The document discusses internal quality assurance at higher education institutions. It outlines key lessons learned, including establishing a quality assurance unit that reports directly to senior leadership and has appropriate authority. It emphasizes the importance of commitment from senior leadership and faculty, involving all stakeholders, conducting assessments regularly, critically analyzing results, taking remedial actions, and closing the feedback loop through continuous improvement. It also stresses the importance of documentation, transparency, communication, simplicity, use of technology, and reviewing the quality assurance system itself on an ongoing basis.
1. INTERNAL QUALITY
ASSURANCE:
LESSONS LEARNED
Quality Education & Training:
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Towards a Better Future
2. Exceptionality (Excellence)
Exceeding high standards / passing
required standard
Consistency: Exhibited through zero
defects
Fitness for purpose: Product or service
meets the stated purpose
Quality Education & Training:
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3. Ensure Effective Operation
Accountability, to external parties (value for
money)
Control: Achievement of quality with existing
resources
Competitiveness
Basis for Continuous Improvement (most used by
HEIs)
Required for External Evaluation of QAA
Quality Education & Training:
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4. QA is about Fitness for Purpose
Are we doing what we supposed to be doing in an
acceptable way?
Does the HEI function in a way that enables it to
achieve its set goals & objectives?
Mission-driven Operation
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5. Ensure the utilization of assessment
results in adjusting institutional plans
Importance of assessing outcomes
against target levels
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6. Clearly defined Mission, Goals, Objectives, and
KPIs (as appropriate), and defined measurable
learning outcomes for academic programs
Internal Feedback Mechanism : Pervasive, involving
All stakeholders
All programs & Services
All academic units & Admin, academic and student
support units
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7. Internal Feedback Mechanism : Pervasive,
involving
All stakeholders
All programs & Services
All academic units & Admin, academic and
student support units
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8. External feedback Mechanism:
Means to collect feedback from experts,
employers, and alumni, for future
development & improvement
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9. Internal Reflection Mechanism:
Means to react to internal & external
recommendations for improvement
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10. Evidence-Based:
Documentation of information
Data gathered
Results of analysis
Actions taken
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11. Effective means of data collection, analysis and
storage
Involve: Heads of units
Database Expert
IT experts
Statistician
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12. Develop mechanism for utilizing results
Formulation of recommendations
Developing APPROVED Action Plan with
resources, timeline, and individual
responsibilities (involve unit heads)
Monitoring of Progress
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13. Review the QA SYSTEM ITSELF
Are we asking the right questions?
to the right stakeholders?
frequent enough?
Is the QA system easily implementable?
MAKE IT SIMPLE
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14. To indicate your satisfaction with university services, please mark
the appropriate box in response to each of the items below.
1 2 3 4 5
Service
Very poor Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent
1 Classrooms and laboratories
2 Library
3 Sports facilities
4 Academic advising
5 Food Services
6 Health Services
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15. Please indicate your satisfaction with various library services, by
putting () in the appropriate boxes below
1 2 3 4 5
Service
Very poor Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent
1 Library space
2 IT availability within library
3 Adequacy of books & references
4 Currency of books & references
Adequacy of databases and
5
periodicals
Access to library resources from
6
off-campus
7 Printing & photocopying facilities
8 Help provided by library staff
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16. Establish QA Unit within Organization Structure
to report directly to the CEO
Develop QA MANUAL , describing:
What to be evaluated ?
When?
By whom?
How ?
