UAE's Higher Education Ministry Strips a University in Fujairah of Accreditation

The UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) has withdrawn accreditation for all academic qualifications issued by Midocean University, which operates an executive office in Fujairah, after a compliance inspection uncovered serious regulatory violations. 

According to a statement from MoHESR, the decision followed a joint inspection with the Fujairah Free Zone Authority, which revealed that the university’s Fujairah office had been engaging in activities beyond its stated mandate and offering educational programmes without proper ministry accreditation. Officials found that the institution had been providing registration services and conducting academic programmes that failed to meet UAE legal and quality standards. 

Among the noted violations were the delivery of online academic programmes without a clear quality assurance mechanism and significant discrepancies between reported student and programme data and what was observed on-site. These findings, MoHESR said, indicated that the university had not complied with the nation’s higher education legislation and national standards. 

Following a comprehensive verification and technical assessment, MoHESR changed the institution’s status in its official recognition lists to “not accredited”, meaning that degrees issued by Midocean University will no longer be recognised within the UAE. The ministry stressed that this move aims to protect the interests of students and uphold the credibility and quality of higher education across the Emirates. 

The ministry’s announcement also highlighted that academic qualifications from unaccredited institutions will not be accepted for employment or professional purposes in the UAE, a point reiterated in recent ministry notices regarding Midocean University’s accreditation status. 

MoHESR urged students, parents and prospective applicants to verify the licensing and accreditation status of any institution or academic programme through its official website or Customer Happiness Centre before enrollment to avoid future complications related to degree recognition. 

The university, for its part, said it had never operated under the direct supervision of the ministry, but MoHESR’s jurisdiction over academic recognition and quality assurance was reaffirmed in its statement. 

The ministry’s action underscores its commitment to ensuring that higher education institutions comply with UAE regulations and protect students from misleading or unlicensed academic providers.