Tuning Process Overview
Tuning is simply a process designed to determine what students should be able to know and do at the
program level. It is a faculty driven process but one which incorporates input from key stakeholders.
Tuning is an iterative process for defining competencies and learning outcomes for academic programs.
As such, there are five key steps to the Tuning Process as outlined below in Figure 1. The goal of Tuning
is to provide transparency to the university stakeholders (students, employers, alumni, and parents)
about student competencies upon graduation and to keep the institution focused on these objectives in
order to ensure that they are meeting these objectives. The Tuning Educational Structures Guide
provides a comprehensive overview of the process.
There are several steps in the Tuning process.
Figure 1: Steps of the Tuning Processi
Step 1: Tuning Faculty Draft Competencies and Learning Outcomes
The first step is for the tuning faculty to draft key competencies and their associated learning outcomes.
Competencies are general statements about what all students need to be able to know and do upon
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graduation. Two common competencies are “oral and written communication skills” or “reasoned
decision-making”. The associated learning outcomes are statements reflecting what knowledge, skills,
and abilities student will have upon graduation. Learning outcomes are measurable.
In February, 2013 twelve Tuners from the five Consortium Universities (Abdul Wali Khan University
Mardan, Kohat University of Science and Technology, University of Peshawar, University of Science and
Technology Bannu and IMSciences) drafted competencies and learning outcomes for their MBA
Programs in a three-day workshop led by facilitators from the University of Kentucky. These
competencies are listed in Table 1. We used the Tuning process to introduce the concepts of student
centered learning (versus teacher centered learning), provide background on the writing of learning
outcomes, and create a mechanism to solicit the stakeholder input (employers, faculty, parents, alumni).
At the end of the three days, the Tuners had established five competencies and associated learning
outcomes and an action plan for completing the next phase of the Tuning process. This action plan is
found in the Tuners’ final PowerPoint presentation titled, “Adventures in Tuning”.
Table 1: Draft Competencies and Learning Outcomes for the MBA February, 2013
Competency 1 : Students Should Be Able to Make Collective and Effective Decisions
Learning Outcomes
 Explain various theories of decision making and group dynamics
 Apply the appropriate theory and give logical reasons for making that theory the
favored choice for the problem under consideration.
 Propose a creative solution to the problem under consideration based on the decision
making theory chosen.
Competency 2: Communicate Effectively and Accurately in a Variety of Contexts
Learning Outcomes
 Apply effective business communication processes to a variety of contexts.
 Interpret the verbal and non-verbal behaviors of supervisors and subordinates.
 Employ verbal and non-verbal communication effectively and accurately.
 Use appropriate methods of communication inside and outside his or her organization.
 Demonstrate methods of building rapport with various stakeholders.
Competency 3: Be able to think globally, act locally
Learning Outcomes
 Identify global dynamics through using different analytical techniques.
 Assess the effects of global dynamics on the local economy.
 Modify business solutions based on the analysis of global dynamics and entrepreneurial
ventures around the world.
 Describe aspects of culturally sensitive behavior.
Competency 4: Students should understand and apply Team Skills both as a member and a leader of
the team.
Learning Outcomes
 Analyze the formal and informal group roles and statuses in order to impact group
dynamics.
 Appreciate the significance of inter-team communication.
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Describe how self-awareness can improve one’s performance on teams.
Demonstrate leadership skills by evaluating the situation and proposing the appropriate
leadership style to achieve team goals.
Describe how emotional intelligence improves group interaction.
Step 2: Map Career Pathways and Identify Stakeholders
Tuning does not occur in a vacuum. Actual and potential career pathways must be mapped so that all
relevant stakeholders are identified and consulted. Its success requires the Tuners to seek the advice of
not only faculty members and students, but also business and civic leaders, alumni, employers and
prospective employers, and development agencies. This assures that the competencies and learning
outcomes reflect the knowledge and skills that graduates, their employers, and the labor market need
and assures that universities meet their responsibility to promote economic and community
development. Step 2 of the process, also took place in Islamabad in February, 2013. The “Tuners” were
asked to engage in mapping of career pathways. These pathways are essentially, where students go
upon graduation and include both employment and educational opportunities. The Tuners identified
the following opportunities for graduates of MBA programs:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Public Sector
Corporate Sector
Private Sector
Development Sector
Self Employed
Graduate School (doctoral level)
In addition to these employers, the Tuners discerned the following groups as stakeholders for the
purposes of soliciting feedback:
•
•
•
•
•
Current Students
Alumni
Parents of Students
Colleagues at the 5 consortium Universities
HEC
Step 3: Solicit Feedback from Stakeholders on the Competencies and Learning Outcomes
Step 3 of the process is designed to solicit feedback on the competencies and learning outcomes from
employers and other stakeholders. The Tuners during February, 2013 drafted a plan for obtaining
stakeholder feedback. This plan assigned responsibility for obtaining feedback as outlined in Table 2.
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Table 2: Responsibility for Obtaining Stakeholder Feedback
Stakeholder
Feedback Responsibility
Current students
All five universities
Alumni
IM Sciences/Peshawar University
Colleagues
All five universities
Parents
All five universities
Graduate /doc program
IM Sciences/Peshawar University
HEC
Bannu University/Kohat University
US Embassy
Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan
Government
IM Sciences/Peshawar University
Employers
Public Sector
Peshawar University
Private Sector
Abdul Wali khan University Mardan
Corporate Sector
KUST
Development Sector
IM Sciences
Employers
Bannu University
The plan also outlined methods for collecting stakeholder feedback as indicated in Table 3.
Table 3: Methods for Collecting Stakeholder Feedback
Stakeholder
Method
Current students
Class discussion, Assignments
Alumni
Through Emails/phone calls/Alumni meetings
Colleagues
Focus groups/informal discussions
Parents
Focus group/parents day/open days
Graduate /doc program
Open days/informal interviews
HEC
Visit to HEC/ through formal university meeting with HEC
Ministry of Education
Through focal person
Employers
Through focus groups /interviews/ survey/questionnaires
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Each of the Universities has completed this phase of the project and has submitted reports to the
University of Kentucky. These reports have been added to the project webpage
(www.gatton.uky.edu/pakistan) under the conference tab. Several of the universities questioned
whether the input they have solicited this far is adequate. We will be considering this question and
determining whether more input is desirable in the next few weeks.
Step 4: Refine Competencies and Learning Outcomes
The next step in the process is to refine the competencies and learning outcomes based upon
stakeholder feedback. The Tuners need to meet in order to determine, if they have received enough
information in order to refine competencies and learning outcomes or whether more information is
needed. Several Tuners have proposed a conference with employers or a survey. In the next couple of
weeks we will discuss. Regardless, the University of Kentucky teams wish to reconvene the Tuners in
Islamabad in August to hone the competencies and learning outcomes.
Step 5: Write a Degree Profile
A degree profile is a brief (one paragraph) statement by each university which incorporates the
competencies and learning outcomes. It is a statement to students and their families about what makes
their degree program unique and what they view as important. The directions for this step will be
provided in the August meeting in Islamabad.
Through Tuning, and with UKY’s assistance, it is our hope that the Consortium Universities will cultivate
permanent, working relationships with stakeholders. This will provide a foundation for continuing,
substantive interaction, will facilitate the exchange of ideas, will enlarge the universities’ presence in
their communities, will enable them to align programs with community needs, and will promote
collaboration between the universities and community stakeholders on issues that affect them both.
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Institute for Evidence-Based Change. 2010. Tuning Educational Structures Version 1.
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