Effective utilization of results (Closing the loop)
Continuous monitoring of progress
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17. Consider
Inputs,
Process, and
Outcomes
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19. Area: Inputs
Utilization to Improve
Area Procedure / Tool Time Frame Responsible
Effectiveness
Academic Periodic Self-Assessment and
Annually Vice Chancellors Improve Curriculum and Services
Programs Internal Audits
National Accreditation by The
Academic The Vice
Ministry of Higher Education Five years Improve Curriculum and Services
Programs Chancellors
and Scientific Research, UAE
Curriculum External Evaluation / Report As needed Dean and Chair Develop Curriculum
Program Advisory Board /
Curriculum Annually Dean and Chair Develop Curriculum
Meetings and Reports
Student Evaluation, Instructor At the end of
To Improve Delivery of Material &
Courses Evaluation, Review by Reports every Dean and Chair
Faculty Evaluation
and Forms Semester
Assessment
Library Evaluation Form Annually Service Improvement
Committee
Assessment
IT Services Evaluation Form Annually Service Improvement
Committee
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20. Area: Process
Utilization to Improve
Area Procedure / Tool Time Frame Responsible
Effectiveness
Advisor
Every For advising & course plan
Students Files Evaluation/Advisor Advisor
semester offerings
Report
Student Satisfaction Dean and For Improving Advising
Advising services Annually
/ Survey Chair Services
Assessment
Student Services Evaluation Form Annually Service Improvement
Committee
At the End of
Student Evaluation / Dean and
Instructional delivery every To Improve Delivery of Material
Evaluation Form Chair
Semester
College of Gradate Studies
Research Projects and Chair and
Audit and Evaluation Annually and Research Evaluation,
Units Dean
Faculty Promotion
Assessment
Website Quality Evaluation form Annually Service Improvement
Committee
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21. Area: Outcomes
Time Utilization to Improve
Area Procedure / Tool Responsibility
Frame Effectiveness
International
Accreditation Chairs and Improve curriculum
Academic Programs Five years
(ABET, AACSB, Deans and services
WFME, etc.)
Graduate
Follow-up CASTO, IR Career advising/
Employment Annually
Survey Unit Career Service Office
Employer satisfaction
Graduate Employer
Revision & Update of
Employment Satisfaction Annually IR Unit
Curriculum
Employer satisfaction Survey
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22. Element Tools of Assess/Evaluation
Analysis of outcome achievement (Institutional Research)
Development of objectives, curriculum, teaching
Employers Survey
Alumni Survey
External Evaluation Reports
& learning tools & methods
Program Advisory Board Consultation
Sem. 8 Student Exit Survey
Sem. 7 Summative Test
Graduation Project
Phase II Sem. 6
Internship
Sem. 5
Formative Test
Sem. 4
Student Portfolio
Phase I Course Evaluation by faculty
Sem. 3
Course Evaluation by Students
Sem. 2 Midterm exam
Quizzes
Semester 1 Project
Report and Essay
Presentation
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23. What Triggered Change
Faculty dissatisfaction with
the degree of engagement
in policy making
Complaints about
chairperson selection
Action/Improvement
Analyses & Follow up Faculty Introduce scheme for
Engagement chairperson election by
faculty
Assessment / indicators
Faculty satisfaction with the process
Chairperson performance
Department performance
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24. Keys to Success
Commitment of
Upper Administration
Faculty
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25. Keys to Success
Authority
Ensure having well-staffed QA Unit
QA unit report directly to CEO,
with appropriate authority
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26. Keys to Success
Trust
Faculty & Staff need to be assured that
assessment is not a Threat to them.
It is rather means of improvement
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27. Keys to Success
Pervasiveness across the institution
Involve ALL relevant Stakeholders in :
Setting goals, objectives
development of
Assessment tools
Feedback
Reflection on results & developing recommendations
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28. Keys to Success
Planning
Based on strategic plan, and its related goals &
objectives (for each program, service, unit):
Develop TIMED-ACTION PLAN with
Target levels & KPIs
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29. Keys to Success
Technology
Increase use of technology
On-line standardized formats for feedback
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30. X
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31. Keys to Success
Timing & Frequency
Choose appropriate timing & frequency
For student feedback: make it a condition to
announcement of exam results
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32. Keys to Success
Transparency
Conduct CRITICAL analysis
Do NOT hide Weaknesses
Present remedial actions taken
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33. Keys to Success
Closing the Loop
Making use of the results in
Planning & provision of resources, to ensure
continuous improvement
Leading to
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT
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34. Keys to Success
Documentation
Ensure Documentation of Internal
QA Processes
Essential for External Review
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35. Keys to Success
Continuity
Continue monitoring as scheduled
Do not do it just for Accreditation!!
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36. Keys to Success
Review the QA System itself
Are we doing it right?
Asking the right questions
to the right people
at the right time
Quality Education & Training:
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