Ministry of Education hosts 2nd meeting of authorities responsible for ensuring quality in higher education across GCC states

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE), represented by the National Committee for Qualifications and Academic Accreditation (NCQAA), in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the department of human affairs and environment, as well as office of the Gulf Network for Quality Assurance of Higher Education (GNQAHE) and the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, hosted the second meeting of the committee of officials from authorities responsible for ensuring the quality of higher education and academic accreditation across the GCC states.
In his opening remarks, Chairperson of NCQAA and chairman of the meeting, Dr. Mazen Omar Hasna, affirmed that the meeting is an invaluable opportunity to share expertise and enhance cooperation among relevant institutions, aiming to achieve prominent levels of efficiency and quality in policies and practices at the national level, with an emphasis on alignment with best global practices.
The rapidly accelerating AI technologies with the emergence of novel ideas in higher education, such as micro-credentials constitute an opportunity for higher education institutions to keep up with these technological advancements without prejudice to the quality of education being afforded to young students or lifelong education seekers, Dr. Hasna highlighted.
He commended the Qatar's strategy for higher education that patently focuses on ensuring the quality of education as a core pillar for progress and excellence, underlining that this strategy is consistent with the Qatar's third National Development Strategy that focuses on advancing humans as a catalyst for achieving sustainable development.
HE Head of the Human and Environmental Affairs at the GCC Secretariat General, Eng. Abdullah Bin Ali Al Rubaie, affirmed that he is grateful to the State of Qatar for hosting this event, underscoring the importance of such meetings in fostering education and higher education, lauding the GCC General Secretariat's role in backing the GCC states' efforts in support of the joint Gulf action.
Additionally, the meeting discussed an array of topics of shared interest, such as ensuring the progress of higher education and academic accreditation in GCC states, foremost of which is the GNQAHE's proposed project, in terms of shared database for external auditors, as well as the project to organize a series of training programs and joint field studies between GNQAHE and the relevant authorities responsible for ensuring the quality of higher education and academic accreditation.
Furthermore, the meeting tackled the draft project of the unified Gulf standards for Institutional and Programmatic academic accreditation for higher education institutions in GCC states, in addition to convening the 25th meeting of the ministers of higher education and scientific research of the GCC states in the State of Kuwait throughout 2025 and holding the 14th meeting of the supervisory committee of GNQAHE in the GCC states.
Dr. Mazen Omar Hasna emphasized to Qatar News Agency (QNA) the importance of the meeting as a chance to profoundly share expertise among GCC professional institutions, pertinent to the topics on the agenda, including the establishment of a shared database for auditors who visit the academic accreditation of the relevant institutions.
The creation of a register for auditors has been initiated in Qatar, along with the convention of two training workshops accordingly, Dr. Mazen highlighted, adding that there are currently 45 auditors at home who are ready to conduct academic accreditation visits.
To ensure the best global practices in this regard, visits should not be limited to internal auditors only, but rather external auditors should likewise be engaged, he said, adding that these topics are open for discussion, with the importance of establishing a shared register for these auditors and conducting joint training projects accordingly.