Menu
The global educational landscape has witnessed an unprecedented disruption in its operations due to sudden and rapid shift towards distance and online education in response to the spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the need to ensure learning continuity. This disruption is expected by many policy makers and expert to continue beyond the pandemic.
With different levels of maturity in embracing remote and online learning; the higher education sector more than ever is in need to assure the quality of learning.
While some may argue that the ultimate goal of quality assurance is the same whether you are teaching face to face or online and hence that the same set of standards may apply for both modes of learning; the two systems are quite different and may use different approaches, methods and indicators. Throughout the years many organizations have been researching and looking at the best indicators to evaluate the quality of online programs and courses. Having said that, one should distinguish between emergency remote teaching and well-designed online learning experience.
All of the above implies that institutions of learning will need to revisit their current QA practices and ensure their quality indicators and policies are ‘fit-for- purpose’ to address this new type of learning. Online/ blended learning will need to become more of a strategic imperative that is rooted within the institution strategy and plans. For external quality assurance agencies there may be a need to evaluate the applicability and suitability of existing standards to online learning and probably provide further guidance to the sector on how to interpret the standards in the context of online learning. This may be crucial as the move to online education is new to many institutions in the region.
The aim of this panel is to:
President,
The International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education(INQAAHE) and Division Director, Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge(ADEK), UAE
Chief Executive,
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), UK
Registration in the Panel Discussion is free and open to anyone from the higher education community wherever located. However, there is a maximum capacity to the session and slots will be allocated based on ‘first come first served’; hence we recommend early registration.
The Center may reserve the right to limit the number of registrations from the same institution to provide the opportunity to other institutions to join or to prioritize registrations from among the target audience.
Agence universitaire de la Francophonie: worldwide association, founded over 60 years ago, gathering more than 900 institutions of higher education and research in more than 100 countries spread over the 5 continents. It is also the operator of the Francophonie Summit for higher education and research.
IN THE MIDDLE EAST 87 member institutions in the region from 16 countries: KSA, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, UAE, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Qatar and Yemen.
AUF aims to accompany its members while focusing on:
