Commission for Academic Accreditation

The Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) is the government-run institutional licensure and degree accreditation organization for private universities and their academic programmes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).^[1] It was established in 1999, with headquarters in UAE's capital city Abu Dhabi, and is a department of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.^[2] The CAA is a member of the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE)^[3]

The CAA has a number of commissioners led by its director, Dr Badr Aboul-Ela, a founder member of the organization.^[4] Institutions must follow standards set by the CAA.^[5] There are specific standards for e-learning^[6] and, since 2009, for vocational education and technical training.^[7] Licensure and accreditation are achieved through submission of supporting documentation and site visits by a commissioner and a visiting committee of experienced academics with appropriate expertise.

All non-federal higher education institutions operating outside a free-zone in the UAE must have a license to operate and their academic programmes must be accredited before students may be admitted. Many institutions operating within a free-zone nevertheless submit themselves to the CAA for license and accreditation. More recently, degree programmes at federal (government-run) institutions are also being accredited.

See also

• List of recognized higher education accreditation organizations
• List of universities and colleges in the United Arab Emirates

References

External links

• CAA website
• GACC Accreditation