SDG 5: GENDER EQUALITY

5.3.2 Does your university as a body have a policy (e.g. an Access and Participation plan) addressing women’s applications, acceptance/entry, and participation at the university?

Mechanism for admission and registration

AlMaarefa University maintains a formal Admissions and Registration Policy that ensures equal, transparent, and merit-based access for all applicants, including women. This policy standardizes the entire admissions process, covering application review, eligibility verification, required documentation, and acceptance procedures, to guarantee consistency and fairness across all academic programs.

The university’s admissions framework explicitly aligns with national regulations promoting gender equality in higher education and reinforces AlMaarefa’s commitment to providing equitable opportunities for women at every stage of the student journey. Through clear criteria, publicly accessible guidelines, and standardized decision-making protocols, the institution safeguards non-discriminatory access, equal treatment of male and female applicants, and impartial evaluation of academic merit [1].

Student Handbook

AlMaarefa University embeds the principles of justice, equality, and non-discrimination within its formal Student Guide, which serves as a core policy document governing student rights and responsibilities. The guide outlines institutional commitments that ensure all students, particularly women, have fair and equitable access to application, admission, and participation processes across the university [2].

These documented principles form an integral part of the university’s broader policy framework supporting gender equity. They reinforce equal treatment in admissions decisions, safeguard the right of women to participate fully in academic and extracurricular activities, and establish clear procedures for addressing grievances or discriminatory practices [2].

Regulations Governing the Training of Interns at AlMaarefa University

Almaarefa University has established formal institutional regulations—such as those governing internships, admissions procedures, and academic participation—which clearly outline the mechanisms for implementation, review, and amendment. These regulations ensure that all procedures are applied consistently and transparently across academic and administrative units [3].

As part of the university’s commitment to gender equity, these governance structures function as core components of an institutional Access and Participation framework. This framework explicitly supports women’s applications, admission, and ongoing participation in academic programmes, ensuring equal opportunity and structured pathways for female students throughout their educational journey [3].

The Strategic Transformation Journey of AlMaarefa University: Navigating New Horizons

As part of its institutional transformation and commitment to gender equity, Almaarefa University has implemented comprehensive enrollment information systems that maintain detailed databases and periodic reports on student demographics, including gender, nationality, and academic programme. These systems enable the university to conduct longitudinal tracking of women’s applications, admissions, retention, and programme completion.

This data-driven approach forms a core component of the university’s Access and Participation policy framework, ensuring evidence-based decision-making to support women throughout the student lifecycle. By continuously monitoring gender-related trends in entry and participation, Almaarefa University is able to identify barriers, enhance targeted support mechanisms, and ensure that women have equitable opportunities to access and succeed in higher education.er [4].

University profiles

External higher-education profiling platforms consistently describe Almaarefa University as a coeducational institution, publicly publishing its admission criteria, application procedures, programme requirements, and student-support services. The university’s official website and affiliated portals provide transparent information on academic offerings, financial aid opportunities, scholarships, and student guidance services, ensuring that women can access clear and equitable pathways into all programmes [5] [6].

Women’s high status Saudi Arabia

University service utilization patterns in students with specific learning disabilities: An institutional cross-sectional study

AlMaarefa University provides disaggregated student data, including gender breakdowns, for research projects approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). This practice reflects the university’s strong data-governance framework and demonstrates that detailed internal records are systematically maintained. Such datasets form the evidence base required to design, implement, and monitor institutional policies related to women’s access, admission, retention, and participation [7].

MOE with Ministry of Education

AlMaarefa University is formally licensed and supervised by the Saudi Ministry of Education, and therefore operates under the national higher-education regulatory framework, which includes explicit provisions on fair access, equity, and non-discrimination. Compliance with these national regulations ensures that the university’s admissions, student services, and academic processes adhere to standards that protect equal opportunities for female applicants and students.

A strategic partnership between the Ministry of Health and Almaarefa University to empower women and develop future leaders in the healthcare sector

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This agreement comes within the framework of supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, as it aims to localize human capital in the health sector by leveraging the qualified competencies offered by AlMaarefa University, and to empower women through the utilization of shared resources to strengthen their active role in the Kingdom’s healthcare system [8].

The areas of cooperation include implementing awareness programs and career guidance targeting male and female students in health-related specialties, in addition to holding joint workshops and exchanging expertise between specialists from both parties. The partnership also aims to support and enhance scientific research through knowledge exchange and training, contributing to the development of an advanced research environment that supports the Kingdom’s strategic objectives [8].

The meeting witnessed extensive discussions on the mechanisms for implementing the terms of the agreement and setting priorities to ensure optimal benefit from the resources and expertise available to both sides. At the conclusion of the meeting, emphasis was placed on the importance of continued constructive cooperation between the University and the Ministry of Health, and its role in supporting health and knowledge development, as well as strengthening integration between academic and governmental institutions to achieve shared national goals [8].

Participation of AlMaarefa University Female Leaders in the Coursera Women’s Leadership East Summit

Dr.. Sarah Al-Bukhari and Dr. Sarah Al Marzouqi, representatives of Almaarefa university At the Coursera Women's Leadership Summit in the Middle East 2024, it brings together a group of academic and industrial leaders to exchange experiences and enhance scientific and knowledge communication.@AlMaarefa pic.twitter.com/GkMZXYrsbj [9].

Majmaah Journal / Local publications with authors affiliated to AlMaarefa

Female faculty members and students at AlMaarefa University actively publish in national journals and participate in scientific conferences across the Kingdom. Their consistent academic contributions are supported by institutional structures such as research training, conference‐participation facilitation, mentorship programmes, and funding opportunities. These mechanisms ensure that women have equitable access to scholarly development, visibility, and career advancement [10].

In our great Islam, honoring women is a religion and an honorable prophetic guidance.

In our great Islam, honoring women is religious [11].

References