Higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates need to be recognized by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), which operates as part of the Ministry of Education.[1] While the Ministry of Education is the federal governing body for higher education and education in general, some emirates might still have their own agencies which oversee certain aspects of higher education within the emirate, such as Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) or Abu Dhabi's Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK).
Only institutions that have received CAA accreditation from the Ministry of Education are listed below.
| Institute name | |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Polytechnic | |
| Abu Dhabi School of Management | |
| Abu Dhabi University | |
| Al Ain University | |
| Al Khawarizmi International College | |
| Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy | |
| Emirates Academy for Identity & Citizenship | |
| Emirates College for Advanced Education | |
| Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies, Abu Dhabi Campus | |
| Fatima College of Health Sciences | |
| Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi Campus | |
| INSEAD, Middle East Campus in Abu Dhabi | |
| Joint Command and Staff College, Abu Dhabi | |
| Khalifa Bin Zayed Air College | |
| Khalifa University | |
| Liwa College of Technology (formerly Emirates College of Technology) | |
| Mohammed bin Zayed University for Human Sciences | |
| National Defense College | |
| New York University, Abu Dhabi | |
| Police College Abu Dhabi | |
| Rabdan Academy | |
| Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Naval College | |
| Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi | |
| United Arab Emirates University | |
| Zayed II Military College | |
| Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus | |
| Ajman University | |
| City University College of Ajman | |
| Gulf Medical University | |
| Western University College[2] | |
| British University College [3] | |
| Abu Dhabi University, Dubai | |
| Al Dar University College | |
| Al Falah University[4] | |
| Al Ghurair University (permanently closed) | |
| American College of Dubai | |
| American University in Dubai | |
| American University in the Emirates | |
| Amity University Dubai | |
| Atlas Educational Institute Dubai[5] | |
| Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani | |
| British University in Dubai | |
| Canadian University Dubai | |
| The College Of Fashion And Design Dubai | |
| City, University of London Dubai Centre | |
| Curtin University | |
| Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation | |
| Dubai Medical College For Girls | |
| Dubai Pharmacy College For Girls | |
| Dubai Police Academy | |
| Emirates Academy Of Hospitality Management | |
| Emirates Aviation University | |
| Emirates College For Management And Information Technology[on probation, no new admissions] | |
| Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies, Dubai | |
| Esmod French Fashion Institute | |
| European University College[on probation, no new admissions] | |
| Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University | |
| Heriot-Watt University | |
| Higher Colleges Of Technology - Dubai Branch | |
| Hult International Business School | |
| Imam Malik College For Islamic Sharia And Law | |
| Institute of Management Technology - Dubai | |
| Islamic And Arabic Studies College – Dubai | |
| Islamic Azad University | |
| Jumeira University | |
| London Business School | |
| Maktoum Bin Hamdan Dental University College[on probation, no new admissions] | |
| Manipal University | |
| MENA College of Management[6] | |
| Lincoln University of Business and Management[7] | |
| Michigan State University in Dubai (permanently closed) | |
| Middlesex University Dubai | |
| MODUL University Dubai | |
| Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government | |
| Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences | |
| Moscow University for Industry and Finance (Synergy) | |
| Murdoch University Dubai | |
| Rochester Institute of Technology of Dubai | |
| Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland | |
| S P Jain School of Global Management | |
| SAE Institute | |
| Saint Joseph University | |
| Saint-Petersburg State Economic University | |
| Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology | |
| Strathclyde Business School Dubai | |
| The National Institute for Vocational Education | |
| The University of Manchester Worldwide | |
| University Of Balamand In Dubai[on probation, no new admissions] | |
| University of Birmingham Dubai | |
| University of Bradford Regional Hub, Dubai | |
| University of Dubai | |
| University of Exeter | |
| University of Jazeera[on probation, no new admissions] | |
| University Of Modern Sciences[on probation, no new admissions] | |
| University of South Wales, Dubai (closed) | |
| University of Wollongong in Dubai.[8] | |
| Zayed University, Dubai | |
| University of Fujairah | |
| Higher Colleges of Technology, Fujairah Campus | |
| University of Science and Technology of Fujairah | |
| American University of Ras al Khaimah | |
| Barha University, Ras Al Khaimah Campus | |
| Higher Colleges of Technology, Ras Al Khaimah Campus | |
| Ras Al Khaimah Medical & Health Sciences University | |
| Al Qasimia University | |
| American University of Sharjah | |
| Arab Academy for Science, Technology, & Maritime Transport, Sharjah Campus | |
| Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies, Sharjah Campus | |
| Westford University College | |
| Exeed College | |
| Higher Colleges of Technology, Sharjah Campus | |
| King's Business School[9] | |
| Lincoln University of Business and Management[10] | |
| Police Sciences Academy | |
| Sharjah Education Academy | |
| Sharjah Performing Arts Academy | |
| Skyline University College | |
| UOK | |
| UOS | |
| Umm Al Quwain University |
These are the universities' rankings in 2019 according to THE (Times Higher Education)[11] and in 2020 according to QS (Quacquarelli Symonds).[12] Definitions of categories used for measurement of both THE and QS are missing. It would be helpful if the UAE provided its own rankings according to its own measurement system. The Tuning Project 2000 is integrated in the THE rankings in order to accommodate local and cultural diversity and to ameliorate rankings with 'Western' bias.
| Institution | 2019 (THE) | 2020 (QS) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | 81 | ||
| 801-1000 | 371 | ||
| 351-400 | 329 | ||
| 301-350 | 268 | ||
| - | 601-650 | ||
| 218 | 212 | ||
| 801-1000 | 651-700 | ||
| - | 701-750 | ||
| Ajman University | - | 751-800 |
The Ministry of Education does not recognize educational institutions based in free zones. While individual Emirates are responsible for managing the standards of educational institutions within their free zones, Dubai is the only Emirate that does so through the Knowledge and Human Development Authority's (KHDA) University Quality Assurance International Board. The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is currently working on tightening rules and regulations that govern higher academic institutions within free zones in the Emirate.[13]