New evaluation system for UAE university students, no dismissals during Covid-19 crisis

The UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education has said that university students will not be issued academic warnings, placed under monitoring, or dismissed during the current distance-learning phase, reported official news agency WAM.

Read: All UAE schools, universities to extend e-learning programmes until June

On March 30, the UAE government decided to extend the e-learning programme in all educational facilities across the country until the end of the academic year in June.

Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills added that students too have a responsibility to adhere to the rules and regulations of the remote evaluation process, including allowing the use of electronic monitoring tools, such as live streamed videos, during examinations.

Al Falasi said that higher education institutions will continue to evaluate students based on the traditional evaluation represented by A, B, C and D grades while preserving their right to accept or decline this evaluation system for their cumulative Grade Point Average.

He added that students can decline if they feel they have been unable to adapt to the e-learning system, or if they believe that their evaluation does not represent their true academic level.

According to Al Falasi, students have the right to choose a ‘pass’ or ‘no pass’ evaluation instead of a grade.

He said that all institutions should have in place practical remote education solutions, including ‘virtual internship’ systems.

He stressed the importance of interactive communication methods to facilitate the practical aspects of academic programmes, such as laboratory work, training, and discussion of graduation projects.

With regards to medical students studying in the country, he highlighted the importance of applying simulation systems to clinical case studies to enable their clinical evaluations to be conducted remotely.

He said that his department was working at full capacity to “reduce the burden on students during the current coronavirus crisis” and to reach a “practical formula through which we can maintain the efficient functioning of the educational system” and “prepare students during this exceptional time.”

“We prioritise the students’ interests by ensuring their adaptation to the remote learning system and the application of the new form of evaluation,” he added.