Officials have stated that universities in the Emirates are being ‘benchmarked and tiered’ and have asserted that the respective departments have been segregated according to performance, as mentioned on Thursday.
This change in the grading system was intended to improve set quality and make universities in UAE group globally as seen from an interview with a high-ranking officer in the ministry of education with the media.
All the universities are rated, and all the positions here, as well as the positions in the overall ranking depend on the quality of the teaching which is staying here as well as the quality of the students’ personal lives, their employability, the degree of the activity in terms of scientific production and international cooperation.
Research-based and non-Research based institutions
Under the new framework, institutions are divided into two categories: It is either for research purpose institutions and for other purposes not for research institutions. It will then be ranked on the basis of performance criteria and it will consist of group one, which has the highest performance, and the group four, which has the lowest performance.
The ultimate aim should therefore be to see that our universities are competing globally and not one or two universities but for the sector to upgrade on its standards, noted Dr Mohammad Al Mualla under secretary for Higher Education Academic Affairs at the Ministry of Education.
“By this means they are able to announce the outcome and bring out the details to the universities in order for them to have an understanding of areas which they should concentrate on as the centre in order to improve.”
“We will in any way help them as regards to promoting the benchmark of the center as well as their achievements.”
“The national classification framework comprises of four pillars. The scientific research and innovation is ascribed is 35 percent, teaching excellence has also been given 35 percent, employment and job market placement is 20 percent and international collaborations is accredited 10 percent.”
The ranked universities
The five of the most successful universities that partook in group one were the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates University, Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi, and Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
In the ‘Very Good’ classification, Group 2, are nine universities. These comprise Abu Dhabi University, American University in Dubai, The British University in Dubai, Al Sharekah University, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Zayed University, Ajman University, University of Wollongong in Dubai.
Universities graded as ‘Good’, Group3, include the American University in the Emirates, The American University of Ras Al Khaimah, Emirates College for Educational Development, Gulf Medical University, Sorbonne University, Al Ain University, Canadian University in Dubai, Institute of Business Administration Technology in Dubai, University of Dubai, Dubai College of Pharmacy, Raydan Academy, Saint Joseph University Dubai.
Under the classification of ‘Satisfactory’, Group 4, there are eight universities. Horizon University College, Emirates Aviation University, Imam Malik College of Islamic Sharia and Law, University of Fujairah, City University Ajman, Al Wasl University, Jumeirah University, and Ras Al Khaimah University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
