The Higher Education Council (HEC) has decided not to accredit the business management Master’s degrees issued by the Arab Open University (AOU) – Bahrain Branch. The HEC General-Secretariat said that the academic degrees won’t be accredited until required documents are submitted by the AOU-Bahrain Branch. 

"The university will be held legally accountable for any prejudice affecting students and prejudicing their interests", said HEC Secretary-General Dr. Abdul Ghani Saleh Al-Shuweikh, adding that the panel would take action regarding the violations. 

The Arab Open University (AOU) – Bahrain Branch, which is hosting the Master in Business Program offered from Open University – Malaysia, has been notified of its failure to meet the accreditation requirements. The HEC General Secretary had sent two other notifications to the university officials, urging them to submit the required documents proving the students had fulfilled the requirement of the post-graduate degree. .

The university kept procrastinating, claiming that it does not keep documents more than three years. However, evidence showed that the students are new graduates. "It is mandatory for each university to keep their students’ records to guarantee their rights and ensure they obtain their degrees even after their graduations", said the HEC Chief