‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬
‫والصالة والسالم على أشرف‬
‫األنبياء والمرسلين نبينا محمد‬
‫وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين‬
Accreditation and Quality Assurance in
Higher Education in the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
Professor Abdullah Almusallam
Secretary General, NCAAA
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
13-15 November, 2009
Saudi Arabian Context
• High birth rate, high school retention, strong
demand for HE.
• Significant economic development, strategies to
diversify economy.
• Entry to WTO, increased economic competition.
• Policies of Saudization—create employment and
reduce dependence on expatriate labour force.
These lead to pressure for both expansion and
high quality in the HE system.
Saudi Arabian Context –Higher
Education
• Rapid expansion—(8 to 24 universities in 5 years, 28
private universities and colleges).
• Structural changes—(102 Girls colleges, 18 teachers
colleges and 50 health colleges and institutes merging
into universities).
• Limited and varied experience with QA processes.
• Traditional emphasis on memorization.
• Past emphasis on undergraduate studies. Expansion
of research and PG programs but will take time to
produce graduates. (Major scholarship program)
• Shortages of experienced and qualified faculty.
• Expatriate teaching staff from many places-(gives
experience but differing background in QA).
Despite these Challenges
• Strong government support for improvements
in quality.
• Support for quality improvement by leaders
in institutions (Both presidents and key staff)
• Willingness to learn from others.
• “New” system and structural changes create
the opportunity for a purpose designed
strategy for this environment.
Challenge and Opportunity
• Newness of the system of QA and
Accreditation and lack of experiences
creates a major challenge. However it also
creates a great opportunity to draw on the
best ideas and adapt them to particular
culture and environment of Saudi Arabia.
• Fundamental objective is to consistently
achieve high international standards.
National Commission for Academic
Accreditation & Assessment
• Independent body responsible to the
Council of HE
• Accreditation of all post-secondary
Education except Military (public and
private, higher and vocational education)
• Board of Directors drawn from government,
institutions, and industry
Functions of NCAAA
•
•
•
•
Establishing standards
Accrediting programs
Accrediting institutions
(Provisional) approval and accreditation of
new institutions and programs
• Planning, training and support for Q
improvement
• Linking and coordination with regional and
international agencies (NCAAA is a
member of INQAAHE)
Principles Underlying the System for
Accreditation and QA in the KSA
1. Responsibility rests with institutions (Not
departments, not government)
2. Quality relates to ALL functions.
3. Continuing improvement, not minimum standard
4. Supportive relationships (internal, external)
5. Evaluations based on evidence.
6. Diversity encouraged.
7. Learning outcome standards consistent for all.
8. Involvement of stakeholders.
9. Effective leadership essential.
10. Systems designed for KSA
Concepts of Quality
An INQAAHE survey of 75 QA Agencies
published in 2003 reported on criteria for
quality used by these agencies.
• A large majority referred to “generally
accepted standards of good practice”
• A substantially smaller number referred to
“fitness for purpose”
Concepts of Quality
There are variations, but:
• Specified standards are most often used in
systems where QA is based on
accreditation.
• Fitness for purpose is most often used in
systems where
– diversity is a major objective and
– external reviews are conducted primarily to
– verify the conclusions of internal processes
– rather than to assess in relation to standards.
In Saudi Arabia
We have defined “quality” as involving three
elements:
• Consistency with generally accepted standards of
good practice
• Fitness for purpose—the extent to which mission,
goals and objectives are achieved.
• Fitness of purpose—the appropriateness of the
mission, goals and objectives for the communities
it is established to serve.
General Strategies
• Staged development over a five year period.
• Approach to QA drawn from international
experience, but system designed
specifically for the KSA.
• Greater detail in documents setting out
procedures and requirements because of
inexperience and involvement of people
from many systems.
• Common requirements but diversity in
detailed procedures.
• Emphasis on self evaluation verified by
independent review.
General Strategies
• No compromise in demands for quality –
(programs and institutions and the QA
system itself). but
• Training provided.
• Time allowed for development.
• Standards relate to all activities, but special
emphasis given to learning and teaching,
and verified standards of learning
outcomes.
