The United Arab Emirates, an oil rich country, has had a rapidly growing economy (until the recent global economic slowdown in 2009). Its government had a vision of developing a well-educated work force so that the country could compete effectively in the 21st century. As a result, it established several new universities and allowed international universities to open branch campuses in the country. To assure quality, the UAE adopted US accreditation and assessment practices but their application varies, particularly as many institutions are for-profit. This presentation discusses how this rapid creation of higher education institutions has affected teaching and assessment of learning outcomes and draws inferences on what works and what does not work. It also discusses the impact of various cultures on higher learning practices, such as lectures, projects and papers, and focuses on errant practices such as cheating and plagiarism.