UAE Universities Must Have Plans to Protect Students if Courses Close

Universities across the UAE must maintain teach-out contingency plans to ensure students can continue their education if an institution or one of its programmes closes under the country’s updated higher education licensing framework.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said each institution is responsible for preparing a plan for enrolled students, with the ministry overseeing implementation to ensure students are not negatively affected if a licence is withdrawn, not renewed or operations are otherwise interrupted.

The National Framework for Licensing Higher Education Institutions requires academic continuity plans covering students’ educational pathways, preservation of academic records, protection of financial rights and transfer arrangements to other institutions where necessary.

The framework applies to universities and their branches, including institutions operating in free zones, and treats licensing as an ongoing process rather than a one-time approval. Institutions must maintain accurate data, comply with information-security and incident-reporting requirements, and have arrangements in place to keep academic operations running during disruptions.

New universities will also need separate accreditation for each programme before it can be advertised or offered to students. Institutional licensing confirms readiness and sustainability but does not itself permit immediate course offerings. Newly licensed institutions have one year to begin launching programmes, with at least one programme accredited for advertising.

The licensing framework is one of four Cabinet decisions introduced as part of a wider overhaul of higher education regulation, alongside measures covering review and service fees, financial guarantees, and violations and administrative penalties.