CANQATE Strategic Plan 2015-2018 Enhancing Quality in Caribbean Tertiary Education
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... 1 STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS... 2 VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES... 3 Vision Statement... 3 Mission Statement... 3 Core Values... 3 REVIEW OF STRATEGIC PLAN 2011-2014... 4 Increase and sustain membership growth... 4 Secure support from regional and other stakeholders... 4 Pursue avenues to secure CANQATE s financial viability and sustainability... 5 Establish an effective and efficient organisational system... 6 Facilitate commitment to Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Institutions and EQAAs... 7 Be a centre for research and development... 7 ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN... 9 Internal Strengths and Challenges... 9 External Opportunities and Threats... 11 CRITICAL ISSUES... 13 Creating Membership Value... 13 Improving Governance and Internal Operations... 13 Funding the Enterprise... 14 STRATEGIC GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND INITIATIVES... 15 Enhance support and collaboration among members and stakeholders... 15 Ensure the development of an effective and efficient organisation... 18 Increase financial strength and develop a stable and diversified funding base... 19 IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY... 20 Implementation... 20 Assessing Performance... 21 CONCLUSION... 22
Foreword The Strategic Plan for the period 2015 2018 draws on an in-depth analysis of CANQATE s past achievements, current operations, and future aspirations. The plan provides an overview of CANQATE s strategic priorities over the next three years within the framework of its vision, mission and values. It is the culmination of a collaborative process of dialogue and debate on the critical issues which face the Network, and it articulates effective strategies for the future. The Strategic Plan emerges from an environmental context where the role of CANQATE is continually evolving. There is an ever increasing demand for CANQATE to advance the quality assurance agenda for tertiary education in the region through research and information sharing, capacity building and training, and advisory services to quality assurance agencies, institutions, and other national and regional stakeholders. Implementation of this Strategic Plan will help CANQATE to better support its members by improving how the Network prioritises its projects and allocates resources while promoting financial stability, building understanding and support for its work, and holding leaders more accountable for their stewardship in managing CANQATE s affairs. The Board of Management wishes to thank all those who have participated in the development of the Plan and we encourage all members to become fully engaged in the implementation process in the years ahead. RUBY S. ALLEYNE PHD PRESIDENT (2013 2015)
Introduction CANQATE, the Caribbean Area Network for Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education, was first conceptualised at a workshop of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) hosted in Jamaica in 2002. Subsequently, the then Executive Director of the University Council of Jamaica, Dr Ethley London, spearheaded the Steering Committee, and the organisation was launched in 2004 at the inaugural conference in Runaway Bay Jamaica. The aims and objectives of CANQATE were similar to those of INQAAHE - to share information and best practice in the field of tertiary education quality assurance. Further, CANQATE aimed to strengthen and harmonize tertiary education quality assurance policies and standards in the region. From inception CANQATE was established primarily as a network of External Quality Assurance Agencies (EQAAs). Many of the current EQAAs which now exist within the region were not yet established or were in a nascent stage of development. CANQATE quickly evolved to incorporate a broader base which included representatives of government ministries, state agencies, tertiary education institutions and related entities within the Caribbean region. These entities came together around an organizing principle which sought to build capacity in the region to administer national and regional quality assurance systems and raise the quality of tertiary education in CARICOM and the wider Caribbean. CANQATE then set about working to build capacity among regional agencies, professionals, and institutions to assure quality, and to facilitate regional discourse on policy and research in the fields of Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Enhancement (QE). CANQATE has had to do its work within the constraints of a relatively small regional tertiary education sector; a geographically dispersed stakeholder base from several micro states, and inadequate funding for its operations. After over a decade of operations, the CANQATE Board of Management has developed its second strategic plan. This was developed in a context where CANQATE is being asked to do more to drive the work of tertiary education quality assurance in the region. The plan has considered the environment of continued financial constraint where CANQATE must access new sources of revenue and further maximise the use of all its existing resources. The mandate of the strategic planning process was to scan the environment, examine past actions and accomplishments, review the current trajectory, articulate the critical issues, and develop the most effective strategies to address them over the next three years. 1 P a g e
