Quality Assurance in Egypt and the European Standards and Guidelines

Quality Assurance in Egypt and the European Standards and Guidelines

Mostafa Mohsen Radwan

Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Fayoum University, Egypt

Previously

, Director for Program of Continuous Improvement and Qualifying for Accreditation (PCIQA), Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education

Phases of Establishing Quality Assurance System in Egypt

First Phase 2002-2007

- MHE Quality

Assurance and Accreditation Project (QAAP)

Second Phase 2007-2013

- Independent National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE)

- MHE Program of Continuous Improvement and Qualifying for Accreditation (PCIQA)

Third Phase 2013 -…..

- Sustainability and Development

First Phase 2002-2007: Quality

Assurance and Accreditation Project (QAAP

)

One of the HE Strategic Reform Priority Projects

1.

Reform of Faculties of Education Project (FOEP)

2.

Restructuring Middle Technical Institutes

Project (ETCP

)

3.

Faculty Development and Leadership Development

Project (FLDP

)

4.

Information & Communication Technology related

projects (ICTP

)

5.

Higher Education Enhancement Project

Fund (HEEPF

)

6.

Quality Assurance and Accreditation

Project (QAAP)

First Phase 2002-2007: Quality

Assurance and Accreditation Project (QAAP

)

Objectives and Achievements

Dissemination of the quality culture in the academic

community

Training – Workshops – Publications – Conferences - Website…..

Enables HEIs to establish internal quality

systems

157 Quality Assurance Units in HE Institutions

Establishing of Centers

to ensure quality in public

universities & Formulating Strategic Plan for QA in each University

Quality Assurance Centers & QA Strategic Plans in 16 Universities

Preparing

for the establishment of National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education “

NAQAAE

”

Bylaws – Reviewers – Trainers – Academic Reference Standards -Developmental Engagement Visits

Second Phase

2007-2013:

National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE)

By the end of 2007, an independent

National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE)

was established as an accrediting body for all Egyptian educational institutions (higher education which embrace faculties, academies, in addition to higher, middle institutes and technological faculties, pre- university, and Al-

Azhar

education) according to law No. 82 for year

2006

.

In year 2007, the Presidential decree number (25) was issued to declare NAQAAE's executive bylaws.

Second Phase

2007-2013: (

NAQAAE)

NAQAAE is an

independent

governmental entity under the Prime Minister’s governance and not affiliated to any ministry, which assures impartiality of its decisions; its board involves selected members from educational experts, businessmen and entrepreneurs.

NAQAAE main role in the

evaluation and accreditation

of higher education institutions is to verify their fulfilment of criteria covering various areas of the activities of HE institutions, including teaching and learning, research and community service.

This assessment is based on institutional mission within

Two main areas

:

Institutional

Capacity

and

Educational Effectiveness

against

pre-set

of standards.

These standards allow for the comprehensive

self-evaluation

of the educational institution.

Second Phase

2007-2013: (

NAQAAE)

Standards of Institutional Accreditation

Second Phase

2007-2013: (

NAQAAE)

Standards of Educational Effectiveness

Second Phase

2007-2013: (

NAQAAE)

The evaluation process depends on

documents

and

evidences

.

Surveys

are also conducted to recognize the opinions of

students

,

teaching staff

,

employees

, and

community parties

are a fundamental part of the evaluation process.

NAQAAE shows interest in the

sustainability of evaluation process

during the accreditation validity period through the

annual reports

of institutions and

monitoring visits

to assure the sustainability of the institutions' right to gain the society's trust.

NAQAAE DevelopmentTill July 2016 more than 90 higher education institutions were accredited by NAQAAECurrently NAQAAE is engaged in preparing the Egyptian National Qualifications Framework

In 2015, the third version of NAQAAE accreditation standards were published to be implemented starting of 2016

The third version is based on only 12 standards

In development of its activities and standards, NAQAAE is benefiting of all International experience

TWINNING Project is one example of cooperation

EU project supports Egypt's Education Quality

Assurance and Accreditation Authority

In July 2015, The

EU Delegation to Egypt and the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation (NAQAAE) have celebrated the closure of the EU-funded twinning project "

Strengthening NAQAAE institutional capacity with a view to improving accreditation and quality assurance education system".

Project

started

in 2013 and sought to strengthen the institutional and technical capacity of the NAQAAE

The knowledge exchange between Egyptian, Finnish, and German experts aimed at:(i) Reviewing the operational functioning and the management structure of NAQAAE

(ii) Aligning NAQAAE quality assurance processes and accreditation procedures with international standards.

(iii) Assessing the regulatory framework of NAQAAE and drafting a strategy to further link it to European standards and best practices

.

Comparison of ESG and Egyptian Quality Assurance Standards

ESG:

principles for quality assurance in the EHEA

Satisfaction in the Egyptian System

Higher education institutions have primary responsibility for the quality of their provision and its assurance

√

Quality assurance responds to the diversity of higher education systems, institutions,

programmes

and students

√

Quality assurance supports the development of a quality culture

√

Quality assurance takes into account the needs and expectations of students, all other stakeholders and society

√

Comparison of ESG and Egyptian Quality Assurance Standards

ESG:

Standards for external quality assurance

Satisfaction in the Egyptian System

2.1 Consideration of internal quality assurance

√

2.2 Designing methodologies fit for purpose

√

2.3 Implementing processes

√

Comparison of ESG and Egyptian Quality Assurance Standards

ESG:

Standards for external quality assurance

Satisfaction in the Egyptian System

2.4 Peer-review experts

External quality assurance should be carried out by groups of external experts that

include (a) student member(s).

X

2.5 Criteria for outcomes

√

2.6 Reporting

√

2.7 Complaints and appeals

√

SUMMARY

Egyptian Higher Education Quality Assurance system is one

of the most established in the region

.

Higher education institutions have primary responsibility for the quality of their provision and its assurance

Internal QA is administered by Institutions QA Units and University QA Centers

The independent National Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Education (NAQAAE) established

in

2007

is

accrediting body for all Egyptian educational institutions

The 2015 edition of NAQAAE standards is in great alignment with the

2015 Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG

)

The exchange of experience about QA standards and its implementation would be very useful for all parties

THANK YOU