Quality Assurance: Highlights and Challenges Strategic Choices for Higher Education Reform Regional Higher Education C

1. Quality Assurance: Highlights and ChallengesStrategic Choices for Higher Education ReformRegional Higher Education ConferenceKuala Lumpur, MalaysiaDecember 3-5, 2007 Colleagues, the topic I�ll address in this presentation is quality. Almost every presentation so far has highlighted the importance of quality, particulary in light of global trends, such as massification, the shift to a knowledge economy and new competencies expected of graduates, internationalisation. These affect every facet of higher education systems and threaten the fabric of institutional quality of even the most well-established universities and not just systems in developing countries. Let me just take the expansion factor to illustrate impact of quality. Colleagues, the topic I�ll address in this presentation is quality. Almost every presentation so far has highlighted the importance of quality, particulary in light of global trends, such as massification, the shift to a knowledge economy and new competencies expected of graduates, internationalisation. These affect every facet of higher education systems and threaten the fabric of institutional quality of even the most well-established universities and not just systems in developing countries. Let me just take the expansion factor to illustrate impact of quality.

2. Gross enrollment rate (%), tertiary

3. Regional sum of enrolment in all tertiary education Regionally, the picture is not different. A corresponding need is the number of faculty to address these expansions. Let me give you an example of the extent of this need in Canada. Regionally, the picture is not different. A corresponding need is the number of faculty to address these expansions. Let me give you an example of the extent of this need in Canada.

8. Quality has become a dynamic concept that has constantly to adapt to a world whose societies are undergoing profound societal and economic transformation. Old notions of quality are no longer enough. Ministers of Education at a Round Table in UNESCO (2003)

9. Excellence Of course there are traditional definitions of quality and corresponding standards. These include the following Of course there are traditional definitions of quality and corresponding standards. These include the following

10. Cluster of quality indicators used for university rankings Beginning characteristics Learning inputs - Resources Learning inputs - Staff Learning outputs Final outcomes Research Reputation We can also look at the cluster of indicators typically used in international rankings and refer to standards and benchmarks used by them Beginning characteristics - Attributes and abilities of incoming students; Performance on national standardized tests; % receiving scholarships Institutional selectivity; International students Learning inputs- Resources -Financial and material resources available Funding (public and private) Faculty student ratio; How faculty are deployed ; Contact hours; Staff qualifications Skill sets gained; Retention; Completion rates Employment rates; % returning for graduate studies; Income; Job satisfaction Publication and citations (bibliometrics); Academic quality of research (3rd party); Research budgets; Research based chairs; # of patents Surveys of employers, academics, and academic administratorsWe can also look at the cluster of indicators typically used in international rankings and refer to standards and benchmarks used by them Beginning characteristics - Attributes and abilities of incoming students; Performance on national standardized tests; % receiving scholarships Institutional selectivity; International students Learning inputs- Resources -Financial and material resources available Funding (public and private) Faculty student ratio; How faculty are deployed ; Contact hours; Staff qualifications Skill sets gained; Retention; Completion rates Employment rates; % returning for graduate studies; Income; Job satisfaction Publication and citations (bibliometrics); Academic quality of research (3rd party); Research budgets; Research based chairs; # of patents Surveys of employers, academics, and academic administrators

11. Lesson 1 When it comes to quality, there are many roads to chose from and because of the dynamic nature of definitions, it is important to know which road to take and to do that with consensus from all stakeholders. When it comes to quality, there are many roads to chose from and because of the dynamic nature of definitions, it is important to know which road to take and to do that with consensus from all stakeholders.

12. The second theme I want to introduce isThe second theme I want to introduce is

13. And the point I want to impress upon you is that many factors, including the ones listed here increasingly influence the day to day business of teaching and learning, the curriculum and the context within which academic activities takes place. So for instance, funding patterns and what it means for institutions with differing missions, the rapid change of knowledge fields and implications for investing in critical mass and related resources; relevance of education provided and the competencies gained with respect to labor market needs, competition from offshore , for profit or international institutions to attract the best and brightest, and last but not least demographic changes (large classes, students with greater diversity who will need different kinds of support in order to succeedAnd the point I want to impress upon you is that many factors, including the ones listed here increasingly influence the day to day business of teaching and learning, the curriculum and the context within which academic activities takes place. So for instance, funding patterns and what it means for institutions with differing missions, the rapid change of knowledge fields and implications for investing in critical mass and related resources; relevance of education provided and the competencies gained with respect to labor market needs, competition from offshore , for profit or international institutions to attract the best and brightest, and last but not least demographic changes (large classes, students with greater diversity who will need different kinds of support in order to succeed

14. Teaching for � When we think of the core mission of universities, we must think of teaching and what its outcome ought to be and in the 21st century it certainly is not just content knowledge.When we think of the core mission of universities, we must think of teaching and what its outcome ought to be and in the 21st century it certainly is not just content knowledge.