Strategic Planning Process The strategic planning process adopted a collaborative and issues-based approach. The detailed planning was conducted over a four-month period. The process was led by a strategic planning committee which included the Board of Management and a facilitator retained by the Board. The work involved a comprehensive review of the past Strategic Plan 2011 2014, a scan of the internal and external environments, and dialogue and discussion on the critical issues which face the Network. These issues have been refined and developed to outline the goals, objectives, and initiatives which chart the way forward for CANQATE. Due to the geographical dispersion of the core planning team, much of the work utilised online tools and information technology. The planning team used an electronic assessment instrument to evaluate the success of the past plan, conducted a SWOT analysis, and outlined the key issues. The strategic planning team collaborated through an online team website using blogs and posts to discuss the issues and contribute to the plan. A second electronic instrument was administered to the membership to help refine the goals and strategies which CANQATE should adopt for the future. Using the response data and further discussion and feedback from the planning team, the final draft was developed. This draft was then circulated to the CANQATE membership to allow for further comments and suggestions before the final plan was approved. Opportunities for feedback included an online web page where stakeholders were invited to post comments and blogs on each section of the plan as well as invitations for them to e-mail detailed feedback to the CANQATE Secretariat. The final plan was approved by the Board in March 2015 and will provide a blueprint to guide CANQATE s operations over the next three years. 2 P a g e
Vision Statement Vision, Mission, and Values A Centre of Excellence in Tertiary Education Quality Assurance with a strong membership base that influences Tertiary Education in the Caribbean The plan draws on the enduring vision of CANQATE to be a shared regional entity that provides leadership, advocacy, best practices, research, support and training in tertiary education quality assurance in the Caribbean. This plan gives greatest emphasis to supporting the membership of EQAAs, tertiary institutions, government ministries and agencies, and QA professionals. The plan believes that CANQATE will have significant impact as it harnesses the skills and expertise of the people that comprise its core membership; all working to improve the quality of tertiary education in the Caribbean. Mission Statement To enhance the quality of tertiary education in the Caribbean through research, capacity building, advocacy and enabling members to share information and good practices The planning process and discussions around the role and functions of CANQATE led the team to revise the mission statement. It is believed that the revised statement more accurately reflects the purpose of CANQATE to enhance tertiary education QA through research, capacity, advocacy and resource sharing. Core Values Commitment to Excellence Strategic Influence Innovativeness Inclusiveness Research focus 3 P a g e
Review of Strategic Plan 2011-2014 A key aspect in the process used to develop a new strategic plan and direction for CANQATE was the examination of its achievement of the goals in the previous plan. In 2011 the Board of Management delineated six (6) strategic goals which would guide the work of the Network through the period 2011-2014. These goals were to: Increase and sustain membership growth Secure support from regional and other stakeholders Pursue avenues to secure CANQATE s financial viability and sustainability Establish an effective and efficient organisational system Facilitate commitment to Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) - institutions and EQAAs Be a centre for research and development Increase and sustain membership growth CANQATE is an association which depends on a vibrant and growing membership base for its success. In the period 2011 2014 the Network planned to grow its membership by supporting active Core Groups in each territory and deploying a communication and outreach campaign to professional, educational and other bodies interested in tertiary education quality assurance. Membership records show that membership remained relatively constant during the period. Total membership averaged 125 annually in the past three (3) years. During this time activities by Core Groups have been somewhat sporadic. Currently, the most active groups are those in Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago. A third has recently been established in Guyana and one is currently being formed in Grenada. Efforts by the Board to provide greater support to Core Groups have led to renewed efforts to reenergize dormant groups in Jamaica, Barbados, and Belize. Secure support from regional and other stakeholders CANQATE envisaged that the Network would engage QA professionals, tertiary education administrators, and other leaders on QA issues regionally and globally; advise CARICOM and other regional policy-making bodies on QA matters; and use the annual conference to set the agenda for addressing key QA issues and strengthening QA systems in the region. There is evidence of considerable support for CANQATE from national EQAAs and their respective governments. Governments have shown their willingness to support the annual conference and other training events. However, while CANQATE is duly recognised by CARICOM for its role in building capacity and strengthening regional tertiary education in QA, it has not yet achieved the anticipated observer status 4 P a g e
