New rules set a high bar as 15-year colleges get a pathway to university status

Colleges that have been operating in Maldives for 15 consecutive years can now be converted into universities under new rules on the registration and operation of universities. The regulation also allows foreign universities that have existed for at least 10 years and are recognized by their respective governments to apply.

Under the criteria, Maldivian colleges seeking university status must have run National Qualifications Framework Level VII and Level IX courses in at least three fields for five continuous years, with a minimum of 1,000 students enrolled in those accredited programs. The student count will only be considered valid if enrollment has not declined over the past three years.

In addition, colleges must appear in international university rankings to qualify for conversion. They must also be members of an international quality assurance organization for at least five years and demonstrate experience in conducting international-level research in partnership with foreign universities.

The rule further requires that 10 percent of the staff in colleges applying for university status be full-time employees holding PhDs. Institutions must also have facilities that meet the standards set by the Higher Education Ministry for operating a university.

Once all documents are prepared, institutions must submit their proposal for university registration through a dedicated portal. After reviewing the proposal and supporting documents, a five-member technical committee will prepare an assessment report. The committee will comprise two higher education experts, a senior official from the Higher Education Ministry, a senior official from the Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA), and a representative from the finance sector.

The MQA will audit universities every three years. Both the ministry and the MQA have the authority to conduct investigations and audits without prior notice.

There are currently two universities in the Maldives: the state-run Maldives National University (MNU) and the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM). Many colleges in the country have been operating without interruption.