A. H. Barkawi
Vice President, National Authority for Quality Assurance and
Accreditation of Education, Egypt; e. mail: ashrafb53@yahoo.com
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Education in Egypt
Historical background of quality assurance
The Role of The National Authority of Quality
Assurance and Accreditation / Egypt (NAQAAE)
Accreditation (process and decision)
Challenges and constrains
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Location: North East of Africa
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Population: 80 million
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Capacity of education institute: 26.3 %.
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Capacity of H.E. I = 28% (18-25 yr old).
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National goals = Expansion in HE to cover 35%. (18-25 y)
= Developing technical education.
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Egyptian Government is committed to provide free
education for all Egyptian people according to the
constitution.
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Recently the Egyptian Government encouraged the
private sector to invest in Education.
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Educational institutes = about 50,000 institutes
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Students number = 21.35 million
Governmental
Institutes
El-Azhar
Institutes
Private
(Islamic
programs)
Institutes
• Governmental
schools
• N= 36027
• Technical school
• N= 1081
• El-Azhar
• N=8772
15.47
million
(85.5%)
1.77
million
(9.6%)
0.05
million
(0.2%)
1.24
million
(6.7%) •
Private schools
N= 4841
18 G.
Universities
( 325 collages)
Al-Azhar University
(64 collages)
18 Private Universities
(72 collages)
Higher education institutes
(100)
4 million students
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Quality assurance in education was one of 6 top
priorities recommendations released from the
National conference on Higher education reform
(2000).
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Concepts of QA in education was introduced
officially at the Government level since 2001.
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The development of quality assurance concepts and
regulations in education passed through three phases :
Phase III
(2007 – now)
Phase II
(2004 -2007)
Phase I
(2001-2004)
Phase I
(2001 – 2004)
Phase II
(2004-2007)
• Under MHE auspices.
• Establishment of a national committee of QA to
introduce and disseminate concepts of QA , support
the implementation of Internal QA system
• 6 faculties were engaged in this project financed by
Ford foundation.
• The beginning of full fledge of QA system
• Establishment QAAP, to prepare faculties for accreditation :
• Raising awareness & develop the capacity of the faculties in
QA
• Supporting establishment of QA centers at the universities.
• Supporting production of Universities strategy.
• Prepared 140 faculties
• Issue the National guideline of internal quality system in
higher education
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Started since 2007 by establishing the National
Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of
Egypt (NAQAAE) by a Presidential Decree.
NAQAAE is independent body belonging to the primminister
NAQAAE is responsible for higher, pre- university,
and Al-Azhar education.
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The main goals of NAQAAE are:
 Raising awareness.
 Setting of educational & accreditation
standards.
 Supporting self assessment studies.
 Issuing accreditation certificates.
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An internationally recognized accrediting body, known
for its fair and objective decisions, its leadership in
quality assurance and excellence at the national,
regional and international levels, while maintaining its
Egyptian identity.
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To assure the quality of Egyptian education institutions,
continuous improvement and efficient performance
consistent with their mission statements and objectives,
as well as insuring public confidence through
independent, impartial and transparent operations.
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Respond to global changes.
Reflect the country’s development plans, market needs
and employment expectation.
Co-operation with Regional and International sister
agenesis to reach a mutual recognition.
Cooperation with the stakeholders to set standards of
accreditation.
Acknowledgment of academic freedom.
Provide impartial technical support without interfering
with institutional QA process.
Evaluation is based on assessment of learning outcomes.
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Phase I: Setting the standards of accreditation and
education improvement in cooperation with
stakeholders (2 years)
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Phase II: Provide the technical support for educational
Institutions
(Technical advice, Training and
preliminary visit before accreditation) (2 years)
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Phase III: Accrediting Educational Institutions
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Lack of societal consensus upon the graduate attributes
of each discipline
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Absence of National Academic Reference Standards
(NARS) to be used in programs design
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No standards
accreditation
for
institutional
and
program
Training
Capacity
building
Awareness
Training programs covers the areas of:
1. Strategic planning
2. Internal quality assurance systems
3. How to write the self – study
4. Peer reviewing
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Raise Awareness of the Culture of Quality
Assurance and Accreditation :
- Seminars and awareness campaigns
- NAQAAE annual conferences
- Public media
- Issuing NAQAAE newsletter
- Web-site (naqaae.org)
Institutional
accreditation
(Faculties)
University
Accreditation
Program
accreditation
E. Learning
programs
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Mission based assessment.