on the major decision-making organ of CARICOM on matters related to education the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD). The role CANQATE has played regionally and internationally in promoting the work of regional tertiary education quality assurance provides evidence of both CANQATE s sustained advocacy and growing influence. These have led to opportunities for technical support and funding for regional QA initiatives. CANQATE has also facilitated improved cooperation and synergy among national EQAAs across the region, albeit somewhat slowly. For example, the Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate mutual recognition across EQAAs in CARICOM, in which CANQATE has had a major developmental role, is only now official after several years of discussions. This MoU, now referred to as the Belize Accord, was signed by EQAA representatives at the 2014 annual conference and a Management Team established to oversee its implementation. In the period of the last strategic plan, CANQATE hosted three annual conferences in the Bahamas (2011), Jamaica (2012), and Antigua and Barbuda (2013). These have brought together hundreds of QA professionals, policymakers, and tertiary education personnel. These conferences continued the trend of successful conferences hosted by CANQATE since its inception. Achievement is this area has been good in the past three years and efforts in this area will continue in the future. Pursue avenues to secure CANQATE s financial viability and sustainability To achieve this goal CANQATE planned to solicit funding from governments and other donor agencies regionally and globally; generate revenue from membership fees, workshops and conferences; and monetise its web presence by providing advertising opportunities to stakeholders. In the period under review, CANQATE was able to obtain significant donor funding through its partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Global Initiative for Quality Assurance Capacity (GIQAC), and the World Bank. This funding has been used to: Provide scholarships for CANQATE members to access networking and professional development opportunities Develop and upgrade CANQATE s website and ICT capabilities Develop a database and register of external evaluators, peer reviewers and consultants Conduct training programmes for external evaluators and tertiary education personnel Strengthen CANQATE s Secretariat and information clearinghouse Mobilize Country Core Groups within CARICOM territories and provide training and professional development workshops to support them. 5 P a g e
Facilitate an online discussion and dialogue on evaluating the quality of tertiary education institutions and programmes in the region Conduct a Scoping Study on Tertiary Education Quality Assurance in the Caribbean Support the annual conference through participation of experts and members This funding partnership has been pivotal to the work of CANQATE in the period. Additionally, CANQATE has also been able to obtain some support from secretariat hosts- the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC), the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ), and the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), in the form of access to administrative and other support services at no charge or at subsidised costs. Membership fees remain the only fixed source of revenue for CANQATE. During the past three years membership has remained steady with little growth. Current membership stands at about 115, not exceeding 130 annually during the last strategic planning period. Further, CANQATE s systems to track and collect fees present some opportunities for improvement leading to delays in collection of much needed fees. At the current levels, revenue earned from fees are still grossly insufficient to deliver the programme of capacity building and improvement initiatives proposed by CANQATE. Although, the CANQATE website has improved significantly over the past three years it still requires further improvement to attract more interest from potential advertisers. Although the UNESCO/GIQAC partnership has been very successful in providing much needed funding for CANQATE, the overall achievement by CANQATE in this area was lower than anticipated. CANQATE continues to seek ways to generate more revenue to deliver on its programme of benefits and services to stakeholders. Establish an effective and efficient organisational system This goal focused on strengthening CANQATE by expanding its resource base, improving communication and outreach, and supporting the Core Groups in each territory. The funding arrangements discussed earlier which CANQATE received through the UNESCO/GIQAC partnership represent the biggest achievement for CANQATE in terms of increasing its access to resources. Additionally, there has been much improvement in the website with the objective of improving communication. These improvements have made the website more useful to the wider membership. The newsletter has also been a successful communication tool for CANQATE providing useful information to stakeholders. Its publication has increased in frequency but can be improved with an increase in the number of scholarly articles on key QA issues. Core Groups have the potential to energize the Caribbean QA community despite the geographical dispersion of individual members, by facilitating information-sharing, support, and capacity building in areas most needed by individual territories. Earlier discussions in this review on the state of Core Groups, suggest that there is need to increase activity among Core Groups across the region. CANQATE has 6 P a g e