15. Research that is � Original; usable; translated Disseminated internationally Advances the knowledge economy We also must consider research and what it should be in the 21st century. As Dr. Ismail We also must consider research and what it should be in the 21st century. As Dr. Ismail

16. Lesson 2 The world is moving ahead. Which one do you want to be? So lesson two is that the world is taking all these factors into account and is moving ahead. Every institution and every system has to make a decision as to what will their strategic approach be to attaining objectives that defined for higher education internationally.So lesson two is that the world is taking all these factors into account and is moving ahead. Every institution and every system has to make a decision as to what will their strategic approach be to attaining objectives that defined for higher education internationally.

17. The third theme is QA definitionsThe third theme is QA definitions

18. What characteristics of institutional work are of greatest value and why? What constitutes academic performance at the highest level? How can such performance be recognized & measured? Most of you are intimately familiar with QA and corresponding procedures so I�ll just highlight a few things. The first is the essence of QA and its importance not just as an end but a mean, a process that enables systems to systematically set goals, develop strategies to attaint them, and evaluate this performance for both formative and summative purposes. Fundamental question that can help give meaning to a quality framework are:Most of you are intimately familiar with QA and corresponding procedures so I�ll just highlight a few things. The first is the essence of QA and its importance not just as an end but a mean, a process that enables systems to systematically set goals, develop strategies to attaint them, and evaluate this performance for both formative and summative purposes. Fundamental question that can help give meaning to a quality framework are:

19. Quality assurance Accreditation Quality assessment Academic audit/Quality audit ISO 9000 Rankings/league tables Benchmarks/benchmarking Common terms A number of concepts concepts stand for this process of systematic review and they includeA number of concepts concepts stand for this process of systematic review and they include

20. QA systems require Explicit standards and expectations Systematic data collection and analyses (Internal and external reviews) Decisions Cyclical iterations And no matter which concept is used as the reference point, the sine quo non elements are the �And no matter which concept is used as the reference point, the sine quo non elements are the �

21. QA systems vary Level of state involvement Quality framework Standards/criteria, assessment tools, methodology Nature of judgments Degree of public disclosure Consequences And if one were to make distinctions between systems, they would be on And if one were to make distinctions between systems, they would be on

22. Consequences I want to say something about consequences because it is probably single most element that conveys the importance that a system gives to the process. The two most drastic consequences are to do nothing or to close down an institution. After their first round of accreditation review, Georgia closed down more than 120 institutions. On an individual level, We also heard yesterday from His Excellency, deputy Minister Nhan about actions and consequences of not publishing.I want to say something about consequences because it is probably single most element that conveys the importance that a system gives to the process. The two most drastic consequences are to do nothing or to close down an institution. After their first round of accreditation review, Georgia closed down more than 120 institutions. On an individual level, We also heard yesterday from His Excellency, deputy Minister Nhan about actions and consequences of not publishing.

23. The best model depends � And the best model of QA course depends on a factorsAnd the best model of QA course depends on a factors

25. Lesson 3 So lesson 3 is that while there are some elements that must be a component of a robust QA system, one size will not fit all.So lesson 3 is that while there are some elements that must be a component of a robust QA system, one size will not fit all.

