Challenges in Quality Assurance in Higher Education in the Southern Mediterranean Region Dr. Nadia Badrawi Vice President of the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education Board Member, Advisory Board of the CHEA International Quality Group CIQG Croatia, 12 of June 2014

Overview and Acknowledgement Overview  Historical Background of ANQAHE  QA Challenges in the Southern Mediterranean (Arab) Region Acknowledgment  ANQAHE scoping study, 2012  Direct s with the directors and presidents of 9 QAA from the Arab region, 2014, 6 of them responded

Background of ANQAHE ANQAHE as a regional network to coordinate and boost higher education QA efforts  Includes 11 QAA as full members and 5 QA Entities as Associate members to form 16 countries out of the 22 Arab Countries  Higher Education Institution members  Individual Members

Diversity of QA in the Arab Region  Stage of development of QA  Size of population  Economic capacity  Access to HE  Political situation

Challenges in QA in Southern Mediterranean Countries

Newly Developed QAAs Challenges  Validation of the law without hindering the independence and the autonomy of the Agency  Conduction of more pilot external evaluation to develop expertise needed to conduct the accreditation processes

Newly Developed QAAs Challenges  Benefices from experiences and resources.  Developing sustainable QA systems that are appropriate for different types of HE modes and development  Capacity building

QAAs Challenges in the Region Total reliance on Governments for HE and QA funding Limited financial resources

QAAs Challenges in the Region  Political instability in some countries  Large number of students.

QAAs Challenges in the Region  QAAs governance  Continuous alteration in the administration of the leaderships.  Accreditation of professional programs  Accreditation of technical colleges  Slow response of private universities to QA efforts

QAAs Challenges in the Region  Developing a fitness-for- purpose assessment for the research activities, and facilitate establishment of research centers within the remit of QAAs.

QAAs Challenges in the Region  Old and exhausted infrastructure at the public universities  Enhancing the employability of graduates.

QA Capacity Building most needed by HEIs

Challenges to ANQAHE Supporting the emergence of new QAAs and strengthening less developed ones Facing cross border accreditation mills Facilitating exchange of resources and best practices in the region

Challenges to ANQAHE  Networking and partnership with interfacing regions (ENQA, ANQAHE, AFRIQAN, APQN, etc

Challenges to ANQAHE  Transfer the information about the new forms of higher education such as distance, MOOCs and hybrid programs, and establish a benchmarks within the region.

Challenges to ANQAHE  Activate the generic Arab qualification framework developed by ANQAHE and validate it against national frameworks to ensure convergence of HE

QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK- ANQAHE MODEL May The proposed Arab Qualifications Framework (AQF) provides a common reference point for ANQAHE members engaged in developing or modifying Qualifications Frameworks for Higher Education. This presentation articulates the general characteristics associated with the Levels and principal qualifications identified in the qualifications framework model proposed for adoption by ANQAHE.

Thank you on behalf of ANQAHE