Accreditation

SUAD degrees in the fields of Sciences, Humanities, Languages, and Social Sciences are issued by Sorbonne Université (Paris), while degrees in Law, Management, and Economics are issued by Université Paris Cité. SUAD operates under the administration of the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and the academic leadership of Sorbonne Université (Paris) and Université Paris Cité.

All SUAD degrees are recognised as European diplomas under the Bologna Process and are aligned with international best practices — particularly in countries that are signatories to the Bologna Process. As a French accredited university in UAE, SUAD offers accredited European degrees in UAE, providing students with qualifications that are widely respected and transferable. The Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes offered by SUAD fully comply with Level 6 and Level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework, corresponding to the First and Second Cycles of the Bologna Framework. This ensures that students do not need to repeat their learning if they transfer to another country. SUAD has also implemented a Credit Transfer Policy.

SUAD degrees follow the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), which allows academic achievements to be universally recognised, facilitating credit transfers between institutions.

All SUAD programmes are evaluated by the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres)—the French public agency responsible for the periodic evaluation of all state-contracted higher education and research institutions in France—and are accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research (Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche).

In 2024, seven programmes in Law, Economics, and Management—two Bachelor’s and five Master’s degrees delivered by Université Paris Cité—were reaccredited by Hcéres, including the international stream (parcours international) offered by SUAD's Department of Law, Economics, and Management.

All other SUAD programmes are delivered under the academic supervision of the corresponding departments at Sorbonne Université in Paris and are evaluated by Hcéres. Regular online and on-site meetings between the teams in Abu Dhabi and Paris are scheduled to ensure compliance with the academic standards set by the respective Conseil d’UFR. This rigorous process contributes to the high level of SUAD degree recognition, both regionally and internationally.

These programmes are subject to regular assessment and review in Paris. In addition to an annual review led first by the departmental Conseil d’UFR and then at the faculty level, each programme undergoes a comprehensive evaluation every four to five years by Hcéres.

Finally, all SUAD programmes are accredited by the UAE’s Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA).