“The Universities as key partners of good governance
in the Euro-Mediterranean region”
Bahrain is an archipelago of
around 33 islands
Total Area 728.32 Km2.
Most inhabitance occupy 5 main
islands
Population (Total): 1,046,814 *
Bahraini: around 50%
Age Distribution (%)
15-24
25-44
20.5%
28.0%
* Source: Sh. Ahmed presentation to the Parliament (2008)
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State of Bahrain 1971
Political reform started at 2000
Kingdom of Bahrain 14 February 2002
It’s a constitutional Monarchy
•The King has the supreme power
•National Council consists of two chambers
“Shura” Council
House of Representatives
Parliament Election October 2002
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Before formal schooling “Kuttabs” were main source of
education
1899
1902
1919
1928
1930
American Mission School for girls
American Mission School for boys
First public formal school for boys
First public formal school for girls
Schools came under the direct control
of the government
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1936
1927
1968
1979
1986
2001
First vocational school
First group of Bahrainis scholars were
sent abroad for university degree
The Gulf Technical College
(Gulf Polytechnic)
University College of Art, Science, and
Education
University of Bahrain
Government licensing Private Universities
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2005
2005
2006
2007
2007
2008
National Education Reform
Higher Education Law
Higher Education Council (HEC)
Rules and Regulations Governing
Licensing of HEI
Piloting Quality Review Process for
Universities (an education reform project)
Establishment of the Quality Assurance
Authority for Education & Training (QAAET)
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Aspiration
• Strengthening Bahrain’s human capital
• Making the private sector the engine of growth
Education
reform
Increasing the skill level of
Bahrainis by developing education
and training to strengthen their
effectiveness in the labour market
Economic
reform
Increasing the number of
employment opportunities
in the private sector,
particularly in middle and
high-income jobs
Labour
market
reform
Reforming the labour
market as a first step
towards successful
education and economic
reforms
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Board of Directors
(QAAET)
Chief
Executive
National
Examinations
Unit
Schools Review
Unit
Vocational
Review Unit
Higher Education
Review Unit
HERU
HERU is the unit within the QAAET that will
manage the processes for Higher
Education Quality Reviews
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University of Bahrain
College of Health Sciences
Bahrain Polytechnic
Arabian Gulf University (Regional)
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Delmon University for Science and Technology
Birla Institute of Technology International Centre
Ahlia University
RCSI Medical University of Bahrain
AMA International University Bahrain
Gulf University
Arab Open University, Bahrain Branch
Royal University for Women
The Kingdom University
University of Applied Science
University College of Bahrain
New York Institute of Technology
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Higher Education Bodies
Higher Education Council (HEC)
• Under the Ministry of Education
• Chaired by the Minister of Education
• Give initial license for private institutions
to operate
• Give initial license for programs offered
by private institutions
• Conducts continuous follow-up
• Have the authority to stop HEI/program
on temporarily basis
• Accreditation decision
Quality Assurance Authority
for Education & Training/
Higher Education Review Unit
QAAET/HERU
• Review Institutes as a whole
• Conducts Program Reviews
• Reviews cover all HE institutes operating
in Bahrain (Private & Public)
• Accountability: All Reports are public
• Conducts follow up after reviews
• Conduct capacity building activities for
the higher education sector
The 2 bodies outcomes complement each other’s work
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Higher Education Reviews
Seven Institutions were reviewed in the last academic
years of which four reports are published.
The reports contain findings about the quality
assurance arrangements for each institution in terms of
9 themes which together contained 25 indicators.
The findings are in the form of Commendations,
Affirmations and Recommendations, which means
that areas in need of strength and areas of
improvement are identified.
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(5 indicators)
(6 indicators)
(1 indicator)
(3 indicators)
(1 indicator)
(3 indicators)
(3 indicators)
(2 indicators)
(1 indicator)
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All Institutions reviewed until now are private.
Ownership:
Wholly owned by Parent Institution
Shared ownership between Bahraini investors and Parent
Institution
Owned by a group of investors
Owned by a single investor.
Two Institutions are registered as not for profit
institutions
The rest are registered for profit with limited
liabilities.
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Three institutions received no Commendation.
Four institutions received a total of 18 Commendations.
Most of commendations are around issues related to student
support, well-qualified and committed academics.
Two institutions received Commendations on support for
academic staff.
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Three received Commendations on commitments of the
governing body towards their institutions.
Of the seven institutional reviews there are similar areas which
are in urgent need of improvement, especially the deficiencies
in physical infrastructure.
18
Findings related to vision, mission, and governance
Vision and mission statements were typically developed by the
owners or Presidents and have not been the result of a consultative
process by stakeholders.
In some of the institutions reviewed there are inappropriate
governance structures (blurring between the governance and
management structures of the universities).
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Findings related to vision, mission, and governance
In some cases the owner is also the President of the University.
While there may be Boards of Trustees, these are often not
active or do not meet regularly to set strategy and monitor the
core functions in the institution.
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Findings related to vision, mission, and governance
Budgeting and resource allocation are not linked to strategic
planning.
In many cases the budget is developed and managed by the
President with no input by the main members of staff or the Board.
Institutions generally operate without having a management
information system (MIS).
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Thank you
For more information
Kindly visit our website:
www.qaa.edu.bh