renewed its efforts to support Core Groups which has led to the revival of the group in Trinidad and Tobago, establishment of new Core Groups in Dominica, Guyana and Grenada and discussions to reenergize dormant groups in Jamaica, Barbados, and Belize. The work in this area will continue into the new planning period. Facilitate commitment to Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Institutions and EQAAs In this area, CANQATE s focus over the past three (3) years emphasised promoting the implementation of best practices in institutions and agencies, facilitating training and professional development opportunities to QA practitioners, and disseminating information on QA issues and best practices to stakeholders. Undoubtedly the annual conferences and training facilitated by CANQATE during the period provide good examples of achievement. During the period under review CANQATE has hosted three annual conferences including pre-conference workshops on issues related to student retention, measuring institutional effectiveness, and strengthening internal quality management systems. Additionally, CANQATE offered two (2) external evaluator training programmes. The first, a face-to-face programme delivered in Barbados in July 2011, and the second, an online programme delivered from March to June 2012. Together these offerings trained 50 professionals throughout the region. These examples provide good evidence of the role CANQATE has played in capacity building and disseminating best practice. However, more work is required to evaluate the impact of these initiatives on QA practices in the institutions and agencies whose personnel have directly benefitted. In the past year CANQATE has also embarked on a series of webinars on a wide range of topics pertinent to QA in the region. Although the implementation has been hindered by some initial teething problems related to technology and communication, the early response by the CANQATE membership and wider body of stakeholders has been promising and this initiative is likely to yield some positive results for CANQATE in the future. Be a centre for research and development The goal to become a centre for research hinged on CANQATE s aim to fund and support QA research in the region, and to disseminate valuable research information to its members and stakeholders. The UNESCO funded Scoping Study on Quality Assurance in CARICOM conducted in 2013 and the papers presented at the annual conference are major examples of achievement in the area of QA research. Although the annual conference generates some research activity, many of the papers presented at recent conferences have not been research-based. More work may be required to encourage members to conduct research and present their findings at the conference. 7 P a g e
While the Scoping Study provided good research information on the state of QA in the region, its impact may have been enhanced with better communication to the membership before the study was conducted. This continues to be an important area for CANQATE and the work of facilitating and supporting QA research will continue in its future plans. 8 P a g e
Environmental Scan As part of the planning process, a scan of CANQATE s internal and external environment was also conducted to identify its strengths, challenges, opportunities and threats. These allowed the planning team to develop appropriate strategic responses. Internal Strengths and Challenges Successful record of hosting annual conferences and training workshops, and providing support to new and emerging EQAAs throughout the region CANQATE has a good record of hosting successful annual conferences, pre-conference training events, and other professional development workshops throughout the region since its establishment in 2004. To date the Network has hosted 11 conferences and pre-conference training workshops, and several other training seminars and workshops. These events have brought together hundreds of QA professionals, policymakers, and tertiary education personnel to promote best practices in tertiary education QA, share research information, and facilitate training and capacity-building. Since its establishment CANQATE has also provided good support to its EQAA members, particularly the new and emerging ones. It has facilitated technical support and mentorship opportunities to those EQAAs with limited capacity and resources. This record of achievement has engendered loyalty and goodwill towards CANQATE which it can leverage for its future sustainability and growth. Strong core of QA professionals which comprise CANQATE s leadership with a demonstrated commitment to strategic planning Since the establishment of CANQATE in 2004, eight national EQAAs have been established in the region. Further, the Scoping Study conducted in 2013 revealed that more than three quarter of tertiary institutions in the region have established a QA office within that time. As new national QA systems have been implemented across the region, this has been accompanied by growing professionalization of tertiary education QA. Most of the leading QA professionals in the region are members of CANQATE, either individually or through their organisations. These professionals also comprise the current Board of Management. Successive leaders of CANQATE including the current Board have demonstrated their commitment to strategic planning as a process to sharpen the Network s focus and meet the challenges of the future. CANQATE has been involved in strategic planning since 2009, leading to its last strategic plan for 2011-2014. Notwithstanding its current challenges, the continued commitment to such planning and the 9 P a g e
