Overview of the HCT

In 1985, HE Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, made a commitment to establish a new system of post-secondary education for UAE nationals that would stress the ideals of productivity, self-determination and excellence.

His Excellency envisioned a system of the highest quality that would be used to educate Nationals for the professional and technical careers necessary in a rapidly developing society.

In fulfillment of that vision, the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) was established in 1988 by Federal Law No 2 issued by the Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace.

Higher Colleges of Technology, located in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah, was initially licensed on 1 May 2014 by the UAE’s Ministry of Education, for a period of five years, to award degrees/qualifications in higher education. HCT has officially been re-licensed for a further five years, from 10 February 2021 to 05 January 2026

Today, HCT is the largest higher educational institution in the United Arab Emirates with the current enrollment exceeding 24,000 students.

The sixteen HCT men’s and women’s campuses offer an impressive range of instructional programs in the fields of Applied Media, Business, Computer Information Science, Engineering Technology and Science, Education, General Studies, Health Sciences and Military and Security with all HCT programs being delivered in English, excepting courses in Arabic and Emirati Studies.

Graduates of the HCT make immediate contributions to government, business and industrial sectors, and develop into leaders in their fields. The HCT is dedicated to student- oriented learning, which places the responsibility for education upon the students themselves and promotes lifelong learning.