Qualifications Framework Emirates

Introduction

The Qualifications Framework Emirates (QFE) is the national qualifications framework for the UAE which has been developed and managed by the National Qualifications Authority. In February 2012, the Qualifications Framework Emirates Handbook was approved and released for staged implementation across the country. It is an important document because it defines academic qualifications according to student achievement of learning outcomes rather than by seat time.

As a federal institution, Zayed University is committed to the alignment of all its degree programs with the QFE by the end of 2015. The QFE is comprised of ten hierarchical levels of sophistication from Level 1 (Certificate) to Level 10 (Doctoral). The focus for Zayed University is alignment to Level 7- Bachelors and Level 9- Masters. Each level within the QFE is composed of five strands of learning outcomes:

Knowledge
Skill
Autonomy and responsibility- Aspects of competence
Role in context- Aspects of competence
Self-development- Asprects of competence

The complete set of learning outcomes across the five strands indicates the cummulative description of what students know, value, and can do upon graduation.

QFE Training

The Alignment Process and Schedule

As a learning outcomes based institution, Zayed University will be re-examining existing programs and the corresponding program and course learning outcomes in order to facilitate effective alignment with the QFE. Integrated into the current course approval, revision, or deletion process, alignment will be demonstrated in three ways:

Program learning outcomes to QFE learning outcomes
Course learning outcomes to program learning outcomes
Assessment to course learning outcomes

Zayed University is committed to full QFE Alignment by the end of 2015 as per requirements of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Academic programs will follow an agreed upon alignment schedule.