development of a plan for the period 2015-2018 can lead to a new direction for CANQATE and sound strategies for the future. Need to review and strengthen arrangements for the governance and operations of CANQATE As CANQATE has grown and evolved over the past decade there is need to revise its constitution to better meet the needs of its members and stakeholders. Further, there is need to improve processes and quality documentation related to arrangements for communication, finance and procurement, and the general operations of the secretariat. This exists in a context where members of the CANQATE Board of Management are required to function without the support of full time secretariat staff. Board members must therefore do the administrative work of the Network in addition to work providing oversight, policy, and strategic direction for CANQATE. Board members do not receive any financial incentive for their work and from time to time some members are unable to consistently commit to all the work that is required. A committee of the Board has been established to prepare draft documents with proposed revisions to the constitution as well as the development of procedural manuals for general operations, financial management, and procurement. Meagre financial reserves compounded by slow membership growth and weak systems for collecting membership dues CANQATE does not possess any major fixed assets or notable investments to buffer against fluctuations in its annual income. While it has received some grant funding in recent years, particularly through the UNESCO/GIQAC partnership, its only fixed source of revenue is membership fees which total less than US$10,000 per annum. Notwithstanding the broad opportunities for networking, information-sharing and access to training and professional development, CANQATE s membership base has not grown significantly in the past three years. Further, there is need to strengthen the systems within the secretariat to notify members when their fees become due and to collect them in an efficient and timely manner. This has led to delays in collecting much needed revenue and extended periods where members are not in good financial standing. With about a quarter of the fee-based revenue being used to pay basic fixed costs related to managing and maintaining the website and training site, CANQATE s current revenue stream is not sufficient to facilitate a comprehensive programme of capacity building and training, outreach, communication, and research. 10 P a g e
External Opportunities and Threats Access to technical support and funding from international donor organisations, INQAAHE, and other external bodies In the past three years CANQATE has been able to obtain over US$140,000 in donor funding and access to technical support and training opportunities through its partnership with UNESCO, GIQAC, and the World Bank. CANQATE has also been able to access technical support and sponsorship opportunities from its parent body INQAAHE. As an emerging body in the region focused on building capacity to improve the quality of tertiary education in the Caribbean, CANQATE has the potential to bid and obtain funding and technical support from those and other global agencies. To leverage this, CANQATE must demonstrate sound and transparent operations. It must also build capacity to develop proposals to obtain grants in increasingly competitive environments. Additionally, where funding and support is received, the Network must demonstrate the impact of its work in building capacity for QA and improving the quality of tertiary education in the region. High demand for training, professional development, and technical support from QA practitioners, EQAAs, and institutions across the region As new national QA systems have been established across the region there is a growing need for training, professional development and technical support. Many EQAAs and institutions within the region still have immature systems which require technical support to improve legislation, develop standards and procedural arrangements, train staff and external evaluators, and build capacity for internal quality assurance. CANQATE s training events continue to receive significant interest from members and other stakeholders in the region. Additionally, the expansion of QA systems across the region provides good opportunities for CANQATE to offer consultancies and generate much needed revenue. These opportunities are expected to continue over the next three years and CANQATE is well positioned to leverage them for its future growth and sustainability Heavy reliance on host organisations to maintain operations of CANQATE secretariat Currently, the Secretariat of CANQATE is hosted by the University of Trinidad and Tobago where its current President holds the position of Vice President Quality Assurance & Institutional Effectiveness. This has been similar for previous Presidents with the secretariat moving from the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ) to the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) and back to UCJ with successive changes in CANQATE leadership. CANQATE has had to rely on the generosity of the host organisation to perform much of its administrative and other services. Often services are provided on a voluntary and part-time basis. The over-reliance on the generosity of host organisations (their Boards, and governments) in the absence of a robust system to appoint and maintain a 11 P a g e
