The Commission for Academic Accreditation, CAA, of the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tourism and Hospitality Education - International Centre of Excellence, THE-ICE, in Australia, whereby the academic programmes offered by institutions of higher education in the field of tourism and hospitality are evaluated through a joint team of external evaluators representing both accreditation commissions. This allows for granting the programme local accreditation by the Ministry along with the international accreditation by THE-ICE.

The MoU was signed by Pauline Tang, CEO of THE-ICE, and Director of the Board of International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education for the Australian side, and by Dr. Saeed Al Hassani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Professor Badr Aboul-Ela, Director of CAA, from the Emirati side.

Dr. Tang praised the criteria used by the CAA, and indicated that they match the international criteria applied to the tourism and hospitality programmes, which encouraged THE-ICE to work together with the CAA.

Dr. Al Hassani pointed out that such a joint action with international accreditation bodies will encourage higher education institutions in the state to earn international accreditation for their programmes from specialised professional accreditation bodies.

Dr. Aboul-Ela noted that the CAA started the activation of this joint action through the participation of THE-ICE with the CAA in evaluating the programmes offered by two higher education institutions in the state, and the commission is working on signing agreements with international academic accreditation bodies in other specialised areas.