SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – Law graduates, work with government and institutional governance

Revision History

1. Purpose and Scope

Imam Malik College for Sharia and Law identifies local external stakeholders and engages them in initiatives, plans, services and decisions that affect them or would benefit from their expertise. The College documents feedback and its response within its decision-making authority.

2. Legal and Institutional Framework

The policy is based on the objectives of community service and scientific and academic cooperation in Article (5) of Law No. (10) of 2011 Establishing the College, its Internal Regulations, the approved Strategic Partnerships Classification Guide and the information governance framework.

Partnership classification tools are used where applicable. The stakeholder register includes relevant organisations and individuals regardless of whether they have an existing agreement with the College.

3. Stakeholder Identification and Engagement Priorities

Each unit identifies local organisations and individuals who affect or are affected by its work. Depending on the topic, groups include local residents, government and judicial bodies, Sharia, professional and educational institutions, associations, employers, suppliers and service users.

The unit responsible for partnerships and community service updates a register showing each group, its connection to the topic, level of impact, interest and influence, barriers to participation, contact method and responsible officer. Priority is given to the most affected groups and those least able to participate. The register is reviewed annually and when an initiative with local impact is launched or its scope changes.

4. Planning and Implementing Engagement

The responsible unit works with relevant units to prepare an annual plan specifying the engagement topic, target groups, method, timing, owner and expected outputs. Methods are chosen to suit the topic and may include meetings, surveys, discussion groups and advisory committees. Accessible channels are provided.

Before consultation, participants are told its purpose, which decisions their views may help shape and how information will be used. Conflicts of interest are managed under approved procedures, and contact details and individual views are kept confidential. When advisory bodies are established, their membership, powers and term are approved by separate decisions.

5. Response and Follow-up

The unit records participation, topics and feedback in the response register. For each recommendation it identifies the owner and deadline and records the decision and resulting action or the reason for declining it. It provides participants with an appropriate summary of outcomes and follows actions through to closure.

The annual review examines coverage of affected groups, the proportion of planned activities completed and proposals receiving a reasoned response, and resulting actions and their closure. Dated versions of the classification register, plan, consultation minutes, response register and decisions are retained under the information governance framework.

6. Publication and Review

The approved version is published in the Knowledge Management System (KMS) archive accessible to employees and on the College website through a direct public link. Engagement summaries and outcomes are published after clearance, with personal or confidential data withheld.

The policy is reviewed every three years or earlier as needed, including when relevant laws, legislation or regulations are amended or introduced.

7. Responsibilities

Revision History

1. Purpose and Scope

Imam Malik College for Sharia and Law is committed to preventing organized crime, corruption and bribery in its activities and relationships, protecting funds and assets, and reporting and addressing violations. This policy applies to board and committee members, employees, faculty and students, as well as contractors, partners and agents in their dealings with or representation of the College.

The policy covers governance, admissions, scholarships, assessment, recruitment, research, procurement, contracts, donations and partnerships, and other financial, academic and administrative decisions and transactions.

2. Principles and Commitments

The College prohibits offering, promising, giving, soliciting or accepting a bribe directly or through an intermediary, whether in cash or as a gift, service or benefit. The prohibition includes unlawful facilitation payments. The College also prohibits embezzlement, fraud, forgery, collusion and misuse of authority to obtain an undue benefit.

The College prohibits participation in, funding or facilitation of organized crime, including making College funds, assets, facilities or data available for that purpose. It assesses third-party risks before engagement and reviews high-risk relationships according to their nature.

The College safeguards the independence of decisions on admissions, scholarships, assessment, recruitment and contracting from improper influence. It records disclosures, provides confidential reporting and prohibits retaliation against good-faith reporters and those who cooperate with inquiries.

3. Preventive and Transaction Controls

Employees immediately disclose actual or suspected conflicts to Human Resources under Article (36). Others covered by the policy disclose them to the authorised body. Anyone with an interest recuses themselves from evaluating, recommending or deciding on the transaction. The disclosure, recusal and authorised substitute are recorded.

Under Article (34), employees may not accept a gift of material value unless it is for advertising or promotional purposes and bears the giver's name and logo. Gifts and hospitality offered to influence a decision or obtain preferential treatment are refused. Relevant offers are recorded. The unit designated by the College receives or keeps gifts on its behalf in accordance with the law.

The relevant unit verifies the identity of suppliers, partners or donors, the capacity of their representatives and any conflicts of interest. For higher risks it extends checks to ownership or source of funds as appropriate and as required by law. It applies segregation of duties, approval authorities, documentation and fair competition, and prohibits splitting transactions to bypass controls. Integrity obligations and remedies are included in contracts according to risk.

4. Reporting, Inquiry and Protection

The College publishes its confidential reporting channel and instructions for access. A body authorised and independent of the matter records and screens reports and assesses conflicts. If a report concerns a person responsible for the channel or with authority over the inquiry, it is escalated through an alternative route to the competent higher authority or oversight body, as appropriate.

Access to reports and evidence is restricted, and receipt, custody and handling are documented. The authorised decision-maker takes necessary interim measures, including suspending a transaction where appropriate, while preserving the parties' rights. Cases are referred to competent authorities where referral is warranted. Findings, corrective actions, sanctions and grievance routes are documented under applicable regulations.

The College prohibits employment or academic detriment for good-faith reporting or cooperation with inquiries. Suspected retaliation is examined independently, with due regard for the Financial Audit Authority's whistleblower protection conditions and procedures where applicable.

