DOES EXTERNAL QA ENHANCE INTERNAL QA?

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1 DOES EXTERNAL QA ENHANCE INTERNAL QA? INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE! Muhammad Ismail Director Quality Assurance National University of Sciences & Technology Islamabad, Pakistan (APQN Conference 2010)

2 PRESENTATION PLAN Quality and Quality Assurance in HE Internal Quality Assurance External Quality Assurance Pakistani Initiatives in Quality Assurance in HE Effect of EQA in Enhancing IQA Pakistani perspective p 2

3 QUALITY IN EDUCATION Quality is the means through which an Quality is the means through which an institution can guarantee with confidence and certainty, that the standards of its educational provision are being maintained and enhanced

4 INGREDIENTS OF QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION It is the outcome of interaction of Quality of faculty and students Infrastructural facilities Research and learning environment Strategic planning Assessment procedures Market forces 4

5 QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HE Definition Assurance of quality in higher education is a process of establishing stakeholders confidence that provision (input, process and outcomes) fulfills expectations or measures up to threshold minimum requirements. Scope QA is all-embracing term covering all the policies, processes, and actions through which quality of HE is maintained, developed and enhanced. Quality Assurance cannot happen automatically or accidentally It has to be planned. 5

6 CONCEPT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE Quality assurance is not any single thing but an aura, an atmosphere, and an overpowering feeling that THE INSTITUTION IS DOING EVERYTHING WITH EXCELLENCE QA is the OWN responsibility of the institution 6

7 IMPLEMENTING THE QUALITY CONCEPT Requires prioritization of projects and activities across the university structure Foremost priority obviously goes to academic activity, wherein quality enhancement initiatives should focus on: Curriculum development Improvement in delivery methods Faculty training and development Appropriate use of technology Effective stakeholders orientation of academic programs, and Enhancing the quality of R&D programs of the 7 university

8 INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE IQA is conducted by the Higher Education Institution itself. Internal (self) assessments are undertaken by universities as a matter of normal business, requiring ongoing reflection and critique of the ways things are done to enhance student learning and student success. 8

9 EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE EQA is undertaken by a body or organization outside the Higher Education Institution. External academic audits provide a framework for the review of university quality systems, processes and procedures, affirming those that work well, offering suggestions for improvement where they are not successful or where they are lacking, and offering encouragement for the university s own expressed program of improvement arising from their internal self-assessment 9

10 SYNERGIES IN IQA AND EQA Both external audit and the internal processes intend to make improvements within institutions. Although the focus for each may differ. The processes that both internal and external QA follow are based upon self assessment exercise, followed by peer assessment, site visit interviews, and a written report of findings and judgments. Both processes focus on the goals and objectives of department or program, or a whole institution. 10

11 PAKISTANI INITIATIVES IN QUALITY ASSURANCE HEC established in 2002 Engaged itself on many fronts for ensuring good quality of higher education in Pakistani universities. Some of its initiatives in regards to quality assurance are given below: Establishment of Quality Assurance Agency which has facilitated setting-up of Quality Enhancement Cells at public sector universities. Private universities, realizing the need for quality assurance, are also joining the fold voluntarily. QECs are being operated by the universities for execution of QA policies designed by QAA, with 11 uniformity of pace and standards. Cont d

12 PAKISTANI INITIATIVES IN QUALITY ASSURANCE Established Councils for various disciplines Established National lacademy for Higher Education for professional development of university teachers Established Curriculum Development and Review Committees for various disciplines Established PhD Programs Review Committees Initiated a Faculty Development program and provided 8000 PhD scholarships (5000 abroad) Prepared Institutional Quality Assurance Manual Internal Quality Audit are arranged through QECs External Quality Audits are organized by QAA 12

13 HEC QUALITY ASSURANCE MECHANISM Self Assessment of Programs IQA University Internal Audit verification of IQA (self fixing of problems) External Review -EQA 13

14 SELF ASSESSMENT Self assessment is an exercise conducted by the institution itself to assess whether it is performing satisfactorily to meet its educational objectives and outcomes with the purpose to improve quality of program(s) and enhance students learning. Self Assessment Report makes the basis of all future audits / reviews, such as University Internal Audit External Review 14

15 CRITERIA & STANDARDS FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT (IQA) CRITERIA Management Student Learning by Coursework Programs Student Learning by Research Programs STANDARDS Mission, Vision and Values, Governance, Management, Institutional Affiliation for Programs and Quality Assurance, Strategic Plan, Operational Planning, Financial Management, Policy Management, Entity and Activity Review Systems, Student Grievance Processes, Health And Safety Graduate Attributes and Student Learning Objectives, Curriculum, Student Entry Standards, Teaching Quality, Plagiarism, Student Placements, Assessment Methods, Standards and Moderation, Academic Security and Invigilation, il Student t Retention ti and Progression, Graduate Destinations And Employability Research Publications, Guidance From Faculty, Institutional i Support for R&D 15 Cont d

