quality assurance of higher education programs · quality assurance of higher education programs...

QUALITY ASSURANCE OF HIGHER

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Ali A YaghiAl Hussein Fund for Excellence

Amman – Jordan

[email protected] ; [email protected]

TOWARDS A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE OF

HIGHER EDUCATION IN LEBANON

A NATIONAL CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES

IN LEBANON IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL OFFICE OF TEMPUS.

UNESCO Palace – Beirut (29 & 30 April 2011)April 2011

mailto:[email protected]




Preface:

April 2011Quality Assurance of Higher Education Programs, A. Yaghi

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Academic Quality Assurance:

Institutions

Colleges

Programmes :

More precise: a process that works at micro level

Match, adjust and regulate: Curriculum, Resources, T&L, assessment and other components of the teaching-learning process to the objectives & ILOs.

Freedom of providers to excel and thus encourages creating centers of excellence

+ It is the track that was originally taken by international / regional QAA-UK, ENQA, AUQA

Preface: this talk …


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Brief on the QAA Framework of Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ):

development , structure and its relation to the FQ-EHEA.

Framework levels/cycles and Dublin Descriptors.

How all components are fit together:

Levels, SBSs, Code of Practice & programme specification.

QAA Criteria for HE Programs (Academic Subjects)

QAA – FHEQ: Framework for Higher Education Qualifications


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The fundamental premise of the FHEQ is that

“… qualifications should be awarded on the basis of achievement of outcomes and attainment rather than years of study …“

The Berlin Communiqué (2003): “ Ministers encourage the member States to elaborate a framework of comparable and compatible qualifications for their higher education systems, which should seek to describe qualifications in terms of workload, level, learning outcomes, competences and profile. They also undertake to elaborate an overarching framework of qualifications for the European Higher Education Area.”

Development of the QAA-FHEQ


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The first edition of the FHEQ was issued by QAA-UK in 2001 on recommendation of the National Committee of Inquiry into HE which was formed in 1997 and published its findings in the Dearing Report.

HE providers should demonstrate that all students commencing programmes after 2003-2004 should gain degrees according to FHEQ.

FHEQ, 2nd edition, August 2008 (after extensive discussions with stakeholders.)

FHEQ are designed to meet the expectations of the Bologna Declaration and “The Framework for Qualifications of the European HE Area (FQ-EHEA)”.

FHEQ Purposes:


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Managing Quality and providing advice about setting standards for HE institutions.

Maintaining internationally recognized academic standards.

Providing international comparability.

Ensuring international competitiveness.

Facilitating graduate mobility

"The FHEQ should be regarded as a framework, not as a straitjacket“. It should give HEIs freedom to excel.

QAA encourages HE providers to use FHEQ in their discussions with the main stakeholders in HE about the outcomes and attributes that each qualification represents.

The QAA Academic Infrastructure


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Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications


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Describes the achievements represented by higher education

qualifications according to the level (QAA) /cycle (FQ-EHEA).

Each FHEQ level is given a number (8-4):

Qualification FHEQ

Level

FQ-EHEA cycle(Bologna process)

Doctoral degrees 8 Third cycle

Master‟s degrees /PG 7 Second cycle

BA/BSc/Graduate Dip. 6 First cycle

Dip HE / HND 5 Short cycle (within 1st cycle)

HNC / Certificate of HE 4 -

NQF & QCF 1-3 Schools & pre-university


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They are generic statements that define / describe each level/cycle of the qualifications framework.

A Joint Quality Initiative group was formed and based on descriptors from different national European frameworks of qualifications (QAA-FHEQ, INFQ and DQF among others), they proposed to unify such descriptors in what is currently known as the Dublin Descriptors

Qualification Descriptors

The FQ-EHEA Dublin Descriptors


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Are generic qualification descriptors for each cycle/level,

Are intended for use in the alignment of qualifications and hence national frameworks.

National frameworks may themselves have additional elements or outcomes (more details)

Are built on the following elements:

i. knowledge and understanding

ii. applying knowledge and understanding

iii.making judgements

iv.communications skills

v. learning skills

ExampleLevel 6: Bachelor's degree with honors


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Bachelor's degrees with honors are awarded to students who have demonstrated:

A systematic understanding of key aspects of their field of study …

(knowledge & understanding)

An ability to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within a discipline.

Conceptual understanding that enables the student to: …

(how to apply his/her knowledge)

Typical holder of the qualification will be able to: … critically evaluate arguments, abstract concepts, assumptions, …

(making judgements)

A holder of this qualification will have qualities and transferable skills in … general & specific skills.

Comparative description, “step changes” between

the levels in terms of Dublin Descriptors (JQI)


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i. Knowledge & understanding

1st Cycle

(Level 6)

… supported by advanced text books [with] some

aspects informed by knowledge at the forefront of

their field of study…

2nd Cycle

(Level 7)

… provides a basis or opportunity for originality in

developing or applying ideas…often in a research

context…

3rd Cycle

(Level 8)

… includes a systematic understanding of their field

of study and mastery of the methods of research

associated with that field…

ii. Application of knowledge & understanding


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iii. Ability to make judgments

1st Cycle

(Level 6)

[through] gathering and interpreting relevant data...

2nd Cycle

(Level 7)

Through integrating knowledge and formulate

judgements with incomplete data…

3rd Cycle

(Level 8)

through critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis

of new and complex ideas…

iv. Ability to communicate

v. Learning skills

…

Comparative description, “step changes” between the levels in terms of Dublin Descriptors (JQI)

Subject Benchmark Statements (SBSs):


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SBSs: specify with detail the expected outcomes, general & profession-specific skills that a graduate should demonstrate to be awarded the degree… threshold (general minimum)

Draw the main themes (knowledge & understanding, general skills, specific skills) that academic community and stakeholders (professionals & employers) expect from the graduate in that specific provision.

Provides an insight to prospective students and employers about the nature of the award in a given subject area.

QAA developed a set of SBSs for all subjects at different levels of the framework (Education Studies 2007, Computing 2007)

Programme specifications


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Within the FQ and the SBSs, providers should design their

own programme specification that:

Achieve the expected outcomes of the degree according

to the level / cycle in the framework.

Meet the subject benchmark statements of the degree

(the expectation of the academic and professional

communities)

Programme specifications


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They should describe:

Programme‟s aims, objectives and external references.

Intended Learning Outcomes (Knowledge & Skills).

The curriculum (CDCO) and its relation to ILOs.

Teaching & Learning methods

Assessment methods

Progression requirements.

Academic support.

QAA published generic “Guidelines for preparing

Programme Specifications”


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BA

Code of practice

BA

in

ICT

Code of Practice


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QAA issued a set of 10 documents (booklets), each explains the

code of practice in a certain aspect of the implementation:

1. Postgraduate research programmes (2004)

2. External examining (2004)

3. Assessment of students (2006)

4. Programme design, approval, monitoring and review (2006)

5. Admissions to higher education (2006)

6. Academic appeals and student complaints on academic matters

(2007)

7. Work-based and placement learning (2007)

8. Collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning

(including e-learning) (2010)

9. Disabled students (2010)

10.Career education, information, advice and guidance (2010)


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BA

How the parts are fit together

BA

in

ICT

QAA Aspects and Judgements (2003)


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Academic Standards:- Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)- Curricula (CDCO)- Assessment arrangements- Students achievement

Quality of Learning opportunities:- Teaching and the learning; - Learning resources (including staff)- Student progression (& academic support)

Maintenance and enhancement of standards and quality: College-wide systems for the maintenance and enhancement of standards and quality

QAA Judgements on Academic Standards:


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Judgements about academic standards are made on the appropriateness of the ILOS set by the subject provider in relation to subject benchmark statements, qualification levels and the overall aims of the provision;

1- 'confidence‘: if the reviewers are satisfied both with current standards and with the prospect of those standards being maintained into the future;

2- 'limited confidence‘: if standards are being achieved, but there is doubt about the ability of the college to maintain them into the future;

3- 'no confidence‘: if the reviewers feel that arrangements are inadequate to enable standards to be achieved.

Judgements on Quality of Learning opportunities:


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They are made on the effectiveness of teaching and the learning methods, learning resources, and academic support provided to students to enable them to progress in their studies.

1- 'commendable': the provision contributes substantially (with good practice) to the achievement of the ILOs.

2- 'approved': the provision enables the ILOs to be achieved, but improvement is needed to overcome weaknesses (will set out the areas where improvement is needed)

3- 'failing': the provision makes a less than adequate contribution to the achievement of the ILOs. Significant improvement is required urgently if the provision is to become at least adequate.

Judgement on QA Enhancement (2003)


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The final section of the review report expresses the reviewers view of the ability of the provider to maintain and enhance standards and quality in the subject.

This is addressed after the reviewers scrutiny of a wide range of evidences (external examiners' reports, minutes of meetings, discussions with staff and students, …).

QAA Aspects and Judgements (2011 onward)


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Judgments will initially be made in three areas: Academic Standards, Quality and Enhancement.

Academic Standards: Institutions will receive one of two judgments on Academic Standards:

'meet UK expectations for threshold standards' or

„does not meet UK expectations for threshold standards„ Quality and enhancement : will be graded against four possible

judgments:

'is commended',

'meets UK expectations',

'requires improvement to meet UK expectations', and

'does not meet UK expectations'.

QAA New Aspects and Judgements (2011 onward)


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The changes to the judgments and the way they are reported emphasizes the need for clear information about quality and standards at institutions to be accessible to a wide public audience.

Formal judgments on the quality of public information will begin in 2012-13.

All other areas will receive judgments from the launch of Institutional review in 2011.

Some References:


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“The Framework for HE Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland”. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, August 2008.

http: //www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure

“Subject Benchmark Statements for Education Studies”,

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, UK 2007.

http://www.unibuc.ro/uploads_ro/35714/Dublin_Descriptors_2004Doctor.pdf

European Area for HE, Bologna Process, London Communiqué 2007. Higher Education and Training Awards Council, Dublin, Ireland.

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeofpractice/default.asp

THANK YOU

QUALITY ASSURANCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS,

A. YAGHI

27April 2011

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