Accredited By Higher Education Council

The Council of Higher Education was established in accordance with Law No. (3) of 2005, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Education, and comprises no fewer than ten members with expertise and academic credentials. The Higher Education Council (HEC), founded in 2006, oversees all universities, both private and public, with the mandate to regulate, enhance, and monitor the higher education sector. The council is led by the Minister of Education and includes an additional ten members.

The HEC's mandate is three-fold: improving the performance of universities, monitoring and evaluating provision, and regulating new study programmes. The HEC is concerned with university affairs in various aspects– administrative, scientific, research and students– which include the preparation of the general policy for higher education and scientific research, creating regulations regarding the admission of students to institutions of higher education as well as proposing amendments to the laws and regulations of higher education in light of the development of the general policies in the Kingdom, and issuing regulations and resolutions organizing the academic, financial and administrative affairs with respect to higher education. Furthermore, it sets the terms and criteria for the licensing of different types of higher education institutions including private higher education institutions, prepares annual reports on higher education performance issued by higher education institutions and competent governmental authorities, recommends appropriate remedies for such performance and actions for its development, prepares annual reports for the cabinet on higher education and scientific research status with relevant recommendations and promoting private investment in higher education.

In accordance with the Higher Education Law No. 3 of 2005 and its amendments, and based on the Resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council No. (333/15/2025) issued on 24 June 2025, the Institutional Accreditation of Gulf University has been renewed for a period of five years.