Stages of Development
Three overlapping stages
Stage one: Development of procedures,
standards and materials.
–Raising awareness,
–developing materials, procedures
and basic documents.
Stages of Development
(Contd.)
Stage two: Transition to the new
system
–Training and preparation,
–preparing supporting materials,
– pilot studies and developmental
reviews.
Stages of Development (Contd.)
Stage three: Full Implementation:
• Eligibility assessment,
• Self studies,
• External review and re-accreditation
on a five year cycle,
• Periodic reviews of the system of QA
and Accreditation
Basic Materials
1. Handbook
Part 1. Standards and Processes for QA and
Accreditation
 Describes Principles underlying the approach
taken by the commission
 Summarizes The Standards that will be applied
in QA and Accreditation Judgments
 Outlines the Stages involved in the Approval of
Institutions and Accreditation of Programs
 Explains a number of terms used in the
process.
Basic Materials
1. Handbook
Part 2. Internal QA Arrangements
- Focuses on internal QA processes
- Provides advice on
 establishment of Q centers
 processes of planning, evaluation and internal reporting on
educational programs
 self study and improvement of institutional activities.
- Includes Templates for use in preparing
reports.
Basic Materials
1. Handbook
Part 3. External processes: provides details of
what is required in preparation for and
conduct of external reviews. These
may relate to
» applications for approval and accreditation
of a new institution
» the accreditation and re-accreditation of
programs
» the periodic external reviews of institution on
a five year cycle.
2.
National Qualifications Framework:
describes learning standards
expected for each qualification level.
Five broad areas or domains of learning have
been identified:
I.
knowledge, the ability to recall, understand,
and present information, including:
– knowledge of specific facts,
– knowledge of concepts, principles and
theories, and
– knowledge of procedures.
domains of learning (Contd.)
II.
cognitive skills, the ability to:
- apply conceptual understanding of
concepts, principles, theories and
-
apply procedures involved in critical
thinking and creative problem solving,
both when asked to do so, and when
faced with unanticipated new
situations.
domains of learning (Contd.)
III. interpersonal skills and responsibility,
including the ability to:
- take responsibility for their own learning and
continuing professional development,
- work effectively in groups and exercise
leadership when appropriate,
- act responsibly in personal and professional
relationships,
- act ethically and consistently with high moral
standards in personal and public forums
domains of learning (Contd.)
IV.
communication, information technology and
numerical skills, including the ability to:
– communicate effectively in oral and written
form,
– use information and communications
technology, and
– use basic mathematical and statistical
techniques.
V. Psychomotor skills: applies only in some
fields of study (a surgeon, an artist, a dentist,
or a musician)
Basic Materials (Contd.)
3. Standards for Institutions (11 areas)
Companion document provides self
evaluation scales
4. Standards for Programs (11 Areas)
Companion document provides self
evaluation scales
Standards
Institutions
• Mission and Objectives
• Governance and Administration
• Management of QA and
Improvement
• Learning and Teaching
• Student Administration and
Support Services
• Learning Resources
• Facilities and Equipment
• Financial Planning and
Management
• Employment Processes
• Research
• Relationships With the
Community
Programs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mission and Objectives
Program Administration
Management of Program QA
Learning and Teaching
Student Administration and
Support Services
Learning Resources
Facilities and Equipment
Financial Planning and
Management
Employment Processes
Research
Relationships With the
Community
Standards for Institutions and
Programs
• The same eleven areas are used for
institutional and program evaluation, but
applied to either an institution as a whole or
to a specific program.
• Everything that affects a program is
considered in a program evaluation,
regardless of whether function is provided
by a department of college, or by the
central administration.
Issues Faced
1. Dealing with the diversity of the system.
–
–
–
–
–
Large number of institutions
Large and small institutions
Public and private
Responsibility in different ministries
Different sectors with different requirements—
academic, professional and technical.
– Conventional and new delivery systems
– Requires flexible approach, and standards and
procedures relevant to different institutions and
programs
Issues Faced (Contd.)
2. Introduction of quality systems at a time
of rapid growth
 Will place heavy demands on a relatively
small number of
- Individuals
- Institutions
- Government agencies
To provide leadership and support.
