Kingdom unveils 20+ new postgraduate programmes

TDT | Manama

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Bahrain has taken a bold leap in reshaping its higher education sector by approving more than 20 new advanced academic offerings, including master’s and doctoral degrees, in a sweeping move designed to accelerate economic diversification and workforce upskilling.

At its latest meeting, the Higher Education Council, chaired by His Excellency Dr Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, cleared a series of landmark proposals ranging from artificial intelligence and digital media to real estate investment and business law.

The council also approved strategic international academic partnerships and senior leadership appointments across several institutions.

New approvals

Highlights include the Royal University for Women’s hosting of two specialised programmes from the University of Liverpool in Data Science and Building Information Modelling.

Kingdom University will offer a Master of Business Administration in Arabic and a diploma in sports law, while the University of Technology Bahrain will roll out a Master’s in Real Estate Management and Investment.

Additional approvals include a new PhD in Business Administration at the American University of Bahrain, multiple MSc programmes in finance and international management at University of Strathclyde Bahrain, new tracks in HR and Business Analysis and two doctoral programmes in Business and Accounting at the University of Applied Sciences, and a new MA in Digital Media and Communication from Bahrain University College.

Global cooperation

A raft of international cooperation agreements were also approved.

These include deals with UKbased King’s College and Times Higher Education, Italy’s University of Naples Federico II, and universities in Hungary, Jordan, Malaysia, and the US, among others.

The Royal University for Women will also partner with Italy’s Fashion Academy of Arts and Design, broadening creative pathways.

Leadership

shake-up In a move to strengthen governance, the Council approved new or renewed appointments of presidents and board members across several universities.

Dr Wafa Abdulrahman Al Mansoori was appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs and Acting President at the American University of Bahrain.

Quality assurance

The Council also renewed five-year institutional accreditations for nine universities, including the University of Bahrain, Bahrain Polytechnic, and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Bahrain.

A six-month extension was granted to Kingdom University and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance.

The Bachelor of Architecture at Kingdom University also secured a full five-year programme accreditation.

Strategic vision

The Council approved an updated operational plan and reviewed key indicators of sector development, reiterating its focus on aligning academic output with national goals.

These sweeping changes signal a strategic shift in Bahrain’s education playbook, placing it firmly on the regional map as a centre for high-impact, future-ready learning.