Quality Assurance in UAE Higher Education: Trends, Challenges, and Policy Imperatives for Sustainable Academic Excellence

Abstract

This study examines the multifaceted dynamics of quality assurance (QA) within higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on its impact on sustainable academic excellence. Employing a mixed-method design, quantitative data were collected through structured surveys (N = 470) from faculty, administrators, and QA officers across ten universities five federal and five privates using a stratified random sampling method. The validated questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.81–0.88) assessed five core constructs: teaching quality, infrastructure, QA policy implementation, stakeholder engagement, and funding allocation. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 29 through descriptive statistics, correlation, multiple regression, and ANOVA. Results indicated that teaching quality (β = 5.112, p < 0.001) emerged as the most significant determinant of academic excellence, followed by QA policy implementation (β = 4.256), infrastructure (β = 3.987), stakeholder engagement (β = 2.874), and funding allocation (β = 0.891). The regression model exhibited strong explanatory power (R² = 0.707, F = 235.78, p < 0.001), confirming that approximately 70.7% of the variance in academic excellence was explained by the identified variables. Thematic insights further highlighted the centrality of faculty competence, participatory governance, and effective policy execution in fostering institutional quality and innovation. The study concludes that quality assurance in UAE higher education is a multidimensional construct that integrates pedagogical excellence, governance, infrastructure, and strategic financial management. Strengthening faculty development, embedding policy accountability, and aligning QA frameworks with UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) are imperative for sustaining academic excellence and global competitiveness in the UAE higher education sector.