26. The 4th theme is monitoring and rewarding qualityThe 4th theme is monitoring and rewarding quality

27. Governance, planning and management Finance and physical infrastructure Learning and teaching Student support Research Library and information services Internationalization Staff The issue of what and how to monitor quality is very sensitive and often contentious because it requires both a quantitative and a qualitative approach. In general, the matrix for monitoring comprises various functions/services, and categories comprising a university or a system ( governance, finance, teaching and learning, etc.). A secondary dimension is the levels at which these indicators are measure. Yesterday we heard from Dr. Naqvi that in pakistan both inout and process are being taken into account. What I want to suggest is that indicators ought to also extend to outputs and outcome. So if you take learning and teaching as an example, you would want to have indicators about students who enter the system, their progress rate, time to graduation and competencies gained, and their professional success in intervals following graduation.The issue of what and how to monitor quality is very sensitive and often contentious because it requires both a quantitative and a qualitative approach. In general, the matrix for monitoring comprises various functions/services, and categories comprising a university or a system ( governance, finance, teaching and learning, etc.). A secondary dimension is the levels at which these indicators are measure. Yesterday we heard from Dr. Naqvi that in pakistan both inout and process are being taken into account. What I want to suggest is that indicators ought to also extend to outputs and outcome. So if you take learning and teaching as an example, you would want to have indicators about students who enter the system, their progress rate, time to graduation and competencies gained, and their professional success in intervals following graduation.

28. Mechanisms for monitoring Internal processes Cyclical reviews Benchmarking Peer review (internal & external) National mechanisms System wide Horizontal and vertical Accreditation by professional organizations A what can serve as mechanisms for monitoring. They will include Horizontal (discipline-based) and vertical (institution-based) A what can serve as mechanisms for monitoring. They will include Horizontal (discipline-based) and vertical (institution-based)

29. Successful QA systems Policies to value & reward performance Resources to support innovative approaches Time to experiment & develop Formative and summative evaluation Impact on student learning Successful QA systems don�t operate in vacuum. They are reinforced by �Successful QA systems don�t operate in vacuum. They are reinforced by �

30. Politics of assessing quality Meaningfulness of exercise Bias against private institutions Tendency for quantitative vs. qualitative measures Potential for conflict of interest Ranking & consequences Professional accreditation Setting standards too high or too low As with any exercise of value, there are politics associated with QA.As with any exercise of value, there are politics associated with QA.

31. Lesson 4

33. Challenges Desire to improve/change Supportive legal framework Public awareness & support Technical know-how Ethical considerations Resources for capacity building Openness of process for self & external evaluation Cost & ongoing financing Delivery of instruction mostly didactic Limited use of technologies Large classes in some disciplines Ineffective teaching evaluation process Delivery of instruction mostly didactic Limited use of technologies Large classes in some disciplines Ineffective teaching evaluation process

34. Equitable growth of institutions Contradictory goals and demands Autonomy, quality assurance & accountability Investment choices Professionalization of staff Rewarding institutional and individual performance

35. � Challenges Faculty Recruitment Skewed distribution of degrees and ranks Professional development Retention/promotion issues Teaching For new competencies Governance Balancing autonomy, collegiality, and accountability I wanted to underscore a few of the most formidable challenges that previous speakers have referred to. Pakistan�s case - faculty development of highest importance and say a word about what might be a successful strategic approach.I wanted to underscore a few of the most formidable challenges that previous speakers have referred to. Pakistan�s case - faculty development of highest importance and say a word about what might be a successful strategic approach.

36. Successful interventions for change are� Of value to recipients Offered just-in-time Deemed as worthwhile investment Offered by credible source Associated with extrinsic or intrinsic motivation

37.  � Vision of student learning for the next 5-10 years � Potential challenges given current climate � Needed support and structures to help attain vision � Process and cost for creating appropriate structures � Evaluation and consequences

38. Lesson 5 Where there�s a will, there�s a way. The challenge is there but if there is a will, there�ll be a wayThe challenge is there but if there is a will, there�ll be a way

39. From input to output indicators Common understandings of QA terms Regional, international coalitions Changing role and impact of international organizations An �International Accreditation Space�; a �World Quality Register�? Int�l, nation-based, regional, institutional or market model of QA? International trends in QA ASEAN - piggy backing- even the UK does it with the ILTs 4/8 south asia and 13/21 east asea do not belong to inquaahe ASEAN - piggy backing- even the UK does it with the ILTs 4/8 south asia and 13/21 east asea do not belong to inquaahe

40. Summary Quality and quality indicators are dynamic Expectations are different in the 21st century QA systems can vary but they must have impact on student learning Best to acknowledge challenges & deal with them Need to consider international trends and their potential impact on local systems

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