Preparing the Creation of a Quality Assurance Agency - The Lebanese Experience - Tempus-TLQAA project C. Mokbel

Transcription

1 Preparing the Creation of a Quality Assurance Agency - The Lebanese Experience - Tempus-TLQAA project C. Mokbel Seminar on Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Southern Mediterranean Countries - A Tool to Promote International Cooperation March, 2014 Brussels, Crowne Plaza Hotel

2 Outline Process of Establishing a Lebanese Quality Assurance Agency The TLQAA project Lessons Learned 2

3 Process of Establishing LQAA The Lebanese Higher Education Context 2011 Draft Law legislative process Needs and Different Tempus Projects 2010 Amideast Project + Tempus -HERE TLQAA Towards the Lebanese Quality Assurance Agency 3

4 Ecosystem of the Lebanese QA General issues Advent of knowledge based society Globalization Increasing competitiveness Need for autonomy Lebanese Specific issues LHE one of the oldest in the region LHE sharply slowed down with war years and significant proliferation after the war LHE diverse and competitive Need for QA to ensure the development of HE respects quality and remains relevant to meeting societal needs 4

5 Ecosystem of the Lebanese QA The Lebanese HE aware of the challenges Directorate general constantly calling for establishing a QA system Oldest Lebanese universities have undergone external evaluation by international agencies Several projects: Tempus: QAHEL, LEPAC, UNDP: EQAIP Regional and international pressure towards establishing a QA system 5

6 Amideast project and the draft law Amideast project led by LAES with cooperation of Tempus-HERE Core group Dr. A. El Amine, Dr. N. Ghamrawi, Dr. D. Nauffal, Dr. F. Moukalled, C. Mokbel (Tempus - HERE) 2 workshops Draft law submitted to Ministry of Education and Higher Education Mission of the Agency Governance Structure Start of a Model Update of the draft law by DGHE and submission to Parliament by H.E. Minister Diab after approval of Council of Ministers 6

7 Draft law Few key words 7

8 TLQAA: Objectives et Needs Objectives Assuring the quality in HE Evaluation agency Prepare and validate major components Proof of concept Resources Representative Lebanese partners European partners and expertise Financial 8

9 TLQAA: Consortium Ministry of Education And Higher Education 9

10 TLQAA: The tool To achieve the set objectives and best use the expertise in the consortium Code of work Respect and transparency to gain trust Meet deadlines and milestones Prepare a deliverable by a group, validate within the project and then in a larger group Working plan 4 technical work packages 2 for management and one for dissemination 10

11 TLQAA: Technical Workpackages WP4: Pilot Evaluation Evaluation Pilote WP3: Selection and Training of Experts Sélection et formation des experts WP2: Standards and Procedures Références et Procédures WP1: Lebanese Quality Assurance Model Modèle pour le système libanais d assurance qualité 11

12 TLQAA Management: Steering committee UOB, DGHE, CIEP, UL Dissemination Website Pre-launching Launching Roundtables Dissemination of results 12

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16 TLQAA: The Model WP4: Pilot Evaluation Evaluation Pilote WP3: Selection and Training of Experts Sélection et formation des experts WP2: Standards and Procedures Références et Procédures WP1: Lebanese Quality Assurance Model Modèle pour le système libanais d assurance qualité 16

17 TLQAA: The Model Regulator HE Institutions QA Agency Curvale 17

18 TLQAA: The Model Architecture and Goals Single and Independent QA Agency Institutional Improvement Accountability Mandatory Process Coverage and Scope Follow-up Respect of Diversity Involvement of Stakeholders 18

19 TLQAA: The Model Architecture and Goals (cont.) International Good Practices and Experts Clear Appeal Process Transparency Confidentiality Training Awareness Raising 19

20 TLQAA: The Model Clarify the relationship from confusion that may appear in the text Two aspects: Independence: No role of the Ministry in the evaluation, its role comes before and after Assured mainly by transparency Decision-making consequences: Sole responsibility of the Ministry Comments: Accreditation: a shift towards accountability Reporting: a shift towards continuous improvement Licensing is before the application of the system and recognition is after and may depend 20

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23 TLQAA: Standards, Procedures and Reviewers WP4: Pilot Evaluation Evaluation Pilote WP3: Selection and Training of Experts Sélection et formation des experts WP2: Standards and Procedures Références et Procédures WP1: Lebanese Quality Assurance Model Modèle pour le système libanais d assurance qualité 23

24 TLQAA: Standards, Procedures and Reviewers Setting the Standards Nine standards The institution commits to high ethical standards in dealing with its governing board, students, prospective students, faculty, staff, external agencies and organizations, and the general public. The institution promotes democratic values, sense of dialogue, communication, respect of diversity, sense of belonging and social integration. Procedures The reviewer s guide Institutional Evaluation Rules and Procedures, Tools The guide for self-assessment The expert tool The roles and organization of a site visit An outline of the final external evaluation report A list of 513 key performance indicators that are grouped according to the TLQAA standards 24

25 TLQAA: Standards, Procedures and Reviewers Selection and Training experts Selection criteria Documented 45 nominations: 32 selected Training of about 30 experts In AERES-CIEP, ANECA Presenting one European QA system Reach a common understanding of TLQAA Standards and Procedures. 25

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27 TLQAA: Pilot Evaluation WP4: Pilot Evaluation Evaluation Pilote WP3: Selection and Training of Experts Sélection et formation des experts WP2: Standards and Procedures Références et Procédures WP1: Lebanese Quality Assurance Model Modèle pour le système libanais d assurance qualité 27

28 TLQAA: Pilot Evaluation Pilot Evaluation Self study reporting from 10 universities External evaluation from 5 universities 5 review committees 4 Lebanese reviewers 1 European reviewer 1 European observer Site visits Evaluation reports Handed to University presidents 28

29 TLQAA: Pilot Evaluation Beyond the evaluation process Culture of quality Climate of trust Convergence through Dialogue Respect of Diversity Self-criticism Courageous Recommendations Conducting interviews 29

30 TLQAA: Dissemination Two conferences presenting the results One in the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, Paris, France One in Balamand, Lebanon Several conferences and meetings to present the project results 30

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32 TLQAA: What has been achieved? A consensus about the model The corner stone Call for a firm respect of independence and the margin of an agency to make the change and improvement All components built and tested Standards Procedures Trained experts Five experts are currently participating in evaluations with AERES Pilot evaluation 32

33 TLQAA: Lessons Learned 33

34 TLQAA Book On the Design of an Evaluation Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education Three languages (universal message of quality) Present the experience, outcomes and findings Ten reference points B1: Identification of the ecosystem of the agency B2: Definition of an agency mission B3: Agreement and engagement of the stakeholders B4: The system of values for the agency B5: Dialogue channels with the stakeholders B6: Methodological principles B7: External evaluation procedures B8: Productions of the agency and recipients B9: Feedback mechanisms B10: Continuous improvement processes and the agency activities 34

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37 Lessons Learned Gaining legitimacy: a delicate balance to respect Respect the constraints of the local ecosystem Dialogue is essential and need to be continuous Agency is a learning unit Listen to the expectations of the stakeholders Negotiate the process and never the evaluation result Serve the Higher Education system and its improvement International experts play a key role at all levels 37

38 Thank You Particular thanks to Tempus 38