AACSB Collaborates With UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation

Press Releases
Thursday, September 10, 2020
AACSB and CAA form agreement for mutually supportive and collaborative engagement to streamline accreditation in the UAE.

Tampa, FL, USA (September 10, 2020)— Effective today, the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), the National Accreditation Agency affiliated with the Ministry of Education, and AACSB International have formed an agreement for mutually supportive and collaborative engagement. A primary feature of the agreement is the UAE’s recognition of AACSB’s accreditation standards as a key quality indicator aligned with its own governmental standards. This recognition further streamlines the quality assurance and government review process for business schools within the UAE and will enable the expansion of high-quality business education in the region.

For more than a century, AACSB accreditation has been synonymous with the highest standards in business education. Today, over 870 institutions across 57 countries and territories have earned AACSB accreditation in business, while 190 institutions hold supplemental AACSB accreditation for their accounting programs. Currently seven institutions hold AACSB accreditation within the UAE.

“AACSB is delighted for this confirmation of our accreditation standards and recognizes that it will further enable access to high-quality education in the UAE,” said Tim Mescon, AACSB’s executive vice president and chief officer of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “Through this agreement, learners in the UAE can receive a business education that emphasizes outcomes in learning and research, demonstrates positive societal impact, and encourages a global mindset.”

“The CAA welcomes this association with AACSB in supporting business schools in the UAE to offer the highest-quality academic programs that are recognized both within the country and internationally for their excellence,” said Mohamed Yousif Baniyas, CAA’s higher education advisor and executive director.

Effective today, this agreement contributes to transnational education and fosters student mobility across the globe. The agreement will remain in place for three years, with an opportunity to renew.

About AACSB International

Established in 1916, AACSB is the world’s largest business education alliance, connecting educators, learners, and business to create the next generation of great leaders. With a presence in more than 100 countries and territories, AACSB fosters engagement, accelerates innovation, and amplifies impact in business education. Learn how AACSB is transforming business education for a better society at aacsb.edu.

About the CAA

The CAA has spent the past few decades building the educational system in the UAE by developing national accreditation and licensing standards to emulate the best practices worldwide. The CAA supports the UAE’s national strategy toward a knowledge-based economy by creating a culture of creativity and innovation to students to help guide them to new opportunities, perform research, and demonstrate the ability to innovate and become entrepreneurs in their specialist fields and to respond positively to the opportunities for lifelong learning. Learn more at www.caa.ae.