NCAAA Accreditation & OpenEduCat
National Centre for Academic Accreditation and Assessment
NCAAA accredits higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia and sets benchmarks for the Gulf Cooperation Council. It requires specific GPA scales, bilingual transcript formats, honours classifications in both Arabic and English, and KPI data for institutional review. OpenEduCat's Gulf gradebook module implements all of these requirements pre-configured for Saudi and GCC institutions.
Gulf / NCAAA 4-Point GPA Scale
Standard scale for UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and NCAAA-aligned Saudi institutions. Pass mark: 60%.
| Grade | Mark Band | GPA Points | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95–100% | 4.0 | Distinguished |
| A | 90–94% | 4.0 | Excellent |
| B+ | 85–89% | 3.5 | Very Good+ |
| B | 80–84% | 3.0 | Very Good |
| C+ | 75–79% | 2.5 | Good+ |
| C | 70–74% | 2.0 | Good |
| D+ | 65–69% | 1.5 | Satisfactory+ |
| D | 60–64% | 1.0 | Satisfactory |
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 | Fail |
Note: A+ and A both carry 4.0 GPA points in the Gulf scale. A student scoring 95% and a student scoring 90% both have 4.0 per credit, the distinction is preserved in the letter grade on the transcript but not in GPA. The Gulf 5-point scale (KSU/KFUPM) is a separate pre-configured option for Saudi institutions that use it.
NCAAA Honours Classification
Four graduation classifications, displayed in both Arabic and English on certificates and transcripts.
ممتاز
Mumtaz
GPA ≥ 3.75
جيد جداً
Jayyid Jiddan
GPA ≥ 3.50
جيد
Jayyid
GPA ≥ 3.00
مقبول
Maqbul
GPA ≥ 2.00
How OpenEduCat Supports NCAAA Requirements
Gulf 4-Point and 5-Point Scales
Two pre-loaded GPA scales cover the GCC landscape. GULF_4PT is the standard scale used by UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait institutions and aligns with NCAAA benchmarks. GULF_5PT is used by Saudi institutions including King Saud University (KSU) and KFUPM, where the 5-point scale is institutional policy. Your institution selects the applicable scale at the course level; both can run in parallel.
Bilingual Arabic/English Transcripts
NCAAA requires transcripts to be readable in both Arabic and English. Each subject in OpenEduCat carries an optional Arabic name field (name_arabic) that renders in RTL format on the Gulf transcript. The transcript layout places the Arabic course title alongside the English title. Islamic and Arabic language courses can be flagged to exclude from GPA computation per institutional policy.
Three-Attempt Re-Exam Policy
The Gulf re-attempt policy (GULF_3STRIKE) allows up to three attempts per subject. The most recent grade is active; if it still fails to reach the pass mark (60%), the grade is capped at the pass mark. A student who finally passes on the third attempt receives the pass mark on their active transcript record, not the actual score achieved.
NCAAA Honours Thresholds
The four classification levels (Mumtaz (≥ 3.75), Jayyid Jiddan (≥ 3.50), Jayyid (≥ 3.00), and Maqbul (≥ 2.00)) are pre-configured in the honours module. Graduation processing checks each student's cumulative GPA and assigns the appropriate classification. Arabic and English labels appear on the certificate and transcript.
KPI Dashboard for NCAAA Reporting
NCAAA institutional accreditation requires KPI data: student-to-faculty ratio, graduation rate, student satisfaction scores, employment rate of graduates. The OpenEduCat KPI dashboard consolidates these metrics. Faculty records in the HR module feed the student-faculty ratio. Placement module data feeds the employment rate.
Assessment Template: Mid-Term 40% + Final 60%
The Gulf standard assessment template (GULF_STD) splits each subject into Mid-Term (40%) and Final Exam (60%). This template ships pre-configured. Universities with different split ratios (some Saudi institutions use a different continuous assessment model) can configure the template at the course or subject level.
NCAAA KPIs, Where OpenEduCat Sources the Data
NCAAA institutional reviews ask for specific performance indicators. These are all available from OpenEduCat modules without manual data gathering.
| KPI | Data Source in OpenEduCat | Reporting Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Student-Faculty Ratio | Student enrollment records + HR faculty records | Semester |
| Graduation Rate | Student promotion and graduation processing | Annual |
| Pass Rate by Programme | Gradebook exam results | Semester |
| GPA Distribution | Gradebook CGPA computation | Semester |
| Employment Rate of Graduates | Placement module | Annual |
| Student Satisfaction | Survey module (linked to LMS) | Annual |
Full Gulf Gradebook Documentation
See the complete Gulf gradebook module documentation, grade bands, GPA computation, re-attempt policy details, and bilingual transcript format.
Gulf Gradebook Details →Frequently Asked Questions, NCAAA & OpenEduCat
Questions from academic registrars and quality assurance officers at Gulf institutions.
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