QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM IN EDUCATION: A COUNTRY REPORT, EGYPT

1. QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM IN EDUCATION: A COUNTRY REPORT, EGYPT A. H. BarkawiVice President, National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education, Egypt; e. mail: ashrafb53@yahoo.com

2. An Overview of the Presentation • Education in Egypt • Historical background of quality assurance • The Role of The National Authority of Quality Assurance and Accreditation / Egypt (NAQAAE) • Accreditation (process and decision) • Challenges and constrains

3. Egypt • Location: North East of Africa • Population: 80 million • Capacity of education institute: 26.3 %. • Capacity of H.E. I = 28%(18-25 yr old). • National goals = Expansion in HE to cover 35%. (18-25 y) = Developing technical education.

4. Characterization of Education in Egypt • Egyptian Government is committed to provide free education for all Egyptian people according to the constitution. • Recently the Egyptian Government encouraged the private sector to invest in Education. • Educational institutes = about 50,000 institutes • Students number = 21.35 million

5. Types of Educational Institutes in Egypt

6. Capacity of Pre-University Institutes

7. Capacity of HE Institutes

8. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND of QA • Quality assurance in education was one of 6 top priorities recommendations released from the National conference on Higher education reform (2000). • Concepts of QA in education was introduced officially at the Government level since 2001. • The development of quality assurance concepts and regulations in education passed through three phases :

9. PHASES OF QA DEVELOPMENT

11. Phase III • Started since 2007 by establishing the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Egypt (NAQAAE)by a Presidential Decree. • NAQAAE is independent body belonging to the prim-minister • NAQAAE is responsible for higher, pre- university, and Al-Azhar education.

12. NAQAAE • The main goals of NAQAAE are: • Raising awareness. • Setting of educational & accreditation standards. • Supporting self assessment studies. • Issuing accreditation certificates.

13. Vision • An internationally recognized accrediting body, known for its fair and objective decisions, its leadership in quality assurance and excellence at the national, regional and international levels, while maintaining its Egyptian identity.

14. Mission • To assure the quality of Egyptian education institutions, continuous improvement and efficient performance consistent with their mission statements and objectives, as well as insuring public confidence through independent, impartial and transparent operations.

15. Conceptual Framework • Respond to global changes. • Reflect the country’s development plans, market needs and employment expectation. • Co-operation with Regional and International sister agenesis to reach a mutual recognition. • Cooperation with the stakeholders to set standards of accreditation. • Acknowledgment of academic freedom. • Provide impartial technical support without interfering with institutional QA process. • Evaluation is based on assessment of learning outcomes.

16. NAQAAE Strategy • Phase I: Setting the standards of accreditation and education improvement in cooperation with stakeholders (2 years) • Phase II: Provide the technical support for educational Institutions (Technical advice, Training and preliminary visit before accreditation) (2 years) • Phase III: Accrediting Educational Institutions

17. Characterization of Higher Education before NAQAAE Establishment • Lack of societal consensus upon the graduate attributes of each discipline • Absence of National Academic Reference Standards (NARS) to be used in programs design • No standards for institutional and program accreditation

18. Activities of NAQAAE1. Training and Awareness

20. Training Training programs covers the areas of: • Strategic planning • Internal quality assurance systems • How to write the self – study • Peer reviewing

21. Awareness • Raise Awareness of the Culture of Quality Assurance and Accreditation : - Seminars and awareness campaigns - NAQAAE annual conferences - Public media - Issuing NAQAAE newsletter - Web-site (naqaae.org)

22. Accreditation

23. Accreditation Types

24. 1. Institutional Accreditation • Mission based assessment. • Based on evaluating two main areas: - Institutional capacity - Educational effectiveness

25. Standards of Institutional Accreditation Institutional Assessment (Faculties): Institutional Capacity: Strategic Planning Organizational Structure Leadership &Governance Creditability & Ethics Administratiion. Resources Community Participation Quality systems management. Educational Effectiveness: Students & Graduates. Academic Standards. Educational Program. Teaching, Learning, & Resources. Academic Staff. Scientific Research . Post-Graduate Studies. Continuous Assessment. • Institutional Assessment (school): • Institutional Capacity • Vision & mission • Governance • Human & Financial Resource • Community Participation • QA & Accountability • Education Effectiveness • Student achievements • Teacher qualifications • Academic Curriculum • Educational Environment “

26. 2. Program Accreditation • Outcome based assessment. • Based on evaluating two main areas: - Program management - Educational effectiveness

27. Standards of Program Accreditation • E. Learning programs : • Institutional Capacity: • Program management • Human, financial & physical resources • Educational Effectiveness: • Program Structure • Teaching and learning • Students • Self- assessment and continuous development • Program management: • Mission and objectives • Leadership • Financial & physical resources • EducationEffectiveness • Program Structure • Teaching and Learning • Academic Staff • Assessment of Learning Outcomes • Program Development & Enhancement • Indicators of success “

28. Standards of University Accreditation • Strategic planning • Governing policies & its impact • Performance assessment and sustainable development To ensure: • Sustainable development • Improvement of Universities rank

29. Supporting Guidelines • National Academic Reference Standards (NARS): Describes the minimum requirements to accomplish a certain program. It includes graduate attributes and characterizes knowledge and understanding, as well as professional, intellectual and transferable skills • NORMS: Resources (human, library, teaching facilities & physical resources) • Code of practice (accreditation standards)

30. Expected impact of National Academic Reference Standards

31. Expected impact of Code of Practice

32. Supporting HEI in preparation of self-study

34. Pre-accreditation phase • An optional process • Simulates the accreditation visit. • Confidential report • No decision (Analyzing the gap)

35. Pre-accreditation phase (Engagement phase)

36. Accreditation Standards of Self-study

37. Accreditation Process (9 months)

38. Accreditation Decision • Accreditation: when the institute fulfills most of the standards of accreditation. • Not – Accredited: when the institute doesn’t fulfill most of the standards of accreditation. • Postponed: when doesn’t fulfill some of the standards of accreditation (except Education standards ).

39. International Cooperation NAQAAE have channels of communications with national, regional and international accreditation entities: • Mutual recognition / alliance with ABET, JABEE • Cooperation with QAA (UK) • Acquiring membership of Arab and international networks for external reviewing and accrediting agencies

40. Expected Impact of NAQAAE • Reforming the educational programs and courses • Developing the capacity of academic staff • Developing the educational resources and practices • Dissemination of quality culture

41. Accreditation Status to Date

42. Faculties

43. Challenges and Constrains At University level: • Legislative constrains (lack in positive and negative incentives). • Resistance of academic staffs to QA concepts, regulations and accountability. • Shortage in financial resources.

44. Challenges and Constrains At NAQAAE level: • Lack of engagement of NGOs and societal organizations on education outcome assessments. • Large number of required trained reviewers.

45. Conclusion • Quality assurance requires a real collaboration among all interested partners. • Implementing the internal quality assurance system in educational institutes come in the top of priorities in the Egyptian strategy of Education.

46. Thank you Questions?