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The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) has partnered with Times Higher Education (THE), a global university rankings provider, to conduct an in-depth analysis of the UAE’s higher education landscape.
The collaboration aligns with the ministry’s efforts to boost the global competitiveness of UAE-based universities in both education and scientific research, while enhancing the integration of higher education outcomes with national priorities.
The announcement coincided with Emirati Day for Education, which is held under the theme ‘Education By Everyone, For Everyone’, which aims to support the strategic transformation of the UAE’s education sector and deepen its connection to human and community development.
Under this collaboration, THE will leverage its expertise to evaluate the performance of higher education institutions (HEIs), benchmark it against leading global universities, and identify key areas for growth and development. The analysis will provide insights that will help refine policies aimed at maximising the contribution of UAE-based HEIs to developing the nation’s sustainable, knowledge-based economy.
Dr Hassan AlMheiri, Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for Higher Education and Scientific Research Regulation and Governance Sector, said, “The UAE recognises that a strong higher education sector is fundamental to achieving development, progress and success at the individual, community and national levels through building a competitive knowledge-based economy. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is committed to enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of UAE-based higher education institutions, strengthening the UAE’s position as a pioneering global hub for innovation and cutting-edge research and future sciences.”
Dr Hassan AlMheiri added, “Our partnership with THE will enable us to assess the strengths and areas for improvement across our HEIs, ensuring they are even better positioned to produce world-class graduates. This will contribute to enhancing the national education system in a way that supports societal needs while keeping pace with future requirements.”
The project will be implemented across five phases. In the first phase, Nationwide Engagement, representatives of participating universities will attend training sessions to understand THE’s ranking methodology and data submission processes. In the Data Submission and Quality Assurance phase, THE will collect data related to up to 11 subjects for a specific academic year for global benchmarking analysis. In phase three, Simulation and Rankings Production, THE will evaluate UAE-based universities based on their current performance and compare them to their peers.
After that, THE will move to phase four, Higher Education Landscape Analysis, where it will review local and federal institutional strategies, policies, and initiatives to assess their alignment with its World University Rankings metrics. In the final phase, THE will conduct International Peer Benchmarking against top-tier universities.
Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at THE, said, “At THE, we have been extremely impressed with the UAE’s nationwide commitment to collecting and analysing quality data to support universities’ strategic direction and align their outcomes with national policy goals for the benefit of the nation. It has also been exciting to see key UAE universities rapidly develop research capabilities and join the world-class institutions listed in the THE World University Rankings. It is both an honour and a privilege to have entered this long-term strategic partnership to support MoHESR’s exciting ambitions for the nation’s burgeoning higher education sector.”
Participating universities will understand their position within the UAE higher education sector and receive suggestions for improvement as well as a detailed metrics-level ranking performance analysis report.
THE will lead engaging sessions with stakeholders across academia and government, and conduct masterclasses to train universities on the data submission and ranking methodologies. The initiative will culminate in the formulation of actionable strategies to take the UAE’s higher education sector to new heights.