The UQU Vice Presidency for Development and Entrepreneurship, represented by the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality, organized a workshop entitled "Preparation for Institutional Accreditation." The workshop was held in the presence of His Excellency the University Vice President for Development and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Hani Ghazi, the university vice presidents, the Dean of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Muhammad Thabit, the Vice President for Female Student Affairs, Dr. Sarah bint Omar Al-Khuli, the vice deans, heads of the departments, UQU academic staff members, the consultants of the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (NCAAA), Dr. Hanan Al-Elian, and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Madani, at King Abdul-Aziz Historical Hall in Al-Abdiyyah.

His Excellency the Vice President for Development and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Hani Ghazi, reviewed the early UQU efforts for obtaining institutional accreditation five years ago when the UQU signed a contract with the NCAAA to prepare and develop the university for institutional accreditation purposes. He highlighted that since the first NCAAA Review Panel Visit, several development efforts have been made to address their NCAAA panel notes and enhance the university's performance, and today - thankfully - the UQU has achieved 90% of the required preparation for institutional accreditation.

Dr. Ghazi added that the preparation period exceeded 8 months, during which a 450-page self-study report of the university was made. This included the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) reflecting the reality of the UQU, which is the first university to house a College of Shari`ah and Islamic Studies, serving as the very core of higher education in the Kingdom. He pointed out that the Self-Study Report of Umm Al-Qura University was praised by the Review Panel and the NCAAA.

His Excellency the Vice President for Development and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Hani Ghazi, expressed his thanks and appreciation to the UQU Vice President, deans, and staff for their commendable enthusiasm for developing and enhancing the university, fulfilling its mission and continuing its march in line with Saudi Vision 2030 towards the realization of the aspirations of the wise leadership - may Allah support them. He lauded the efforts exerted by the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality under the leadership of Dr. Muhammad Thabit and his team.

The NCAAA consultant, Dr. Hanan Al-Elian, delineated the review and accreditation steps for educational institutions, describing the objectives of the NCAAA Review Panel Visit, which revolve around the preparation, coordination, and support of the UQU efforts for hosting the NCAAA Review Panel, successfully reviewing the QA site, implementing accreditation reviews, and delineating steps of effective handling of all matters necessary for completing the preparations for the NCAAA Review Panel Visit.

Dr. Hanan Al-Elian explained the purpose of the NCAAA Review Panel Visit and the way to prepare for and manage it through applying the visit schedule, collecting and presenting the required documents, and inviting and preparing concerned individuals and groups. She stressed the importance of committing to the visit schedule, coordinating with the accreditation consultants regarding the requests, developing comprehensive plans, communicating with relevant groups, and attending and participating in all scheduled meetings.

The NCAAA consultant also underlined the role to be undertaken by the NCAAA after the visit to issue its final decision regarding the UQU institutional accreditation, follow up on the standards, and discuss the latest developments in standard requirements. She noted the necessity of committed attendance and participation of UQU staff members during the NCAAA Review Panel Visit, adherence to the requirements, and provision of answers to the queries, with respect to their specific areas of specialization.