Rabdan Academy first higher education institution in UAE to earn validated by EFQM certificate

Zawya

18-03-2025

The evaluation report commends the Academy's effective application of the "RADAR" methodology for continuous improvement.
The Academy demonstrates excellence in innovation, partnerships, operations and efficiency.
Its efforts align with and support the UAE's national strategies.
The Academy's approach ensures sustainable performance and lasting impact.
Abu Dhabi – UAE: Rabdan Academy, a global leader in safety, security, defence, emergency preparedness and crisis management has been awarded the prestigious Institutional Excellence Certificate «Validated by EFQM» by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), becoming the first higher education institution in the UAE to achieve this distinguished recognition.
This milestone reflects the Academy's deep commitment to excellence, continuous improvement, and global best practices. By implementing the EFQM Excellence Model, Rabdan Academy has strengthened its approach to institutional development, ensuring long-term impact and sustainable progress.
A Recognition of Excellence
His Excellency James Anthony Morse, President of Rabdan Academy, emphasized the significance of this achievement, stating: 'The Academy's receipt of this prestigious certificate reflects its unwavering commitment to institutional excellence across all its operations. It highlights the tireless efforts made to achieve its strategic aspirations as a leading educational, training and research institution, providing an integrated academic and professional environment for individuals and organizations, and delivering added value to its students and partners.'
He continued: 'Rabdan Academy is committed to providing an exceptional educational experience through its dual learning system, which seamlessly integrates academic and professional components within a dynamic, interactive environment. This approach spans key areas such as safety, security, defence, emergency preparedness and crisis management, all in alignment with the highest standards of quality and institutional excellence. It not only enhances the Academy's reputation locally and internationally but also solidifies its position as a trusted partner in its fields of expertise.'
Driving Long-Term Impact
Earning the EFQM certification reinforces Rabdan Academy's role in supporting the UAE's national strategies by preparing highly skilled professionals for future challenges. It also reflects the Academy's commitment to building sustainable partnerships that enhance education, training and research—contributing to the UAE Vision 2071 for a safer and more resilient future.
The evaluation report commended the Academy for achieving advanced levels in various areas, including institutional innovation, partnership development, operational process improvement and efficiency enhancement. It also praised the Academy's ability to implement continuous improvement using the RADAR methodology, ensuring sustainable and tangible long-term results.
With the «Validated by EFQM» certification, Rabdan Academy is poised to continue its journey towards achieving the highest standards of institutional excellence. The Academy plans to enhance its use of digital analytics, develop performance indicators, and expand the application of best global practices. Additionally, Rabdan Academy aims to focus on innovation and increase its investments in scientific research and development to ensure sustained excellence and strengthen its position as a leading Emirati educational institution both locally and globally.
Building on Success
This achievement follows Rabdan Academy's recent success in the QS Stars global university rating, where it received the highest "5-star" rating in six main categories: education, facilities, employability, global engagement, academic development, and governance. This marks a significant improvement in four new categories compared to the 2022 evaluation results.
About Rabdan Academy
Rabdan Academy is a government-owned world-class education institution established to coordinate and enhance learning outcomes for organisations and individuals in the Safety, Security, Defence, Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management (SSDEC) Sectors.
The Academy was officially established under Law No. 7 for 2013, issued by the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is accredited by the UAE's Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the Ministry of Education.
The Academy is the world's first higher education institution specializing in the SSDEC domain to achieve a top "5-Star" rating in six key categories of the QS Stars University Rating System: Teaching, Facilities, Employability, Global Engagement, Academic Development, and Good Governance.
As a unique institution, the Academy provides learning in a dual approach, combining academic and vocational education in one place, whilst recognising prior learning and experience and providing accredited and transferable credit from course to course and job to job. For more information, please visit https://ra.ac.ae/
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