His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Monday, June 22nd, 2015, chaired the 4th meeting of the Coordinating Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research, which was held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The Council discussed several issues, including the Innovation Plan for Higher Education and Scientific Research Sector, and decided to form an innovation committee for higher education, headed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, whose membership includes members of the private universities. The Council also approved the proposal of the Second Forum for Higher Education Policies, which will coincide with a forum calculating the rates of dropout students, with regard to alternative options for students who are not eligible for admission at federal universities and colleges. The Council referred the subject to the Director of Higher Colleges of Technology to calculate the student’s cost. As for the report of the committee formed to develop the course “Methods of Scientific Research and Development”, it was referred to the members of the Council for consideration and opinion. The Council also adopted the higher education policies document, the common admission policy and absorptive capacity document, and the committee of mechanisms for calculating the student dropout rates document. It recommended submitting two memos to the UAE Cabinet; on increasing the salaries of the faculty, and on excluding the Federal universities and colleges from the procedures followed in determining the budgets of ministries and other federal authorities, and dealing with the annual funding allocations as financial grants. The Council also recommended submitting a memorandum to the UAE Cabinet on its achievements. The Council was attended by the following members; HE Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development, and President of Zayed University, HE Mohammad Omran Al Shamsi, Chancellor of Higher Colleges of Technology, Dr. Abdullah Al Maghrabi, Director of Studies and Research Department at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, HE Dr. Saeed Al-Hassani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Ali Al-Noaimi, Vice Chancellor of the UAE University, Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi, Vice Chancellor of Higher Colleges of Technology, HE Dr. Riad Al Muhaideb, Vice President of Zayed University, Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Dr. Ghaleb Awad El-Refae, President of Al Ain University of Science and Technology, HE Ali Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Abu Dhabi University, HE Prof. Mohamed Albaili, UAEU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Bahjat Al Yousuf, Acting President of Deans at Masdar Institute, Prof. Badr Aboul-Ela, Director of the Commission for Academic Accreditation, and Ms. Youmna Bodowah, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education and Scientific Research Affairs and Director of Common Admission Center.