full time secretariat for CANQATE has restricted the effectiveness of CANQATE s operations and limited its ability to provide continuous support and service to its membership. Regional recession and financial challenges for CARICOM territories and organisations Since the global recession in 2008, many CARICOM territories have experienced economic hardship. This has affected the financial fortunes of EQAAs, institutions and QA professionals in the region. It has limited their financial ability to support and participate in CANQATE initiatives including conferences and training events. Many have sought sponsorship from the Network or other funding bodies to participate in the conference or travel to other territories for training events. Many territories will continue to experience financial challenges over the next three years and this threatens the success of future CANQATE programmes and events with respect to participation by members from those territories hardest hit by the financial downturn. CANQATE will have to better leverage technology to deliver training and capacitybuilding while also working with members to secure funding for their participation in the Network s programmes and events. 12 P a g e
Critical Issues Following a review of current trends in the regional QA landscape, an assessment of the recent performance of CANQATE in relation to its 2011-2014 goals, and a thorough scan of its internal and external environments, the planning team considered the following critical issues which are likely to impact CANQATE s prospects for sustainability and growth over the next three years. Specifically, these issues relate to the need for CANQATE to: I. Create more value for its members II. Improve governance and internal operations III. Fund the enterprise Creating Membership Value Feedback from the wider membership suggests that beyond involved members (such as those in core groups or organising committees) there is uncertainty about benefits for the average member. There is no doubt that CANQATE has provided several tangible and intangible benefits to EQAAs, institutions and individuals over its decade of operations but over time member awareness and enthusiasm has dropped. The CANQATE leadership must now define the membership value proposition - a message that helps the members with a silent conversation they have with themselves each time membership fees become due or discussions of increases are mentioned. In addressing this critical area the Board must Provide more services to members and facilitate an environment in which they can collaborate to improve the quality of tertiary education Quality Assurance. Improve communication with the membership and energise the base of regional QA professionals Improving Governance and Internal Operations Opportunities for improvement in the governance arrangements, management structures and quality documentation within CANQATE will result in greater operational efficiency and effectiveness. These improvements will consolidate CANQATE s position as an exemplar organisation and strengthen its leadership role as an advocate for robust internal quality management systems in EQAAs and institutions across the region. In addressing the critical issue of improving governance and internal operations, the Board must: Ensure that the bylaws, constitution and policies provide a sound framework for improved organisational effectiveness 13 P a g e
Strengthen internal quality by adopting best practices and improving process documentation and workflow Funding the Enterprise CANQATE must grapple with the reality that its current revenue stream or reserves are not sufficient to facilitate a comprehensive programme of capacity building and training, outreach, communication, and research. Despite a recent increase in membership fees approved at the Annual General Meeting in 2014, CANQATE relies on the generosity of host organisations to support the secretariat in an informal arrangement. In the past three years capacity building and training initiatives have relied on donor funding primarily from one source the UNESCO GIQAC partnership. In addressing this critical area the Board must: Expand the base of funding sources to mitigate against over-reliance on any single donor or funding mechanism Build financial reserves to buffer against fluctuations in variable funding and to sustain its programme of member benefits and QA services in the region The Board of Management has considered the situational analysis and developed some concrete strategies which it believes will address the critical issues over the next three years. These goals, objectives and initiatives are outlined in the next section of this plan. 14 P a g e
Strategic Goals, Objectives, and Initiatives The strategic goals of CANQATE for 2015-2018 are as follows: Goal 1: Goal 2: Goal 3: Enhance support and collaboration among members and stakeholders Ensure the development of an effective and efficient organisation Increase financial strength and develop a stable and diversified funding base Enhance support and collaboration among members and stakeholders The objectives under this goal are to: 1.1 Offer new and improved member services and benefits 1.2 Educate and inform members and stakeholders on issues related to tertiary education QA 1.3 Expand research and professionalization of tertiary education QA within the region 1.4 Increase the cooperation and synergy among members and stakeholders Offer new and improved member services and benefits Initiatives designed to achieve this objective include: A good practice handbook with emphasis on the Caribbean, which will provide access to a collection of systems and activities that are relevant to good policies, practices and outcomes in quality assurance which members can adapt or adopt A system to provide targeted support to institutions and EQAAs including helping institutions with preparation for accreditation and external review, and assisting EQAAs with legislative review, development of regulations, policy, and criteria/standards development 15 P a g e
