STANDARDS FOR

LICENSURE AND ACCREDITION

UNITED ARAB EMIRATESMINISTRY OF EDUCATION

COMMISSION FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION

2005

FOREWORD

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Quality in Higher Education

We live in a rapidly changing world in which 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, governmentally- and privately- supported alike, play an essential role as we seek to realize the tremendous potential of this knowledge-based future. It is especially important, therefore, that these institutions offer the highest quality academic programs that are recognized both within the country and internationally for their excellence.

To verify that the colleges and universities of the United Arab Emirates operate at international standards of quality, the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Education conducts a program of licensure of colleges and universities and accreditation of each of their academic programs. This revised edition of the Standards for Licensure and Accreditation, 2005, has been prepared to match constantly evolving world standards.

The 2005 edition of the Standards for Licensure and Accreditation is an outcome of the continuous effort of the Ministry of Education to refine the existing standards and procedures to ensure that newly established institutions and programs—as well as existing ones—meet the highest standards of quality and that graduates of accredited programs are recognized by the Ministry of Education and by governments around the world. As a result, students, graduates and their families can be confident that accredited programs will deliver the high quality of education that they expect and deserve.

Nahayan Mabarak Al NahayanMinister of Education

The Standards for Licensure and Accreditation is fully the province of the Commission for Academic Accreditation, which has the sole responsibility for its contents.

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Any question regarding the Standards should be addressed to:

Commission for Academic AccreditationMinistry of Education

P O Box 45133Abu Dhabi

Tel. (02)6427772Fax # (02) 6428488

www.caa.ae

This document is modified and revised from time to time to reflect changing circumstances and conditions in the higher education community. Each institution to which the Standards document applies is obligated to meet all the requirements, regulations, and stipulations of the most current edition.

SECTION 1 Principles of Licensure and Accreditation

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Providing educational opportunities in the U.A.E. is a privilege—not a right—a privilege which is earned on a continuous basis and which demands of each institution continuous high quality and an effective system of institutional effectiveness and continuous improvement. The Commission for Academic Accreditation uses two interrelated standards-based quality assurance processes—institutional licensure and program accreditation—to assess educational quality, thereby assuring members of the public that the licensed institutions and the accredited programs they offer indeed meet high standards. Further, the standards used have been established so as to be at a level of quality acceptable to and recognized by the academic community internationally. The standards are explained in detail in this volume, Standards for Licensure and Accreditation (2005), hereafter referred to as the Standards, published by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the United Arab Emirates. The Standards and listings of licensed institutions and accredited programs may be found on the web page of the Commission for Academic Accreditation, www.caa.ae. The procedures and steps in the licensure and accreditation processes are depicted in Figure 1, labeled “Institutional Licensure and Program Accreditation Approval Process,” are explained in the following sections of this chapter, and are described in detail, step by step, in Appendices A and B. Licensure signifies that the institution has a purpose statement appropriate to higher education and possesses by-laws, regulations, policies, procedures, resources, programs, quality assurance measures, personnel, infrastructure, and facilities sufficient to accomplish its purpose initially and on a continuous basis. Licensure, issued by the Ministry of Education after successful review by the Commission for Academic Accreditation, recognizes that students are graduating from an institution of certified quality, academic rigor, distinction, and merit. The institution so licensed is listed among the institutions recognized by the Ministry. Institutions so listed are recognized internationally.

There are two stages in the Licensure process, and both demand the highest quality from applicant institutions. The applicant institution first applies for Initial Licensure. To be successful in this endeavor, it must demonstrate that it has in place all policies, procedures, and human and physical resources required to begin to offer academic programs, according to the steps described in detail in Appendix A.

If the institution is approved for Initial Licensure, then it may seek Initial Accreditation for its academic programs. Only after it has achieved both

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Initial Licensure and Initial Accreditation of the academic degree programs it intends to offer may the institution begin to advertise its programs and recruit and enroll students.

Initial Licensure is for a period of two years. The institution must apply for and receive Licensure before the end of this two-year period in order to be able to continue to offer academic programs. Licensure is for a period up to five years and must continue to be renewed in order for the institution to continue to offer academic degree programs in the UAE.

In addition to Initial Licensure and Licensure, the institution must achieve and maintain accreditation of all academic degree programs that it offers. Accreditation of an academic program attests to the overall quality of each program and denotes that the program is demonstrating a curriculum, faculty competence, faculty involvement and support, pedagogical relevance, an environment conducive to learning, all supported by adequate resources, such that the program meets internationally accepted standards of quality. Successful completion of an accredited program demonstrates the student’s intellectual, personal, and professional ability to function effectively in a technological and global society. The basic structure of the program, including its internal evaluation system, assures that the program is continuing to contribute significantly to the institutional purpose.

There are two stages to the program accreditation process. The first stage is Initial Accreditation. An applicant institution is required to apply for and be awarded Initial Accreditation of each academic degree program it offers prior to advertising, recruiting students, or enrolling students for the program. Once conferred, and as long as the program maintains a high level of quality consistent with the Standards and verified by the Commission for Academic Accreditation, Initial Accreditation applies to the program until after it has graduates. Once the program has graduates, the institution must apply for Accreditation of the program. Accreditation is awarded for a period of five years. Both the process for Initial Accreditation and the process for Accreditation require the review of the program by a Visiting Committee of experts in the discipline, normally drawn from outside the country in order to ensure that international standards of quality are being met. Both stages of the accreditation process are described in Appendix B.

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Institutional Licensure

Step 1:Apply for Initial Licensure

Approved Receive Initial Licensure

Denied

Program Accreditation

Step 1: Apply for Initial Accreditation

Schedule CAA Site-based Evaluation

CAA determines status of Initial Accreditation application

Approved

Probation

Start admitting students

Denied Do not start program

Step 2: Apply for Licensure Within two years of receiving Initial Licensure and if all eligible programs have maintained their Initial Accreditation or Accreditation status

Schedule CAA site-based Evaluation

CAA determines status of Licensure

Step 2: Apply for Accreditation

Approved

Probation

Denied Stop admitting Students

Stop admitting students: Correct definition

MOE public announcement of approved institution

CAA determines status of Accreditation Application

Schedule CAA site-based Evaluation

Approved

Probation

Denied Stop admitting students

Stop admitting students; Correct deficiencies

Granted for 2 years

Reapply after 1 year

Reapply within 6 months

CAA determines if application allowed

Within 2 yrs. of grad.1st cohort

Renew within 5 years

CAA reviews and determines timeline

Renew within 3 years

Institution assists student enroll in other lic. Instit.

CAA reviews and determines time line

Institutional Licensure and Program Accreditation Approval Process

1.1 Licensure and Institutional Quality

Licensure, whether Initial Licensure or full Licensure, results from thorough, careful, and continuous evaluation of the educational quality of an institution, internally by the institution itself and externally by the Commission for Academic Accreditation. Licensure is not granted lightly. It presupposes that the institution has established a legal identity in the UAE, has a governing entity responsible for the institution and its policies, has primary responsibility for all programs its offers, offers its own academic degrees in the UAE, conducts quantitative and qualitative evaluation on a continuous basis, meets the requirements of the Standards, and that the requirements of the Standards pervade the entire institution. The awarding of Licensure presupposes that each program offered or to be offered by the institution has achieved Initial Accreditation or Accreditation by the Minister of Education through the review process of the Commission for Academic Accreditation. Throughout this continuous process, licensure:

extends far beyond a simple and perfunctory audit of the minimum requirements of the Standards and

insists on continuous quality assurance.

The requirements in each section of the Standards simply codify many of the criteria generally accepted internationally and followed as measures of quality. Each of these requirements is preceded by the word “MUST” and is a requirement to be met.

For every requirement in the Standards mandating a policy or procedure, the institution is required to ensure that the policy or procedure:

exists in writing; has been approved through the appropriate institutional processes; is published in appropriate institutional documents accessible to

those affected by the policy or procedure; and is implemented and enforced by the institution in a manner which

can be documented and evidenced.

1.1.1 Applicability Any institution located in the U.A.E. that provides in the U.A.E. regular, theoretical, practical, or applied curricula of one academic year or longer after the U.A.E. Secondary School Certification (or the equivalent) leading to an academic degree is required to receive licensure in order to be officially recognized by the U.A.E. Ministry of Education. The concept of one academic year applies to any combination of programs (diplomas, certificates, or courses) of any duration, if they yield what is equivalent to a program of one academic year or longer.

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Licensure is based on the requirements and the procedures of the Standards. No institution can offer any course of study recognized by the Ministry unless that institution has first obtained Initial Licensure or Licensure and the programs it intends to offer have either been awarded Initial Accreditation or Accreditation. It is the sole responsibility of the institution to apply for licensure and accreditation and to adhere to the requirements found in the Standards on a continuous basis.

The requirements of the Standards are applied equally, fairly, and consistently to all institutions.

Initial Licensure is granted for two years. Licensure is granted for a period of up to three years. 1.2 Accreditation and Program Quality

An institution having received Initial Licensure is required to begin the program accreditation review process and receive, prior to offering any courses leading to a degree, Initial Accreditation of each program it intends to offer. No institution can offer an academic degree program or any portion of such a program unless the Minister has first awarded that program Initial Accreditation.

The determination of the accreditation status is made solely by the Minister. The Commission is responsible for supervising the accrediting process. The institution is responsible for attaining Initial Accreditation or Accreditation for all of its programs and maintaining the status of Accreditation. The institution is also responsible for bearing the costs of international committee reviewing its programs, for complying with all requirements of the Commission to supply documentation and related information, for providing access to the institution and its faculty and staff and records to the Commission and its Visiting Committees, and for facilitating the scheduling of visits by the external experts and cooperating fully with the review process.

1.2.1 Applicability

Every academic degree program proposed by an institution and all new majors or concentrations that are recognized on a student’s graduation certificate, diploma or transcript must have received, before being offered to any student, the classification of Initial Accreditation. Before it applies for Initial Accreditation status or seeks Accreditation, an institution is required to have attained the status of Initial Licensure or Licensure as noted above.

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Initial Accreditation is applicable for a program in the planning stages of development. This classification is based on the evidence that, at the time of evaluation, the developing program has the potential for meeting the requirements of an accredited program and the institution either has in place, or has sufficiently documented that it will have in place, the program effectiveness elements, the goals and objectives, the curriculum and completion requirements, the appropriately qualified faculty, the academic support services, the student support services, the administrative and financial requisites, and other aspects of the program and its support that meet all requirements of the Standards.

Once a program has achieved Initial Accreditation and within two years following the graduation of its first cohort of students from the program, the institution is required to apply for Accreditation classification. The classification of Accreditation is for a period of up to five (5) years. After the specified period following the approval of Accreditation, each academic program is required to apply for renewal of Accreditation.

An institution offering a program that has not received and maintained Initial Accreditation or Accreditation status is subject to losing its Initial Licensure or Licensure, whichever is applicable, according to the determination of the Minister.

1.3 Licensure and Accreditation Review Process

Final approval for Initial Licensure, Licensure, Initial Accreditation, or Accreditation is granted by the Minister or by his authorized representative. Evaluations for Initial Licensure and Licensure are conducted by the staff of the Commission for Academic Accreditation, with the assistance, as may be required, of external experts. Evaluations for Initial Accreditation or Accreditation of academic programs are conducted by an international committee of professional experts in the discipline visiting the campus for this purpose, under the supervision of the Commission staff. The Commission reserves the right, and has the mandate, to make both scheduled and unscheduled visits to institutions to assess the quality of their operations and their programs and to request, and receive, any and all documentation and data that may required.

Detailed information about the licensure and program accreditation processes are contained in Appendices A and B.

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SECTION 2Purpose, Planning, and Effectiveness

The concept of institutional effectiveness is central to all operations and activities of an institution and is at the heart of the Commission’s licensure and accreditation processes. Clearly articulated mission and vision statements, goals, and measurable objectives (both educational and operational) characterize an institution’s purpose. The purpose establishes the foundation upon which an institution can assess and evaluate its effectiveness and serves to inform the Commission’s actions and decisions. It follows, therefore, that the Commission seeks clear and detailed information about an institution’s purpose and requires the institution to define its process for assessing and evaluating institutional effectiveness in the context of its purpose.

2.1 Institutional Purpose

The institution is required to have a clearly defined purpose which is appropriate to higher education and which articulates clearly and accurately the institution’s specific educational role. The institution MUST ensure that its purpose statement:

describes accurately and truthfully the institution and its characteristics;

includes goals and objectives (both educational and operational), where, at the very least, objectives are defined in measurable terms;

reflects accurately and consistently the actual posture of the institution and its actual practice;

is accurately described in appropriate publications; is approved by its governing entity; and is periodically reviewed to reflect any changes and differing

responsibilities to its constituencies.

2.2 Institutional Planning and Evaluation

All evaluation activities of an institution, both educational and operational, including educational programs (along with associated teaching and advising), academic and administrative support services, and, where

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applicable, research and outreach , must be well planned and there must be a demonstration of how evaluation will be conducted regularly in the interest of continuous improvement. The institution MUST:

use planning as a base for the continuous evaluation and, consequently, the improvement of all its activities, including academic programs, teaching and advising, academic support services, student support services, administrative services, and, where applicable, research and public service;

develop a strategic long-term plan that derives from its purpose statement, as well as detailed annual plans for the institution and each of its activities and services;

have a timed action implementation plan that relates to its strategic and annual plans;

involve all stakeholders in the planning process; use advisory panels, where appropriate and internationally

practiced, to guide the planning process; ensure that the results of continuous evaluation are used as a

main input in the planning process to guide budget planning and resource allocation; and

develop a policy that governs the planning process and the periodic review of the institution's strategic plan.

2.3 Institutional Effectiveness

Institutional effectiveness requires that an institution be formally engaged in evaluating its efficacy—and, consequently, its success in fulfilling its purpose—and that it use this evaluation to drive a process of continuous self-improvement. The expectations with respect to institutional effectiveness herein pertain to all programs and all units of the institution. An institution must provide a plan and indicate how it will address institutional effectiveness in fulfilling its statement of purpose. Specifically, an institution MUST:

for the institution as a whole and for each of its academic programs and its academic and administrative support units, establish goals and objectives which derive from and support the purpose of the institution;

develop a broadly based system to determine institutional effectiveness appropriate to the specific purpose of the institution;

use the institutional purpose statement as the foundation of planning and evaluation;

employ a variety of assessment methods to evaluate its success in achieving these goals and objectives;

document the objectives of each method to be used, the time frame for its administration, the means to be employed to integrate the results of each method, and, on the basis of cumulative assessment results, the extent to which educational programs and services, as

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well as the educational and administrative support units, have been successful in realizing their respective objectives and, consequently, goals; and

demonstrate the use of the results of planning and evaluation for making appropriate modifications in resources, programs, and services in the interest of continuous improvement.

2.3.1 Academic Programs and Academic Support Services

An institution MUST have in place and document its system for evaluating the overall academic program and services and MUST collect, maintain, and analyze the data supportive of this effort. This system MUST include, but not be limited to:

a model to assess the realization of the program or service

goals and objectives by logically deriving the outcome statements in measurable terms that are pertinent to each objective;

method of evaluation; instruments and the objectives of each instrument; a time-frame for the implementation of the instruments or

administration of surveys; definition of the main responsible body/unit for

implementing each instrument, the frequency and time of its implementation, and the target stakeholders involved;

inter-relationship of instruments in determining overall program quality;

process for authenticating data; means by which data will be analyzed; mechanism for integrating the results of each instrument; process for reporting data that includes both summary

information and supporting raw data; and procedures for using data, on a schematic, regularly

scheduled basis, to determine quality and to improve programs, curricula, courses, services, and operations.

As a component of this assessment system, each course that is offered MUST be assessed. In designing the course evaluation system, an institution MUST:

ensure courses contain learning outcomes that address both content mastery and skills and can be described in observable, measurable, and achievable terms;

ensure learning activities and modes of assessment are responsive to the needs of individual learners;

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document assessment of student achievement in each course and at the completion of the program, by comparing student performance to the intended learning outcomes;

include a student evaluation component for every course to assess instruction and content;

develop procedures for the ongoing review and updating of courses to ensure that each course is consistent with the academic program’s curriculum; and

provide evidence for utilizing course evaluation data to identify significant indicators for improvement.

Relying upon quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the institution MUST determine the performance-based assessment of course, teaching, and program effectiveness by using such criteria and measures that include, but are not limited to, the following:

Student enrollment and retention rates with variations over time including: analysis of admissions and enrollment records; results of admissions tests for students applying to graduate or

professional schools; completion rates; performance of student transfers at receiving institutions, where

applicable; comparison with student satisfaction data; and analysis of advising services and the faculty/student advising

relationship; The extent to which student learning matches intended outcomes

including: evaluations of student performance at course- and

program-levels; evaluation of internship or practical experience, where

applicable; and review of student work and archive of student activities

(portfolio) for program reviews; Measures of student competence in fundamental skills such as

communication, comprehension, use of technology, and analysis including:

assessment and evaluation of the general education program;

assessment of students’ fundamental skills in communication, comprehension, and analysis through competency-based exams or LCMS statistics;

results on standardized tests administered to assess specific professional competencies;

results of students’ licensure examinations, where applicable;

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results of admission tests for students applying to graduate or professional schools;

analysis of student program portfolios, where applicable; job placement rates; input from business and industry, as applicable, through

program advisory board, surveys, and other sources; and evaluation by employers;

Student satisfaction including: surveys of overall satisfaction with the experience of the

offered programs and services with added focus on program communications, accessibility, reliability, stability of services and support, and developed sense of community;

routine end-of course content and faculty evaluations, comprehensive end-of-program surveys, and periodic surveys focused on program services (i.e. post-admissions, post-registration, post-inquiry/use-of-any-service process); and

follow-up with alumni; Faculty satisfaction including:

surveys of overall satisfaction with professional development opportunities, instructional design and development services, technical support, compensation and incentives for developing courses, promotion and tenure considerations and

formal and informal peer review processes; and Extent to which library and learning resources are used

appropriately by students including: usage records concerning the use of library and learning

resources and analysis of instructor assignments that require such usage;

and Student satisfaction with the effectiveness of other academic

support services including: adequacy and appropriateness of laboratory facilitates and

equipment; appropriateness of technical support provided in laboratory

or practical sessions; appropriateness of library collections, their currency,

adequacy, and accessibility; appropriateness of library space, hours of operation, and

services provided to students; effectiveness of academic advising; and appropriateness of IT facilities and services provided to

students.

