23 March 2009,
The National Data Warehouse project will analyse the progress of students, curriculums of universities, course grades, staff data and reports on national scholarships by the end of this year, enabling government authorities to plan and make decisions that will achieve better quality and access to higher education.
“For education providers, the database will help them understand how to gain international standards of education in the UAE by comparing current standards. For students this data can provide them an understanding of job opportunities and scholarships,” said Mathew Boice, general manager of SunGuard Higher Education, the IT company powering the project.
The Department of Higher Education Policy Planning and Coordination (HEPPCC) that falls under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) has brought within the database, all federal universities and organisations to formulate strategic education policies.
“A highly skilled workforce is essential for the social and economic future of the UAE, and we must ensure a quality education for the next generation of Emiratis so they can lead the nation forward,” said Subha Al Shamisi, executive director for Higher Education and Scientific Research Affairs stressing the need to create world-class standards of education in the country through efficient policies.
The first phase of the project has integrated university sensitive information including applications, enrollments, new and continuing student information and scholarship reports in the data warehouse. “This is the first live database in the Mideast that will develop priority reports and fact books on the higher education,” said Boice.
“The steering committee of the database has put together data from the universities and secondary information from the National Admissions and Placement and Common Educational Proficiency Assessment offices, to analyse the pathways and progress of students,” he added.
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