A database of consultants who can be engaged to provide consultancy and technical support to members A well-articulated process and criteria to provide external review service on request to EQAAs and QA units within tertiary institutions across the region A system to provide quick responses and advice to members on QA questions or queries Systems to survey the wider membership and collect feedback on their interests, needs and demands to improve CANQATE s service and support Educate and inform members and stakeholders on the work of tertiary education QA Initiatives designed to achieve this objective include: Enhanced capability in media and publications to broadcast news and information on what s happening in QA regionally and internationally, through the biannual newsletter and on social and professional online networks through a newsfeed Print and online brochures and other literature to provide information on key issues in regional tertiary education quality assurance including the work of CANQATE and EQAAs, cross-border education, mutual recognition, accreditation, credential fraud, the regional qualifications framework, and other areas of importance to tertiary education quality in the region Strengthening existing country Core Groups and establishing new ones to enhance advocacy and public education initiatives in each territory Using experts and QA practitioners from across the region to deliver lectures and webinars on key issues related to tertiary education quality assurance. Advocacy for improvement in tertiary education quality assurance and policy through communication and advice to governments, policy-makers and regional bodies such as CARICOM 16 P a g e
Expand research and professionalization of tertiary education QA within the region Initiatives designed to achieve this objective include: Annual research journal publication which focuses on quality assurance in tertiary education within the Caribbean Competitive membership grant\award to encourage research on pertinent topics related to tertiary education in quality assurance Incentives to improve the quality of research papers presented at the annual conference Education committee to determine key learning outcomes for QA professionals, institutional personnel involved in QA, and external evaluators across the region Training programmes for external evaluators and external evaluation team chairs Professional development workshops for QA professionals within tertiary institutions and EQAAs including merit based sponsorship/scholarship opportunities Certification for QA practitioners through an academic programme in tertiary education QA offered by a university in the region Increase the cooperation and synergy among members and stakeholders Initiatives designed to achieve this objective include: Support systems for EQAA members to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the regional MOU on collaboration and mutual recognition Collaborative agreements with qualified members to provide consultancies and technical assistance to agencies, institutions, governments and other stakeholders Work attachment programme for staff from lesser developed EQAAs to facilitate knowledge transfer and technical capacity building Promulgation of a comprehensive database of trained external evaluators across the region Mentorship programme for young and emerging QA professionals who are members of CANQATE 17 P a g e
Strengthened relationships with other professional bodies, associations, and development organisations related to the work of improving the quality of education and training Ensure the development of an effective and efficient organisation The objectives under this goal focus on the following three major areas: 2.1 Strengthen the legal and policy frameworks which govern CANQATE s operations 2.2 Develop a robust internal quality management system for CANQATE 2.3 Improve CANQATE s management structures and create incentives for greater effectiveness Strengthen the legal and policy frameworks which govern CANQATE s operations Revised constitution and bylaws and compliance with incorporation requirements which govern the legal establishment of CANQATE Strengthened policies to better govern the operations of the Board, Secretariat and organs of the Network Develop a robust internal quality management system for CANQATE A comprehensive procedures manual for CANQATE A finance and procurement manual for CANQATE Improved systems for document control, archiving and record-keeping including storage and retrieval of research and conference papers, meeting minutes, membership records Improve CANQATE s management structures and create incentives for greater effectiveness System to appoint and maintain a fully functioning secretariat based on a competitive bidding process and arrangements for financing and staffing similar to the INQAAHE model 18 P a g e