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2.3.2 Student Support Services

An institution MUST have in place and document its system for evaluating its overall student support services and MUST collect, maintain, and analyze the data supportive of this effort. This system MUST include, but not be limited to:

admission services; registration services and accessibility to and protection of student

records; personal counseling; career development; financial aid; health services; sport, social, and cultural activities; and residence halls, as appropriate.

2.3.3 Administrative Services

An institution MUST have in place and document its system for evaluating its overall administrative services and MUST collect, maintain, and analyze the data supportive of this effort. This system MUST include, but not be limited to:

governance and organizational structure; budget planning and control; facilities adequacy, maintenance, and services; safety and security; and alumni affairs.

2.4 Institutional Research

An institutional research unit traditionally has gathered, analyzed, and disseminated to an institution’s constituents and publics data that represent the success of the institution in fulfilling its purpose. That role has grown now to encompass assurance of assessment and evaluation in support of continuous improvement throughout the institution and its programs.

To fulfill this expanded role, the institution MUST: develop institutional research as an effective arm for assuring

the collection and analysis of data and the dissemination of results for continuously improving, effective operation of the institution;

incorporate institutional research as an integral part of the institution’s planning and evaluation process;

assign administrative responsibility for conducting institutional research;

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allocate adequate resources and allow access to relevant information;

incorporate into institutional research the following activities: ongoing timely data collection; analysis for and dissemination of results; use of external studies and reports; design and implementation of internal studies, including

studies related to students, personnel, facilities, equipment, programs, services, and fiscal resources; and

development of longitudinal databases suitable for statistical analysis for longitudinal effectiveness studies;

provide institutional data to individual programs and units on a timely basis needed for the assessment of their respected units;

provide annually a "Fact Book" or similar compendium of institutional and program effectiveness data and data related to students, faculty, student services, and administrative functions; and

report data on the students, faculty, instruction, support services, administration, finances, continuous improvement results (consequent to assessments, evaluations, and changes), and other aspects of the institution to the Commission on a continuing basis, of a type, in a format and in accord with a schedule established by the Commission.

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SECTION 3Educational Program

This section requires the institution to focus its resources and energies on the education of its students consistent with its purpose. The institution is to demonstrate attention to curricular consistencies, pedagogical competence, student accomplishment, intellectual inquisitiveness, personal and professional development, ethical consciousness, appropriate methods of instruction, faculty involvement and support, and an environment conducive to learning. The institution is obligated to prepare its students to function in an increasingly diverse, complex, and global society by imparting to them a mastery of a body of knowledge and technical skills and by providing opportunities for them to develop communication skills appropriate to that society.

As a result, it is incumbent upon an institution’s faculty and administrative officers to be actively engaged in a regular and systematic process of review, assessment and revision of each component of its instructional programs. The outcome of this effort is to ensure that the programs of study consistently meet the highest standards of excellence possible and are equivalent – irrespective of the instructional delivery approach being used, be it face-to-face, at a distance or a combination thereof – in terms of meeting internationally recognized standards for academic rigor, quality, and effective pedagogical practices and for the quality of the educational support services, instructional facilities, media, and technology under which the program of study operates and is routinely delivered to students.

An educational institution is ultimately defined by the quality of its teaching and learning environment. This quality is expressed through effective strategic planning and measurable through discreet components of the educational program, to include:

academic rigor (intellectual standards, faculty preparation, learner readiness);

models of delivery (traditional face-to-face, at a distance using new information media and electronic technologies, or blended/hybrid use of both print and electronic media, combining technology and face-to-face instruction); and

institutional infrastructures including faculty development, student support, information tools and resources, facilities, and staff.

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A defined accountability process that must include reflective evaluation (portfolio-driven assessment grounded in quantitative and qualitative measures) is essential to achieving and ensuring quality.

Regardless of delivery model, the essence of all instruction is linked to standards of excellence in the process of curriculum design and development and the appropriate integration of pedagogical best practices for instruction. This process includes careful and deliberate attention to:

developing an in-depth understanding of and integrating the characteristics of different learning styles into the curriculum and instructional design efforts;

making allowances for the unique features of the instructional delivery system and instructional media that will come into play with the teaching-learning process; and

being mindful of the currency and accuracy of the instructional content selected for delivery.

For those courses delivered through distance learning, it is particularly important to tailor the distance education delivery system to the day-to-day operating conditions under which students will access and work with the instructional materials and media and the educational process will take place.

3.1 Program Objectives Of paramount importance to the area of curriculum and instruction is assuring a level of quality in the instructional program commensurate with the Standards.

The institution MUST ensure that: each of its undergraduate and/or programs has well-articulated

goals and objectives; each objective is logically derived from a given goal of the

program; program objectives are defined in measurable terms; all curricula are directly related and appropriate to:

the purpose and goals of the operative educational context and the certificates or degrees awarded;

the ability and preparation of the students admitted to the study programs; and

the financial, human, and instructional resources of the educational institution; and

all program goals and objectives are accurately described in appropriate publications.

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3.2 Undergraduate Program

3.2.1 Undergraduate Admission

General admission policies and decisions regarding the size and character of the student body MUST be established by the governing entity on recommendation of the administration. However, the administration and the faculty MUST implement the specific admission policies. The unit responsible for administering the policies MUST be clearly identified. In those institutions where various sub-divisions maintain separate admission requirements, there MUST be institution-wide coordination of all admission policies and procedures.

Admission policies MUST: be clearly defined and published for dissemination; be consistent with the educational purpose of the institution and

program goals; include qualitative and quantitative requirements; admit only applicants who have graduated with a U.A.E Secondary

School Certificate, or its equivalent, and who meet the minimum admission requirements set in the Ministerial Decrees No. 200/year 2004 and No. 133/year 2005, in addition to other admission requirements for each academic program set by the institution to ensure that it admits only students with a record which predicts the applicant’s ability to make satisfactory progress at the institution;

for programs using English as medium of instruction, require as part of the admission requirements a proficiency level of English language using a minimum TOFEL score of 500 or its equivalent of standardized English language test;

specify criteria, including high school grades, for admission into a program that require higher proficiency in mathematics and/or sciences;

include criteria regarding the amount of credit given for advanced standing;

include conditions governing provisional or probationary admission, when appropriate;

be followed consistently in the admission of all students; include safeguards whereby the institution admits only students

whose interests and capabilities are consistent with the purpose of the institution and the program goals;

clearly define for publication and dissemination transfer requirements listed below, while ensuring that they apply to students transferring from any institution in the U.A.E that is either a federal institution or licensed by the Ministry of Education as an institution of higher learning, or that is recognized foreign institution of higher learning:

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acceptance of students only from recognized institutions and programs;

other specific requirements as may be appropriate to ensure success in the program;

submission of official transcripts of credits earned; criteria or transfer articulation agreement, when appropriate; acceptance of transfer credit for those courses only that match

in content the courses at the institution admitting the student; requirement that the student be in good academic standing—

i.e., have a minimum cumulative grade point average, normally, of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent, for transfer to a similar program of study from that from which the student in transferring (if the student is not in good standing, he may be accepted in a probationary status to a different field of study, provided that only general education courses are accepted for transfer);

a minimum cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or a grade of “C”, or equivalent, for each course to be transferred;

a limit of total transferable credit hours of less than 50% of the total hours required for the program completion requirements; and

exclusion of duplicate credit for a given course; and ensure that all incoming students including transfer and re-

admitted students, prior to their enrollment, are informed in writing of the credits earned from previous work and the course work to be completed in order to graduate;

if distance learning programs are offered by the institution, provide criteria and processes for assessing student capability to succeed in those programs and apply this information to admission and recruitment policies and decisions; and

be evaluated and assessed regularly.

The institution MUST ensure that its recruiting activities, materials, and advertisements accurately and truthfully portray, without creating any doubt about its autonomy, the institution and its licensure status with the Ministry. An institution MUST show evidence that its admission and retention policies and pertinent announcements are not compromised to maintain or achieve a desired enrollment.

An institution MUST not award credit through experiential learning or training provided by non-collegiate institutions or professional certification.

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3.2.2 Undergraduate Completion / Graduation Requirements

An institution MUST: be a U.A.E. licensed institution that has primary responsibility for

awarding the degree recognized in the U.A.E. and for the integrity, rigor, outcome, and management of the academic program while ensuring compliance with the Commission’s requirements;

in each degree program provide an appropriate sequence of courses leading to the degree;

ensure that the total credit hours required for the degree completion is consistent with the international practice in the discipline;

publish, for each of its programs, requirements appropriate to the program specifying the total credits, the number and distribution of credits in general education courses, major or area of concentration, and electives;

publish standards for satisfactory progress such as a minimum cumulative GPA, minimum and maximum period allowed, and other pertinent degree requirements;

provide policies governing probation and suspension of students who are unable to demonstrate satisfactory progress;

provide a basic core of general education as specified in section 3.2.3.2;

demonstrate that, in accordance with the institutional purpose and program goals, its graduates of all degree programs have attained effective skills in reading and writing English, in oral communication in English, in mathematics, and in the use of computers;

clearly define what is meant by a major, minor, or area of concentration and state the number of credits required for each, including an adequate number of hours with appropriate prerequisites required in courses above the elementary level;

ensure that a minimum of 50 percent of the credit hours, including the majority of the final academic year course credit for the program, is earned through instruction by the institution located in the U.A.E. offering the program;

require minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) on a 4.0 points scale, or its equivalent; and

ensure that each of its courses, except those clearly identified by the institution as remedial, is applicable as a requirement or elective in at least one of its degree or certificate programs.

3.2.3 Undergraduate Curriculum and Instruction

The institution MUST: prior to the development of any new degree program or

specialization, complete a full scale needs assessment and identify

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resource requirements of support and proceed only after careful review by appropriate faculty and administrative bodies, approval by the governing entity, and attainment of Initial Accreditation from the Ministry;

prior to the introduction of a minor ensure that the institution has a major or a degree program in the subject area of the minor;

ensure that each program curriculum is directly related to and appropriate to institutional purpose and program goals and is applicable of the curriculum in the contemporary world;

ensure that courses of study forming the program and the instructional design elements used in the course materials provide for timely and appropriate faculty-student and student-student interaction that facilitates effective learning;

ensure that instructional media, techniques and policies operate in accordance with the stated purpose of the educational programs and be appropriate to the specific goals and objectives of the individual instructional courses forming the programs;

have a clearly defined process by which each curriculum is established, regularly reviewed, evaluated, and updated as part of a systematic process which recognizes the various roles of the faculty, the administration, and the governing entity;

use regular evaluations of all courses, instructional pedagogy, and the feedback and results obtained from the assessment process effectively in revising the curriculum to ensure quality and excellence in both the curriculum and instructional pedagogy;

provide a frequent, systematic evaluation of instruction, revising – where appropriate – the instructional process based on the results of this evaluation;

evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction of each course through student surveys and other means;

ensure that each curriculum of applied oriented programs provides adequate practical or practicum/internship experience;

assign for each major or concentration responsibility for program coordination, curriculum development, and review to a specific person who is employed full-time and is fully academically qualified;

clearly and accurately describe its curricular offerings in published materials;

ensure that each student enrolled in a course receives a syllabus on the first day of the class that includes the following:

goals and objectives/outcomes of the course; course topics and contents distributed over a semester weeks; credit hours, specifying lecture and practical hours, as

appropriate; pre-requisite(s) or co-requisite(s), as appropriate; methods for monitoring and authenticating student work,

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interactions, and examinations in distance learning; instructional materials and resources including required

textbook, additional readings, software, websites, laboratory experiences, and field trips; and

methods of evaluation including proportional distribution of marks assigned to tests, projects, practical work, reports, term papers, and other graded assignments;

provide methods of monitoring students’ active participation in the learning process and of their taking of examinations to ensure the authenticity of their work, including on-site proctored examinations for distance learning students;

ensure the instructional tools, technology, and media being used for the delivery of the curriculum are current and appropriate to the nature and objectives of the instructional programs;

ensure a reasonable infusion of information technology into the curricula;

ensure that methods of instruction including information technology and other resources used are appropriate to the goals, objectives, nature, and contents of each course;

adequately support and critically evaluate all experimentation in teaching to improve instruction;

use a variety of means to evaluate student performance, the evaluation to reflect concern for quality and to properly discern levels of student performance;

publish its grading policies, including grading scales, and ensure that its grading practices are consistent with its policies;

ensure the opportunity, in all courses offered in concentrated or abbreviated time periods, for preparation, reflection, and analysis concerning the subject matter by providing at least one calendar week of reflection and analysis for each hour of credit awarded and demonstrate that students completing such courses have acquired equivalent levels of knowledge and competencies to those acquired in traditional formats;

exert ultimate control and supervision of all learning experiences including those conducted with outside agencies and for which credit is awarded;

demonstrate that program length, clock hours or credit hours, and tuition and fee charges are appropriate for the curricula and the degrees and credentials offered;

publish, and disseminate in appropriate publications its regulations and procedures whereby the student is given the opportunity to appeal for hearing his/her grievance regarding any matter dealing with instruction; and

publish and disseminate in appropriate publications its regulations and procedures regarding the student’s re-sitting an examination; and

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provide specific guidelines for independent study, if offered, that ensures: adequate supervision and control; content and assessment that is comparable to regular courses; a limit of a maximum of nine semester hours during the entire

span of a baccalaureate program and six semester hours for other undergraduate programs;

a limit of three semester hours during a semester; and that such instruction occurs only during the later half of the

program.

3.2.3.1 Remedial Programs/Courses

Remedial programs or courses are those that are designed to treat certain deficiencies in a student's competencies that need to be addressed before the student is qualified for study for academic credit at the post-secondary level. An institution MUST not award credits for any remedial courses or credits. An institution may design placement tests to identify a student’s competencies in these areas. The institution MUST ensure that such placement tests are evaluated regularly against standardized tests that are recognized internationally. The institution MUST maintain accurate records of students' performance on placement tests and students' enrollment in and performance in remedial programs or courses. The institution MUST evaluate regularly the effectiveness of its remedial program or courses.

3.2.3.2 Core General Education Requirements

Each institution MUST develop a general education program consisting of core general education courses. The institution MUST:

describe the general education program and its requirements in its Catalog and other appropriate publications;

have clearly defined outcomes of the program and describe these in its Catalog and other appropriate publications;

have in place a system to evaluate regularly the general education program and the courses that comprise it and make improvements as may be required;

provide an orientation to the program for faculty who teach courses in the program;

include within the undergraduate academic degree program a minimum of

30% of the total hours in the certificate, diploma, associate degree, or higher diploma program, or

30 hours of the total semester hours required in the baccalaureate program;

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include within the undergraduate degree programs of two or more academic years the following three-credit courses:

one or more courses in Islamic studies, history, or culture; one or more courses in humanities or arts; one or more courses in English or Arabic or other languages; one or more courses in social or behavioral sciences; one or more courses in natural or physical sciences; and one or more courses in mathematics, information technology, or

both.

Exceptions to the immediately preceding bullets may be granted to exclusively technical or occupational programs.

3.2.3.3 Practicum/Internship

Long accepted for its intrinsic educational value in disciplines such as medicine and other health sciences, engineering, and education, the practicum/internship is recognized in most academic disciplines as a vital learning experience, enriching the undergraduate curriculum and bridging program theory and its application in the work force, consistent with the program objectives. Adequate practicum or internship opportunity MUST be offered as an effective tool of instruction in such applied oriented programs.

In providing the practicum/internship, the institution MUST: develop, publish, and disseminate to all involved with the

practicum/internship specific guidelines stated in an Internship Manual indicating:

the objectives, the learning experiences, and the expected outcomes to be derived;

the responsibilities of the training supervisor, if appropriate, in supervising and evaluating the student; the amount of academic credit hours to be earned, if applicable;

whether the practicum/internship is a curriculum requirement; when in the student’s curriculum the practicum/internship should

be taken; the total number of hours required; the method by which the student is evaluated; and the process of site selection;

keep on file the justification for the total hours required; for the number of credit hours granted, if applicable; and for its being a requirement in the curriculum, if applicable;

ensure that the practicum/internship is supervised by faculty responsible for the program to which the practicum/internship applies;

document, keep current, and have on file the official agreement with

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each training site, defining the responsibilities and obligations of both the institution and the training site;

assume full responsibility for the appropriateness of the training site and the educational quality of its environment;

interweave the training experience of the practicum/internship with the theory taught in the program;

and regularly evaluate the practicum/internship program, using the results to improve that program and, where appropriate, the total academic program to which the practicum/internship applies.

3.2.4 Undergraduate Academic Advising

Each institution is required to have a systematic, effective program of undergraduate advising. Such a program MUST:

assign early in the student’s program a qualified advisor to recognize the individuality and the particular needs and goals of each student;

provide advisors who are proficient in using data to help determine students’ major fields of interest and academic capabilities, who have access to each advisee’s records, who have adequate knowledge of the student’s field of study, who remain current with the changes taking place in the student's area of study, and who have appropriate background, training, and experience to carry out their responsibilities effectively;

ensure that the number of advisees assigned to faculty or professional staff is reasonable;

include an effective orientation program available to all students; provide appropriate plan guiding students to complete the program

in a timely manner; and be evaluated regularly and the results used to enhance assistance to

students.

3.3 Graduate Program

Prior to introducing one or more graduate programs, an institution MUST develop comprehensive academic policies and procedures that concern its graduate programs.

The institution MUST: before embarking on any new graduate curriculum, demonstrate that

it has conducted a thorough assessment of program needs, student availability, environmental factors, and resource requirements, and has determined the financial implications for the institution;

before offering any new graduate program, obtain the Initial Accreditation from the Commission in advance of the admission of students;

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ensure that the administration and faculty are responsible for the development of new academic programs to be recommended to the governing entity;

demonstrate that each of its graduate programs has curricula and resources substantially beyond those provided for each undergraduate program;

include in its graduate studies, and support through adequate resources, research, scholarly activity, and advanced professional training; and

provide competent and productive faculty who have adequate research experience, adequate computer and laboratory facilities, a library adequate to support graduate research of faculty and students, and an appropriate administrative organization.

