Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research issued Ministerial Resolution No. (173) of 2025 regarding the governance of the obligations of higher education institutions with regard to practical training for students.
This comes as a strategic step aimed at enhancing students’ efficiency and providing them with the practical skills required by the labor market.
The decision aims to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework that ensures the quality and effectiveness of practical training and develops its outcomes.
His Excellency Dr. Muhammad Al-Mualla, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, stressed that the decision reflects the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing the quality of practical training as an essential part of the educational experience, and ensuring the integration of higher education outcomes with the needs of vital economic sectors.
He said that the Ministry believes that practical training is the bridge that links theoretical knowledge with applied experience, and that improving the quality of practical training will make graduates more competitive and capable of innovation, while the Ministry is keen for the new decision to establish clear governance frameworks that ensure that academic programs are not limited to classrooms, but rather provide systematic and realistic training opportunities that enable students to engage in real work environments and acquire practical skills that support their readiness for the future.
He explained that the new framework enhances the partnership between higher education institutions and training institutions in the public and private sectors, with the aim of ensuring the quality of training content and creating safe and stimulating training environments, under the supervision of qualified cadres who possess the experience and competence to guide students, evaluate their performance, and provide them with the applied skills necessary to succeed in their professional careers.
He added that the decision provides an effective oversight system that ensures the quality of training program outcomes, stressing his confidence that this new governance framework will contribute to qualifying generations of human cadres who possess the theoretical knowledge and practical experience that qualify them to participate effectively in advancing sustainable development in the country.
The new decision establishes an integrated governance system that ensures the consistency of practical training programs with national development strategies, and achieves higher levels of transparency and accountability, which contributes to improving the quality of the educational process and enhancing the performance of higher education institutions, and keeps pace with the state’s vision of preparing human cadres capable of competing regionally and internationally.
In detail, the resolution identified a set of commitments that higher education institutions must implement to enhance the governance of practical training programs. These commitments include enhancing cooperation and coordination with various training institutions to provide practical training opportunities that align with the institution’s plans and programs and students’ needs in terms of preparation and specialization, and ensuring the suitability of training institutions and their ability to provide training content that achieves the targeted outcomes.
In addition, the new decision ensures the creation of a suitable and safe training environment for students, and the competence of supervisors, both in the educational institution and in the training institution, in terms of qualifications, experience, and the ability to conduct professional assessments.
The obligations stipulated in the resolution also include developing clear training plans that achieve the required outcomes.
In addition to documenting agreements with training bodies, following up on students’ performance through interim and final evaluations, and documenting field visits.
The relevant institutions are also committed to preserving documents related to practical training, submitting detailed periodic reports, and establishing precise oversight mechanisms for the program.
The new decision comes in line with the country’s orientations towards building a competitive knowledge economy based on innovation.
It also supports the Ministry’s efforts to adopt international best practices in higher education, ensuring the preparation of scientifically and practically qualified generations.
Preparing cadres capable of leadership in various fields of work and contributing to building a sustainable future in the UAE.