5. Legal and Institutional References

Read this policy with Law No. (10) of 2011 Establishing the College, the federal Crimes and Penalties Law promulgated by Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021, as amended, and Articles (34) and (36) of Dubai Law No. (8) of 2018 Concerning Management of the Government of Dubai Human Resources, as amended. Due regard is given to Law No. (4) of 2018 Establishing the Financial Audit Authority, as amended, Resolution No. (2) of 2025 on whistleblower protection and Law No. (12) of 2020 on contracts and warehouse management, within their respective scope.

Internally, the College's Internal Regulations (QMS-GS01) apply, including financial affairs, the Procurement Committee, tender contracts, acceptance of donations and delegated authorities, together with the Learner Admission Policy (IMC-THE-POL-01) and the Anti-Harassment and Protection from Retaliation Policy (IMC-THE-POL-05) within its scope.

6. Publication, Monitoring and Review

The approved version is published in the Knowledge Management System (KMS) archive accessible to all employees and on the College website through a direct public link. The approval decision, revision history, publication link and aggregated or de-identified implementation evidence are retained. The policy is reviewed every three years or earlier as needed, including when relevant laws, legislation or regulations are amended or introduced.

Evidence for THE 16.2.5 in the 2027 cycle is a public link to the principles and commitments in all three areas, with proof of publication date. A dated public copy or documented publication record showing that it was available at the time establishes publication before 2025. Disclosure, due diligence, awareness and corrective action records are used internally to monitor implementation. Findings are reported in aggregate.

7. Responsibilities

Revision History

1. Purpose and Scope

Imam Malik College for Sharia and Law protects freedom of research, teaching and scholarly expression and the independence of academic judgement. It defines responsibilities for scholarly practice and routes for protection and grievances.

The policy protects faculty and researchers at all ranks and career stages, including early-career and senior academics, regardless of contract type or reporting line. Teaching freedom is exercised within the scope of the academic assignment.

2. Academic Freedom Safeguards

• Research freedom for early-career academics. They may choose their research areas, questions and methods, publish their findings and speak publicly in their fields of research. Academic guidance is provided in a manner that preserves independent research judgement.

• Research freedom for senior academics. They may choose their research areas, questions and methods, publish their findings and speak publicly in their fields of research, including presenting findings that challenge prevailing views.

• Teaching freedom for early-career academics. They may choose teaching methods and supplementary materials and lead scholarly discussions within the approved course specifications and learning outcomes. They may teach and speak publicly in their fields of research.

• Teaching freedom for senior academics. They may choose teaching methods and supplementary materials and lead scholarly discussions within the approved course specifications and learning outcomes. They may teach and speak publicly in their fields of research.

3. Scholarly Responsibility and Independent Judgement

Academics exercise these freedoms in accordance with applicable legislation, academic integrity, research ethics, intellectual property rights, participant protection and data privacy and confidentiality. They distinguish their scholarly views from official statements made on behalf of the College.

The College prohibits interference to impose or suppress a research finding for the benefit of a funder or partner. Agreements specify safeguards for independence, publication and information protection appropriate to the project. The College protects legitimate scholarly criticism from adverse effects on assessment, promotion, assignments or funding.

4. Restrictions, Reporting and Grievances

Any restriction on academic practice must have a basis in an applicable law or regulation within its scope and be applied only to the extent necessary to achieve its purpose. The competent body notifies the affected person in writing of the decision, basis, reasons, scope and grievance route and deadlines. Anyone who imposed the restriction or has an interest in it is excluded from its review.

Affected persons submit confidential requests for protection or complaints to the Deanship. If the Deanship is a party, the request goes directly to the competent higher authority under delegated powers. The request is referred to a competent body free of conflicts of interest. The parties are heard, the reasoned decision and corrective action are recorded, and implementation is followed up.

The College prohibits retaliation for exercising academic freedom, filing a good-faith complaint or cooperating with an inquiry. Employment complaints and grievances follow statutory routes and deadlines, including the Government of Dubai Disciplinary, Grievances and Complaints Code and the Central Grievance Committee route where applicable. Access to case records is restricted.

5. Applicable References and Regulations

The policy relates to Article (30) of the UAE Constitution, Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2025 Concerning Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Articles (13) and (14) of Law No. (10) of 2011 Establishing the College. Due regard is given to applicable provisions of Dubai Law No. (8) of 2018 on government human resources, Executive Council Resolution No. (4) of 2019 and Decree No. (12) of 2021 on the Central Grievance Committee.

The policy applies alongside the Internal Regulations (QMS-GS01), particularly the Scientific Research Implementing Regulations and the rules on peer review, publication and promotion, as well as approved course specifications, the information governance framework and the Anti-Harassment and Protection from Retaliation Policy (IMC-THE-POL-05) within its scope.

6. Publication, Review and Indicator Evidence

The approved version is published in the Knowledge Management System archive accessible to all employees and on the College website through a direct public link. The policy is reviewed every three years or earlier as needed, including when relevant legislation or regulations are amended or introduced.

• The competent office retains the version in force before 2025 and evidence of its approval and effective dates, the record of creation or review in 2022–2026, and the public link to the approved version. The THE 16.2.6 evidence file identifies the four safeguards in the document. Implementation, grievance and corrective action records are kept with restricted access, and aggregate findings are made available as needed.

7. Responsibilities