3.3.1 Graduate Admission

An institution MUST: establish qualitative and quantitative requirements which result in

the admission of students whose educational preparation indicates the potential for a high level of performance, based on performance in undergraduate degree programs and other indicators of ability and aptitude;

require that the applicant has earned an appropriate recognized baccalaureate degree and submit, as part of the formal application process, official undergraduate transcripts of credit earned from all institutions of higher education previously attended and other appropriate documents pertaining to the readiness of an applicant for graduate work;

publish all admission criteria for graduate work; clearly define for publication and dissemination transfer

requirements listed below, while ensuring that they apply to students transferring from any institution in the U.A.E that is either a federal institution or licensed by the Ministry of Education as an institution of higher learning, or that is recognized foreign institution of higher learning: specific requirements that ensure success in the program acceptance of students only from recognized institutions and

programs; submission of official transcripts of credits earned; accept for transfer toward a graduate degree only graduate

course work relevant to the degree, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies equivalent to those of students enrolled in the institution’s graduate programs;

acceptance of students who are in good academic standing only; i.e., who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalence;

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a minimum grade of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent, (“B” or its equivalent) for each course to be transferred;

a limit of total transferable credit hours to less than 50% of the total credit hours required for the program completion requirements;

exclusion of duplicate credits for a given course; and ensure that all incoming students including transfer and re-

admitted students are informed, prior to their enrollment, of the credits earned for previous work and the course work to be completed in order to graduate;

require for students entering a doctoral degree program completion of a Master degree in an appropriate discipline with a CGPA (cumulative grade point average) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale;

not award credit for experiential learning; formulate separate admission criteria for each level of graduate

degree offered (graduate certificate, diploma, masters, doctoral); if distance learning programs are offered by the institution, provide

criteria and processes for assessing student capability to succeed in those programs and apply this information in admission and recruitment policies and decisions;

develop and publish policies which clearly define probationary or conditional admission, if any, including the requirements for being removed from that status and the time limits for how long a student may remain in that status;

establish admission criteria policies and procedures with representation by faculty responsible for instruction in the given program;

publish both the general criteria for admission and any special admission criteria for individual programs; and

regularly evaluate its admission policies.

3.3.2 Graduate Completion Requirements

The institution MUST: provide policies governing probation and suspension of students

who are unable to demonstrate satisfactory progress; be the institution that has primary responsibility for awarding the

degree recognized in the U.A.E. and for the integrity, rigor, outcome, and management of the academic program while ensuring compliance with the Commission’s requirements;

ensure that the total credit hours required for the degree completion is consistent with the international practice in the discipline; and

in each degree program provide an appropriate sequence of courses leading to the degree.

Graduate completion requirements MUST:

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be formulated by the faculty teaching in the program and approved by an appropriate body representing the institution;

for a master or postgraduate diploma program include a substantial proportion of taught course work;

for a doctoral program include at least one year of taught course work;

include the following: residency requirements; thesis requirements, as appropriate; minimum number of hours required for a degree; minimum and maximum time for degree completion; minimum “B” cumulative grade point average, or equivalent (a

3.0 on a 4 point scale, or equivalent); satisfactory academic progress standards; and the type of qualifying and exit examinations the student must

pass; be appropriate to the degree and program being offered; be published in the official catalog and distributed to all incoming

graduate students, with any special completion requirements of individual academic units; and

ensure for transfer students that a minimum of 50 percent of the credit hours are earned through instruction at the U.A.E. institution offering the program, including the major components of the program such as the thesis.

3.3.3 Graduate Curriculum and Instruction

The institution MUST demonstrate that its curriculum of a given graduate program is distinctive from and substantially superior to the curriculum of undergraduate program in the same field.

The curriculum of a graduate program MUST demonstrate that it: is at a level of complexity that significantly extends the knowledge

and intellectual maturity of the student; requires its students to analyze, explore, question, reconsider, and

synthesize old and new knowledge and skills; affords the depth of education, the specialized skills, and the sense

of creative independence allowing the graduate to achieve the outcomes anticipated in the program’s goals and objectives and to practice and contribute to a professional or scholarship field;

has significant research component, appropriate to the program goals and objectives and design;

does not permit combined instruction of graduate and undergraduate students;

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is carefully planned and directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of the institution and the goals and objectives of the degree program (see Section 3.1);

ensures that courses and course materials provide for timely and appropriate faculty-student and student-student interaction that facilitates effective learning;

utilizes instructional media, techniques, and policies that are in accordance with the stated purpose of the educational programs and that are appropriate to the specific goals and objectives of the individual instructional courses forming the programs; and

distinguishes significantly in rigor and student expectations between a course of study leading to a master’s or high diploma degree (or equivalent) and a course of study leading to the doctorate.

The institution MUST: use regular evaluations of all courses, instructional pedagogy, and

the feedback and results obtained from the assessment process effectively in revising the curriculum to ensure quality and excellence in both the curriculum and instructional pedagogy;

have a clearly defined process by which the curriculum is established, regularly reviewed, evaluated, and revised as part of a systematic process which recognizes the various roles of the faculty, the administration, and the governing entity;

provide a frequent, systematic evaluation of graduate instruction, revising – where appropriate – the instructional process based on the results of this evaluation;

evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction of each course through student surveys and other means;

ensure full control of its curricula, including curricular design and development, course content, course evaluation, student interaction and student evaluation;

clearly and accurately describe its curricular offerings in published materials;

provide graduate faculty members who are productive, creative research scholars and who are available to their students;

ensure an environment which supports and encourages research, scholarly interaction and accessibility among faculty and students consistent with the qualitative intent of the Standards;

provide instructional methods and delivery systems to allow students to achieve the stated objectives of a course or curriculum;

ensure that its instructional methods utilize appropriate information technology and other resources;

adequately support and critically evaluate experimentation in teaching methods to improve instruction;

ensure that each student enrolled in a course receives a syllabus on

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the first day of the class that includes the following: goals and objectives of the course; course topics and contents; credit hours, specifying lecture and practical hours, as

appropriate; pre-requisite(s), as appropriate; methods by which instruction will be delivered and, if

instruction is delivered via technological means, the kind of technology and type and level of technological skills required of the student;

instructional material and resources including required textbooks, additional readings, software, laboratory experiences, and websites; and

methods of evaluation including proportional distribution of marks assigned to tests, projects, practical work, reports, term papers, and other graded assignments;

publish grading policies including grading scales, ensuring that its grading practices are consistent with its policies;

provide the instructional tools, technology and media being used for the delivery of the curriculum are current and appropriate to the nature and objectives of the instructional programs;

ensure the opportunity, in all courses offered in concentrated or abbreviated time, for preparation, reflection, and analysis concerning the subject matter by providing one calendar week of reflection and analysis for each hour of credit awarded and demonstrating that students completing such courses have equivalent levels of knowledge and competencies to those acquired in traditional formats;

ensure a system for assigning students to their advisors or directors, for appointing their graduate committees, and for monitoring their academic progress;

provide methods for monitoring and authenticating student work, interactions, and examinations in distance learning, including on-site proctored examinations;

establish and publish regulations and procedures whereby the student is given the opportunity to appeal for hearing his/her grievance regarding any matter dealing with instruction;

provide appropriate publications pertaining to its regulations and procedures whereby the student is given the opportunity to re-sit an examination;

provide policies and guidelines concerning supervision and examination of thesis;

provide specific guidelines for independent study, if offered, that ensures: adequate supervision and control; content and assessment that is comparable to regular courses;

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a limit of a maximum of six semester hours, or equivalent, during the entire span of the graduate program, not including the thesis or research project; and

ensure that such instruction occurs only during the later half of the program.

3.3.4 Distinction in Graduate Levels

A program leading to a master’s or high diploma degree (or equivalent) MUST be the equivalent of at least one year of full time graduate study and provide:

an understanding of research and the way research is conducted; an understanding of the discipline—its subject matter, literature,

theory, and knowledge; an association with resident faculty sufficient top permit their

individual evaluation of the candidate’s capabilities; a demonstrated means of certifying the knowledge and skills which

the candidate has acquired; a demonstrated effective relationship between curricular content

and current practice in the field of specialization; and -in the case of a non-research oriented professional master’s

degree, a demonstrated understanding of accepted practices in the field.

The institution MUST demonstrate that program length, credit hours, and tuition and fees are appropriate for the master’s and high diploma degrees (or equivalent) and any other credentials it offers.

A program leading to the doctoral degree MUST: provide for substantial mastery of the subject matter, theory,

literature, research, and methodology of a significant part of the field, including language, statistical, or other skills necessary to its pursuit;

provide for independent research as evidenced by a doctoral thesis; include a substantial period of residence to provide the student

access to a wide range of support facilities including a research library; and well equipped laboratories for research in the discipline;

include at least one year of taught course work; provide significant faculty/student interaction, opportunities for

exposure to and engagement with cognate disciplines and their research scholars, and significant peer interaction among graduate students;

provide the opportunity for a mentoring-apprentice relationship between faculty and students as well as adequate time for in-depth faculty evaluation of students;

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demonstrate that program length, credit hours, and tuition and fees are appropriate for its doctoral degree;

conduct frequent, systematic evaluations of graduate curricula and program requirements; and

integrate research with instruction.

For appropriate professional doctoral programs, a project may be substituted for the research thesis. In such cases, the institution MUST:

demonstrate a substantial level of competency appropriate to a doctoral degree and

demonstrate a clear relationship between curricular content and current practices in the field of specialization.

3.3.5 Graduate Academic Advising

The institution is expected to conduct a systematic, effective program of graduate academic advising. Such a program MUST:

assign early in the student’s program a qualified advisor to recognize the individuality and the particular needs and goals of each student;

provide advisors who are proficient in using data to help determine students’ major fields of interest and academic capabilities, who have access to each advisee’s records, who are well familiar with the students’ fields of study, and who have appropriate background, training and experience to carry out their responsibilities effectively;

ensure that the number of advisees assigned to faculty or professional staff is reasonable;

include an effective orientation program available to all students; and

be evaluated regularly and the results used to enhance assistance to students.

3.4 Publications and Announcements

The institution MUST ensure that its announcements and publications accurately and truthfully portray, without creating any doubt about its autonomy, the institution and its licensure and accreditation status with the Ministry and depict only those programs that are either recognized by the Ministry or have been granted written permission from the Ministry to be announced.

The institution MUST: produce and distribute publications and announcements which, in

content and design, accurately, truthfully, and consistently describe the institution—its by-laws, regulations, policies, and practices—as

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well as the actual programs that it currently offers and the status of the licensure and accreditation of its programs by the Commission;

publish its current catalog, faculty handbook/manual, and student handbook/manual;

make available its publications to the appropriate users; include in its current catalog the following information:

institution’s purpose and goals; complete admission criteria; academic calendar; organizational structure of the institution with appropriate titles

or names of its units and offices; degree programs that are recognized by the Ministry and that

are offered, along with their curricula and course description; degree completion/graduation requirements; regulations governing academic standing and progress; student academic advising; tuition and other fees and their related policies; refund policies; a roster of full-time faculty, listing their ranks, all their earned

degrees, institutions from which their degrees were earned, and the years they earned their degrees;

methods used for instruction; methods for assessing student participation in the learning

process; educational support services available; and other items pertinent to attending the institution or withdrawing

from it; include in its student handbook/manual the following information:

an institutional guide to student behavior; statement on students rights and responsibilities; disciplinary policies; appeals process for airing student grievances; student counseling services; student career planning services; student support services including transportation, dormitories,

food services, sport facilities, social activities, and entertainment;

policies governing student associations, alumni associations, and publications;

spiritual facilities; student health services; and financial aid; and

include in its faculty handbook/manual the following information: policies governing faculty recruitment and appointment; definition of academic ranks and the minimum qualifications

required for rank;

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faculty roles, rights, and responsibilities; policies and procedures pertinent to faculty promotion; salary ranges for each academic rank and criteria for salary

increases; professional development policies providing guidance and

adequate resources; policies governing teaching loads; processes for faculty evaluation; definition, role, responsibilities, rights, and teaching load of

part-time faculty; policies on intellectual property rights; disciplinary procedures and appeals; grievance procedures; key provision of faculty contract including probation period,

terms of contract; various benefits and allowances, and terms of renewal and

termination; procedures of contract renewal; and grounds and procedure for contract termination.

3.5 Distance Learning

Those institutions that engage in both distance education and traditional education MUST comply with the requirements of the current edition of the Standard for Licensure and Accreditation for its traditional program and the current edition of the e-Learning/Distance Learning Standards of Licensure and Accreditation for its distance education courses and programs.

Distance learning involves teaching and learning that takes place with the student and instructor physically separate from one another but interacting primarily through the use of telecommunications, digital, or other electronic communication technologies. Assuring a level of quality commensurate both with the standards of the institution and those prescribed by the Commission is of paramount importance to the area of curriculum and instruction, as applied to distance learning delivery media, methods and approaches. As such, the instructional program, the courses of study that form the program, and the instructional design elements used in the course materials MUST provide for timely and appropriate faculty-student and student-student interaction that facilitates effective learning. To this end, faculty engaged in the delivery of distance learning programs MUST assume responsibility for and exercise oversight of the curriculum and instruction, ensuring both the rigor of the programs and the quality of instruction. The outcome of this effort, uppermost, is designed to ensure that the programs of study meet the highest standards of excellence in terms of meeting the varied internationally recognized expectations for

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academic rigor, quality, best pedagogical practices and educational program support services important to the long-term success of the students being served via these new instructional delivery modalities.

Should an institution, therefore, become engaged in distance learning delivery, it MUST:

be fully responsible for the courses and programs offered, the faculty who teach them, the support services provided for them, and their assessment and evaluation;

formulate clear and explicit goals for its distance learning programs;

demonstrate that its distance learning programs are consistent with the institution’s stated purpose;

ensure that its faculty in residence are fully aware of course content and delivery of those courses offered by distance learning;

demonstrate that its distance learning programs comply with all applicable Standards requirements;

develop distance education policies concerning ownership of materials, faculty compensation and workload, copyright issues, and the utilization of revenue derived from the creation and production of software, courses or other media products;

have methods by which institutions ensure consistently high quality in content, pedagogy, and educational experiences in cases in which a course is offered both by distance learning and traditional delivery;

have in place methods that ensure monitoring and authenticating of student work, interactions, and examinations, including on-site proctored examinations for distance learning students;

provide appropriate training for faculty who teach in the distance education programs in the best practices of pedagogy and facilitate the technological proficiency essential for them to work effectively with the course/program instructional delivery media; and

provide appropriate support and training for students to develop proficiencies with the technology that are essential for their active participation in the learning process;

provide guidance to students in their selection of courses appropriate to their preparation, including their mastery of the technology required to complete course requirements satisfactorily; and

ensure security and confidentiality of all assessments of all students' performance in a course.

3.6 Continuing, Professional, Outreach, and Service Programs

The changing nature of the workplace environment driven by such external factors as the information and knowledge-base explosion places

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special requirements on individuals to remain current in some form of both formal and non-formal life-long learning and a continuing education program designed to periodically upgrade and assist them to remain current in their knowledge base, skills and abilities, or what international educational experts are calling “life journey” workplace competencies. As a result, most institutions of higher education have incorporated into their mission and purpose a continuing and professional education role, which also is referenced as extension and public service instruction to provide for life-long learning opportunities that as a rule do not carry requirements or expectations for the award of academic credit, titles or degrees. Rather, the successful completion of the study program or modularized courses of instruction are focused on the acquisition of pre-established threshold levels of proficiency or demonstrable technical competencies, skills or abilities. These opportunities are often referred to as continuing or extension education, professional development, outreach, or public and community service programs. Such programs may be credit or non-credit bearing, may be offered both in campus and off-campus, and more often than not may also include the integration a variety of instructional delivery systems that include technology-based distance education components. Given the growing importance of these types of instructional programs in the socio-economic evolution of communities and individual lives, it is the Commission’s policy to provide guidance and oversight important to the development, implementation and expected outcomes of these efforts to provide a level of qualitative standards important to both the providers and consumers of these educational program services.

To these ends, continuing and professional education, outreach, and service programs of this nature that are linked to lifelong learning expectations MUST have clearly defined goals and objectives, which MUST be clearly related to the purpose of the institution and the students being served.

Furthermore, an institution of higher education, either alone or as part of a partnership or consortium, which seeks to offer a continuing education, outreach, or service program of one academic year or more leading to an academic or professional degree, either in an on-campus or off-campus setting, or integrating a combination of face-to-face and print or electronic communication media with a distance learning component, MUST consult with the Commission about its initial plan and obtain the Commission’s written permission to submit its application for Accreditation-Eligible classification. It is further incumbent upon an institution engaged in continuing and professional development programs to be actively engaged in a regular and systematic process of review, assessment, and revision of each of its instructional programs to ensure that these programs of study consistently meet the highest standards of excellence for student learning success.

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All continuing and professional development, outreach, and service programs offered for some form of certification or academic credit MUST also comply with the requirements of the these Standards in their totality.

All such credit-bearing programs MUST be reviewed and approved by the Commission, prior to announcing and implementing the program, and MUST on a periodic and regular basis be evaluated and the results thereof be used to revise and improve the instructional program as appropriate, as detailed in other sections of the Standards.

And finally, an institution MUST not award academic credit or certification for continuing and professional development, outreach or service educational programs of studies undertaken on a non-credit basis.

3.7 Student Records

The institution MUST have adequate student records for credit courses. Official and original student academic records MUST be maintained and stored in one central office at the institution. Complete back-up files, such as facsimiles, microfilm or electronic data banks, MUST be maintained continually, one set stored in a secure area outside the records office, preferably in a different building or at an off-site location accessible to the designated institution’s personnel. The institution MUST take all steps necessary to ensure the security of its student records, including storage in a secure vault or fireproof cabinet. Since computer generated and stored records present unique security problems, the institution MUST have in place special security measures to protect and back up the data.