Expanded system of committees and working groups to address key areas of CANQATE s operations and better distribute the workload across the Network Orientation and training package/programme for new Board and committee members Incentives to members of the Board of Management and key workings groups or committees Increase financial strength and develop a stable and diversified funding base The objectives under this goal focus on the following two major areas: 3.1 Change existing fee structures and offer new fee-based services to stakeholders 3.2 Build fundraising capacity and pursue grants and donations from regional and extraregional sources Change existing fee structures and offer new fee-based services to stakeholders Increase in membership fees with a fee differentiation system that requires EQAA members to contribute more than other organisations, and a tiered structure for different types of tertiary institutions. Provision of fee-based consultancy services to agencies, institutions, and other bodies. Fees from conferences, workshops and other training programmes both face-to-face and online. Build fundraising capacity and pursue grants and donations from regional and extra-regional sources An Institutional Advancement standing committee with capacity to attract grants, donations and gifts for the work of CANQATE Advertising and sponsorship revenue from an enhanced website and newsletter Traditional fundraising activities including sponsored raffles, social events and others conducted in collaboration with country core groups Investments in low risk interest-bearing financial instruments and other assets 19 P a g e
Implementation and Assessment Strategy This section sets out the approach CANQATE will adopt to implement the Strategic Plan and monitor progress towards meeting the goals of the plan. The strategic objectives and initiatives outlined in the plan will be developed into a series of one-year operational plans, which will include more specific activities, detailed timelines, and resources. It will also identify the committees and individuals responsible for implementation. The Board of Management will have the overall responsibility for leading and supporting the implementation of the plan. The Board will be the primary advisory and oversight entity for the Strategic Plan and will lead the way in ensuring buy-in from membership on the strategic direction, which is at the core of the Plan. Implementation In order to successfully achieve the strategic objectives of the plan, an explicit implementation strategy is required. This implementation strategy will include the following steps. The Board, with support from the secretariat, will develop an operational plan annually. The operational plan will detail the financial and other resources required, timelines for implementation, and performance targets for its major activities. Additionally, two champions from among the Board members will be appointed for each goal in the Strategic Plan 2015-2018. These champions will work with members, working committees, and core groups to ensure that the initiatives are being implemented and will also provide biannual reports to the Board. The Strategic Plan will be reviewed annually to respond to any changing circumstances and to make adjustments as required. Where appropriate, the Board will approve changes to objectives, and initiatives as may be required. The performance indicators identified for each goal in the plan will be measured and reported to the Board by the champions and compiled as part of the CANQATE strategic indicators dashboard. This will allow leaders, members and other stakeholder to monitor the progress and success of the plan. 20 P a g e
Assessing Performance The following performance indicators will be measured and tracked as part of CANQATE strategic indicators dashboard Goal 1 - Enhance support and collaboration among members and stakeholders Increase in CANQATE membership Number of External Reviews conducted by CANQATE panels (a new member service) Number of Good Practice Handbooks distributed by CANQATE (new initiative) Increase in information publications distributed by CANQATE Increase in completed research projects commissioned by CANQATE Increase in the number QA practitioners trained by CANQATE Increase in consultancies provided by CANQATE Increase in user traffic on CANQATE website and related online feeds Goal 2 - Assure the development of an effective and efficient organization CANQATE Operational Manual (incl. finance & procurement) published by Q1 2016 System for establishment of full CANQATE secretariat adopted by Q3 2015 Increase in attendance at CANQATE Conference annually Increase in Country Core Group Events supported by the Secretariat Increase in partnerships/agreements with organisations to advance tertiary education QA Increase in professional development and training events hosted by the Secretariat Improvement in membership satisfaction rates with secretariat performance (new membership satisfaction survey) Goal 3 - Assure the development of an effective and efficient organization Total sum of grants received by CANQATE for QA research Increase in revenue from grants and donations Increase in revenue from membership fees Increase in revenue from conferences, workshops and other training programmes Total revenue from publication sales, advertising, and corporate sponsorships Total revenue from investments and related financial instruments 21 P a g e
Conclusion The Strategic Plan 2015-2018 seeks to consolidate the work of capacity building, training, and development which CANQATE has undertaken in the past decade to improve tertiary education QA in the Caribbean. The goals and objectives outlined in the plan will guide CANQATE for the next three (3) years to refine its work and give greater focus to meeting the needs of its diverse membership base. Although the broad goals which delineate the Strategic Plan are expected to remain constant over the next three (3) years, opportunities and unforeseen events may require that strategic objectives are added or modified. To achieve the objectives detailed in the Strategic Plan, CANQATE will require an enhanced level of execution at all levels and a commitment to evidence-based decision-making driven by effective systems for data collection and management, collaboration, information flow and communication. 22 P a g e