Governance and Leadership
SDG 5: Focus Areas
5.3.2 Policy for women applications and entry
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?
Yes, the University of Bahrain has a comprehensive, formal policy that directly addresses women’s applications, acceptance/entry, and participation at the university. This policy is designed to ensure fair, transparent, and equitable opportunities for female applicants and students across all academic levels and disciplines. The policy is fully aligned with national legal frameworks, constitutional guarantees, and international standards, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 4: Quality Education).
Key Features of the Policy
- Non-Discriminatory Admissions:
Admission decisions are based solely on merit, academic eligibility, and program requirements. There is a strict prohibition against discrimination based on gender, nationality, disability, marital status, or other personal characteristics. - Equality and Legal Commitment:
The policy reaffirms the constitutional guarantee of equality under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain (Article 18), ensuring no female applicant is excluded or disadvantaged in any admission or participation process. - Merit-Based Admission:
All admission criteria are applied consistently to all applicants, regardless of gender or background. Decisions are documented and communicated transparently. - Promotion of Women’s Participation:
The university actively encourages women’s enrollment in all fields, including STEM, through targeted outreach, awareness campaigns, and academic advising. However, this does not include gender-based financial grants. - Accessible and Inclusive Procedures:
Reasonable accommodations are provided for female applicants and students with disabilities or special needs, ensuring equitable access to all processes and services. - Transparency and Public Information:
All admission requirements, procedures, and criteria are published in both Arabic and English, regularly updated, and communicated through official channels. - Monitoring and Data Collection:
The university maintains an Annual Admissions Dashboard with gender-disaggregated data (number of female applicants, acceptance/enrollment rates, STEM participation, retention, and graduation rates). Policy effectiveness is reviewed annually, with reports submitted to leadership for continuous improvement. - Appeals and Accessibility:
Female applicants can formally appeal admission decisions they believe are unfair or discriminatory. The process is confidential, timely, and free from retaliation.
Institutional Commitment
- The policy applies to all faculties, programs, admission committees, and administrative units, covering Bahraini and non-Bahraini female applicants at diploma, undergraduate, and graduate levels.
- Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined for the Admissions Department, Colleges, Deanship of Student Affairs, Sustainability Committee, and University Leadership to ensure effective implementation, monitoring, and continuous enhancement of gender equity in admissions and participation.
Conclusion:
The University of Bahrain’s policy is robust, transparent, and fully addresses women’s applications, acceptance/entry, and participation. It meets the requirements for THE Impact Ranking and demonstrates institutional commitment to gender equality and inclusive education.
Policy for Women’s Applications, Entry & Participation
Definitions
- Applicant: Any female student applying for admission to UOB in diploma, undergraduate, or postgraduate programs.
- Non-Discriminatory Admissions: Admission decisions based solely on merit, academic eligibility, and program requirements—no discrimination based on gender, nationality, disability, marital status, or other personal characteristics.
- Participation: Engagement of admitted female students in all academic, research, extracurricular, leadership, and campus-life activities.
- Reasonable Accommodation: Any necessary adjustments or support provided to female applicants or students with disabilities or special needs to ensure equitable access and participation.
- Ensure fair, transparent, and equitable admission opportunities for all female applicants.
- Remove procedural and structural barriers that may hinder women’s entry or participation in higher education.
- Promote women’s empowerment in academia, leadership, research, and innovation in line with national and global standards (SDG 5 and SDG 4).
- Guarantee full compliance with national legal frameworks that ensure equality and non-discrimination.
- Diploma, undergraduate, and graduate admission applications.
- All faculties, programs, admission committees, and related administrative units.
- All female applicants—Bahraini and non-Bahraini.
- Outreach, recruitment, and promotional activities for prospective students.
The University of Bahrain reaffirms the constitutional guarantee of equality under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Article 18 states: “People are equal in human dignity, and citizens are equal before the law in rights and public duties; there shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex, origin, language, religion or creed.” Accordingly, no female applicant shall be excluded, disadvantaged, or subjected to discrimination in any admission or participation process.
Merit-Based Admission
Admission criteria shall be applied consistently to all applicants, regardless of gender, nationality, disability status, or personal background. All admission decisions must be based solely on academic qualifications, program requirements, and documented eligibility criteria.
