Manama: The Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council (HEC) convened for its regular meeting under the leadership of Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education and Chairman of the HEC Board of Trustees. The meeting, attended by board members and several invitees, focused on reviewing previous decisions and evaluating new requests from higher education institutions, as detailed in reports from the HEC General Secretariat.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the board gave the green light to several cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain was authorised to form partnerships with Hawler Medical University in Iraq, the Children's Cancer Hospital Foundation in Egypt, and the University of Malta. Additionally, they secured a participation agreement with the Association of American Medical Colleges in the United States.
The American University of Bahrain received approval to collaborate with the Chartered Management Institute in the UK and WACOM Europe GmbH in Germany. Meanwhile, Applied Science University was permitted to establish ties with O.P. Jindal Global University in India, Tunis El Manar University in Tunisia, the British University in Egypt, and ITQAN in Saudi Arabia, among others.
Vatel Bahrain Hospitality School was authorised to ink agreements with the National Open College Network in the UK, Hilton Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia, INNSiDE Ibiza Beach by Meli¡ in Spain, and De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde in the Philippines. Ahlia University and the Royal University for Women also expanded their collaborative frameworks with international institutions.
The board also approved new academic programmes, including the Royal University for Women's hosting of several Master's programmes from the University of Liverpool, and the British University of Bahrain's introduction of Master's programmes from the University of Salford. University of Technology Bahrain and Gulf University also received approvals for various advanced degree programmes.
In internal developments, the board sanctioned the reconstitution of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain's Board of Trustees and the appointment of Professor Hassan bin Rafdan Al Hajhoj as President of the University of the Kingdom. Additionally, Vatel Bahrain Hospitality School was granted institutional accreditation.
Some requests were deferred for further study due to unmet regulatory requirements, and a proposal for a new higher education institution was rejected pending completion of necessary conditions.