Issues Faced (Contd.)
3. Recruitment of International Reviewers
– In the early stages we will rely on international
reviewers. We want to demonstrate international
equivalence to the highest standards.
– However these people have
•
•
limited availability.
They are also expensive which will be an increasing problem
as the system expands,
– In any case we want to rely increasingly on our own
people. We need to balance the mix as local
experience is gained but maintain sufficient external
participation to make sure internationally recognized
high standards are maintained.
Issues Faced (Contd.)
4. Development of commitment to a wider range of
outcomes, and skills in using new teaching strategies.
– The need to change from spoon feeding to creative
thinking and problem solving, and
– The development of personal attributes of personal and
group responsibility, leadership, and other
expectations.
– It is expected that there will be resistance from many
faculty who are not convinced of the need for these
changes, or who lack the skills in different forms of
teaching.
– Training in teaching strategies will be necessary and a
lot of attention will need to be given in institutions to
management of change strategies.
Issues Faced (Contd.)
5. Responding to changing technology and
educational delivery systems.
– These developments are occurring
throughout the world, and SA will be in a
similar position to others
– These changes create both challenges and
opportunities.
– We must be open to constructive change, but
– make sure that good practice is preserved
and that standards of learning outcomes are
maintained.
Issues Faced (Contd.)
6. Increasing requirements for defining and
verifying learning outcome standards.
-
The system must be consistent with world wide
trends to emphasize standards of learning outcomes
and to verify achievement
–
Saudi Arabia’s recent entry to the World Trade
Organization will create important opportunities, but
require high levels of skill in the workforce.
–
There must be confidence in these skills in the
country, and internationally.
Issues Faced (Contd.)
7. Increasing demands on institutions.
•
•
•
•
There will be a lot of work involved.
the use of independent external evaluations may also
cause negative reactions, particularly if judgments are
critical.
This means that processes must be:
– no more expensive or demanding than necessary,
– flexible to reflect each institutions’ own objectives,
– and recognized by institutions as providing real value
to hem.
The relationship between the Commission and the
institutions must be one of cooperation and support, with
the shared objective of improving quality.
Issues Faced (Contd.)
8. Achieving acceptance and credibility for a
local system for QA and accreditation.
– It may take some time for a new local system
for accreditation and QA to be recognized as
giving widely recognized international
credibility for quality judgments.
– This will require considerable effort to ensure
that processes are rigorous and transparent,
widely publicized, and that there are no
compromises in the judgments made.
Issues Faced (Contd.)
9. Professional accreditation of programs.
– Requirements for programs in professional
and technical fields are often separately
developed by professional associations. In
SA these separate professional registration
requirements exist to a very limited extent.
– This may be a short term problem. But it
creates an opportunity to combine academic
and professional judgments about quality in a
way that has proved difficult to achieve in a
number of other countries.
Issues Faced (Contd.)
10. QA for the Commission itself.
–
As a QA agency, the Commission should model the
QA processes it believes are necessary in the
educational institutions with which it deals.
–
The Commission
• has prepared a good practice statement to guide its
own activities.
• has adopted QA processes comparable to those it
is requiring of institutions.
• will subject itself to independent quality review by
international accrediting agencies.
Achieving High International
Standards
• The major objective of the QS is to support the
institutions to achieve and to be seen to have
achieved standards that are at least equivalent
to high international standards. This applies to
all their areas of activity, but the most
important element is the quality of learning
outcomes achieved by students.
• We want global standards in all aspects of HE,
but the main consideration is student learning
outcomes. (Possibly the most difficult to
demonstrate)
Achieving International
Standards
• Mechanisms used to support global standards and verify
achievement:
– Detailed descriptions of generally accepted standards of good
practice combined with comprehensive self evaluations and
external verification.
– Requiring evaluations based on evidence, including local and
international benchmarks.
– Using of experienced international quality reviewers able to give
advice and make reliable comparative judgments.
– Developing a qualifications framework specifying generic
standards and process for verifying consistency with the
framework.
– Requiring processes to verify standards of student achievement.
– Professional field requirements are being developed that are
consistent with international requirements but integrated with the
academic QA requirements defined by the NCAAA..