Doha: The National Committee for Qualifications And Academic Accreditation (NCQAA) has granted institutional accreditation to the Community College of Qatar (CCQ), making it the first national higher education institution in the country to receive such recognition.
According to Qatar News Agency, during a press conference held Tuesday in the presence of HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, NCQAA Chairperson Dr. Mazen Omar Hasnah announced that this achievement marks a significant milestone in the history of higher education in the State of Qatar. Dr. Hasnah highlighted the expansion in higher education institutions that the country has been experiencing over the past 15 years, which led to the establishment of NCQAA, the first of its kind to grant such national accreditation internally.
Dr. Hasnah explained that NCQAA has spent the past period developing institutional accreditation standards and creating a set of models, data, and procedures to carry out this process. He outlined five main accreditation standards: the institution's mission and structure, integrity assurance, availability of institutional resources and planning, institutional effectiveness, mission fulfillment, and a standard regarding the institution's impact on its environment, its engagement with relevant partners, and their satisfaction with it and its performance, along with 48 sub-standards.
The Chairperson congratulated CCQ on receiving this institutional accreditation, which he emphasized is mandatory, a continuous process, and a quality assurance mark. He highlighted the College's efforts that led to NCQAA's decision to grant it accreditation in May of this year, upon demonstrating that all essential elements for success and mechanisms for constant improvement were satisfied.
Dr. Hasnah mentioned that NCQAA has set the initial institutional accreditation's validity at a maximum of five years. He added that 13 universities will undergo the institutional accreditation process next year, with the ultimate objective of including all higher education institutions in the country.
President of CCQ Dr. Khalid Mohamed Al Horr expressed his happiness about the College receiving this five-year accreditation, as the first national institution to do so. Dr. Al Horr emphasized that this achievement is not just a certificate, but a reflection of tireless institutional work CCQ has undertaken since its establishment in 2010, adopting quality standards, self-evaluation, and continuous development as pillars for providing and improving services, especially to its students and the community.
He noted that the State of Qatar's higher education system is recognized both locally and internationally for its high quality, adding that this accreditation process will benefit and elevate the system as a whole. The President of CCQ stated that the Community College will continue to improve its work by considering the recommendations put forth by NCQAA experts and members to meet societal expectations and align with international standards.
Dr. Al Horr also underscored CCQ's efforts to obtain this accreditation since filing the application back in October 2023 and all the work it has put in to meet the required standards.
Established in October 2022, NCQAA is responsible for the overall supervision and, when necessary, the updating of the National Qualifications Framework in accordance with state general policies. NCQAA is also tasked with accrediting qualifications (certificates and academic degrees) granted by higher education institutions in the country to ensure their alignment with the National Qualifications Framework, through quality assurance standards and by reinforcing compliance with the academic accreditation system it has developed.