The Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA) has announced that courses approved before 2022 will be invalidated if they do not receive renewed accreditation by the end of 2027. The statement was made by MQA CEO Fizana Rasheed during an appearance on a Public Service Media (PSM) program on June 17, 2025.
Fizana emphasized that course accreditation is a core mandate of the MQA, requiring all higher education institutions registered with the Ministry of Higher Education to obtain approval for courses from Maldives National Qualifications Framework (MNQF) levels 1 to 10. “All higher education institutes should note that by the end of 2027, no programs approved before 2022 can be conducted. Programs can only be conducted after obtaining new accreditation,” she stated.
According to Fizana, the MQA has accredited 565 courses under the new guidelines, with 132 courses receiving accreditation in 2025 alone. She also clarified that advertising unaccredited courses is prohibited, and courses approved for in-person delivery cannot be marketed as online programs, ensuring compliance with MQA standards.
The announcement underscores the MQA’s commitment to maintaining quality and consistency in higher education across the Maldives, urging institutions to update their accreditations to meet the revised requirements by the 2027 deadline.