Sana'a: a workshop held to review and approve NARS for Medicine and Surgery

Sana'a: a workshop held to review and approve NARS for Medicine and Surgery

A workshop was held this morning, in Sana'a, to review and develop the National Academic Reference Standards (NARS) document for Medicine and Surgery and to customize the standards of medical academic accreditation in accordance with the amendments of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).

The workshop, organized by the Academic Accreditations Council and the Quality Assurance of Higher Education in partnership with Emirates International University (EIU), in presence of  the heads of public and private universities and the deans of medical colleges and quality centers of Yemeni universities; aimed to review, develop and approve the document of National Academic Reference Standards for Medicine and Surgery and adapt it in accordance with the amendments of WFME Standards Document for Medical Education (2020), and in implementation of the objectives of the strategic plan of the Accreditation Council 2022-2026.

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Hussein Hazeb, highlighted the importance of the workshop, in which selected academics from Yemeni universities participated, who contributed to the preparation and development of the National Academic Reference Standards document on Medical Education and its alignment with the amendments of International World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).

The Minister praised the efforts of the Academic Accreditation Council and the EIU initiative in supporting and sponsoring workshops related to the preparation, review and development of the document and provision of the accreditation guide for medical programs.

He clarified that the conditions imposed because of war in Yemen, made increased the responsibility of universities and the necessity for qualified doctors in various disciplines; stating the government tendency to opening more government universities and medical colleges according to quality standards and local and international academic accreditation.

Minister Hazeb stressed the need to strengthen partnership with private universities to improve academic education and improve the quality of its outputs. He explained that the Ministry under the conditions of war completed the national academic standards for 16 academic medical and engineering programs and is finalizing all disciplines with own efforts and national expertise.

For his part, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Dr. Ali Sharaf Al-deen stressed that Yemeni universities and medical colleges abide to the standards of WFME and left room for the possibility of adapting those standards in alignment with the local environment and the capacity of Yemeni universities, in order to ensure access to international accreditation.

In the workshop, in the presence  of the Ministry of Higher Education for the Scientific Research Sector, Dr. Sadiq Al-Sharaji, and the Assistant Undersecretary of the Planning Sector, Dr. Elham Al-Sanbani, the Chairman of the Academic Accreditation Council, Dr. Ahmed Al-Haboub, and the Secretary of the Council, Dr. Mohamed Dhaifullah, confirmed that the Council has been concerned since its establishment with the academic accreditation of academic programs, foremost among which are medical education programs.

They pointed out the importance of the workshop to find a modern normative system and keep pace with current development and international bodies; and produce the document in its new version to keep pace with global developments.

Dr. Al-Haboub and Dr. Daffallah addressed the justifications for the development of the document of National Academic Reference Standards, including the law authorizing the modification and development of standards, whether for program inputs or academic accreditation, in accordance with the requirements of WFME and the priorities of the national vision.

On his part, the President of the Emirates International University (EIU), Dr. Najib Al-Kumaim, stressed that support for such workshops comes within the framework of the university's keenness and effort to improve Yemen's medical education, Clarifying that for the third successive year, the university has been eager to support events and seminars in the fields of quality and academic accreditation. He stressed the role of the Academic Accreditation Council in supporting universities to improve academic education outcomes.

The workshop was attended by the President of the Supreme Medical Council - President of the University of September 21, Dr. Mujahid Maasar, and the Director of the Information Technology Center, Dr. Fuad Abdul Razzaq.