The Center for Learning Innovations and Customized Knowledge Solutions (CLICKS) based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in collaboration with the United Kingdom Quality Assurance Agency in the UK organized a two day workshop titled “Building a Sustainable Quality Culture: From Internal QA to External Accreditation” which took place on the 3rd and 4th of February, 2020. The workshop is part of a series of programs jointly organized to support the quality movement in the Arab region through providing capacity building opportunities to leaders of higher education and those in charge of overseeing quality in their institutions. Similar programs have run in the UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman among others.

The two day workshop addressed the key strategies and approaches for developing and sustaining a quality culture which involves establishing an integrated internal quality assurance system that is aligned with institution’s specific strategies and culture whilst supporting the achievement of external QA requirements (accreditation) both nationally and internationally. Examples from across the region, Europe and the UK have also been presented. The program also placed special focus on the QA of academic programs and the soft aspect of building quality systems including leadership role. The workshop in addition explored the ESG standards and placed emphasis on the QAA validation process for institutions outside of the UK.

Over 30 participants from various higher education institutions and regulatory bodies in Morocco have attended the program in addition to delegates from the UAE, Cameroon, Oman and Bahrain. The workshop was officiated by HE the Minister of Higher Education in Morocco, Dr. Driss Ouaouicha, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research

This workshop was well received by participants who engaged throughout the program with activities and their peers and was facilitated by Dr. Narimane Hadj-Hamou from CLICKS and Fiona Crozier and Ian Welch from the QAA.