Encouraging Women’s Participation in All Fields
The University of Bahrain is committed to increasing women’s enrollment across all academic fields—including science, engineering, and technology—through targeted outreach, awareness campaigns, academic advising, and discipline-specific engagement activities. This commitment does not include gender-based financial grants.
Accessible and Inclusive Procedures
The University shall provide reasonable accommodations to female applicants and students with disabilities or special needs to ensure equitable access to admission processes, educational opportunities, learning environments, and campus services.
Transparency and Public Information
All admission requirements, procedures, timelines, and criteria will be published clearly and accessibly in both Arabic and English. The University ensures that information is publicly available, regularly updated, and communicated through official channels.
Documentation & Monitoring Mechanism
- Annual Admissions Dashboard containing gender-disaggregated data, including:
- Number of female applicants
- Acceptance and enrollment rates
- Participation in STEM fields
- Retention and graduation rates
- Annual review of Participation Metrics to evaluate policy effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
Roles and Responsibilities
Admissions Department
- Implement all admission procedures in accordance with this policy and ensure neutrality, fairness, and transparency.
- Maintain accurate documentation related to applications, admission decisions, and eligibility verifications.
- Ensure no discriminatory practices occur throughout the application and admission process.
- Coordinate with faculties and relevant units to provide accurate data for monitoring gender participation.
Colleges and Academic Programs
- Apply admission criteria equitably and consistently to all applicants, ensuring merit-based evaluation.
- Cooperate with the Admissions Department by providing timely data for dashboards and metrics.
- Implement outreach and engagement activities that encourage women’s participation across disciplines.
Deanship of Student Affairs
- Provide academic guidance, outreach initiatives, and advisory support to prospective and newly admitted female students.
- Ensure provision of reasonable accommodations and accessibility services for women with disabilities or special needs.
- Support integration and inclusion efforts that enhance female participation and success across all academic levels.
Sustainability Committee
- Monitor implementation of this policy through dashboards and metrics.
- Analyze gender-disaggregated data to evaluate progress, identify gaps, and recommend improvements.
- Submit periodic reports to University leadership, highlighting trends, challenges, and recommendations.
University Leadership and Governance
- Ensure allocation of adequate resources to support effective implementation of this policy.
- Endorse periodic review, evaluation, and updating of this policy to maintain alignment with legislation and best practices.
- Support mechanisms that enhance transparency, equity, and accountability in all admission-related processes.
Policy Procedures
Application and Admission Procedures
- All female applicants submit admission applications through official electronic channels or other designated methods.
- Admissions Department verifies completeness, ensures compliance, and provides accommodations as needed.
- Applicants are informed of requirements, deadlines, and documentation through accessible platforms in Arabic and English.
- No applicant may be excluded or disadvantaged on the basis of gender, disability, or personal background.
Evaluation and Admission Decision Procedures
- Admissions Department conducts merit-based evaluation in accordance with approved criteria.
- Faculties review applications, ensuring adherence to standardized, gender-neutral criteria.
- All evaluation steps and decisions must be documented clearly.
- Admission decisions are communicated formally to applicants.
Data Collection and Admissions Dashboard Procedures
- Admissions Department compiles gender-disaggregated data at the end of each cycle.
- Data entered into the Annual Admissions Dashboard maintained by the Sustainability Committee.
- Faculties and programs cooperate by providing accurate and timely data.
Annual Review and Reporting Procedures
- Sustainability Committee reviews Participation Metrics annually.
- Detailed annual report prepared summarizing key findings, changes, gaps, and recommendations.
- Report submitted to university leadership and relevant units.
Appeals Procedures
- Female applicants may submit formal appeals if they believe a decision was unfair or discriminatory.
- Appeals Committee reviews appeals confidentially and ensures compliance with non-discrimination principles.
- Decisions issued within a reasonable timeframe and communicated formally.
- No applicant shall face retaliation for submitting an appeal.
Accessibility and Inclusion Procedures
- Deanship of Student Affairs and Admissions Department provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
- Assistive services may include extended time, accessible formats, physical support, or other accommodations.
- All accessibility provisions handled confidentially and in accordance with regulations and laws.
