Gulf University for Science and Technology receives institutional and programme accreditation

Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) in Kuwait has successfully completed its International Quality Review (IQR) and has been awarded global quality accreditation by QAA.

QAA has also published the report of a concurrent International Programme Accreditation (IPA) review process which evaluated provision in English delivered by GUST.

IQR and IPA are part of a rigorous process which benchmarks global higher education institutions against international quality assurance standards set out in Part 1 of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).

The review visits were conducted on 21-23 October 2024 by two separate teams, which each comprised three independent reviewers appointed by QAA.

The IQR team concluded that Gulf University for Science and Technology meets all of the standards for International Quality Review and may therefore be granted QAA's global accreditation.

The IPA team found that GUST's BA English Literature, BA English Education and BA English Linguistics/Translation programmes meet all of the required standards and may therefore be granted QAA's International Programme Accreditation.

Gulf University for Science and Technology was established as the first private university in Kuwait in 2002. GUST is licensed by the Private Universities Council (PUC) of Kuwait's Ministry of Higher Education. It is subject to PUC reassessment every four years and periodic re-accreditation by Kuwait's National Bureau for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance.

GUST comprises three colleges: the College of Engineering and Architecture, the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business Administration. It currently offers 16 higher education programmes: two Foundation Year programmes, 13 Bachelor’s programmes and one Master’s programme. At the time of the QAA review visits, GUST delivered provision to 4,726 students, and employed 182 academic staff and 216 non-academic staff.

The IQR team identified four examples of good practice and was able to make seven recommendations for enhancement. The IPA review team found three examples of good practice and was able to make nine recommendations for enhancement. These recommendations are of a desirable rather than essential nature and are proposed to enable the institution to build on existing practice which is operating satisfactorily but which could be improved or enhanced.

The areas of good practice identified by the IQR team included:

The areas of good practice identified by the IPA team included:

• the "Live Your Major" course which provides students with different experiences and insights in the field of learning, providing a professional orientation and the opportunity to practice the knowledge and skills they have acquired;
• the use of the extensive range of personalised support services to help support student progression and achievement.

In addition, both teams commended the use of the Student Performance Enhancement and Active Retention System to monitor, analyse and implement supportive measures to ensure students' success.

Professor Bassam Alameddine, President of Gulf University for Science and Technology said: 'The International Quality Review for our institution and Programme Review for the three majors offered by our English Department have been invaluable in benchmarking our standards against global best practices. The outcomes reaffirm our commitment to excellence, while the insights gained drive continuous improvement, ensuring our students receive a high-quality education that meets the most rigorous international benchmarks.'

Piers Wall, QAA’s Head of International Quality Assurance and Enhancement, added: 'QAA is pleased to congratulate Gulf University for Science and Technology on its successful completion of our International Quality Review and International Programme Accreditation. We have very much enjoyed working with our colleagues in Kuwait, and we look forward to collaborating with them in the future.'

By securing IQR and IPA accreditations from QAA, international institutions can clearly spotlight their quality standards internationally, and more easily start dialogues with institutions outside their own country.

You can read GUST's full IQR and IPA reports on our website, where you can also find out more about the IQR process and QAA International Membership. If you are interested in your institution seeking accreditation or international membership, and wish to discuss this further, please contact the QAA Global team at accreditation@qaa.ac.uk.