Abu Dhabi University becomes region's first to receive APM academic accreditation for master of project management

Abu Dhabi University (ADU) has become the first university in the UAE and the Middle East to receive Academic Accreditation from the Association for Project Management (APM) for its Master of Project Management (MPM) program. The milestone positions ADU at the forefront of project management education in the region and provides students with a globally recognised qualification aligned with international professional standards.

Awarded to ADU’s College of Engineering, the accreditation confirms that the MPM program aligns with the APM Body of Knowledge and meets rigorous international benchmarks for quality, ethics, and professional competence. As an extension of this accreditation, students receive complimentary APM Student Membership, granting access to global professional networks, industry publications, conferences and career development resources that support their transition from academic study to professional practice.

Graduates also benefit from an accelerated pathway to Full APM Membership after three years of experience instead of the standard five, enabling them to achieve formal professional recognition earlier in their careers. This accreditation further enhances graduate competitiveness in both local and international job markets while supporting a stronger, industry-aligned talent pipeline across the UAE.

The achievement advances ADU’s Vision 2027, which emphasises globally accredited education, strong industry integration, and graduate employability. It also contributes to the UAE’s broader goals of building a knowledge-based economy and strengthening national project delivery capabilities across strategic sectors.

Jan Lonnen, Senior Accreditation and Assessment Manager at APM, said: “This accreditation is a positive step for APM and Abu Dhabi University. It shows the growing focus in the UAE on strengthening project skills and raising standards in how projects are delivered aligned to highly regarded global standards. By achieving APM accreditation, the university is giving students a recognized mark of quality and helping build a stronger project management community locally. It also supports a more consistent talent pipeline, aligned to international best practice, that benefits employers and major programs across the region.”

Dr. Hamdi Sheibani, Dean of the College of Engineering at Abu Dhabi University, said: “Achieving APM Academic Accreditation reflects ADU’s commitment to academic excellence and to delivering programs that are benchmarked against the highest international professional standards. It also highlights the College of Engineering’s strong academic foundation and its position among the leading engineering colleges in the UAE and the region. As the first university in the MENA region to earn this distinction, we are reinforcing our leadership in project management education and ensuring that our graduates are equipped with globally recognized credentials, real-world competencies, and a clear professional pathway that enhances their career progression both locally and internationally.”

APM Academic Accreditation is designed to help students choose project management education to support their professional project management career. It recognises universities (HEIs) that engage with the project management profession and who offer modules/courses/programme frameworks to students which demonstrate alignment to the APM Body of Knowledge. Academic Accreditation assesses relevant degree-based modules, courses and programme frameworks.