Old Westbury, NY – New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) announced that the United Arab Emirates Higher Education and Scientific Research Commission of Academic Accreditation has approved the NYIT-Abu Dhabi Instructional Technology program. As such, NYIT-Abu Dhabi will begin offering a Master of Science (M.S.) degree program in Instructional Technology this fall.

Rahmat Shoureshi, Ph.D., NYIT provost and vice president for academic affairs, commented, "The addition of this new program is part of a strategy to diversify the portfolio of degree offerings at NYIT-Abu Dhabi; we are pleased to be able to offer this new master's degree program to benefit students, as well as the region overall."

Shoureshi noted that the approval is the culmination of more than 18 months of work that included study and analysis to fully understand market needs and discussions with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and other authorities for their assessment of instructional technology needs, as well as a survey of local businesses.

Additionally, under the guidance of the Office of Academic Affairs, staff at NYIT-Abu Dhabi and NYIT's School of Education in New York worked closely with local schools, including the Higher Colleges of Technology, whose students earn undergraduate degrees in education; and conducted workshops with local school principals to identify their teachers' needs in developing technology skills. Through the Higher Education Ministry in Abu Dhabi, NYIT's proposal for this new degree was peer reviewed, including an onsite visit, by international experts in this area.

Michael Uttendorfer, Ed.D., dean of NYIT's School of Education and an instructional technology faculty member, said, "Our analysis confirmed that technology is viewed as an important element in the instruction for students in the majority of schools, and underscored that most schools employ technology coordinators to assist teachers with technology but that few coordinators have advanced training in this area. The M.S. in Instructional Technology program is well suited to fill this need."

"The instructional technology program is aligned with the International Society for Technology in Education standards—a perfect match for a global program," noted Sarah McPherson, Ed.D., chair of NYIT's Instructional Technology Department and associate professor in the School of Education. "Helping teachers to use technology to enhance teaching and learning in our global community is a driving force toward preparing for the digital world. We are excited to be part of the movement to enrich the lives of teachers, students, their families, and their communities with strategies for embracing instructional technology as we together prepare for the future." She added that a student recruitment campaign for the fall semester is already underway.

The following NYIT programs are among the academic programs accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) and currently offered at NYIT's Abu Dhabi campus:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
• Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
• Master of Science in Instructional Technology

The CAA of the Ministry notes that it is important that students in the U.A.E., prior to applying to join private universities and colleges, ensure that the program they join is accredited. The commission regularly reviews academic programs, using external reviewers to ensure that the programs offered in the U.A.E. meet international standards of quality so that graduates can compete globally.

CAA program accreditation in private higher education institutions is conducted following internationally recognized standards that cover program goals and outcomes, its association with the requirements of the job market, curriculum and its courses, learning resources, instructional methods, student assessment, and the quality of the teaching faculty.

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About NYIT

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has more than 12,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, nearly 100,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

Elizabeth Sullivan
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