Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 13-15 November 2009

1. Roundtable Meeting of Quality Assurance Agencies of the Organisation of Islamic Conference Member Countries Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 13-15 November 2009 Quality assurance in Tunisia Dr. Ridha Methnani Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology (Tunisia)

2. Outline • Introduction • Legal framework of quality assurance in Tunisia • The institutional arrangements for quality assurance in Tunisia • Description of the current quality assurance system in Tunisia • Issues, challenges and future directions in assuring higher education in Tunisia. • conclusion Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia2

3. Introduction • The higher education system in Tunisia has experienced a rapid expansion and the number of students progressed over the past years from approximately 102,000 in 1995 to more than 360,000 in 2009. • This expansion generates a number of challenges : • Meeting increasing public demand for higher education • Improving quality in a cost-efficient manner • Sustaining employability • Responding to existing and new labour market needs 3 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia3

4. Introduction Key figures of Higher Education in Tunisia • 193 institutions • 13 universities among which a Virtual University and a General Directorate of Technological Studies. • The number of students for the academic year 2009-2010 is 360000 among whom the class age 19-24 represents 37.3 %. • The percentage of female students reached 59.5% in 2008-2009. • The funding of higher education in 2009 reached 1035.23 million dinars amounting to 6.53% of the state budget. 4 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia4

5. 1. Legal framework of quality assurance in Tunisia • The law N°19 of 2008 of February 25th, 2008, regarding higher education, constitutes the legal basis of quality assurance in higher education in Tunisia. It states in article 5 that : “The quality of higher education in the fields of training, research as well as educational, administrative and financial management constitutes a fundamental element of the higher education and research system”. 5 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia5

6. 1. Legal framework of quality assurance in Tunisia The main elements of this law are the following: • The establishment of a public institution called “the National Evaluation, Quality Assurance and Accreditation Authority”. This authority shall oversee the evaluation, the quality assurance and the accreditation in higher education by committees of experts • The organization of the evaluation, either internal or by the Authority, of universities, institutions, training cycles and programmes • The establishment of Quality Assurance Standards on the levels of: the quality of transmitting knowledge and know-how, the professional skills of graduates, the effectiveness of scientific research and technological innovation and the adaptation of the training needs to the labour market • The accreditation process of institutions that meet the mentioned standards of quality assurance and the incentive funding granted to the accredited institutions 6 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia6

7. 2. The institutional arrangements for quality assurance in Tunisia • The quality committees in universities: These committees are in charge of internal assessment reports elaboration, monitoring the established programs in particular those related to quality, and the formulation of proposals regarding quality enhancement. Until September 2009, higher educational system comprises 162 committees within institutions), gathering 1200 members, of which 300 are representatives of social economic environment, in addition to the 14 quality committees established within each public university. • The National Committee of Assessment: Waiting for the effective launch of the National Authority for Assessment, quality assurance and accreditation, the National Committee of Assessment ensured the evaluation of 48 higher education and research institution in the framework of a program targeting the evaluation of all institutions under supervision of the Ministry of Higher education, Scientific Research and Technology by 2011. 7 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia7

8. 3. Description of the current quality assurance system in Tunisia 3.1. Context • The Contracting: Contracting allows universities and institutions to plan their programs and projects as regards teaching and research activities for 4 years period, as well as their action plans regarding administrative and financial management. • Scientific and technological character of universities:universities can switch their legal form to public institutions of scientific and technological nature if they comply with conditions related primarily to the quality of their educational, scientific, administrative and financial managements. This new legal framework allows universities to have a more flexible administrative and financial management. Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia8

9. 3. Description of the current quality assurance system in Tunisia 3.2. Instruments • The quality enhancement program: This program is a competitive funding scheme in which grants are allocated to higher education institutions based on a call for proposals. • Academic Quality Enhancement Programme:. It aims to improve academic quality in higher education institutions. Since its beginning (on June 2006), the academic quality enhancement program financed 41 projects with total allocations of 15.75 Million Dinars (approximately 12.7 million dollars). • Management capacity Enhancement Program: It targets the enhancement of teaching, administrative and financial management capacity of universities and their institutions. Since its establishment, this project funded 14 projects in 13 universities and the Directorate-General of Technological Studies with a total amount of 3.8 Million Dinars allocations. (Approximately 3.2 million dollars). 9 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia9

10. 3. Description of the current quality assurance system in Tunisia Quality enhancement program HEI Participation (2006-2009) Initial submissions Final & complete submissions Eligible candidates HEI’s participation • The Number of Higher Education Institutions’ Initial Submission: progressed from 78** (65%) in 2006 to 80 (67%) in 2009, • Their Final and complete submissions progressed from 56 (47%) in 2006 to 62 (52%) in 2009, • The number of Eligible candidates progressed from 45 (38%) in 2006 to 57 (48%) in 2009, • The Number of Higher Education Institutions participation progressed from 32 (27%) in 2006 to 48 (40%) in 2009. 10 **out of 120 Eligible Institutions

11. 3. Description of the current quality assurance system in Tunisia Quality enhancement program Supported projects by sector 2006-2009 Fine Arts Higher Institutes of Technological Studies 11 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia11

12. 3. Description of the current quality assurance system in Tunisia • Training experts in the fields of curricula, education, and higher education institutions assessments: 120 experts benefited from a training in the field of assessment through the organization of targeted training courses, through planned visits at the agencies of quality assurance within the framework of the European program TEMPUS and through the organization of workshops dedicated to the exchange of experiences in the fields of assessment with Arab, American and British partners. This panel of experts gathers representatives from all scientific disciplines and other stakeholders. 12 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia12

13. 4. Issues, challenges and future directions Today, the ground is ready for the creation of the National Authority for Assessment, Quality Assurance and Accreditation due to the following factors: • The necessity of separation between the tasks of the Quality Enhancement Program Unit and the assessment, quality assurance and accreditation responsibilities, which are the core duties of the Authority • The starting of the contracting process with universities which places quality at a central position; that renders the effective functioning of the Authority as a necessity in order to overview the real achievement of contractual commitments of the Ministry and universities with regards to quality in higher education. 13 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia13

14. Conclusion The action plan • 2009 – 2010: drafting and adopting the regulatory framework organizing the National Authority for Assessment, Quality Assurance and Accreditation • Mid 2010: starting preliminary activities of the Authority • 2011: the effective start of the Authority activities regarding assessment, quality assurance and accreditation • 2012: the Authority should be mature enough to seek recognition at the international level 14 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia14

15. Thank you for your attention Dr. Ridha Methnani Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology Address: Avenue Ouled Haffouz - 1030 – Tunis, Tunisia Tel : +216 71 793 910 / +216 71 890 361 Fax : +216 71 801 701 E-mail: ridha.methnani@mes.rnu.tn Web : http://www.universites.tn/ 15 Dr. Ridha Methnani Quality assurance in Tunisia15