Workshop Announcing the Launch of PhD. and Academic Master’s Programs in the Center for Public Administration – Sana’a University

Sana’a – Monday, October 20, 2025 (Rabi’ Al-Thani 28, 1447 Hijri)

Under the auspices of the University Rector, Prof. Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, the Center of Public Administration (CPA) at Sana’a University today, organized a scientific workshop to launch the new academic PhD. and Master’s programs in Public Administration.

In his speech on behalf of the University Rector, Prof. Zaid Al-Wareeth, the Rector’s Assistant for Centers’ Affairs, affirmed that the launch of the academic Master’s and PhD programs in Public Administration is part of the graduate studies expansion and a contribution from Sana’a University to keep pace with scientific developments in this field. This specialization, he noted, addresses issues of state-building and tackles administrative and financial challenges in public institutions.

He pointed out that the CPA is one of the oldest centers at the university, with more than 16 graduating batches from its Executive Master’s program. This prompted the university leadership—represented by Prof. Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti—the Academic Development and Quality Assurance Center, and a specialized committee to reconsider the performance of all the 25 centers at the university and evaluate them academically, financially, and administratively.

Prof. Al-Wareeth emphasized that the evaluation committee’s recommendations stressed the need to update and develop graduate studies programs to align with modern demands and labor market needs. This is in parallel with ongoing developments in the security and military aspects. This is also part of the university’s efforts to obtain national academic accreditation for its graduate programs, following the accreditation of its undergraduate programs.

He stated that this phase required reassessing the Executive Master’s at the CPA and transforming it into academic Master’s and PhD programs. This is to meet the diverse and evolving needs of the labor market and government agencies in light of the state’s main directives, as the Executive Master’s program had served a specific phase since 2007.

He reported that this workshop—attended by an elite group of academics from the Academic Development and Quality Assurance Center, research centers, professors from the PAC and the Faculty of Commerce and Economics, and the center’s students—is discussing the two program documents. It aims to present proposals for updating and developing the programs, subject them to evaluation and arbitration, and produce strong recommendations to ensure their outcomes can lead to a developmental renaissance in public administration and contribute to training state institution cadres.

Prof. Huda Al-Emad, Assistant to the Vice Rector for Graduate Studies and Dean of the Academic Development and Quality Assurance Center, affirmed the university’s commitment to the continuous updating of its academic programs. She noted its impact on raising Sana’a University’s classification and status in local and regional global rankings, where it has advanced more than five thousand positions globally in just a few years, competing with universities whose budgets equal those of entire countries.

She pointed out that Sana’a University has proven its merit despite the scarcity of resources, obtaining national academic accreditation for all its academic programs. It now seeks international accreditation and continues to evaluate and update its graduate programs to ensure they also receive national academic accreditation.

She noted that the CPA, established in 2007, needed an evaluation of its situation, especially after faltering outcomes and a significant gap between inputs and outputs. This led to the recommendation to transform the center from offering an Executive Master’s to offering academic Master’s and PhD programs, similar to other academic programs in business administration, comprehensive development, human rights, and migration.

During the workshop opening session, attended by the Rector’s Assistant for Media Affairs, Mr. Adel Al-Hababi, the Director of the CPA, Dr. Fadhl Al-Mahmoudi, pointed out that the center represents a qualitative addition to Sana’a University’s educational programs and the higher education system. He stated that it aims to improve public service performance and its mechanisms using modern public administration methods, highlighting the center’s anticipated future role in enhancing public service, developing the community, and raising the performance level of administrative leaders.

Dr. Al-Mahmoudi reviewed the center’s achievements and developments since its establishment in 2007 up to 2025, including its efforts in training, consulting, research, publications, and scientific conferences. He highlighted the center’s vision and mission to contribute to improving the public administration system, achieving a qualitative transformation in institutional performance, and preparing competent professionals in the areas of training, consulting, and applied research, in line with international best practices.

He noted that the center’s core values are rooted in professionalism, quality, partnership, teamwork, and transparency. Since its inception, the center has graduated 17 batches, with 1,070 students enrolled, 591 having completed the preparatory master’s courses, and 322 students having successfully graduated.

In turn, Dr. Ahmed Nasser reviewed the objectives of the new academic Master’s and PhD. programs. These include preparing highly qualified cadres (academically, professionally, and in research); providing enrollees with the necessary knowledge and techniques to face new developments in the field; equipping them with the skills to conduct applied research; and developing their analytical and creative thinking skills.

He also touched upon the programs’ strategic goals, similar benchmarks, intended learning outcomes (based on knowledge and understanding, intellectual skills, practical and professional skills, and general skills), the structure of the two programs, their curricula, study systems, admission requirements, and graduation requirements.