MoFA Signs MoU to strengthen digital integration with the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the Central Finance Department – Sharjah, and Sharjah Islamic Bank

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, witnessed the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the Central Finance Department – Sharjah, and Sharjah Islamic Bank. The signing took place on the sidelines of the fifth edition of the Sharjah International Summit on Education Development, held on February 14 and 15 in the Emirate of Sharjah.

The MoU aims to institutionalize an integrated, multi-entity government operating model through electronic connectivity for the digital attestation of academic certificates issued by the Sharjah Private Education Authority. The initiative will be implemented in accordance with the highest standards of accuracy, reliability, and information security. It also supports the objectives of the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme by streamlining and accelerating procedures, transitioning from traditional processes to a fully integrated digital ecosystem that enhances the customer journey, reduces time and effort, advances comprehensive and sustainable digital transformation, strengthens institutional performance, and elevates the quality of government services.

In this context, H.E. Omar Obeid Alhesan Alshamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, affirmed that in alignment with the directives of the UAE’s leadership, and under the leadership and vision of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry continues to expand its strategic partnerships with government entities and private sector institutions. He emphasized that placing people at the center of service development remains a fundamental priority, ensuring government services that respond to community aspirations, enhance quality of life, strengthen national competitiveness, and reinforce the UAE’s leading global position.

His Excellency further noted that the MoU with the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the Central Finance Department, and Sharjah Islamic Bank reinforces cross-entity integration by expanding electronic integration and secure data exchange among relevant entities, accelerating the digitization and modernization of procedures, supporting the objectives of the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme, enhancing the customer experience, and increasing satisfaction levels with government services.

Under the MoU, an integrated suite of digital services will be delivered through a unified digital window, enabling customers to complete three transactions within a single streamlined process: issuance of the academic certificate by the Sharjah Private Education Authority, attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and attestation by the UAE Embassy in the destination country. This eliminates the need to access separate service platforms for each entity and reduces total processing time to approximately three minutes, compared to nearly six working days previously required, three days within the UAE and three days abroad.