Rensil D'Silva: How to Make it in Bollywood Education in the Gulf ...

EDUCATION
th
16
ANNI V ERSARY
In the UAE, as with most other countries, few high
school leavers seem to research the implications of the
choice of institution for their future studies or careers
Human Development Authority,
for example, records 52 higher
education institutions operating in
Dubai. Of these, 29 do not have
UAE national accreditation, but
operate as shopfronts or branch
campuses for overseas institutions.
Why do universities and
governments place such emphasis
on accreditation and on quality
assurance? What does accreditation
tell us about a university or
about a specific degree program?
What opportunities do different
qualifications open up for
graduates? These are important
questions for anyone embarking on
a university degree, in any country.
Quality audit of universities is
designed to evaluate the quality of
the academic outcomes, including
the attainment of certain threshold
standards of performance and the
effectiveness of the processes a university has in place to ensure the
delivery of these outcomes. Most quality audit agencies worldwide
also see an important part of their role as informing the public and
higher education policy-makers of the relative academic standards of
universities in a particular country or region.
Accreditation is one way to advertise the positive outcome
of a quality audit. An accredited institution has demonstrated that
its internal structures and processes do indeed deliver educational
outcomes that meet or exceed standards, and prospective students
can be confident of this without needing to examine for themselves
every aspect of the institution and its programs.
The Commission for Academic Accreditation (the ‘CAA’) was
established in the UAE Ministry for Higher Education and Scientific
Research to ensure that universities in the Emirates operate at
international standards of quality. To achieve this, the CAA conducts
a program of licensure of universities and also accreditation of each
of their academic programs.
The CAA makes public its Standards for Licensure and
Accreditation (see www.caa.ae/caa/images/standards2007.pdf).
The CAA has its own Commissioners, who have both international
experience and also deep knowledge of local conditions, workforce
needs, and potential
student demand. It also
engages international
consultants to help evaluate
applications for licensure
and program accreditation.
The Standards, and
the CAA’s tests of a
university’s performance
against these standards,
therefore reflect the unique
national circumstances
in the UAE and also
ensure that international
comparability is achieved.
The CAA’s membership
of the International
Network for Quality
Assurance Agencies in
Higher Education, gives
confidence that the quality
of accredited degree
programs from licensed
universities in the UAE is
at international standard.
In the UAE, as with
UOWD has a large number of students form the
sub-continent.
most other countries, few high school leavers seem to research the
implications of the choice of institution for their future studies or
careers. In order to assure a high standard of higher education, the
CAA requires that students are proficient in English, that they have
a good school academic performance (for undergraduate entry) or,
for entry to Masters programs, a good first degree
GPA from a nationally accredited University
in the UAE or an internationally recognized
overseas institution.
These entry regulations exist to ensure that
students are well prepared for the demands of the
high quality education which the Ministry requires
of its licensed institutions. So, if a student anticipates
a future career in a government agency in the UAE,
a degree from a nationally licensed institution is
likely to be required. If a graduate from a UAEbased
university plans to enter a Masters program
at a licensed institution, this will be possible only
with good performance in an undergraduate degree
from the right university.
In a recent interview, I was asked: “Has
education been reduced to being primarily a
business?” My personal view is that it is very
important to separate business from education because, in any country,
the education of young people determines the future of the country.
A significant reason for a staff member wanting to teach and research
in a private university should be to contribute to the good of the local
environment, community, society and economy.
This is because a university should be about providing education
and promoting research. It should contribute to national goals and help
the country to a knowledge-based economy. But above all, education
should be about improving society. In a sense it’s a calling, rather than
just a job, to provide high quality education.
This is not to say that universities should not engage with business
or industry. They should, and the best universities do this very well.
Feedback from industry helps universities to improve their academic
offerings and make them more relevant to society. Further, collaboration
with university staff on research projects can provide a significant
competitive advantage to commercial and industrial partners.
Research is not particularly well developed in UAE tertiary
institutions. Although there are excellent researchers with strong track
records at many of UAE’s universities, it was not until 2008 that there
was a national research funding program. His Excellency Sheikh
Nahayan Mabarek bin Nahayan, the Minister for Higher Education
and Scientific Research, established the National Research Foundation
(NRF) and the first competition for research project grants is currently
under way – the outcomes are expected early in November.
The NRF will change the
landscape for research in
universities by providing a
funding stream for excellent
researchers to conduct projects
The education of young people determines the future of the country.
that address problems of
national significance. It will
also encourage universities to
reward staff for good research
performance as well as being
good teachers. This is one of the
most critical parts of a higher
education system – ensuring
that the leaders of tomorrow, our
current students, are learning
from people who are themselves
actively engaged in learning.
With a combination of a
national university system
including both public and private
universities, a very strong
accreditation process, and a
National Research Foundation –
the UAE is on the way to achieving
its aspiration of becoming a
world-class education hub.
Professor John Whelan is
President of the University of
Wollongong in Dubai
36 The International Indian
The International Indian 37