The institution MUST have a coherent student record keeping policy that includes statements addressing what constitutes the permanent record of each student, who has access to student records, and who has the right to manage and update student records, as well as statements concerning retention and disposal of records. It MUST establish and publish information-release policies that respect the rights of individual privacy, the confidentiality of records, and the best interests of the student and institution.

3.8 Faculty

The selection, development and retention of a competent faculty attracted from a variety of diverse educational, and cultural backgrounds at all academic levels is of major importance to the educational quality of an institution. The commitment of faculty to institutional purposes determines in large measure the effectiveness of the total educational program. An institution provides evidence that it has employed faculty

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members qualified to accomplish its purpose. Because of the importance of the faculty, during all program and institutional evaluations the Commission will give special attention to all criteria pertaining to faculty.

Irrespective of the teaching environment (traditional or distance learning), institutions are required to demonstrate attention to issues of faculty workload, compensation, ownership of course-related intellectual property, and professional evaluation. The institution MUST provide participating faculty with technical, design, and production support services and ongoing training and professional development programs to ensure proficiency in utilizing and managing a variety of instructional technologies. In addition, the institution MUST provide ongoing training and evaluation programs to ensure faculty effective use of instructional strategies and appropriate technologies to engage interactive student learning.

3.8.1 Selection of Faculty

An institution MUST show that it has an orderly process for advertising for faculty positions and for recruiting and appointing its faculty. This process will normally involve developing a pool of qualified candidates through advertising and proper screening and interviewing those who appear to be best qualified. Institutions are encouraged to recruit and select faculty with terminal degrees earned from a broad representation of institutions. Institutions MUST validate the authenticity of all degrees and other reported credentials before faculty are employed and MUST maintain accurate records of the process used for employing each faculty member and the correspondence and other communication between the faculty member and the institution during the process of filling the faculty position.

An institution MUST employ faculty members who are from a variety of educational and cultural backgrounds and whose highest earned degree presented as the credential qualifying the faculty member to teach in the specialized discipline of the institution is from an internationally known institution broadly respected throughout the academic community.

Institutions MUST ensure that, as appropriate to the purpose of the institution, each faculty member employed is competent in the use of English.

The institution MUST document and justify the academic and professional preparation of all faculty members with respect to the specialized discipline they teach.

The institution MUST define and publish in its faculty handbook and other

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relevant publications the various academic ranks and the minimum qualifications required for appointment in each rank.

3.8.2 Academic and Professional Preparation

For the purpose of applying the Standards, a full-time faculty member is one whose major employment is with the institution that is being considered for licensure or program accreditation, whose primary assignment is in teaching and/or research, and whose employment is based on a contract for full-time employees. A part-time faculty member is one whose major employment is not with the institution and whose teaching load is six hours or less per semester.

Both full-time and part-time faculty MUST meet, for academic and professional preparation, the criteria below. The institution MUST keep on file for all full-time and part-time faculty members documentation of original or officially attested documents of their academic preparation, original signed contracts, copy of their passports, and other documents required by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in the U.A.E. Faculty involved in distance learning MUST have preparation and training directly related to distance learning and its required technologies.

3.8.2.1 Remedial Programs

Faculty members who teach in remedial programs (as defined in Section 3.2.3.2) MUST hold minimally a bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to their teaching assignment and have either teaching experience in a discipline related to their assignment or graduate training in remedial education or in a discipline related to their assignment.

3.8.2.2 Certification, Diploma, and Associate Degree Programs

In any program leading to a certificate or diploma involving one or two academic years of study following secondary school certificate, full time and part time faculty members MUST have completed the minimum of a master’s degree with a major in the discipline in which they teach and MUST have:

at least five years experience teaching in the field of instruction, five years work experience related to the teaching field, or a combination of five years experience in teaching and work related to the field of instruction; or

have completed academic study beyond the master’s degree at a recognized higher education institution equivalent to 18 credit hours in the teaching field; or

hold an internationally recognized professional certification in the teaching field such as Certified Public Accountant.

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In any associate degree program offered in conjunction with a higher diploma of three academic years or a baccalaureate degree program at the same institution, the institution MUST comply with the requirements for faculty credentials under Baccalaureate Degree Programs, section 3.8.2.3.

In any program leading to a higher diploma involving three years of study or more following the secondary school certificate, the full and part time faculty members MUST meet the requirements for Baccalaureate Degree Programs, section 3.8.2.3.

Each full time and part time faculty member teaching credit courses in professional, occupational, and technical areas that are components of certificate or diploma programs and are not claimed to be accepted either for college transfer or in the continuation of students in senior institutions MUST possess appropriate academic preparation or academic preparation coupled with work experience. The minimum academic degree for faculty teaching in these professional, occupational, and technical areas MUST be minimally at the same level at which the faculty member is teaching. The typical combination is a baccalaureate degree with appropriate work experience and, if available, relevant professional certification.

An institution offering the two-year diploma or two-year associate degree MUST ensure that at least one of its faculty members teaching in each degree program area (business, computer science, liberal arts, etc.) holds a terminal degree in his or her teaching field.

3.8.2.3 Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Faculty members teaching certain of the core general education courses may teach these introductory level courses if they do not hold the terminal degree. These courses are:

the first two courses in English, Arabic, or other language and the first course only in:

Islamic studies, history, or culture; humanities or arts; social or behavioral sciences; natural or physical sciences: and mathematics and/or information technology.

However, minimally each full and part time faculty member teaching these courses MUST have completed the master’s degree with a major in the discipline in which he or she teaches and MUST have:

at least five years experience teaching in the field of instruction, five years work experience related to the teaching field, or a combination of five years experience in teaching and work related to the field of instruction; or

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have completed academic study beyond the master’s degree at a recognized higher education institution equivalent to 18 credit hours in the teaching field; or

Faculty members holding such credentials may be appointed at the faculty rank of lecturer, instructor, or adjunct faculty, but MUST not be appointed at professorial rank.

Each full-time and part-time faculty member teaching courses other than at the “remedial” or certain “core general education” courses MUST hold an earned terminal degree in the teaching discipline, unless clearly justified as an exception according to the guidelines that follow. Usually the doctoral degree is considered the terminal degree; however, in some disciplines, a master’s degree is considered terminal. For example, in art, design and design-related disciplines an MFA, Master of Architecture, or other master’s degree that is studio-based may be considered the terminal degree. In social work, the Master of Social Work is considered the terminal degree. A faculty member teaching vocational/technical courses for which a doctoral degree is not offered is exempted from the terminal degree requirement.

In some limited circumstances, an institution may make exceptions to the terminal degree requirement, provided the exceptions are restricted to special cases and are fully justified and reported each term to the Commission for Academic Accreditation. The exceptions MUST be limited to applied disciplines such as business administration for a faculty member who has a master’s degree in the teaching field or a PhD in a related field, and who also has:

extensive senior level experience in the applied field (such as corporate management or senior accountant), or

experience in the applied field coupled with internationally recognized professional association certification (as in medical board certificate or Certified Public Accountant).

The percentage of exceptions based on applied experience MUST not exceed 10% of the full time faculty teaching in the program, unless specifically authorized by the Commission.

The institution MUST ensure that its exceptions to the terminal degree requirement are in fact exceptional cases and that the faculty member is especially qualified to meet the needs of the program and the course that he or she is teaching. The institution MUST report to the Commission for Academic Accreditation at the beginning of each semester or term the faculty members who are scheduled to teach that term and who are exceptions to the terminal degree requirement. This report MUST include the faculty member’s name, highest degree, institution from which the

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highest degree was earned, area of specialization, category of exception from those listed above, justification for the exception, and a brief description of the courses he or she is scheduled to teach.

Institutions wishing to involve in their programs other practitioners who may not hold the terminal degree and who do not qualify as exceptions may do so, provided these persons serve as guest speakers on an occasional basis and do not serve as course instructors.

3.8.2.4 Graduate Degree Programs

The institution MUST: appoint faculty to teach in graduate programs who have

exceptionally strong preparation and experience; ensure that faculty have a strong record of research and scholarly

activity or, in the case of newly appointed faculty, excellent potential for research and scholarly activity;

ensure for applied disciplines that faculty have significant professional experience as practitioners in the discipline and/or a strong record of research or scholarly activity related to the discipline;

clearly define and publicize eligibility requirements for faculty members teaching graduate courses, including those supervising theses;

have adequate resources and research facilities to attract and retain qualified faculty;

employ qualified faculty members responsible for the direction of research and independent study;

employ for teaching any graduate course only faculty members who hold the terminal degree in the teaching discipline;

ensure that each graduate degree program at the diploma or master level employs a significant number of faculty at the rank of associate professor or professor; and

develop mechanisms whereby all policies and regulations affecting graduate curricula, as well as requirements affecting graduate certification and degrees, are formulated by the graduate faculty or a representative group of the graduate faculty.

3.8.2.5 Distance Learning Courses

Those institutions that engage in both distance education and traditional education MUST comply with the faculty related requirements of the current edition of the Standards for Licensure and Accreditation for its traditional program and the current edition of the e-Learning/Distance Learning Standards of Licensure and Accreditation for its distance education courses and programs. Institutions offering courses for credit

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through distance learning programs MUST: develop policies and agreements specifically addressing faculty

workload, compensation, program or course-related intellectual property ownership, and professional evaluation in accordance with institutional processes customarily used to address comparable issues;

provide appropriate and adequate support services and staff to faculty responsible for preparing distance learning courses or programs;

have qualified instructional designers involved in distance learning course and program design, development and evaluation to ensure incorporation of appropriate and effective pedagogy for the information technologies employed;

ensure faculty involved in distance learning have preparation and training directly related to distance learning and its required technologies;

provide faculty with appropriate and adequate ongoing training and professional development programs to ensure proficiency in utilizing and managing course technologies and incorporation of appropriate and effective pedagogy for the information technologies employed;

provide faculty with appropriate hardware and software and ensure reliable connectivity from office, home or elsewhere to support instruction;

ensure faculty engage students through access to structured, interactive communications; and

evaluate the effectiveness of faculty in using instructional strategies, pedagogical practices, and technologies that facilitate appropriate levels of interactivity for student learning success.

3.8.3 Part-Time Faculty

The institution MUST: employ in each of its curricula a minimum of 75 percent full-time

fully qualified faculty; limit the number of part-time faculty members (as defined in

Section 3.8.2) to ensure that the institution employs the number of full-time faculty members adequate to provide effective teaching, advising, and scholarly activity; and to participate in curriculum development, policy-making, and institutional planning;

limit the teaching load of part-time faculty to the maximum of six hours per week;

ensure part-time faculty are subject to the same requirements for professional, experiential, and scholarly preparation as full-time counterparts;

ensure that the part-time faculty are granted professional privileges

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and compensation that are adequate and parallel to those awarded to full-time faculty;

establish and publish comprehensive policies concerning the employment of part-time faculty;

provide for appropriate orientation, supervision, and evaluation of all part-time faculty members; and

state clearly and publicize procedures to ensure student access to part-time faculty.

3.8.4 Graduate Teaching Assistants

An institution MUST not use graduate assistants who fail to meet academic and professional preparation as outlined in Section 3.8.2 to conduct classroom or laboratory instruction. The institution may assign graduate assistants to be engaged in activities such as assisting in course/laboratory preparation. If graduate students are so assigned, the institution MUST provide a published set of guidelines for institution-wide graduate assistantship administration, appointment criteria, remuneration, rights and responsibilities, evaluation, and reappointment.

3.8.5 Faculty Compensation

An institution MUST: provide adequate salaries and benefits to attract and retain highly

qualified faculty members; publish criteria and salary ranges for each academic rank and for

salary increases; ensure that faculty compensation is comparable to those offered for

faculty in the same discipline by other institutions in the U.A.E.; and

make special provision to ensure attracting qualified faculty in specializations that are in high demand.

3.8.6 Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure

An institution MUST: adopt and publish the requirements for faculty members to carry

out their duties in a professional, ethical, and collegiate manner that enhances the purposes of the institution;

provide contracts, letters of appointment, or similar documents to faculty members clearly describing the terms and conditions of their employment, with reference made to the policies published in the institution’s faculty handbook;

adopt and publish procedures and criteria for faculty promotion from one rank to another and, if applicable, for the awarding of tenure or extended contracts; and

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publish and distribute to the faculty the current faculty handbook.

The institution MUST, after it successfully completes the probationary appointment, provide faculty members with contracts lasting for a period appropriate for them to maintain a strong and positive commitment to their students, their discipline, and the institution.

3.8.7 Professional Faculty Development

The institution MUST: have policies that provide faculty with adequate resources and

opportunities for professional development, which includes among others: research opportunities; participating in national, regional, and international conferences; publishing and presenting research papers; organizing and participating in workshops, seminars, and exhibitions; and having available sabbatical leaves and training programs;

publish its professional faculty development policies in its faculty handbook;

demonstrate that appropriate and effective faculty development occurs;

ensure faculty involved in distance learning have preparation and training directly related to distance learning and its required technologies; and

provide ongoing evaluation programs to ensure faculty effectively use instructional strategies (and, where appropriate technologies) to engage interactive student learning.

3.8.8. The Role of the Faculty

The institution MUST clearly define and publish the extent of the participation and jurisdiction of the faculty in the educational program.

3.8.9 Faculty Loads

An institution MUST provide for each academic program an adequate number of faculty to cover the teaching and other requirements of each specialized area of the program by assuring that:

it has procedures for the equitable and reasonable assignment of faculty responsibilities—including classroom instruction, academic advising, committee membership, guidance of student organizations, and, where applicable to the purpose of the institution, research and service to the public;

the calculation of instructional loads takes into account such factors as number of preparations; number of students taught; nature of the subject; delivery mode (traditional or distance); help

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available from secretaries, teaching assistants, and staff; and administrative duties assigned;

the maximum teaching load for a full-time instructor who is holding a Master degree where Master degree is not a terminal degree in the discipline and for teaching in undergraduate certificate, diploma, and associate degree programs is15 credit hours per semester;

the maximum teaching load for baccalaureate programs is 12 credit hours per semester; and for graduate programs is 9 credit hours per semester;

faculty holding academic administrative positions such as program coordinators or department chairs have a minimum release time of 3 hours and deans at least 6 hours; and

faculty teaching distance learning courses online have a teaching load that recognizes the time required to develop and sustain these courses and that is appropriate to the institution’s general workload policies for faculty.

3.8.10 Faculty Evaluation

An institution MUST: conduct periodic evaluations of the performance of each of its full-

time and part-time faculty members and utilize the evaluation results to establish a professional development plan;

publish and disseminate the criteria and procedures upon which the periodic evaluation is built; and

demonstrate that it uses the results of this evaluation for improving its educational program and faculty development initiatives.

3.8.11 Faculty Grievance

An institution MUST provide, publish, and disseminate in faculty handbook and appropriate publications its regulations and procedures whereby the faculty member is given the opportunity to appeal for hearing his/her grievance.

3.9 Contractual Agreements

An institution MUST: regardless of any contractual agreement or memorandum of

understanding, maintain full control of all its operations including admissions, records, curricula and course development; instruction, course delivery; degree completion requirements, tests and examinations, faculty appointments while ensuring that it is the institution that has primary responsibility for awarding the degree recognized in the U.A.E. and for the integrity, rigor, outcome, and

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management of the academic program while ensuring compliance with the Commission’s requirements;

define clearly and precisely in writing and publish the exact agreement which it claims with any other educational entity in the U.A.E. or abroad and provide the Commission an original copy of each agreement;

obtain approval from the Commission for each contractual agreement prior to signing such an agreement;

avoid, for the purpose of promoting its student enrollment, utilizing its consortial or contractual agreement in a manner which may create doubt about its institutional autonomy and control of its instruction; and

evaluate regularly any consortial contract or agreement.

Agreements between an institution in the U.A.E. and other institution(s) in the U.A.E. or abroad may cover many activities including among others: cooperation in planning and developing of academic programs, courses, and instructional material; exchange of faculty, students, and academic administrators; cooperation in research activities; and assessing the effectiveness of the institution, its academic programs, and support services.

If the external institution with which the U.A.E. institution is seeking a contractual arrangement is not fully licensed in the U.A.E. or well known and respected throughout the international higher education community, such approval will be denied. The requesting institution takes the responsibility for offering proof of the quality of the institution with which it is establishing a contractual relationship. Investigation of the validity of the contractual arrangement may involve an on-site visit by a committee of experts, under the supervision and direction of the Commission, whose expenses are borne by the requesting institution. A contractual arrangement does not remove from the requesting institution the obligation to attain its own licensure as a separate institution.

The institution MUST: be held responsible for the quality of each course or program

offered; demonstrate that each course and program so offered is related to

the teaching purpose of the institution and is fully under the control of the institution; and

demonstrate that each course and program so offered does comply with the Standards.

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3.9.1 Agreements for Educational Services

There is a wide range of education services that may be subject to contractual arrangement. Course material and course development may be outsourced in whole or in part. Course content that is licensed by another educational provider may be used in whole or in part under contract with the U.A.E. institution. Internship opportunities and clinical training may involve contractual relationships with entities external to the institution. Library services and databases may be provided under contractual agreement. Bookstore operations may likewise be outsourced, as well as certain administrative and student service functions. Whatever the nature of contractual agreement and the extent of the outsourcing, the institution MUST maintain ultimate responsibility for the timely delivery of and the quality of the service. The institution MUST demonstrate, for each educational service offered through a contractual agreement, that it has in place procedures to ensure that the service:

meets the requirements of the Standards and ELDL Standards, as appropriate;

supports the teaching purposes of the institution; includes appropriate security measures to protect confidential

information; provides for adequate backup of data that is maintained off-site or

electronically; is provided with a high degree of reliability; maintains the high quality of service anticipated in the contractual

agreement and expected by the Ministry of Education and the Commission for Academic Accreditation; and

is evaluated regularly and the results thereof used for program revisions and improvement in service delivery.

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SECTION 4Educational and Student Support Services

The principles of institutional effectiveness referenced throughout the Standards address the importance of an institution’s support services for students. For these reasons the institution must establish for its support services clearly defined goals, derived from the purpose of the institution, and must continually evaluate its success in achieving these goals. These support services include: library and related learning resources; instructional technology resources and technical support; convenient and reliable structures for a variety of student transactions (e.g., purchasing textbooks, to paying tuition and fees, and similar transactions); and academic advising, tutoring, and admissions, registration and related student record services.

