Higher Education Law Shifts Focus to Graduate Outcomes Over Rankings

The UAE’s new higher education law will shift the focus of university oversight from paperwork and procedural compliance to measurable graduate outcomes, as authorities roll out a unified national framework governing all higher education institutions across the country.

Ministry officials outlined the implementation of the legislation — which came into effect on January 1, 2026 — during a dialogue session with universities, stressing that employability, programme quality and performance indicators will now form the basis of evaluation.

The law applies to all higher education institutions in the UAE, including those operating in free zones, and replaces what officials described as a largely process-driven regulatory model with an outcomes-based system.

“In the past, evaluation focused on procedures and processes,” said Ibrahim Fikri, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Higher Education Regulation and Governance Sector at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. “Today, the real difference lies in the outputs of the educational institution.”

Under the new framework, institutions will be assessed primarily on how their graduates perform in the labour market. Rather than relying on traditional classification systems rooted in procedural compliance, the ministry will examine employment rates and the alignment of academic programmes with industry demand.

“I evaluate an educational institution through its graduates — how many are working in the job market and how that reflects on the institution’s standing,” Fikri said.

The ministry is also preparing initiatives in 2026 aimed at helping students make informed decisions about academic specialisations and career paths, creating a stronger link between universities and labour market needs.

Mandatory Data Integration

A central pillar of the reform is compulsory data integration between universities and the ministry through a unified digital infrastructure, building on the Master API project launched in 2025.

 

Institutions will be required to share comprehensive academic and administrative data, including programme details, enrolment figures, faculty information, student performance and graduation outcomes.

Fikri said the move was designed to eliminate inconsistencies that previously arose from manual and delayed data submissions. The integrated system will support licensing and accreditation decisions, strategic planning and sector-wide oversight.

Tighter Controls

The law also introduces stricter controls on programme approvals and academic advertising, following instances where institutions promoted or offered programmes without proper authorisation.

 

Every institution must obtain initial approval from the ministry before announcing or offering a programme. All academic advertising will require ministry clearance, and accreditation will be issued through official documentation specifying each programme’s validity period.

 

Clearer Rules for Online Learning

The law treats online and face-to-face programmes as separate accreditations. Converting a programme to online delivery will require fresh approval.

Programmes requiring practical or clinical training — including engineering, medical and health sciences — cannot be delivered fully online. Each programme will be assessed individually to determine whether certain components may be offered remotely.

Implementation Timeline

Although the law took effect on January 1, 2026, institutions have been granted a one-year grace period to comply with data linkage and regulatory requirements. Licensing will become a continuous process, and failure to meet renewal timelines could result in penalties, including licence cancellation. Detailed enforcement regulations are expected to follow.

 

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