opportunities for people to choose an academic path that fits their capabilities and also enables institutions to develop programs that are much more aligned with their career aspirations.
One of the key changes is admitting students into universities without imposing general high school scores. Rather, HEIs can concentrate on the grades of subjects applied directly to the students’ field of study. This should generally make higher education available and also exclude students with various academic strengths from many barriers.
For students who apply for master’s or doctoral studies, it is stated in the new National Qualifications Framework for 2024 that they should have an academic qualification from the lower qualification level.
One more salient traverse earlier adding to how students should prove their English language proficiency. Thus, those who have been schooled in English-language curricula outside the framework of the Ministry are not required to prove their proficiency anymore. On the other hand, those coming from non-English curricula, have to prove their English proficiency through internationally recognized standardized tests set up by single universities.
Another possibility is that it could conditionally accept students but require preparatory or remedial courses taken as part of the achievement of certain subject requirements.
The students are encouraged to visit and inquire directly with the institutions on their newly updated admission criteria and regulations. This reform is part of the continued efforts by the UAE to advance educational opportunities for all students such that their learning pathway is closely following prospective careers.
