SACSCOC Grants AURAK Candidacy

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), has granted candidacy status to the American University of Ras Al Khaimah.

The announcement follows a visit from a candidacy committee from the commission in February, in which a team of eight reviewers from the United States ensured that the university is in compliance with commission’s core requirements, selected comprehensive standards, and the federal requirements.

Upon delivering the good news to the university, Prof. Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, its president, stated, “I wish to express my sincere thanks to everyone for the considerable effort which was taken for us to achieve this significant milestone in the membership process. We are now just one step away from fulfilling our goal of obtaining institutional accreditation from SACSCOC.

“This progress is another indicator that we are steering this university towards our vision of establishing it as a leading institution of higher education through the impact of its education and research in the region.”

Candidacy represents a notable achievement for the university, as it continues its work to demonstrate compliance with the remaining standards and requirements. Earlier this year, the university outlined its ambitious plan of achieving SACSCOC membership by 2020, while also earning ABET accreditation for all of its engineering programs and AACSB membership for its School of Business.

The university’s ambition has led to remarkable growth since its establishment in 2009, with a diverse faculty and student body, as well as an expanding campus to accommodate the increased demand for an AURAK education. A new building housing the School of Engineering, a new auditorium and student center was inaugurated last year, while work has already begun on the School of Business.

SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the eleven Southeastern states of the U.S.

AURAK is a government-owned university licensed by the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, based in the northernmost emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. It currently offers 18 undergraduate programs and four master’s programs in a cross-section of academic disciplines.