In the case of distance learning programs, an institution must also ensure that these services are made available to the distance learner in a manner that is reliable and that supports the learning goals and objectives in a way that is comparable to the learning conditions in face-to-face classroom settings. Institutions MUST accommodate the distance learner by providing on-site test proctoring, access to electronic databases, and related online services. In all instances, it is incumbent upon an institution’s faculty and administrative officers to be actively engaged in a regular and systematic process of review, assessment and revision of each component of its instructional programs. It is incumbent on the institution to ensure that the program of study is routinely delivered to students in a manner that promotes optimum learning through sound pedagogical practices and the effective use of technology.

Because of the changing nature of the student demography in higher education, institutions worldwide, colleges and universities need to be concerned with assuring student success in their academic program offerings. This requires that academic tutorial services be made available to students who are deficient in their preparation for study or who encounter difficulty in the courses of instruction, and that these services are clearly identified for students, including specific information about the terms and conditions for accessing them.

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4.1 Library and Other Learning Resources

4.1.1 Purpose and Scope

Because adequate library and other print and electronic learning resources and services are essential to teaching and learning in modernized society, an educational institution needs to ensure that the requisite resources are available to all faculty members and students wherever the programs or courses are located and however they are delivered.

Each institution MUST: develop an operative purpose statement for its library and other

learning resource services that realistically addresses the learning support needs of both faculty and students;

evaluate the library holdings and other learning resources and services regularly and systematically to ensure that they are meeting the needs of their users and are supporting the programs and purpose of the institution;

ensure that learning resources and services, including those required by students studying at a distance, are adequate to meet their prescribed learning needs; and

provide appropriate training and services for students in the use of technologies that are required as they pursue their academic studies and research.

4.1.2 Learning Resource Services

Each institution ensures that all students and faculty members have access to a broad range of learning resources to support its purpose and programs at both primary and, if applicable, distance learning sites.

Basic library services MUST include an orientation program designed to teach all new users how to access bibliographic information and other learning resources and information in diverse formats, with emphasis placed on the variety of contemporary instructional tools and technologies used for accessing and effectively using learning resources.

Libraries and learning resource centers MUST provide: point-of-use instruction, personal assistance in conducting library

research, and reference service consistent with the goal of helping students develop information literacy and the ability to locate, evaluate, and appropriately use such knowledge and information;

adequate hours of operation to ensure student and faculty accessibility to these resources, which should include access for distance learners, as appropriate;

adequate physical facilities, with appropriate space, lighting, and

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ventilation, to house, service, and make library collections and electronically accessed information easily available;

modern equipment in good condition for using print and non-print materials;

inter-library loan services designed to ensure timely delivery of materials;

an efficient and appropriate circulation system; and adequate electronic access, from both on-campus and off-campus,

capable of identifying promptly materials available within their own systems as well as materials available elsewhere, including electronically.

Library collections MUST be cataloged and organized in an orderly, easily accessible arrangement following accepted bibliographical standards and conventions to provide students and faculty with convenient, effective access to library resources, including electronic bibliographic databases, whether on-site or remote.

4.1.3 Collections

An institution MUST: provide sufficient access to the library collection to support the

educational, research, and public service programs of the institution;

provide adequate library collection, including books, periodicals, databases, and other learning resources in both traditional and electronic forms to support the educational research, and public services programs of the institution;

provide, for graduate study, library resources substantially beyond those required for undergraduate programs;

provide policies and procedures defining substantial involvement of librarians, teaching faculty, and researchers in the continuous development of collections and the regular evaluation of the policy itself;

supplement its traditional library with an electronic library, journal, database and digital repositories of instructional resources, allowing access to the electronic information and knowledge-based resources important to the achievement of the prescribed goals and objectives;

use, where appropriate, technology to expand access to information for users at remote sites, such as extension centers, branch campuses, laboratories, clinical sites, or students’ homes;

provide adequate training in technologies and electronic resources to enable students and faculty to access collections and databases efficiently; and

provide adequate budget that ensures continuous development of

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its library.

Each library or learning resource center MUST have both a policy governing resource material selection reflecting and their priorities for acquisition and for systematic elimination of outdated material or material that is no longer relevant, and a procedure providing for the preservation, replacement, or removal of deteriorating materials in the collection.

4.1.4 Cooperative Agreements

Cooperative agreements with other libraries and agencies are permissible and strongly encouraged to expand the quality and scope of resources. In any cooperative arrangement, the institution MUST:

avoid using the cooperative arrangement to replace its responsibility to provide adequate and readily accessible library resources and services and

ensure that the arrangement is formalized, published, regularly evaluated and that is follows the requirements specified in Section 3.9 of the Standards.

4.1.5 Staff

Libraries and other learning resources MUST be adequately staffed by professionals who hold appropriate degrees in library and information sciences. The number of library support staff members MUST be adequate for the size and scope of the institution’s program, number of students, and level and type of degree programs. Qualifications or skills needed for these support positions MUST be defined by the institution and MUST include degrees in library sciences or information resources and training and experience in electronic access to information and data bases. The institution MUST ensure that the staff includes:

a head librarian who holds, minimally, a master’s degree or equivalent in library sciences and has substantial experience in library and learning recourse administration;

other professional staff with degrees in library science or information resources; and

staff sufficient so that trained librarians/learning resources professionals are available at all times that the facilities are in use.

Additionally, the institution MUST have in place policies and procedures for the professional development of library and information resource staff and the annual evaluation of the performance of such staff.

Organizational relationships, both external and internal to the library, MUST be clearly specified. Institutional policies concerning professional status, salary, and contractual security for library personnel MUST be

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clearly defined and made known to all personnel at the time of employment.

4.1.6 Resources for Distance Learning

For distance learning activities, an institution MUST ensure the provision of and ready access to adequate library/learning resources and services to support the courses, programs, and degrees offered. The institution MUST own the library/learning resources, provide access to electronic information available through either existing technologies, or provide them through formal agreements. Such agreements MUST include the use of books, periodicals, other materials, and services. The institution MUST assign responsibility for providing library/learning resources and services and for ensuring continued access at each site.

Formal agreements established for the provision of library resources, including those in electronic form, and services MUST ensure access to library resources pertinent to the curricula offered by the institution and include provisions for services and resources which support the institution’s specific curricula in the field of study and at the degree level offered. Such agreements follow the requirements specified in Section 3.9.

4.2 Instructional Support

To support its curriculum, each institution MUST provide a variety of adequate facilities and instructional support services. These include:

adequate number of classrooms with appropriate size to accommodate the projected number of students in all programs offered by the institution;

appropriate digital projection equipment and other audio-visual equipment for all classrooms;

computer laboratories, specialized laboratories, studios, learning skills centers, and clinical training facilities, that are equipped with modern equipment appropriate to the programs offered and carefully planned and managed to ensure user's safety;

adequate number of qualified laboratory assistants/technicians to ensure effective utilization of laboratory sessions, providing support for "trouble shooting" problems in use of equipment, and ensuring their continuous maintenance; and

adequate resources, research facilities, and equipment to ensure effective research work, as part of graduate programs, as appropriate, consistent with the nature and objectives of the program.

An institution MUST ensure that instructional support facilities are

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organized and administered so as to provide “user friendly” and reliable access for faculty and student users.

The institution MUST provide for the maintenance of data on its instructional facilities and instructional support services. This data MUST be adequate to support the goals of the institution’s system of institutional and program effectiveness and continuous improvement and MUST include:

number, size, and capacity of all instructional and instructional support spaces, by category as defined by the institution;

usage levels by students and faculty of such facilities; accessibility to those spaces and equipment at times of that provide

convenience to faculty and students; students’ evaluation of the adequacy of such spaces, equipment,

and accessibility to support their learning; and faculty’s evaluation of the adequacy of such spaces, equipment,

and accessibility to support their teaching, as well as their scholarly activity and service.

4.3 Information Technology Resources and Systems

Information technology resources and systems are essential components in higher education. An institution MUST provide evidence that it is incorporating technological advances into its operations on an on-going basis.

Information technology resources MUST support the planning function, educational programs, and educational and administrative support services of the institution at appropriate levels. These resources include computer hardware and software, databases, communication networks, computer laboratories, audio-visual equipment, and a trained technical and user services staff.

Although the diversity of educational programs and goals will be a major determining factor in the selection of information technology resources by an institution, there MUST be a reasonable infusion of information technology into the curricula so that students graduate with the fundamental knowledge and basic ability to use these resources. Institutions MUST provide the means by which students acquire basic competencies in the use of computers and related information technology resources. A reliable information network MUST be available so that students, faculty, and staff become accustomed to electronic communication and familiar with accessing national and global information resources. There MUST be provisions for ongoing training of faculty and staff members so that they may make skillful use of appropriate application software. These requirements MUST be in place

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for all programs wherever located or delivered in the U.A.E.

Policies for the allocation and use of information technology resources MUST be clearly stated and consistent with an institution’s purpose, goals, and objectives. These policies MUST be evaluated regularly to ensure that academic and administrative needs are adequately addressed. Appropriate security measures MUST be installed and monitored to protect the confidentiality and integrity of academic systems, administrative systems, and institutional networks.

There MUST be a clearly defined program for maintaining and replacing equipment and software so that they remain consistent with current technology. Such policies and procedures MUST include:

schedules for the replacement/upgrading of hardware and software; the availability of trained and experienced staff on-site at

appropriate times to ensure that hardware and software are installed and monitored appropriately and problems are solved in a timely fashion;

input from students to assess the adequacy of hardware and software to support their learning; and

input from faculty and staff to assess the adequacy of hardware and software to support teaching and the delivery of services.

4.4 Student Development Services

Student development services are essential to the achievement of the educational goals of the institution and contribute to the cultural, social, moral, intellectual, and physical development of students. To ensure effectiveness, the institution MUST develop goals for the student services program consistent with student needs and with the purpose of the institution. Appropriate student development services MUST be provided for distance learning programs, if appropriate, as well as on campus programs.

The institution MUST clearly designate an administrative unit responsible for planning and implementing student development services. This unit MUST be staffed by individuals who have academic preparation and experience consistent with their assignments, including a head of student services with an academic degree in counseling or student services or related field or substantial experience in student affairs administration. Student development services and programs MUST be evaluated regularly. This evaluation MUST include, but not be limited to, input from students on the adequacy of services.

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4.4.1 Programs and Services

The following programs and support services enhance the learning environment for students and MUST be made available and be well publicized to students, including distance learners:

Admissions: The institution clearly states its admissions requirements and the data it will use in admissions decisions and make this information available in its catalog and on-line;

Registration and Records: The institution maintains a registration and records system that will support all students’ enrollment/registration and have policies regarding student access to their records that are clearly stated;

Academic Advising: The institution provides and clearly describes its academic advising services for students in degree programs; and

Career Development: The institution makes available adequate career development services to assist students in locating jobs suitable for their preparation.

4.4.2 Student Financial Aid

Where applicable, the institution MUST provide for institution-wide coordination of all financial aid awards, including information about available scholarships, the processing of applications, and the administration of financial aid and scholarship awards.

All funds for financial aid programs MUST be audited in compliance with all legal requirements of the U.A.E.

4.4.3 Counseling and Career Development

An institution MUST provide personal counseling services for students administered by professional counselors.

An institution MUST provide an effective career development program that includes career information and planning, placement services, career counseling, testing services, and follow-up activities. There MUST be clearly specified policies regarding the use of career development services by students, alumni, and employers. The institution MUST ensure that the effectiveness of services is assessed regularly and that this assessment includes, but is not limited to, input from students who have used the services. Such services MUST be made available from the time of initial enrollment of any program.

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4.4.4 Student Transactions

A variety of student transactions are essential in support of the academic program. Such transactions include but may not be limited to such transactions as purchasing textbooks, course, laboratory and computer materials and the like. Institutions MUST have well-designed processes for conducting these transactions, with particular emphasis on the distance learner who may undertake these transactions away from campus.

4.4.5 Student Activities and Publications

The institution MUST have a student activities program appropriate to its purpose and encompassing student interests. The institution MUST develop policies and procedures governing the supervisory role of the institution over student activities.

When student publications or other media exist, the institution MUST provide a clearly written statement of the institution’s responsibilities for them.

4.4.6 Student Behavior

The institution MUST publish a statement of student rights and responsibilities and make it available to the campus community. The jurisdiction of judicial bodies, the disciplinary responsibilities of institutional officials, and all disciplinary procedures MUST be clearly defined and broadly distributed.

4.4.7 Student Grievance

An institution MUST provide, publish, and disseminate in appropriate publications its regulations and procedures whereby the student is given the opportunity to appeal for hearing his/her grievance.

4.4.8 Residence Halls

If an institution has residence halls, it MUST develop policies and procedures governing them and MUST take reasonable precautions to provide a healthy, safe, and secure living environment for the residents with special consideration given to the safety of female students. The learning environment in the residence halls MUST support the educational mission of the institution. An adequate staff organization MUST be given responsibility for the administration of the residence hall system. The staff MUST have sufficient academic training and experience to enhance the learning environment in the residence halls.

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4.4.9 Health Services

An institution MUST: provide access to effective health services and education consistent

with the needs of its constituents and inform its constituents of the availability of its health services.

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SECTION 5Administrative Process

The institution is obligated to have governance and administrative structures appropriate to higher education and financial and physical assets adequate to support the purpose of the institution. Stability and security are crucial to institutional well being, as are effective resource procurement, deployment, and accountability. Planning for and garnering necessary support are also integral to the accomplishment of institutional purpose.

The principles of institutional effectiveness, as outlined in Section II, pertain to the governance, organization, administration, and financial/physical management of the institution. Each office, function, or unit establishes goals that derive from and support the purpose of the institution evaluates its success in achieving these goals, and uses the evaluation in making appropriate modification in resources, programs, and services.

5.1 Organization and Administration

The administration of an institution of higher education brings together its various resources and allocates them effectively to accomplish institutional goals. The functions, roles, responsibilities, and organizational and reporting structures of the institution MUST be clearly stated in the institution policies and procedures documents.

5.1.1 Titles and Terms

The name of an institution, the titles of all administrators, the designations of administrative and academic divisions or units, the terms used to describe academic offerings and programs, and the names of degrees awarded MUST be accurate, descriptive, consistent, and appropriate.

5.1.2 Governing Entity

Although titles and functions vary, the governing entity or board is the legal body responsible for the institution and for policy making.

The governing entity MUST be established and have in place proper procedures to ensure that it is appropriately involved in the approval of the financial status and is adequately informed about the stability of the institution, as well as the effectiveness of its leadership and its teaching,

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research, and public service, as appropriate. The governing entity must: Consist of duly appointed or elected members in accordance with

the institution’s policies and procedures; meet at least once annually; maintain official records of all meetings; establish broad institutional policies; approve the institutions by-laws; approve the institution’s mission and goals; secure financial resources to support adequately the institutional

goals; approve the annual budget; ensure that the institution is subject to an annual audit; approve the selection of an external auditor; receive the report of the external auditor; confer, or authorize the conferring of, academic degrees; approve major facilities, contracts, and campus plans unless

otherwise delegated; appoint the chief executive officer; and evaluate the performance of the chief executive officer and

approve his or her contract and continuance in office. There MUST be a clear distinction, in writing and in practice, between the policy-making and fiduciary functions of the governing entity and the responsibility of the administration and faculty to administer and implement policy.

5.1.3 Official Policies

The institution MUST publish official documents, usually in its Policies and Procedures Manual or similar publication, which contain, but are not limited to, the following information, as well as other policies and procedures as may be called for in the Standards or to meet the specific needs of the institution:

the duties and responsibilities of the governing entity or board; the duties and responsibilities of the chief administrative and

academic officers, including deans and department heads; the patterns of institutional organization, as displayed in

organizational chart(s); policies related to facilities, use of facilities, and student, faculty,

and staff safety; policies regarding annual and longer term planning; basic policies regarding institutional and program effectiveness,

which may be amplified in the institution’s Institutional Effectiveness Manual or similar document, including the relationship between effectiveness analyses and institutional and academic planning and budgeting to maintain continuous

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improvement; the role of the faculty in academic affairs and curriculum; academic procedures for the approval or revision of the

curriculum; basic policies regarding students, which may be amplified in the

Student Manual or similar document; financial policies governing:

revenues; receipting; deposits; purchase authorizations; expenditures; authority to enter into contracts; bank reconciliation; production of regular (usually monthly) financial reports; distribution of financial reports; and internal auditing; and

statements governing personnel issues for faculty and non-faculty staff, including:

appointment; terms of contract; promotion; compensation and benefits; due process; and grievance.

5.1.4 Administrative Organization

The administrative organization MUST reflect the purpose and philosophy of the institution and enable each functional unit to perform its particular responsibilities expeditiously and efficiently and as defined by the stated purpose of the institution.

Administrative responsibility and authority for all educational offerings and functions of the institution MUST be clearly identified. Each institution MUST develop, publish, and make available an organizational chart, accompanied with a proper policy statement, clearly delineating lines of responsibility and authority.

These lines of authority of the administrative and academic officers MUST be clearly defined, including:

the chief executive officer; the chief academic officer; the academic deans; academic department chairs; the head librarian;

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the registrar; the head of information technology; the chief students development officer; the chief financial officer; the officer responsible for receivables; the officer responsible for purchases; the chief human relations officer; and other persons responsible for major functions on the institution,

including health and safety.These officers’ responsibilities MUST be made known to faculty, students, and staff. Administrative officers MUST possess credentials, experience, and/or demonstrated competence appropriate to their areas of responsibility. The effectiveness of all administrators, including the chief executive officer, MUST be evaluated periodically. Academic officers MUST hold appropriate credentials and have sufficient experience such that they could be appointed at faculty rank. Administrative officers must have credentials and experience to justify their appointments to their positions.

5.2 Institutional Relations

Institutional relations may include development and fund raising, internal and external communications, media relations, and alumni affairs, among other responsibilities. Any institution must address some or all of these issues, whether through one office or the roles of several offices. If there is an institutional relations office or program, it MUST;

be directly related to the purpose of the institution; have clear policies, procedures, roles, and responsibilities; be staffed by qualified persons; be truthful in its representation of the institution and its mission,

goals, and accomplishments; operate in accordance with the provisions of the Standards; and be evaluated regularly.

