Host jurisdiction · Middle East
United Arab Emirates
A dual-track system: an emirate authority licenses the campus, while federal recognition of the award requires CAA institutional licensure and programme accreditation.
- Entry route
- Institutional licensure and programme accreditation (CAA, federal); Higher Education Permit (KHDA, Dubai); Higher Education Authorization (ADEK, Abu Dhabi)
- records
- 23 · 23 awarding institutions
- Official register
- UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation · KHDA Higher Education Directory（迪拜）
Regulators
Regulators
-
Commission for Academic Accreditation, Ministry of Education CAA
Federal quality assurance agency; institutional licensure and programme accreditation, entry on the National Register confers Federal Recognition
https://www.moe.gov.ae/En/MediaCenter/News/Pages/accreditation2.aspx -
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (Dubai) KHDA
Issues the higher education permit in Dubai and supervises free-zone higher education through the University Quality Assurance International Board
https://web.khda.gov.ae/en/Guides/Education-Providers/Permit-Guides/Permits-for-Higher-Education-Institutions -
Department of Education and Knowledge (Abu Dhabi) ADEK
Oversees higher education providers in Abu Dhabi; issues the No Objection Letter required before a CAA application
https://www.adek.gov.ae/en/Education-System/Higher-Education/Licensing-and-Accreditation
Instruments
Instruments
-
Standards for Institutional Licensure and Program Accreditation 2019
CAA Standards 2019
https://www.moe.gov.ae/En/MediaCenter/News/Pages/accreditation2.aspx -
UQAIB Quality Assurance Manual
Version 2.5
https://www.khda.gov.ae/CMS/WebParts/TextEditor/Documents/UQAIB_EN.pdf
Branch campus
Branch campus
A recognised regime exists
International branch campus under an emirate-level permit or authorisation, with federal CAA licensure and accreditation required for Federal Recognition
Education zone authorities license branch campuses to operate but do not by themselves grant federal degree recognition.
Arrangements on the register
Arrangements on the register
Home systems delivering here
- United Kingdom5
- Australia4
- France3
- India3
- United States3
- Iran1
- Italy1
- Pakistan1
Most active awarding institutions
- Amity University1
- BITS Pilani1
- Curtin University1
- EM Normandie Business School1
- Heriot-Watt University1
- Hult International Business School1
- Islamic Azad University1
- LUISS Guido Carli1
Levels
- Other / not classified23
Who is already delivering
Most active awarding institutions
-
MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY DUBAI
UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation -
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM DUBAI
UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation -
HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY, DUBAI
UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation -
SORBONNE UNIVERSITY, ABU DHABI (FORMERLY: PARIS SORBONNE UNIVERSITY, ABU DHABI)
UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation -
UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG IN DUBAI
UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation -
MANIPAL ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation -
AMITY UNIVERSITY DUBAI
UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation -
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, ABU DHABI
UAE CAA — Commission for Academic Accreditation
Five questions, then a route map
No regulator here publishes approval timelines, fees or success rates, so none appear above. Getting to a defensible estimate means reading your specific case against the current instrument — which is where a person, not a page, is useful.
Checked against official sources on 2026-07-28