*SANA’A | Thursday, October 29, 2026*

The Quality Assurance Unit at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment at Sana’a University, in collaboration with the University’s for Development and Quality Assurance Center (DQAC), organized a scientific workshop today, Thursday, to review and approve the specification documents for Ph.D. programs across the faculty's academic departments. The event, held at Ali Wald Zayed Hall, brought together academic leadership, faculty members, labor market representatives, stakeholders, and graduate students.
Held under the auspices of the Sana’a University Rector, Prof. Mohemmed Ahmed Al-Bukhaiti, the workshop aligns with the university’s strategic direction to advance graduate programs, strengthen quality assurance and academic accreditation frameworks, and align educational and research offerings with academic standards and developmental needs.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Hisham Al-Jabali, the Faculty Dean, emphasized the importance of continuous review of graduate programs and the enhancement of their academic and research components. He noted that keeping pace with scientific advancements builds capacity to prepare specialized professionals capable of addressing societal issues and supporting developmental requirements.
Speaking on behalf of the Faculty Deanship, Prof. Abdulmajeed Bagash, Vice Dean for Quality Assurance, explained that reviewing the specification documents for doctoral programs is a pivotal step in academic development. He highlighted that this process ensures alignment between each program’s mission, goals, and intended learning outcomes, while enhancing research quality and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.
Representing guests and stakeholders, Prof. Fawzi Al-Sagheer, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and member of the Council for Academic Accreditation, stressed the critical link between Ph.D. programs and the requirements of the agricultural, food, and environmental sectors. He underscored the need to strengthen partnerships between the university and labor market institutions to cultivate specialized researchers who can address scientific and developmental challenges.
For her part, Prof. Huda Al-Emad, Dean of the Development and Quality Assurance Center (DQAC), emphasized the necessity of developing academic program documentation in accordance with quality and accreditation standards. She highlighted the importance of referencing benchmark programs at regional and international universities to ensure clarity of program goals and learning outcomes, as well as their alignment with higher education standards.
The working session was chaired by Prof. Abduljaleel Dirhem, Quality Expert and former Head of the Quality Assurance Unit at the faculty. The session featured concise presentations of the specification documents for eight Ph.D. programs:
• Crop Sciences and Plant Breeding
• Agricultural Economics
• Food Science and Nutrition
• Soil, Water, and Environment
• Horticulture and its Techniques
• Animal Production
• Agricultural Engineering and Emerging Technologies
• Plant Protection
The presentations detailed each program's mission, objectives, learning outcomes, and academic benchmarks. Participants discussed key aspects of document enhancement, the alignment of learning outcomes with program goals, insights from comparative academic practices, and mechanisms to engage stakeholders in review and development processes.
The workshop concluded with recommendations aimed at finalizing and approving the Ph.D. specification documents through standard academic procedures, incorporating participant feedback to bolster the programs’ academic and research rigor.
This workshop is part of ongoing efforts by the Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment and the Development and Quality Assurance Center at Sana’a University to foster a culture of quality, advance accreditation standards, upgrade graduate programs, and elevate scientific research to support Yemen’s agricultural, food, and environmental priorities.