5.2.1 Alumni Affairs

The relationship between the institution and its alumni MUST be such as to assist in the evaluation of institutional effectiveness and in the institutional advancement. This means that the institution MUST, to the maximum extent possible, maintain records that are updated at least periodically of its alumni’s:

location; occupation; continued education; and, at time frames identified in the institutional effectiveness

procedures, assessment of its experience at the institution.

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5.2.2 Fund Raising

If the institution is involved in fund raising activities, all fund raising MUST be related to the purpose of the institution and be incorporated into the planning process and evaluated regularly. An institution involved in fund raising MUST develop policies and procedures for fund raising and ensure that such policies are appropriately disseminated and followed. Such policies MUST include:

the relationship of fundraising entities to the institution; the purposes of the activity; the financial integrity of the fundraising process and its auditing

provisions; the accuracy of its representations of the institution and its needs

and the stated goals of the fund raising activities; and comparative costs of the fund raising activities in relation to the

funds raised.

5.3 Financial Resources

Because the financial resources of an institution influence the quality of its educational program, each institution MUST demonstrate that it possesses sufficient financial resources, beyond the revenues generated by its tuition and fees, to support all of its programs and demonstrate the financial stability essential to its successful operation that guarantees sufficient opportunity for completion of academic programs by the maximum number of students projected to be enrolled in the institution. The adequacy of financial resources will be judged in relation to the basic purpose of the institution, the scope of its programs, and its number of students.

A newly proposing institution MUST, according the requirements of the Standards, make available a financial guarantee, in the form of a bank guarantee or escrow account, equal to the average annual operating cost of the institution during its first four years. These funds can only by accessed with permission of the Ministry of Education and serve to ensure that students can complete their programs and that other obligations of the institution can be met. In addition, the institution MUST be prepared to show its financial feasibility and financial capacity as part of its application for Initial Licensure. Any institution may be subject to a review of its financial status at the request of the Commission. An institution MUST maintain, and provide upon request of the Commission:

budgets for the institution and for its departments and programs; monthly and annual reports of expenditures to budget; audited financial statements; statements of its current accounts and financial capacity; and

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other financial information as may be requested by the Commission.

5.3.1 Financial Organization

All business and financial functions of the institution MUST be centralized under a business office, consistent with the purpose of the institution, the size of the institution, and the volume of transactions of a business or financial nature. The chief business officer MUST report to the chief executive officer of the institution. The chief executive officer MUST report regularly to the governing entity on the financial and business operations of the institution.

5.3.2 Budget Planning

An institution MUST outline a budget planning process and annually prepare an appropriately detailed budget—a statement of estimated income and expenditures for a fixed period of time, usually the fiscal year of the institution. The budget MUST:

be based on conservative assumptions regarding enrollment and other sources of revenue and include contingency funds;

be preceded by sound educational and administrative planning that is an integral component of the preparation and execution of the annual budget;

include details on the budgets for individual administrative and academic departments and for academic programs; and

take into account in the budget planning process the results of the institution’s and the programs’ effectiveness analysis.

The annual budget MUST be presented by the chief executive officer through proper channels to the governing entity for final approval.

5.3.3 Budget Control

After the budget has been approved by the chief executive officer and adopted by the governing entity, a system of control MUST be established. This ensures that the budgetary plans of the governing board and the chief executive officer will be implemented. The business officer MUST render interim budget statements on a periodic basis, usually monthly, to department/unit heads for their guidance in staying within budgetary allocations.

Necessary budget revisions MUST be made when actual conditions require such change and MUST be communicated to those affected within the institution.

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Once funds have been appropriated, creating a budget, establishing priorities, and controlling expenditures MUST become the responsibility of the institution operating under the jurisdiction of the governing entity and subject to its policies. Thus the governing board MUST approve annual budgets and authorize expenditures as part of the implementation of those budgets, rather than approving each individual expenditures.

5.3.4 Accounting and Auditing

An institution MUST: adopt an accounting system that follows generally accepted

principles of institutional accounting; have well qualified personnel to administer the financial

accounting and related functions of the institution; have in place appropriate hardware and software to ensure that

accounts can be maintained accurately and regular reports generated in a timely fashion; and

provide revenue/expenditure reports either independently certified in the audit report or included as supplemental data in the audit report.

The chief business officer MUST prepare financial reports for appropriate institutional officers, the governing entity, and, as requested, the Commission. An annual fiscal year audit MUST be made by independent certified public accountants. This external audit process MUST include provision for:

approval of the external auditor by the governing entity; open access for the external auditor to all financial records and all

persons within the organization who are involved in financial transactions;

inclusion of a management letter as part of the auditor’s report; freedom from interference or intrusion into the auditing process by

officials of the institution or others; reporting directly to the governing entity or to a committee formed

for this purpose by the governing entity; and providing a copy of the audited financial statements and

management letter to the Commission upon request. All such audits MUST be conducted in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

The auditors MUST not be directly connected with the institution either personally or professionally and MUST not serve the dual role of accountants to the institution and external auditors for it. An effective program of internal auditing and financial control MUST be maintained to complement the accounting system and the annual external audit.

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5.3.5 Purchasing and Inventory Control

An institution MUST maintain proper control over purchasing and inventory management. These controls MUST include procedures, forms, and appropriate authorization levels and signatory requirements for:

authorizing purchases; ensuring competitive pricing; receipting purchases; adding purchases to inventories; maintaining and updating inventories; producing reports on purchases and inventories as may be

required; and assessing the effectiveness of the procedures and controls.

5.3.6 Refund Policy

The institution MUST adhere to a published policy and procedure for refunding fees and charges to students who withdraw from enrollment, in keeping with generally accepted refund practices in the higher education community, applicable to all students, and clearly stated in appropriate official publications.

5.3.7 Cashiering

There MUST be a suitable organization and adequate procedures for the management of all funds belonging to the institution.

The cashiering function MUST be centralized in the business office, in a carefully developed system for the receipt, deposit, and safeguarding of institutional funds. This system MUST include:

handling of cash receipts by authorized persons only; use of duplicate receipt forms and maintenance of hard copies of

records, or in the case of electronic transaction maintenance of backup files;

maintenance of electronic files of hard copy receipts; secure holding of receipts prior to deposit; regular depositing of receipts within approved time frames; reconciliation of receipts and deposits; and maintenance of the privacy and security of information.

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5.3.8 Risk Management

The institution MUST have a comprehensive risk management program that includes:

evaluation of risks; development of strategies to avoid or reduce risks; valuation of facilities and equipment and maintenance of insurance

consistent with that valuation; and maintenance of liability and other insurance to protect the

institution and its constituencies.

Appropriate levels of insurance—or otherwise designated financial resources—must be maintained to provide adequate replacement protection for all physical facilities and liability of personnel.

5.3.9 Auxiliary Enterprises

Activities that may have a significant impact on the operation of the institution (such as bookstores, residence halls, food service operations, printing/duplicating services, child care, and transportation service), when operated by or for the institution, MUST be documented and operated in a safe and fiscally responsible manner. Revenues and costs from such enterprises MUST be accounted for separately and included in regular financial reporting. Revenues in excess of expenses for such operations MUST be used in a manner consistent with institutional policies to improve student and academic services—such as scholarships, support for student activities, and the like.

5.4 Physical Resources

Physical resources, including buildings, appropriateness of space for instructional and support services, and equipment both on and off campus, MUST be adequate to serve the needs of the institution in relation to its stated purpose, programs, activities, and its projected enrollment for the entire duration of its academic programs. There MUST be adequate and appropriate space to accommodate individual faculty offices, library, laboratories, classrooms, seminar and meeting rooms, study space, and administrative and student services space to support the educational and support functions of the institution. The physical environment of the institution MUST take into consideration location, accessibility, including accessibility for the handicapped, parking facilities, space for dropping off and picking up students, and contribute to an atmosphere for effective learning.

In the case of new institutions that are to be established, the institution MUST document the allocation of buildings, or the land necessary for the

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buildings, as approved by the appropriate local authorities in the Emirate concerned, before the institution can begin to offer programs. The Commission MUST, according to its policies and procedures, approved all physical locations and architectural drawings for facilities, including all administrative and academic space.

5.4.1 Space Management

Space allocated to any institutional function MUST be adequate for the effective conduct of that function. Effective space management is closely linked with planning and with projections of enrollments, faculty, and academic and student support needs. Thus space management MUST be a component of the annual planning and budgeting cycle and the annual effectiveness system.

5.4.2 Upkeep

An institution MUST have a plan and implement the components of the plan for the upkeep of its property, including all grounds, parking areas, sports and student activity areas, buildings, and equipment. The updating of this plan MUST be part of the annual planning and budgeting process, be assessed as part of the effectiveness system of the institution, and include as a minimum routine, preventative, and deferred maintenance.

5.4.3 Safety

The institution MUST take reasonable steps to provide a healthy, safe, and secure environment for all members of the campus community. Administrative responsibility for environmental health and safety programs MUST be assigned. Such programs MUST meet all laws and regulations of the U.A.E. A comprehensive safety plan MUST be developed, implemented, and evaluated regularly. The plan MUST give special attention to the adequate provision and use of safety equipment in laboratories and other hazardous areas; to easy exit from buildings in the event of fire or other emergency; and to familiarizing all building occupants with safety precautions and emergency evacuation procedures.

Safety consideration MUST take into account the provision of adequate safety for students with handicaps.

Safety planning MUST include the provision of security guards and other personnel at times when students or faculty and staff in on the campus, and MUST include control of entrance and exit points.

Institutions undertaking the obligations of providing education to female students have a special responsibility of providing safety for their students

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and, therefore, MUST ensure that special care on a continuous basis is planned for and provided for the special considerations of female students.

5.4.4 Intellectual Property and Copyright

The institution MUST provide written policies regarding copyright and ownership of intellectual property, in printed or electronic form, and ensure that these policies are published in appropriate documents. These policies MUST address ownership of intellectual property and dispersement of revenues produced from intellectual property created by faculty or staff while in service to the institution. Such policies MUST not be written in such a fashion that they discourage or hinder the pursuit of knowledge and academic freedom. Policies and procedures MUST be included in appropriate documents of the institution such as the Faculty Manual and the Policies and Procedures Manual.

5.4.5. Facilities Master Plan

The institution MUST maintain a current written physical facilities master plan that provides for orderly development of the facilities of the institution and relates facilities development to other institutional planning efforts. The institution MUST update the plan periodically and provide copies of the updated plan to the Commission as requested.

5.5 Externally Funded Grants and Contracts for Research

Externally funded research grants and contracts MUST be related to the stated purpose of the institution. The institution’s policy on such grants and contracts MUST provide for an appropriate balance between grant and contract activity and instruction, and guarantee institutional control over the administration of research projects. The researcher’s freedom to investigate and report results MUST be preserved. Research support from outside agencies MUST not undermine these basic research principles.

The institution MUST: establish a clear policy concerning a faculty member’s division of

obligations between research and other academic activities;ensure that this policy is published in such documents as the faculty

handbook and made known to all faculty members; and where applicable, develop and publish policies regarding summer

salaries paid from grant and contract funds, salary supplements paid from grants during the regular academic year, and fees for consulting services provided by faculty members.

In accepting funds from outside agencies, the institution MUST ensure that it maintains control over research and instruction.

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Continuity of support for general institutional activities MUST not be endangered by acquisition of research grants and contracts. Grants MUST be awarded and contracts MUST be made for specified periods of time. When the institution becomes even partially dependent upon such funds for faculty salaries and/or graduate student stipends, termination of grants and contracts can jeopardize an entire education program. An institution MUST not become dependent upon indirect cost allowances from grants and contracts to support its regular operating budget.

5.6 Related Corporate Entities

Institutions are sometimes associated with separately incorporated units, such as radio or television stations, research foundations, scholarship foundations, hospitals, for-profit enterprises, corporations, publications, and insurance trusts. When an institution is involved with such an entity, documentation MUST:

outline the mutual relationship and benefits maintained by the institution; and

include the following: a description of the separately-incorporated unit‘s

activities; a statement demonstrating the manner in which the

activities relate to the purpose of the institution; a current roster of board members of the unit, including

institutional personnel and board members who have responsibilities with both the institution and the incorporated entity, whether they are additionally compensated by the entity or not;

a copy of the separately incorporated unit’s annual financial audit report for the most recently completed year; and

copies of the charter and bylaws of the unit.

If such entities are reliant upon the institution for fulfillment of their purposes, the institution MUST ensure that they complement, rather than detract from, the institution’s purpose, and that they are subject to proper operating controls and risk-liability containment.

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APPENDIX AInstitutional Licensure Process

Licensure is concerned with the total institution and with each academic program offered by the institution and represents endorsement by the Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates. Figure 1 at the front of the Standards publication illustrates the licensure process and its relationship to academic program accreditation. There are two types of license—Initial Licensure for an institution that is seeking to begin operations and has demonstrated that it has met, through its required documentation, that it meets the relevant requirements of the Standards and is prepared to begin to enroll students, and Licensure for an institution that has been in operation under Initial Licensure or seeks to renew its Licensure and has continued to meet all relevant requirements of the Standards.

To apply for Initial Licensure, the proposing institution, before it advertises its intended existence or the existence of any intended academic programs, contacts the Commission for the purpose of beginning the Initial Licensure preparation and review process as outlined in section A-1. To continue to be licensed, an institution must uphold all requirements for Licensure and all requirements for Initial Accreditation or Accreditation or its programs and must follow the steps outlined in section A-3.

For Initial Licensure and for Licensure and renewal of Licensure, the Commission reserves the right, when it deems appropriate, to invite at the institution’s expense experts to assist in the licensure process. The Commission will schedule reviews as quickly as reasonably possible, but institutions should be aware of the Commission’s schedule of application deadlines, which it publishes annually, and should plan the submission of applications and documentation accordingly

In order to offer an academic program, the institution must hold Initial Licensure or Licensure and must, for each program it intends to offer, hold either Initial Accreditation or Accreditation status. The processes for obtaining Initial Accreditation and Accreditation are outlined in Appendix B.

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A-1 Steps for Initial Licensure

To attain Initial Licensure, an institution MUST follow these steps in sequence:First: Schedule at least one meeting with the staff of the Commission to review all procedures and requirements for licensure prior to the submission of an application or supporting documentation;

Second: Submit and receive approval of a preliminary information form, available, when requested in person, from the Commission;

Third: Submit, prior to the Commission's deadlines, all required documents as described in the Documents Required for Initial Licensure in section A-2, including a completed form entitled Application for Licensure;

Fourth: Review with the Commission, at one or more licensure review conferences scheduled by the Commission, all documents as specified in section A-2;

Fifth: Submit all requested additional documentation and re-submit revised documents as may be required by the Commission;

Sixth: Arrange with the Commission for one or more on-site inspections of the location of the proposed institution together with meetings with the architect, as may be required; and

Seventh: Comply with all requirements of the Standards and the Commission.

The proposing institution understands that the Commission’s official acceptance of the Application for Initial Licensure and the accompanying documentation by the Commission in no way implies official or unofficial commitment to program accreditation; rather it is but one step in the licensure process.

The proposing institutions also understands that an Application for Initial Licensure that does not address each of the “MUST” statements of Sections 2 through 5 of the Standards or does not include the required supporting documentation will be returned to the institution not accepted and will be reviewed only if the applicant resubmits the Application containing all appropriate information and documentation.

The proposing institution further understands that if the Commission reviews an application and it is denied, the proposing institution is not

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allowed to resubmit its application, under the same name or under a new name, for at least one year from the date of the official letter of rejection.

Once it has accepted the Application for Initial Licensure, the Commission will work with the institution to schedule appropriate meetings and on-site visits, as may be required, for evaluation purposes. The Commission will schedule meetings and visits as quickly as reasonably possible, but may not be able to respond more quickly than the time frame indicated on the Commission’s published schedule of deadlines. Generally, a complete and acceptable application submitted by November 1 is reviewed during the following spring term; a completed and accepted application submitted by May 1 is reviewed the following fall term.

Scheduled meetings and visits may include external evaluator(s), arranged for by the Commission, as well as Commission staff. In such cases, the institution will be responsible for the costs associated with external reviews. Following the visit, the Commission will make its recommendation to the Minister, and the Minister’s decision will be conveyed to the institution. If approved, the status of Initial Licensure is granted for a maximum of two years. At the end of this period, the institution must apply for Licensure. Through the period of either Initial Licensure or Licensure, the Commission will make unscheduled visits to ensure that the institution is in compliance with the Standards and the conditions upon which the licensure was granted.

A-2 Documents Required for the Application for Initial Licensure

The Application for Initial Licensure must include the following:

1. Feasibility Study: The proposing institution submits a detailed feasibility study that includes, at minimum, the following:

analysis of availability of students projected for the next five years taking into consideration the geographical area of the proposed institution;

analysis of opportunities available for students at competitive institutions and their impact on potential enrolment;

needs assessment of each program the institution proposes to offer during the initial two years based on market survey of prospective students and of prospective employers of graduates; and

detailed financial analysis over at least five years of operation including all foreseen cost elements, including costs of meeting licensure and accreditation requirements, and a contingency element, and sources of income/revenue, with full details of bases of calculations. (Note: The financial analysis should be done with different scenarios of different levels of student intake—optimal,

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minimal, and average—and these levels should be supported by the analysis of available students and the competition for them.

2. Application for Licensure Form: The Application for Licensure form includes a spread sheet for the proposing institution to use to demonstrate whether or not it is in compliance with each of the applicable “MUST” statements in the Standards and, if so, where specifically (which page number) in the various supporting documents compliance with that “MUST” statement is demonstrated. 3. Catalog/Prospectus: The proposing institution submits a draft of its Catalog or Prospectus including, among other elements, the items described in Section 3.4 of the Standards.

4. Faculty Handbook: The proposing institution submits a draft of its Faculty Manual including all faculty personnel policies and procedures and the items described in Section 3.4 of the Standards.

5. Student Handbook: The proposing institution submits a draft of its Student Handbook that includes policies and procedures related to students and their enrollment including the items described in Section 3.4 of the Standards.

