• Rabdan Academy has achieved candidacy status for accreditation by the prestigious Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), based in the United States.
  • This milestone reflects the academy’s global academic excellence and its distinguished faculty, many of whom are graduates of the world’s top 200 universities.
  • The accreditation aligns with efforts to strengthen international partnerships through student exchanges, collaborative research and dual-degree programs.
  • It aims to enhance Rabdan Academy’s global appeal, attracting more international students and bolstering its reputation among employers locally and globally.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Rabdan Academy, a global leader in safety, security, defence, emergency preparedness and crisis management, announced its acceptance as a candidate for accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a leading accreditation body in the United States.

This milestone follows a rigorous assessment by a specialized committee of nine experts and reviewers who conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the academy’s compliance with SACSCOC's fundamental standards and requirements during their visit to its Abu Dhabi campus. The committee's findings led to the official announcement of Rabdan Academy’s candidacy for this globally respected accreditation.

The candidacy reflects Rabdan Academy’s adherence to international standards, including high-quality academic programs with clear learning outcomes, distinguished faculty, robust student support systems such as academic advising and career services, institutional effectiveness, and a commitment to governance, strategic planning, and continuous improvement.

On this occasion, His Excellency James Morse, President of Rabdan Academy, emphasized the significance of this milestone in strengthening the academy’s global standing. He stated, ‘The accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is crucial for Rabdan Academy, as it reflects its global credibility, enhances its reputation and competitiveness, and opens doors to strategic partnerships with international universities through student exchange programs, research collaborations and dual academic programs.’

Morse highlighted that the academy aims to leverage this accreditation to attract more international students, supported by its global academic excellence and the trust it enjoys from employers locally and internationally. He also noted the academy’s distinguished faculty, many of whom are graduates of the world’s top 200 universities. He underscored a key benefit of SACSCOC accreditation: enabling students to easily transfer academic credits to other accredited institutions worldwide.

As part of its strategic vision, Rabdan Academy aims to become a globally accredited leader in academic, research and training excellence within the fields of safety, security, defence, emergency preparedness, and crisis management. This accreditation will strengthen the academy’s commitment to offering a dual-curriculum system—both academic and vocational—where prior learning and experience are recognized, and certificates and credit hours are transferable across courses and careers.

This step marks a major milestone of Rabdan Academy's journey toward global accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), through a continuous process of review and evaluation.

About Rabdan Academy

Rabdan Academy is a government-owned world-class education institution established to coordinate and enhance learning outcomes for organisations and individuals in the Safety, Security, Defence, Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management (SSDEC) Sectors.

The Academy was officially established under Law No. 7 for 2013, issued by the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is accredited by the UAE’s Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the Ministry of Education. 

The Academy is the first higher education institution in the world specialised in the SSDEC domain that achieves top ‘5 star’ ratings in the 2 categories of Teaching and Employability under the QS Stars University Rating System.

As a unique institution, the Academy provides learning in a dual approach, combining academic and vocational education in one place, whilst recognising prior learning and experience and providing accredited and transferable credit from course to course and job to job. For more information, please visit https://ra.ac.ae/