Culture & Education | Monday 26 December, 2016 10:40 am |

The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), a leading higher education institution in the region, has received accreditation from the prestigious US-based Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET) for its Engineering Technology & Science programs.

The HCT's Engineering Technology Bachelor programs in the majors of Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering have been accredited, in conjunction with the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC).

Engineering is one of the HCT's most popular programs with 6,138 male and female students, or about 26% of HCT's total student population, enrolled in the various majors this year.

Dr Abdullatif Al Shamsi, HCT Vice Chancellor, said the national and international accreditation of its academic programs is a vital component of the strategic goals under its five-year, transformative HCT 2.0 initiative. The ABET accreditation reflected HCT's strategic directions and aspirations in innovative teaching and learning, as well as being aligned to Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.

"With the ABET accreditation, HCT students, employers, and the society we serve can all be confident that our Engineering programs meet the quality standards that produce graduates prepared to enter a global workforce. We are very proud of this key academic achievement, which will build on the history of excellence at the Higher Colleges of Technology," Dr Abdullatif Al Shamsi said.

Dr Al Shamsi added that this international accreditation will reflect positively on the students by enhancing their confidence in their programmes of choice. "It will also benefit HCT alumni seeking employment in various UAE institutions, by increasing employment opportunities and boosting HCT's graduate employability percentage of 100 per cent by 2021," he said.

He expressed his appreciation for the HCT's faculty and staff's keenness to implement these programmes in accordance with the international standards.

Dr Gilbert Linne, HCT Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, said: "Congratulations and please accept my appreciation to all of you who have worked so hard to make this ABET accreditation occur and also to those of you who continue to work hard to improve HCT's Engineering programs. You should be proud of this important accomplishment."

Founded in 1988 with four colleges, the HCT has grown to be the UAE's largest higher educational institutions, gaining a well-respected reputation for innovative learning. Over 23,000 students attend 17 modern, technology-oriented men's and women's campuses throughout the UAE. HCT offers a wide range of English-taught programs in the fields of Applied Communications, Business, Computer Information Science, Education & General Studies, Engineering Technology & Science, Foundations, Health Sciences and Arabic & Emirati Studies. These programs are all relevant to the UAE's fast growing economy and are designed in consultation with business and industry leaders to ensure that HCT students' skills are job-relevant and to the highest standards. The programs are constantly monitored to ensure they are at the cutting edge of industry standards and technological change. Visit http://www.hct.ac.ae .