6. Policies and Procedures Manual: The proposing institution submits a draft of its Policies and Procedures Manual that includes all by-laws, descriptions of its governance, organizational, academic, and administrative reporting structures and the roles and responsibilities of key positions; and all policies, regulations, and procedures governing students, educational programs, human resources, financial affairs, support services, and facilities.

7. Organizational Charts: The proposing institution submits organizational charts that show, year by year, the administrative and academic structure of the institution for each of the first five years of operation.

8. Institutional Effectiveness Manual: The proposing institution submits a draft of its Institutional Effectiveness Manual that explains in detail the system for collecting and analyzing data and assessing the effectiveness of the institution, its academic programs, and its educational and administrative support functions—as well as the instruments/tools/forms to be used for this purpose, including those items required in section 2 of the Standards, and the methods and time fames for linking quality assessment with planning, budgeting, and decision-making.

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9. Timed Action Plan: The proposing institution submits a detailed and specific timed action plan for the provision of all human and physical resources required to support the institution’s mission and the delivery of its proposed programs, extending from the time of initial application through the first full year of operation of the proposed campus. The timed action plan must include each faculty and non-faculty position required to plan, organize, and operate the campus and its programs, with the dates of planned appointments. It must include all steps required to have in place the necessary facilities, infrastructure, programs, services, and human resources prior the institution’s intended date to enroll students.

10. Architectural Design: Either at the time of the submission of the Application, or at a point prior to the Commission’s final analysis of the Application and its accompanying documents, the proposing institution submits architectural drawings of the campus buildings and campus layout. If a temporary location is to be used initially, followed by a purpose built campus, plans for both locations should be included.

11. Documentation of the Financial Resources: The proposing institution submits documentation of its financial resources sufficient for the establishment and the operation of the institution.

12. Proposed Financial Guarantee: The proposing institution submits documentation of how it will provide the required financial guarantee—in escrow account or bank guarantee. The guarantee must be equivalent to the average annual operating costs of the institution for the first four years of operation, assuming maximum enrolment of students in all proposed programs. A-3 Steps for Licensure

Once an institution has obtained Initial Licensure, which remains in effect for up to two years, it applies for Licensure at the beginning of its second year of operation. Likewise, an institution that already has Licensure, which remains in effect for up to five years, applies to renew its Licensure prior to its expiration. In either case the applying institution follows these steps:

1) Twelve months prior to the termination of its current licensure status, the institution submits to the Commission:

a letter from the chief executive officer or chair of the board requesting renewal of its licensure and verifying that it has maintain Initial Accreditation or Accreditation of its academic degree programs;

an updated Application for Licensure spreadsheet indicating whether or not the institution is in compliance with each of the

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“MUST” statements in the Standards and citing the appropriate page number in the supporting documentation that verifies compliance; and

four copies of its current catalog, student handbook, faculty handbook, policies and procedures manual, institutional effectiveness manual, internship manual, and any other document(s) pertinent to any criteria noted in the Application, together with electronic copies.

2) The Commission reviews the Application and either accepts it or refers it back to the institution for revision or for additional information.

3) If the Application is accepted, the Commission schedules one or more meetings with institutional representatives and on-site visits to the campus for evaluation purposes.

4) The Commission requests additional documentation as may be required.

5) Once the Commission has completed the evaluation, it makes a recommendation to the Minister.

6) The Minister determines if the institution’s application is approved, delayed, or denied.

7) The Commission notifies the institution of the determination.

Licensure is awarded for up to three years and is dependent upon the maintaining of Initial Accreditation status or Accreditation status of all programs that are offered and is also dependent on the institution’s continuing to meet all relevant criteria in the Standards and all reporting requirements of the Commission and the Ministry.

An institution cannot assume that its Application will be automatically approved simply because it received Initial Licensure. The burden of proof is on the individual institution. However, the institution remains recognized until the Minister has made his determination on the institution's application.

A-4 Steps for Renewal of Licensure

The institution should monitor its licensure status, as well as the accreditation status of each of its programs, and must request through a letter to the Commission renewal of its license, following the same steps as outlined for the application for licensure in Section A-3.

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A-5 Licensure Determination

Licensure determination falls into three categories: Approved, Probation, Denied.

Approved: The institution receiving the approved determination is permitted to offer in the U.A.E. programs that hold Initial Accreditation or Accreditation status as approved by the Minister. All licensed institutions will receive frequent unscheduled visits from the staff of the Commission to ensure that each is continuing to meet the requirements of the Standards. Failure to do so may result in immediate loss of licensure, according to the determination of the Minister.

Probation: The institution receiving the probation determination is obligated to correct, within the specified time limit, any deficiencies noted. The Commission staff will validate the corrections of the deficiencies and make an appropriate recommendation to the Minister for his determination. Accordingly, the institution may be requested to stop admitting students to its programs for a period to be specified by the Commission. Should the deficiencies not be corrected during the specified time limit, the institution’s licensure determination will be changed to “denied.”

Denied: The institution receiving the denied determination, by definition, is given no license, or, in the case of a licensure renewal application, the existing license is revoked. A previously licensed institution receiving the denied determination will stop admitting students to any of its programs, stop offering its program within the time specified by the Commission, and inform all of its students of the denial status. Furthermore, the institution is obliged to guide its students to seek admission in other recognized institution of higher education. Funds held as a financial guarantee will be used to assist student in completing their educational programs and to meet other institutional obligations.

A-6 Representation of Licensure Status

The Ministry of Education will recognize no program offered to any student unless the institution in the UAE offering the program has Initial Licensure or Licensure from the Ministry and the program has Initial Accreditation or Accreditation status. Continued licensure presupposes that all programs have Initial Accreditation or Accreditation status.

Institutions receiving probation or denied determination are not authorized to report in any of their materials, official or unofficial, that they have any recognition of licensure by the Ministry. The Ministry will not list those institutions has being among those higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates that are recognized by the Ministry of Education.

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The Ministry will announce to the public and to government agencies in the country and internationally the names of those institutions that do hold Initial Licensure or Licensure. The Ministry of Education will officially recognize those institutions.

Only a higher education institution possessing Initial Licensure or Licensure has the right to include in its catalog, brochures, press releases, and advertisements statements that indicate that it is recognized by the Ministry of Education as a licensed institution of higher education in the United Arab Emirates. When it announces this designation, the institution, so approved, is authorized to describe its approved status in its official publications such as its catalog or prospectus with this statement:

“(Name of Institution), located at (physical address), is officially licensed from (day, month, year) to (day, month, year) by the Ministry of Education of the United Arab Emirates to award higher education degrees.”

In advertisements, brochures, and other notices, the institution, so authorized, may refer to its status as either “licensed” or “recognized” by the Ministry of Education.

No institution can announce higher education degree programs unless those programs have been granted Initial Accreditation or Accreditation by the Ministry of Education. When the institution announces programs that hold Initial Accreditation or Accreditation, the institution is authorized to describe their status in its official publications such as its catalog or prospectus as holding either “Initial Accreditation” or “Accreditation,” whichever is applicable, and may refer to programs that hold either Initial Accreditation or Accreditation as being “recognized” by the Ministry of Education of the United Arab Emirates. Similar phrasing may be used in advertisements, brochures, press releases, and similar notices. An institution may not advertise programs that have not been awarded Initial Accreditation or Accreditation. Appendix B describes to processes and requirements for Initial Accreditation and Accreditation of academic programs.

A-7 Role and Responsibility of Each Institution

Any institution involved in the licensure process: accepts seriously its obligation to provide to its students an

education of quality; is fully committed to the licensure process; continuously assesses every aspect of its total operations, involving

personnel from all segments of the institution, faculty, staff, students, administration, and governing entity;

keeps available for the Commission staff a comprehensive analysis

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of the institution, identifying its strengths, its weaknesses, its plans to correct its weaknesses, and the subsequent results of those plans;

agrees to keep the Commission apprised of its operations and programs and to provide on a regular and on-going basis all information requested by the Commission; and

accepts the assessment of its strengths and weaknesses by the Commission.

Participation in the licensure process commits the total institution to integrity. Any violation of institutional integrity results in the immediate removal of the institution from the licensure process.

In maintaining integrity, an institution: is committed to the search for, and to the dissemination of,

knowledge; is responsible for ensuring integrity in all its dealings with its

constituencies, the Commission, the Ministry, all governmental and private agencies, and the public;

provides the Commission access to all reports of its operations and accurate information about the institution’s affairs, including reports from any other accrediting, licensing, and auditing agencies, and access to budgets, personnel information, audited financial statements, and other information as the Commission may request;

provides, in a timely fashion, all information requested by the Commission, including regular reporting of data on students and faculty according to the schedules of the Commission and the Ministry;

cooperates fully with the Commission in preparing for and conducting site visits and other meetings; and

maintains an atmosphere of openness and cooperation with the Commission and the Ministry of Education.

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Appendix B: Program Accreditation Process

Figure 1 at the front of the Standards publication outlines the process for Program Accreditation and the inter-relationship between Program Accreditation and Licensure. In order to offer academic programs of one academic year or more beyond the secondary school level, an institution MUST have obtained Initial Licensure or hold Official Certificate of Licensure or Licensure Renewal AND all of its academic programs MUST have been awarded Initial Accreditation or be accredited.

B.1 Accreditation Criteria

The following will be used in reviewing an academic program: the Application document submitted by the institution and the requirements of the Standards as they apply to the specific program being

evaluated.In addition, the Commission may elect to use the criteria published by the internationally recognized discipline accrediting association of the program being evaluated. In those cases in which the discipline association has no criteria for that discipline, commonly accepted principles of good educational practice will be followed.

B.2 Steps for Initial Accreditation

In order to apply for Initial Accreditation of a proposed program, an institution is required to:

have received Initial Licensure or a current Official Certificate of Licensure; apply at least six months prior to the intended date of the inception of the program

and according to the deadlines published annually by the Commission; submit to the Commission four (4) copies of a properly completed Application for

Initial Accreditation of a Proposed Program and four (4) copies of its catalog/draft catalog, faculty handbook, student handbook, and any other documents pertinent to any criteria in the Application;

receive, where judged necessary by the Commission staff, a program review on campus by the Commission staff;

receive official notice that the institution’s Application has been accepted by the Commission; and

if the institution’s formal Application has not been accepted by the Commission, not resubmit its Application for six months from the date of official letter of rejection.

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The Initial Accreditation is valid for up to two years after the institution graduates the first cohort of students from the program, provided that the program begins to be offered no later than one year after it receives its Initial Accreditation.

B.3 Application for Initial Accreditation of a Proposed Program

The Application for Initial Accreditation of a Proposed Program MUST include accurate, clear and detailed evidence with appropriate documentation that the institution and the proposed program to be reviewed are meeting the requirements of the Standards by addressing each of the relevant MUST statements listed in the Application form and found in the following sections of the Standards:

Section II. Purpose, Planning, and EffectivenessSection III. Educational ProgramSection IV. Educational Support ServicesSection V. Administrative Process

In those cases where, with respect to the proposed program to be reviewed, the institution is failing to meet a MUST statement, the institution: specifically includes the section number followed by the full text of the MUST

statement in the Application; clearly indicates why it is failing to meet the MUST statement; and clearly indicates how it plans to correct this deficiency, and in what time frame.

The Application for Initial Accreditation of a Proposed Program contains all the documentation as required below in the following order:

A copy of the institution’s most recent Certificate of Licensure or notice of Initial Licensure, as appropriate;

A letter from the CEO or Chairperson of the Board to the Commission for Academic Accreditation verifying that:

the proposed program has been approved at the highest level of

the institution;

it is consistent with the purposes, goals, and objectives of the institution;

the information in the supporting documentation is accurate and complete; and

the institution is committed to provide all needed human and physical resources required to support the program.

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Supporting documentation responding to all points in items 1-18 below, in the order in which they are listed, and to any other requirements of the current edition of the Standards that are specific to the proposed program, along with four (4) copies of the institution’s current catalog, submitted in both printed and electronic form.

1. Needs assessment: The needs assessment MUST demonstrate that the program fills a need both for students and for society. It MUST be based on conservative assumptions that are clearly stated and supported, and MUST include:

market survey of employment opportunities in the region, nation, and locale of the institution;

analysis of similar competing programs at both public and private institutions in the U.A.E. and their impact on the proposed program and on the need the proposed program seeks to meet;

rationale of the proposed program in relation to other programs at the proposing institution and in relation to other existing areas of academic excellence;

market survey of students who are available and who would select the program, including an analysis of why they would choose it; and

projected enrollments year by year for the first five (5) years of the program, with three scenarios of enrollment numbers including a “worst case” scenario.

2. Resources, capacity, and commitment: The proposing institution MUST project resources, including both human and physical resources, needed to support the program at a level of quality that would be recognized internationally. These needs must be assessed in detail, including startup resources and year-by-year operating requirements for each of the first five (5) years the program is offered. The proposing institution MUST also clearly document, with all necessary supporting detail, its capacity and its commitment to meet each of these needs year-by-year. Included in this detailed analyses of resources required and capacity and commitment to meet these needs MUST be the following:

the provision of a program chair, coordinator, or other academic administrator to lead the program’s development;

current teaching faculty who can teach courses in the program and their areas of specialization;

faculty who will need to be appointed and their areas of specialization;

technical support personnel required, current and projected; other staff needed, current and projected, to support the

program;

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instructional technology and other equipment and software needed to support the program, both currently available and projected;

laboratories, studios or other specialized facilities, including furnishings and equipment, both currently available and projected;

individual office space for newly appointed faculty members, and research space and equipment as may be required for them and for current faculty;

provision of “release time” and other support for faculty, including newly appointed faculty, to allow them sufficient time and resources to oversee the development of courses, establish the program, and also establish their own programs of teaching and research/scholarly activities in relation to the program; and

practical training opportunities for internships and practicum experiences for students in applied fields such as for medicine, engineering, business, and education.

3. Finances, costs, and capacity: The proposing institution MUST provide a careful analysis of the projected costs for each need and commitment identified in item 2 above and MUST document its ability to meet the attendant costs, including:

initial capital costs associated with the program such as renovation and construction and equipment purchases and the financial resources sufficient to meet the initial capital costs;

other start-up costs of the program including both the initial faculty appointments and other human and physical resources and the financial resources to meet these other initial costs;

operating costs year-by-year for the first five (5) years of the program for all human and physical resources taking into account an inflationary factor and the costs of recruiting faculty and replacing or adding to equipment and the financial resources sufficient to meet operating costs for the first five (5) years of the program, year-by-year;

revenue projections year-by-year for the first five (5) years of the program using “worst case” enrollment estimates identified in item 1 above; and

contingency amounts of no less that 20% of the total costs.

4. Timed action plan: The proposing institution MUST provide a timed human and physical resource action plan that is sufficiently detailed to map out stage by stage the provision of resources both for the startup of the program in its first year

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and for its delivery in each succeeding year for a total of five (5) years, taking into account each element in items 2 and 3 above. The action plan MUST include the appointment of the program chair, coordinator, or other academic administrator no later than 6 months prior to the anticipated time of the inauguration of the program to oversee the acquisition of required human and physical resources.

5. Goals and outcomes of the program: The proposing institution MUST provide a detailed statement of the goals, objectives, and intended learning outcomes of the program consistent with the goals and objectives of the institution.

6. Admission requirements: The proposing institution MUST provide a detailed statement of admission requirements for students entering the program, consistent with Ministry of Education requirements.

7. Curriculum and instruction: The proposing institution MUST provide detailed information on the content of the program, including:

the full curricular offerings, detailed syllabi of all courses, including required and elective courses so designated; the goals, objectives and learning outcomes of each course that support the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the program; detailed course content specified week by week, the texts and other learning resources to be used in each course; a full description for each course, including the designate and course number of each; all pre-requisites and co-requisites for each course detailed and justified; and the manner by which student achievement in each course will be assessed;

a term-by-term study plan indicating which courses a student would be advised to take and when he or she would be expected to take them;

a manual or similar document detailing policies for practicum, internship, or practical application experiences; and

if any portion of the proposed program is to be offered by distance education or e-Learning, the proposing institution MUST address in detail all relevant sections of the Standards related to this mode of delivery and to all relevant sections of the e-Learning/Distance Learning Standards.

8. Degree completion requirements: The proposing institution MUST explain the specific requirements for the completion of the degree program including credits hours, required general education or institution-wide courses, required program courses, required internship or practicum experiences, grade point average, and minimum and maximum duration of study.

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9. Faculty: The institution MUST provide information concerning the faculty who will have responsibility for the program and its courses, including:

curriculum vitae of the program chair, coordinator, or other academic administrator responsible for the program and of faculty who are currently appointed and available and who will teach in the program;

qualifications, areas of specialization, and proposed academic rank for faculty and academic administrators who will be appointed for the program;

in cases in which a faculty position in a current program is being used to support the proposed program, a justification and explanation of how this assignment will affect the institution and the program that had been supported by this faculty position;

plans to ensure diversity in faculty for the program; Analysis of the use of faculty to teach all courses, term by term, as

identified in item 7 above; projected use of part time faculty; time line for the appointment of new faculty including the different

stages of the advertising, recruitment, interviewing, appointment, arrival, and orientation processes; and

planned use of teaching assistants, lab assistants, or other staff who directly support instruction.

10. Library and learning resources: The proposing institution MUST specify those learning resources that directly support the proposed program, including:

current library holdings, with a listing of titles and including software; access to information electronically, including access to databases and

journal articles with a listing of electronically accessed databases and journals related to the proposed area of study;

a timed plan to add to the library collection and to other learning resources year by year to support the program during its first five (5) years; and

budget to support the program’s library and learning resources from startup of the program through the first five (5) years.

11. IT and instructional support: The proposing institution MUST provide detailed plans to meet the program’s needs for instructional technology, including computers as well as other required instructional support specific to the proposed program.

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12. Counseling and career development: The proposing institution MUST explain how any increased demands created by the program on the institution’s counseling and career development functions will be met.

