Administrative Court annuls Ministry of Higher Education's rejection of master's degree equivalency for Kuwaiti graduate from Miami University
The Supreme Administrative Court annuls the Ministry of Higher Education's decision to reject the equivalency of a master's degree for a graduate sent by the ministry to study finance in the United States.
Translated by Qiyas from السياسة — Original source
The Supreme Court’s Administrative Division ruled to annul the decision of the Degree Equivalency Committee at the Ministry of Higher Education, which had rejected the equivalency of a master’s degree in finance obtained by a Kuwaiti graduate from the University of Miami’s Herbert Business School in the United States, citing his study of several courses online.
The judgment came in a lawsuit filed by lawyer Inaam Haider on behalf of the graduate, who was sponsored by the Ministry of Higher Education to pursue his master’s degree at the university, before his degree equivalency was rejected upon his graduation and return to the country.
The case details trace back to the student receiving an unconditional admission offer from the University of Miami on December 20, 2023, followed by the Ministry of Higher Education issuing Decision No. 843 of 2024 on March 11, 2024, approving his sponsorship to study for a one-year master’s program, effective from the Spring 2024 semester.
The student completed his studies on December 12, 2024, with a GPA of 3.674 out of 4.0, and submitted an application for degree equivalency in February 2025. However, the Degree Equivalency Committee rejected the application on November 11 of the same year, citing his study of several courses online, according to correspondence from the Kuwaiti Cultural Attaché in the United States.
The graduate filed an appeal with the Minister of Higher Education on the day the rejection decision was issued, but was notified of the appeal’s rejection two weeks later, prompting him to seek judicial recourse to annul the decision and its consequences.
Lawyer Inaam Haider based her defense on the legal frameworks governing the Ministry of Higher Education’s jurisdiction and the regulations for equivalency of foreign degrees, emphasizing that her client had obtained official sponsorship approval, enrolled in the university through approved procedures, and completed his studies with the required GPA.
The court concluded by annulling the rejection decision and its associated consequences, most notably the equivalency of the master’s degree to those awarded by Kuwaiti universities.
