Frequently Asked Questions

What has been announced? 

Heriot-Watt University Dubai has received notification from the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) that it has been granted Initial Institutional Licensure.  The CAA is part of the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Education (MoE). The CAA is the UAE Federal Government quality assurance agency for higher education. Working collaboratively with relevant international and local authorities in the Emirates, the CAA has a key leadership role in securing and developing the quality of higher education in the UAE. 

What is licensure? 

Licensure signifies that the institution has a mission appropriate to higher education and possesses the governance structure, regulations, policies and procedures, quality assurance measures, physical and financial resources, academic programmes, faculty and other personnel to accomplish its mission. Licensure applies to the entire institution and all its activities. In order to be licensed, the institution must meet ten standards that cover all major institutional activities. Licensure must be periodically renewed. A licensed institution is required to identify its status as licensed by the Ministry of Education in all documents and advertising and to comply with the Commission’s requirement for annual data reports.  

What is an accredited programme? 

An accredited programme is a programme of study offered by a CAA-licensed institution that meets six of its quality assurance standards. These standards are designed to promote high quality institutions and to assure prospective students, their families, employers, and other interested parties, that licensed institutions meet standards of quality consistent with current international practice and professional judgment. Please note that programme accreditation is the next phase and that our programmes are not yet accredited.

What does this mean for HWUD? 

This means several things for HWUD: 

  • This is a positive development for HWUD.  It is an integral part of our campus strategic plan to further build on our success and commitment to this region, and we believe CAA licensure and accreditation will significantly contribute to this trajectory.  
  • It is an important acknowledgement of the high quality and standards of teaching and learning that the University has upheld in Dubai for the last sixteen years. 
  • It reflects a consensus within the international higher education community on the essential characteristics of quality HE programmes 
  • With licensure having been granted, we can now apply for accreditation for our academic programmes. 
  • Once programme accreditation is complete, our graduates will be able to pursue further degrees in CAA-accredited universities if they choose to.  A CAA-accredited degree will also enable graduates to work with greater ease in government and government-related sectors across the Gulf and wider MENA region.  

What does this mean for current students? 

This is a positive development for current students.

  • It means that current students may be able to get their HWUD degrees attested by the Ministry of Education, once the programme itself has been accredited;  
  • It means that, once programme accreditation is complete, that those degrees will be recognized by governments across the Gulf and wider MENA region.  
  • It also means that those students who may seek to study in the future, their degree(s) will be recognised by other CAA-licensed universities. 

Will there be any changes to our curriculum or way of learning as a result of securing CAA accreditation? 

It is unlikely that there will be any significant changes to curriculum as a result of programme accreditation. Our degrees are globally delivered and are therefore broadly the same, whether studying takes place in Malaysia, UAE or the UK. The CAA recognizes the uniqueness of this.  

Are all programmes being accredited or only a few? 

All programmes offered at the Dubai campus will go through programme accreditation, except those are being phased out (teach out). 

To see a current list of the programmes that will not be accredited by CAA but will continue to be accredited by KHDA, please click here. Programmes will be accredited in groups, which will make the whole process more efficient. 

How long will programme accreditation take? I want an exact date by when my programme will get accredited. 

We are unable to provide a specific accreditation timetable at this stage. We anticipate that programme accreditation will last for the next couple of years. The University is not in control of the whole timeline, but we will aim to complete the whole process as quickly as we can. We will continue to update you.   

When does programme accreditation apply from? 

Students enrolled when the License is granted may be eligible to get their degree attested by the Ministry of Education, but this can be confirmed ONLY AFTER their programme of study has gone through programme accreditation.  

Example:

  • Student A is currently studying in their 4th year of an undergraduate degree
  • Student A graduates in July 2023
  • Student A’s programme is accredited on 1 September 2023
  • Student A will be notified by HWUD if they are eligible for accreditation and if additional courses are required

How will programme accreditation affect my employment prospects when I graduate? 

This is a positive development for graduate employment, as CAA recognition will enable students to work with greater ease in government and government-related sectors across the Gulf and wider MENA region.

How will this accreditation affect my plans for further study after I graduate? 

This is a positive development for current students who may seek to study in the future, as their degree(s) will be recognised by other CAA-licensed universities. 

How will programme accreditation affect my plans for further study after I graduate? 

This is a positive development for current students who may seek to study in the future, as their degree(s) will be recognised by other CAA-licensed universities.4

What about students who have already graduated (alumni)? Can their degrees be accredited too? 

The degrees of students who graduated before 5 January 2023 will continue to be accredited by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). CAA programme accreditation does not apply to anyone who graduated before 5 January 2023 as far as the MoE is concerned. 

Where can I read more about CAA accreditation? 

You can read about the details of Institutional Licensure and Programme Accreditation on the CAA’s website, here.

What happens to our relationship with KHDA now that we have MoE licensure? 

Since we operate in a Dubai Free Zone, we will continue to have a formal relationship with KHDA. The primary change is that once all of our programmes have completed the programme accreditation process with CAA, then KHDA and UQAIB will no longer quality assure or approve our programmes.  

We will continue to apply for our annual Education Services Permit through KHDA as well as our Training Activity Permit, approval for all training activities, and we will be required to submit the KHDA annual student census. There are a number of other smaller services and activities that will continue as well.