The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) () is a public
institute of technology
An institute of technology (also referred to as technological university, technical university, university of technology, polytechnic university) is an institution of tertiary education that specializes in engineering, technology, applied science ...
with 16 campuses and facilities throughout the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
. Founded in 1988 by
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al-Nahyan, it is the largest applied higher educational institution in the country.
During the 2020–2021 academic year, there were 14,889 female and 7,333 male students enrolled at 16 campuses and six academic divisions throughout the country. More than 71,000 UAE nationals are graduates of the institution.
The HCT has formal alliances with a number of international tertiary education and training institutions, and corporate partnerships with local and multinational companies. Some programs have international
accreditation
Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
: for example, the HCT's
Bachelor of Education degree was developed with, and is certified by the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
.
HCT is the first educational institution in the UAE to be named as an
economic free zone, as declared in the Fifty-Year Charter of
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Prime Minister and
ruler of Dubai. It is one of the first six higher education institutions in the world to receive accreditation from the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), UK’s global leader in quality assurance for highe
education
The
CERT (Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training) is the commercial arm of the Higher Colleges of Technology, developing and providing education, training and applied technology for public and private sector clients, since 1996.
The HCT Chancellor is Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar, UAE Minister of Human Resources
Emiratization Tayeb A. Kamali was appointed as the Vice Chancellor in June 2005.
Mohammed Omran Al Shamsi was made President of the Higher Colleges in 2013, an appointment that carried Ministerial rank.
On March 17, 2015
Abdullatif M. Al Shamsi was appointed as HCT Vice Chancellor, by Federal Decree. He was subsequently appointed to the role of HCT President & CEO. In September 2022, Faisal Al Ayyan was appointed as HCT President & CEO.
Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) is accredited by the
Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), the UAE Federal Government's quality assurance agency for higher education. To check the CAA's active accredited programs at Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), visit thi
link
History
In 1985, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, made a commitment to establish a new system of post-secondary education for UAE Nationals that would stress the ideals of productivity, self-determination, and excellence.
In 1988, Federal Law No 2 established the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).
Campuses
The Higher Colleges of Technology has 16 campuses across the UAE, with separate male and female campuses located in the cities of Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah, Madinat Zayed, Ras Al Khaimah, Ruwais and Sharjah. In August 2023, it opened a new campus in Baniyas, Abu Dhabi, replacing its campuses located in Abu Dhabi city.
Ras Al Khaimah Women's campus
Ras Al Khaimah Women's campus (RKW) has over 1,800 students and offers a wide variety of business and technical courses for Emirati women in
Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah (; ), often referred to its initials RAK, is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the U.A.E. The city had a population of 191,753 in 2025, and is the sixth-most populous city in UAE after Dubai, Abu ...
.
The HCT-Sharjah Men's and Women's campuses
The HCT-Sharjah campuses are two of the 16 colleges that compose the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Sharjah Women's campus (SJW) was established in 1997 and the Sharjah Men's campus (SJM) in 1998.
The current Executive Director of the Sharjah campuses is Khaled Al Hammadi.
Madinat Zayed and Ruwais campuses
New campuses were opened in 2007 for both men and women in the Al Dhafrah region of the Abu Dhabi Emirate in the cities of
Madinat Zayed and
Ruwais. The current Executive Director of the Madinat Zayed and Ruwais campuses is Abdu Rahman Al Jahoushi.
Initiatives
* It created a 3D Printed Ventilator Splitter for treating multiple patients with a single ventilator in hospitals’ Intensive Care Units.
* It launched the UAE’s first Artificial Intelligence Academy, with the National Program for Artificial intelligence.
* It became the UAE's first approved university economic free zone with the inauguration of the HCT InnCuVation Spaces.
* Agreed with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE) to provide training and upskilling for 18,000 Emirati students through the National Training Program.
* It became the UAE's first government higher education institution to obtain 100% accreditation of its academic programs, through the UAE's Commission for Academic Accreditation
CAA.
Notable alumni
*
Saeed Al Nazari, UAE government officials
*
Hala Badri, director general of
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority
*
Mona Ghanem Al Marri, director general of the
Government of Dubai Media Office
*
Tarik bin Faisal Al-Qasimi, chairman of
ENSHAA PSC
*
Sara Musallam, business woman and politician
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Higher Colleges of Technology
Higher Colleges of Technology
Education in the United Arab Emirates
Universities and colleges in the United Arab Emirates
Educational institutions established in 1988
Science and technology in the United Arab Emirates
Technical universities and colleges in the United Arab Emirates
1988 establishments in the United Arab Emirates