Avid accuses MQA of issuing misleading statements and damaging its reputation

Avid College has denied conducting any academic programs in Sri Lanka in violation of the Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA) accreditation and says it is considering legal action against the agency for defamation.

The MQA issued a public advisory on Saturday, stating that Avid had conducted accredited programs abroad without the authority’s permission. In a statement on Tuesday, Avid rejected the allegation, saying some of its courses were delivered through partner institutions in Sri Lanka with approval from the country’s University Grants Commission (UGC), which recognises Avid.

According to Avid, the rules governing the delivery of MQA‑accredited programs abroad were gazetted on September 10, and the college shared the new requirements with its partner institutions on September 14. The college said it had repeatedly informed the MQA of this and had also sought guidance on affiliations established before the new rules came into effect.

Avid accused the MQA of issuing a press release on March 3 and publicising it the following day “in a misleading manner” with the intention of damaging the college’s reputation. The statement also claimed the MQA was “currently discussing legal action against Avid College” based on the new rules and their implementation.

The MQA, however, maintains that it has repeatedly advised Avid since August 29, 2024 not to conduct accredited programs abroad without written approval. The authority says more than a year has passed since those instructions were issued, yet evidence, including documents submitted by Avid itself, shows the programs continued without permission.

The MQA warned that such actions could cause “irreparable damage” to the international credibility of Maldivian higher education institutions and undermine trust in the country’s accreditation system.

On February 17 last year, the MQA instructed all higher education institutions not to conduct accredited programs abroad without prior approval. Under the Rules on Conducting Programs Abroad, institutions must obtain explicit permission before offering any accredited course outside the Maldives.

As a first step under the regulations, the MQA has formally advised Avid. The next steps include fines of MVR 8,000 and MVR 10,000 for continued non‑compliance.

Avid has previously faced similar scrutiny. On December 29, 2022, the college was found to have advertised courses in violation of MQA accreditation requirements. The college maintains that it has never offered a course that is not accredited by the MQA.