13. External relations: The institution MUST explain how the program will receive the benefits of external review and advice and how students and faculty will engage with the external professional and academic communities in ways that support the goals of the program, which may, as appropriate, include:

plans for a program advisory board or similar means of program oversight, feedback, and coordination with the external community;

plans for exchange information with peer institutions or programs and input from them;

development of opportunities for program faculty to be active as professionals in the community;

plans for students in the program to apply their knowledge and skills in work environments and community organizations;

opportunities for program faculty to participate in professional meetings and associations that support their professional growth and development; and

opportunities for students in the program to be active in student organizations that support their academic and professional careers.

14. Organization and decision making: The institution MUST document where the program will be placed within the institution’s academic and administrative decision making structures and who will be responsible for academic decision making, including:

organizational chart; role of faculty in curriculum and instructional decisions regarding the

program and in the appointment of additional faculty for it; role of the program coordinator or chair and other academic

administrators with regard to the program and to its development, including faculty hiring and evaluation; and

in the case where the institution has more than one campus, and in which the institution proposes to offer the program in more than one location, the way in which the institution will ensure the academic control of the program and the coordination among its different locations.

15. Safety: The institution MUST explain how any safety issues specific to the program will be addressed.

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16. Contractual agreements: Any contracts, memoranda of understanding, or other agreements, as appropriate, regarding the delivery of or support for the proposed program MUST be explained and copies of any such existing agreements MUST be included.

17. Program effectiveness: The proposing institution MUST explain in detail how the institution’s effectiveness system will support the assessment and improvement of the proposed program in meeting its stated goals, objectives and outcomes. Included must be:

matrix indicating program and course objectives and outcomes and the assessment instruments to be used to evaluate effectiveness of individual courses and the program as a whole and its educational and administrative support services;

description of the instruments to be used to obtain program-specific data and the mechanism by which these data are analyzed and this analysis is used to reach decisions intended to improve the program and its outcomes; and

the role of the faculty and program coordinator in assessing the effectiveness of the program, making decisions regarding it based on an assessment of this data, and implementing changes to improve the program and its outcomes.

18 Teach-out provision: The institution MUST provide a clear and specific explanation of how it will provide for the rights and protection of any student enrolled should the proposed program, through the accreditation process, eventually be allowed to be offered and later be cancelled.

The institution understands that: an Application incomplete or submitted in an order other than that specified by

the Commission will be returned to the institution with the request automatically not accepted;

official acceptance of the Application by the Commission in absolutely no way implies any sort of official or unofficial commitment to Initial Accreditation; rather it is but one step in the program accreditation process;

if the fully completed Application is not officially accepted by the Commission, the institution will be so informed of this fact together with whether it may again make application and, if so, within what time-frame; and

if the Application is officially accepted by the Commission, the institution has the obligation to arrange with the Commission staff to begin planning for the on-site visiting committee.

Institutions should be aware of the deadlines for applications, published annually by the

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Commission.

B.4 Steps for Program Accreditation and Re-Accreditation If an institution is seeking Accreditation for a program, that program must previously have been granted Initial Accreditation for the time specified by the Commission.

If an institution is seeking Re-Accreditation for a program, that program must previously have been granted Accreditation classification within the last five years.

The institution that has met these requirements (that is, its program has been designated Initial Accreditation status or is accredited) is responsible for beginning the accreditation or re-accreditation process by officially notifying the Commission that the institution intends to seek Accreditation or Re-Accreditation of the program, and communicating with the staff of the Commission to initiate the Accreditation or Re-Accreditation process, beginning with the preparation of the institutional documents and the Application for Program Accreditation.

In the case of Accreditation, this process MUST begin within two years after the first class graduates from a program with Initial Accreditation.

An institution cannot assume that accreditation will automatically follow. The burden of proof of compliance with the Standards rests on the individual institution and on those responsible for teaching in, administering, and supervising the specific program to be evaluated.

Upon the Commission’s acceptance of the Application, a visiting committee is brought to the campus for a fact-finding evaluative review of the program. The Commission will schedule a visit as quickly as possible, but the institution should be aware of the Commission’s deadlines for applications, which are published annually, and plan accordingly.

The Commission staff then reviews the visiting committee report and makes a recommendation to the Minister for his determination.

B.5 Application for Program Accreditation and Re-Accreditation

An application for Accreditation/Re-accreditation requires:

a letter from the CEO or Chairperson of the Board to the Commission verifying that the information in the supporting documentation is accurate and complete; and

a self-study of the program and its effectiveness that includes supporting documentation responding to all points in items 1 –18 below, in the order in which they are listed, and to any other requirements of the current edition of the

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Standards that are specific to the program, along with four (4) copies of the properly completed Application and four (4) copies of its current catalog, faculty handbook, student handbook, and all other documents pertinent to any criteria noted in the Application,

The Application for Program Accreditation/Re-Accreditation MUST contain all the information as required below in the following order:

1. Goals and outcomes of the program: The institution MUST provide a detailed statement of the goals, objectives, and learning outcomes of the program consistent with the goals and objectives of the institution, and indicate if these goals, objectives, and outcomes have changed since the program was last reviewed by the Commission and if so the nature of those changes and an explanation of why they were made.

2. Admission requirements: The institution MUST provide a detailed statement of admission requirements for students entering the program, consistent with Ministry requirements, and indicate if these requirements have changed since the program was last reviewed by the Commission and if so why these changes were made.

3. Curriculum and instruction: The institution MUST provide detailed information on the current content of the program, including:

● changes in the curriculum, if any, since the program was last reviewed by the Commission;

● a term-by-term study plan indicating which courses a student would be advised to take and when he or she would be expected to take them;

● the full curricular offerings, detailed syllabi of all courses, including required and elective courses so designated; the goals and objectives and learning outcomes of each course that support the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the program; detailed course content specified week by week, the texts and other learning resources to be used in each course; a full description for each course, including the designate and course number of each; all pre-requisites and co-requisites for each course detailed and justified; and the manner by which student achievement in each course will be assessed;

● a manual or similar document detailing policies for practicum, internship, or practical application experiences; and

● if any portion of the program is offered by distance education or e-Learning, the institution must address in detail all relevant sections of the Standards related to this mode of delivery and to all relevant sections of the e-Learning/Distance Learning Standards.

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4. Degree completion requirements: The institution MUST explain the specific requirements for the completion of the degree program including credits hours, required general education or institution-wide courses, required program courses, required internship or practicum experiences, grade point average, minimum and maximum duration of study, and residency requirements.

5. Students and graduates: The institution MUST provide data since the program started to include:

new student enrollment into the program year by year; the total enrollment in the program year by year; the year by year attrition from the program; and the number of graduates from the program year by year.

6. Faculty: The institution MUST provide information concerning the faculty who have responsibility for the program and its courses, including:

curriculum vitae of the program chair, coordinator, or other academic administrator responsible for the program;

curriculum vitae of both full-time and part-time faculty who currently teach the program specific courses and their qualifications, areas of specialization, teaching load and courses they teach in the current and last semester, and those taught in the previous semester;

qualifications, areas of specialization, and proposed academic rank for faculty and academic administrators who will be appointed for the program, in case of new faculty to be added;

the use of teaching assistants, lab assistants, or other staff who directly support instruction;

faculty development support provided for faculty in the program during the previous four years with details on programs, conference attendance, and other professional development activities;

provision of “release time” and other support for faculty, including newly appointed faculty, to allow them sufficient time and resources to oversee the development of courses, and also implement their own programs of teaching and research/scholarly activities in relation to the program;

class rosters of current and preceding semesters and, if available, of the forthcoming semester;

role of faculty in curriculum revision and development, and in faculty recruitment and promotion; and

opportunities that have been used by program faculty to participate in professional meetings and associations that support their professional growth and development.

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7. Resources, capacity, and commitment: The institution MUST describe the available resources, including both human and physical resources, that are utilized to support the program. The institution MUST also clearly document the following, with all necessary supporting detail:

technical support personnel currently available; other staff currently utilized to support the program; summary of current library and other learning resources including

titles of all collections relevant to the program and listing of electronically accessed journals and databases that support the program;

instructional technology including computers and other equipment and software currently available to support the program;

laboratories, studios or other specialized facilities, currently available for the program; and

practical training opportunities for internships and practicum experiences that have been used for students in fields such as medicine, engineering, and education.

8. Organization and decision making: The institution MUST document where the program is placed within the institution’s academic and administrative decision making structures and who is responsible for academic decision making including:

organizational chart; role of faculty in curriculum and instructional decisions regarding the

program and in the appointment of additional faculty for it; and role of the program coordinator or chair and other academic

administrators with regard to the program and to its development, including faculty hiring and evaluation.

9. Finances, costs, and capacity: The institution MUST provide the financial analysis of the costs and revenue of the program in the last academic year.

10. Counseling and career development: The institution MUST explain how the institution’s counseling and career development functions are carried out, with statistics on job opportunities that have been secured for the program graduates through this service.

11. External relations: The institution MUST explain how the program has received the benefits of external review and advice and how students and faculty engage with the external professional and academic communities in ways that support the goals of the program, which may, as appropriate, include:

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program advisory board or similar means of program oversight, feedback, and coordination with the external community;

exchange information with peer institutions or programs and input from them;

development of opportunities for program faculty to actively engage them as professionals in the community;

plans that have been implemented for students in the program to apply their knowledge and skills in work environments and community organizations; and

opportunities that have been utilized by students in the program to be active in student organizations that support their academic and professional careers.

12. Consortial and contractual agreements: Any contracts, memoranda of understanding, or other agreements, as appropriate, regarding the delivery of or support for the program MUST be explained and copies of any such existing agreements MUST be included.

13. Safety: The institution MUST explain how any safety issues specific to the program are addressed.

14. Program effectiveness: The institution MUST explain in detail how the institution’s effectiveness system has supported the assessment and improvement of the proposed program in meeting its stated goals, objectives and outcomes. Included MUST be:

matrix indicating program and course objectives and outcomes and the assessment instruments that are used to evaluate effectiveness of individual courses and the program as a whole;

description of the instruments that are used to obtain program-specific data and the mechanism by which these data are analyzed and this analysis is used to reach decisions intended to improve the program and its outcomes;

description of the instruments that are used to obtain data on the effectiveness of each of the educational and administrative units supporting the program and its outcomes;

the role of the faculty and program coordinator in assessing the effectiveness of the program, making decisions regarding it based on an assessment of this data, and implementing changes to improve the program and its outcomes;

detailed results of the evaluations made through various instruments; and

documentation demonstrating how the institution has used the results of these evaluations to improve the program and its curriculum, courses, learning outcomes, and the effectiveness of its supporting units.

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15. Program improvement: The institution should identify and assess any issues, problems, questions, new directions, and improvements that it is exploring, or would like to explore, related to the program. These may include, as appropriate:

curriculum changes including course sequencing, additions, deletions, or pre- requisites;

additional or new completion requirements such as practicum experiences, minimum GPA, or capstone course;

changes in internship or other practicum experiences for students; additional areas of faculty expertise for which the institution may

recruit faculty; areas of needed professional development for current faculty; additional resources that will be required in library holdings, databases,

software, hardware, laboratory equipment, etc; and related programs, tracks, or concentrations that the institution is

considering to provide.

16. the location(s) where the program is offered;

17. analysis of opportunities as well as problems and difficulties involved with offering the program; and

18. accurate, clear, and detailed evidence with appropriate documentation that the institution and the program being reviewed are meeting the requirements of the Standards by addressing each of the relevant MUST statements listed in the Application form.

In those cases where, with respect to the program being evaluated, the institution reports that it is failing to meet a MUST statement listed in the Application, the institution:

specifically includes the section number followed by the full text of the MUST statement in the Application;

clearly indicates why it is failing to meet the MUST statement; and clearly indicates how it plans to correct this deficiency, and in what time frame.

The institution understands that: it is to submit to the Commission four (4) copies of the properly completed

Application and four (4) copies of its current catalog, faculty handbook, student handbook, and all other documents pertinent to any criteria noted in the Application, and have the Application document accepted by the Commission at least six (6) months before the time the specific program is subject to accreditation/re-accreditation;

an incomplete Application will automatically call for stopping admission to the specific program;

official acceptance of the Application by the Commission in no way implies any sort of official or unofficial commitment to program accreditation; rather it is but

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one step in the program accrediting process; if the submitted Application is officially not accepted by the Commission, the

Commission will not schedule an on-site committee visit and will inform the institution of its options (The options may include the initiation of actions to close the program, with full institutional consideration given to the rights and protection of students currently enrolled in the program, in which case the institution discusses with and then is officially informed by the Commission when the institution will again be allowed to apply for accreditation of the denied program);

if the Application is officially accepted by the Commission, the institution has the obligation to communicate with the Commission staff to begin planning for the on-site visiting committee, the visit to be conducted under the full supervision of the Commission staff; and

if an Application has been officially accepted and an on-site visiting committee review has taken place, a program can be approved, placed on probation, leading to admission being placed on hold for one year, or denied, leading to its closure.

B.6 The On-Site Visitation

An on-site visitation will not be scheduled until the Commission has received and officially accepted the Application. The Commission staff will closely coordinate the visit of the on-site committee with the institution as part of the accrediting process. Staff of the Commission will review plans for the visit of the committee according to a prescribed agenda sent to the chief executive officer in advance of the visit. It is understood that the following principals and procedures govern the on-sire visit:

Just as it has taken very seriously its preparation of the Application, so also is the institution to take very seriously preparation for the committee visit and the visit itself by making available to the committee all documents of the institution, and, where appropriate, all faculty and staff involved with the program being reviewed. The entire campus needs to be informed of the reason for this visit, and all students enrolled in the program, where appropriate, are to be available for discussion with the committee, should the committee so wish.

The tone reflected by the institution, the Commission staff, and the visiting committee is, of course, courteous, friendly, and professional. Likewise all concerned realize and respond to the opportunity for direct and honest evaluation of the program. To attempt to hide any weakness in the program, or to define only its strengths but not its weaknesses, is viewed as a serious violation of professional ethics and a lost opportunity, never again to be recaptured, of strengthening a specific academic program.

The Commission has the sole and complete authority to supervise the visits of all committees brought to the U.A.E. for the purpose of providing to the Minister an evaluative, fact-finding report of any academic program.

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The institution will bear the total responsibility of financing the visit of the committee, including the honoraria provided to each member. However, the Commission will facilitate all expenses of the committee visit, including honoraria, and will charge in advance the institution involved. Absolutely no money nor any article of value above AED 200 will be given by any institution or association or associate thereof to any member of the committee under penalty of immediate denial of the program’s accreditation, as determined by the Minister. The Commission will facilitate all travel of the visiting committee, all housing, and all meals. The only exception to this rule will be the on-campus meal(s) provided by the institution to the committee as part of working sessions attended by committee members and the Commission staff only.

Committee membership will be determined by the Commission staff from seasoned experts with outstanding credentials in their fields. Where there is need, the Commission staff will seek the advice and counsel of discipline accrediting organizations and accrediting associations recognized by the international community. Care will be given to assure that no committee member selected has had any affiliation or association with the institution or any of its programs within the past ten (10) years of the site visit.

The Commission will furnish each committee member with a copy, in advance of the visit, of the Standards, the Application document submitted by the institution; and the institution’s current catalog.

The schedule of the visiting committee on campus will be announced to the institution’s chief executive officer well in advance of the visit. The normal visit on campus will begin with a meeting with the chief executive officer and those whom that officer chooses to invite. The Commission staff is responsible for providing each committee with an orientation; and the chief executive officer, at the first meeting on-site, will provide the committee with an orientation to the institution and to the program.

The Commission staff member(s) will sit with the visiting committee during its deliberations so that the staff is privy to the full and best thinking of the committee. All deliberative meetings of the committee are confidential in nature and open only to members of the staff of the Commission.

The report of the visiting committee will be fact-finding and evaluative in its nature and will contain no recommendation regarding Initial Accreditation/Accreditation/Re-Accreditation and will be delivered only to the staff of the Commission who, after careful review of the report, will make appropriate recommendation regarding Initial Accreditation/Accreditation/Re-Accreditation to the Minister for his determination.

The institution MUST refrain from making direct contact with the visiting

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committee members after the visit, until the Minister makes a final determination on the program.

B.7 Accreditation Determination

The Commission will report to the institution the Initial Accreditation/ Accreditation/Re-Accreditation determination. Such determination falls into three categories: Approved, Probation, Denied.

Approved. That program approved for Initial Accreditation will be permitted to be offered in the U.A.E. for a period until it graduates its first three cohorts of students from the program, provided that students are enrolled in the program no later than the second academic year after the program receives its Initial Accreditation, and its graduates will be recognized by the Ministry, provided that the institution retains its Certificate of Licensure. After the program has had graduates and prior to the graduation of its third academic year cohorts, in order for the program to continue, Application for Program Accreditation should have been submitted to and have been accepted by the Commission.

That program approved for Accreditation or Re-Accreditation classification will be permitted to be offered in the U.A.E. for a period of up to five (5) years and the Ministry will recognize its graduates, provided the institution offering this curriculum retains its Certificate of Licensure.

During the specified period the program has been approved to operate, either under Accreditation-Eligible or Accreditation/Re-Accreditation classification, the institution will receive frequent unscheduled visits by the Commission staff to ensure that the program is continuing to meet the requirements of the Standards. Failure to continue to meet the Standards requirements may result in loss of program approval, according to the determination of the Minister. Probation. That program applying for Accreditation-Eligible, Accreditation, or Re-Accreditation classification that is placed on probation by the Ministry is obligated, within the specified time, to correct any deficiencies noted.

While the program is on probation, the institution may be sanctioned not to admit new students into the program. The Commission staff will validate the correction of the deficiencies and make an appropriate recommendation to the Minister for his determination. Should the deficiencies noted not be corrected during the specified time limit, the program’s determination will be changed to denied. Admission of new students will be stopped and the institution will immediately initiate actions to close the program, with full institutional consideration given to the rights and protection of the students who are enrolled in the program.

Denied. That program denied Initial Accreditation will not be permitted to start.

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That program denied Accreditation or Re-Accreditation will immediately initiate actions to close the program, with full institutional provision given for the rights and protection of any student enrolled in the program.

An institution that has been denied Initial Accreditation, Accreditation, or Re-Accreditation classification for a program will not re-apply for that program for a period specified by the Commission.

The above actions taken upon receiving the denied determination are required, under penalty of the institution’s losing its candidacy status or its certificate of licensure.

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