Based on evaluating two main areas:
- Institutional capacity
- Educational effectiveness
Institutional Assessment (school):
Institutional Capacity
1. Vision & mission
2. Governance
3. Human & Financial Resource
4. Community Participation
5. QA & Accountability
Education Effectiveness
1. Student achievements
2. Teacher qualifications
3. Academic Curriculum
4. Educational Environment
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Institutional Assessment (Faculties):
Institutional Capacity:
1. Strategic Planning
2. Organizational Structure
3. Leadership &Governance
4. Creditability & Ethics
5. Administratiion.
6. Resources
7. Community Participation
8. Quality systems management.
Educational Effectiveness:
1. Students & Graduates.
2. Academic Standards.
3. Educational Program.
4. Teaching, Learning, & Resources.
5. Academic Staff.
6. Scientific Research .
7. Post-Graduate Studies.
8. Continuous Assessment.
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Outcome based assessment.
Based on evaluating two main areas:
- Program management
- Educational effectiveness
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Program management:
1. Mission and objectives
2. Leadership
3. Financial & physical
resources
Education Effectiveness
1. Program Structure
2. Teaching and Learning
3. Academic Staff
4. Assessment of Learning
Outcomes
5. Program Development &
Enhancement
6. Indicators of success
E. Learning programs :
Institutional Capacity:
1. Program management
2. Human, financial & physical
resources
Educational Effectiveness:
1. Program Structure
2. Teaching and learning
3. Students
4. Self- assessment and continuous
development
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Strategic planning
 Governing policies & its impact
 Performance assessment and sustainable development
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To ensure:
 Sustainable development
 Improvement of Universities rank
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National Academic Reference Standards
(NARS): Describes the minimum requirements
to accomplish a certain program. It includes
graduate attributes and characterizes knowledge
and understanding, as well as professional,
intellectual and transferable skills
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NORMS: Resources (human, library, teaching
facilities & physical resources)
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Code of practice (accreditation standards)
1
2
3
• Reforming Educational Programs and
courses
• Determining the Intended Learning
Outcomes
• Improving graduates competencies and
competitiveness
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1
• Improving institutional capacity
and educational practices
2
• Improving the Internal Quality
system
3
• Accreditation
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Set
standers
Capacity
building
Technical
support
QA Centers
Universities
Pre-accreditation
phase
(Technical support)
By NAQAAE team
Towards
Accreditation
Accreditation
phase
By NAQAAE certified
reviewers
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An optional process
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Simulates the accreditation visit.
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Confidential report
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No decision (Analyzing the gap)
Self-study report
Pre-accreditation visit
Gap analysis
Improvement plan
Programs
Faculties
University
NAQAAE
Decision
Sending the report to have the
feedback
Report
draft
Institution
self-study
Reviewing team
(4 reviewers )
Institution
visit (3-5
days)
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Accreditation: when the institute fulfills most
of the standards of accreditation.
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Not – Accredited: when the institute doesn’t
fulfill most of the standards of accreditation.
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Postponed: when doesn’t fulfill some of the
standards of accreditation (except Education
standards ).
NAQAAE have channels of communications with
national, regional and international accreditation
entities:
 Mutual recognition / alliance with ABET, JABEE
 Cooperation with QAA (UK)
Acquiring membership of Arab and international
networks for external reviewing and accrediting
agencies
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Reforming the educational programs and courses
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Developing the capacity of academic staff
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Developing the educational resources and practices
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Dissemination of quality culture
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Chart Title
2008/2009
2009/2010
2009/2010
At University level:
 Legislative constrains (lack in positive and negative
incentives).
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Resistance of academic staffs to QA concepts,
regulations and accountability.
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Shortage in financial resources.
At NAQAAE level:
 Lack
of engagement of NGOs and societal
organizations on education outcome assessments.
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Large number of required trained reviewers.
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Quality assurance requires a real collaboration among
all interested partners.
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Implementing the internal quality assurance system in
educational institutes come in the top of priorities in the
Egyptian strategy of Education.
Thank you
Questions?
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