16 CRITERIA & STANDARDS FOR SELF- ASSESSMENT (IQA) CRITERIA Staff Research and Consultancy Industry and Community Engagement Academic Support Services STANDARDS Research Environment, Research Publications, Institutional i Support for R&D, Collaborative Research Projects at National And International Level, Funding Received, Patents Filed, Support for Establishing University Industry Linkage Industry and Community Engagement Planning & Management, Relationships with Industry and Employers, Relationships with Professions, Relationships with Other Education Providers, Relationships with Alumni, Relationships with the Community at Large Academic Support Services Planning & Management, Registry, Library, Information and Learning Technology Services, Academic Advising, Student Learning Support, Teaching Resources, Areas of 16 Strength and Opportunities for Improvement Cont d

17 CRITERIA & STANDARDS FOR SELF- ASSESSMENT (IQA) CRITERIA Students and Student Support Services Staff and Staff Support Services General Support Services/ Facilities STANDARDS Students and Student Support Services Planning & Management, Student Profile, Student Satisfaction and Climate, Student Behaviour, Career and Employment Services, Student Finances, Accommodation, Catering and Transportation, Medical and Counseling Facilities, International Student Services, Social and Recreational Services and Facilities, Areas of Strength and Opportunities for Improvement Human Resources Planning & Management, Staff Profile, Recruitment And Selection, Induction, Professional Development, Performance Planning And Review, Promotion and Other Incentives, Severance, Staff Organizational Climate and Retention General Support Services and Facilities Planning & Management, Public Relations and Marketing, Communication Services, Facilities Management 17

18 INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE ACTIVITIES IN PAKISTAN Basic requirement of an external review is the self assessment report (portfolio) Portfolio is prepared in accordance with the Criteria and Standards as detailed in the Quality Assurance Manual (already prepared by HEC) HEC, for the time being, is not undertaking complete institutional quality audits. However, capacity building programs to prepare the universities for the complete institutional audits are underway. The Commission is, however, earnestly engaged in the external audits / reviews of universities / institutions which are conducting graduate (Masters and PhD) programs. 18 Cont d

19 INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE ACTIVITIES IN PAKISTAN For conducting such a review, HEC forms a Committee to conduct institutional audit of a university. The Committee sends a questionnaire to the relevant university to get detailed data / information regarding various aspects of the quality assurance, in line with the criteria / standards. Committee visits the university, inspects various facilities, observes different aspects of academic activity, conducts formal / random interviews of students, t faculty and admin staff. Committee prepares its report of findings and judgments in terms of affirmations, commendations and recommendations for the improvement, which is 19 submitted to the HEC and is made public.

20 SELF ASSESSMENT AND UNIVERSITY INTERNAL AUDIT AT NUST Update on Self-Assessment of our programs Internal Audit of NUST Institutions (Schools) 20

21 EFFECT OF EQA IN ENHANCING IQA Experience shows that the external quality assurance (reviews) are quite helpful in enhancing the internal quality assurance because of the following considerations: Self Assessments carried out for IQA are not considered sufficient because the assessors may take something for granted or may not observe some other things. But an external observers may help to overcome such problems. On the other hand, external assessment is not complete without the institutional self assessment. Therefore IQA and EQA are not complete without each other Two sides of a coin. 21

22 EFFECT OF EQA IN ENHANCING IQA While EQA on one hand provides information to the governing g agency and the others, it also helps the institution to enhance quality of its provision through its report. EQA also helps the institutions to prepare themselves for the institutional accreditation by the relevant bodies by making up the deficiencies i i highlighted hli ht by the EQA. Continuous improvement from audits depends on: the extent to which the linkage is made between external audit and internal quality improvement, and how the outcomes of audit are communicated and linked with research and teaching activities of 22 academic staff.

23 EFFECT OF EQA IN ENHANCING IQA Although EQA falls short in looking at the things at micro-level (academic navel gazing) g) but its focus on the bigger picture in national HE, recognition of national and international challenges to institutions and awareness of good practices can help in making up the weak areas. Finally, the very structure t of the EQA report written as affirmations, commendations and recommendations is definitely ygoing gto help enhancing IQA of the institution. 23

24 CONCLUSION EQA reports provide guidance to make up the deficiencies and enhance the IQA of the institutions. The benefits of internal and external quality audits can be best accrued, if both the processes are integrated closely. 24

25 THANK YOU Questions / Comments? 25

26 REFERENCES Jennings, J.M. The value of external audit. QNewZ, May 2009, Vroeijenstijn, T., Internal and External Assurance Why are they two sides of the same coin? Thune, C, The balance between accountability and improvement: the Danish experience, in Brennan, P De Vries and R Williams, Standards and quality in higher education, Higher Education Policy Series 37, London, Jessica Kingsley: Carr, Sarah, Emma Hamilton and Phil Meade (2005). Is it possible? Investigating the influence of external quality audit on university performance. Quality in Higher Education, 11(3), Batool Zia, HEC Manual of Quality Assurance. 26