Professor Dolina DowlingExecutive Director: Higher Education Review UnitQuality Assurance Authority for Education and TrainingKingdom of Bahrain

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Why do we need Quality Assurance Units

Mandate

Models

Challenges facing Quality Assurance (QA) Units

Strategies to overcome challenges

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External

QA agencies and their requirements for: Institutional audits

Program reviewsAccreditation at institutional and

program levels

Professional body accreditation

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Internal

Assisting in preparing for institutional audits/ accreditation

Assisting departments/faculties in preparing for program

reviews/ accreditation

Benchmarking – all levels

User surveys

Impact studies

Graduate tracking

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Internal contd.

Developing and monitoring implementation of policies and procedures to manage the quality assurance arrangements of the institution

Program development and approvals

Facilitating quinquennial program reviews/ departmental reviews

Staff development

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Decide on what ‘quality’ means for your institution

Fitness of purpose

Depends on institutional type, age, mission

What is the institution’s approach? Compliance Improvement Enhancement

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Decision about role and responsibilities influences structure and resources

Does it influence location?QA is an institution-wide activity So what is best location and reporting line?

The President/Vice Chancellor?Why?

If to VP: Academic: student and administrative support services do not lie in this portfolio. e.g. library, IT, counseling; residences; examinations and certification

If to VP: Administration: core academic functions of teaching and learning, research and community engagement outside this remit

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Staffing and other resources depends on institutional type, size and shape as well as meaning of quality

Institutional types in Oman, some examples: Publicly funded institutions

◦ National University◦ Colleges of Technology

Private institutions

Transnational providers/cross border

Range of institutions - different sizes, offer varying numbers of programs at different levels, niche

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Decision on meaning of quality, roles and

responsibilities of QA Unit depends on all

these factors

There is no one right way

And

No one size fits all

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DIRECTOR

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

SUPPORT DIVISION

REVIEW CO-ORDINATOR

PROGRAMADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

STUDENT EVALUATION

CO-ORDINATOR

PART TIME TYPIST

UNIT ADMINISTRATO

R

QUALITY MANAGER

ADMINISTRATIVE

QUALITY MANAGER

QUALITY MANAGER

QUALITY MANAGER

EXTERNAL REVIEW

CO-ORDINATOR

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INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL

SENATEJOINT COUNCIL AND Academic Board/Senate

Institutional Quality Assurance Central Academic Planning Committee

Academic Board/Senate CommitteesLibrary CommitteeDiscretionary Exemption CommitteeEnrolment Management CommitteeRules and Regulations CommitteeTimetable CommitteeTeaching and Learning CommitteeResearch Committee

FACULTY LEVELFaculty BoardsFaculty Planning and Management CommitteeFaculty Executive Committee Subcommittees of FPMCFaculty Teaching and Learning CommitteeFaculty Quality Assurance CommitteeFaculty Research and Higher Degrees CommitteeExaminations Committees

SCHOOL/DEPARTMENT LEVELHeads of DepartmentAcademic Staff

Quality Assurance

UnitDirectorManager

Administrator

Monitors and evaluates policy implementationImplementation of feedbackReports on quarterly basis to Academic Board, Council

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Head of Institution

Manager:QA

Academic Administration

QAU reference point between external quality agency , accreditation bodies and academic departmentsSupports QA activities in departmentsMember of institutional QA Committee

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Vice Chancellor

Deputy Vice Chancellor:Academic

Pro Vice Chancellor:

Quality International Campus Head

Dean

Dean

Dean

Dean

Director: Quality

Head of School

Head of School

Pro Vice Chancellor: Quality – overall responsibility for quality across all campuses; sets policies and procedures; monitors and evaluates through reporting systemDirector of Quality – responsible for ensuring consistency of implementation of parent quality assurance arrangementsHeads of Schools consult with Deans in parent institution regarding program delivery

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President President

Centre for Planning and Institutional Development Centre for Planning and

Institutional Development

Strategic and Institutional

Planning

Strategic and Institutional

Planning

Quality Management

Quality Management

Management Information Management Information

Integrates QM into planning and ensures that information is basis of decision-making

Break into Groups Decide on your institutional type, size and

mission Develop an understanding of quality for this

institution In light of the above: develop roles and

responsibilities of Unit, capacity requirements

All the time bearing in mind external agencies/bodies: audits/accreditation and what this means for your institution in terms of resourcing; e.g. time, capacity

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