Date: 29^th & 30^th November, 2021
Time: 09:00 AM – 17:00 PM KSA Time
Face to Face Workshop
Registration Fee:
580 USD Early Bird for registrations fully completed prior to 5^th October, 2021
680 USD for registrations after 5^th October, 2021

Workshop Overview

Crucial to the development of a quality culture is the need to develop an integrated internal quality assurance system that promotes quality enhancement and which takes into consideration the particularities and context of individual institutions and that help respond to the needs of external quality assurance agencies. The integration of online learning as a response to COVid19 has also impacted aspects of QA which is to be addressed within the scope of institution’s IQA. The aim of this two day ‘hands-on’ program which has been delivered in various Arab Countries is to raise awareness on how to develop and sustain an internal quality culture and to build capacity among universities and colleges to enable them to develop internal quality assurance systems that are embedded in the strategies and culture of their institutions and aligned with external national and international accreditation agencies requirements.

Throughout the program emphasis will be placed on how internal and external HE Quality Assurance is delivered internationally, with special focus on the UK, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the Arab region.

Workshop Structure

Session (1): Understanding the Quality Landscape in Higher Education: Context and Drivers for QA

• Main concepts and terminologies, principles and fundamentals of quality and quality assurance in HE to ensure a common understanding among participants throughout the program
• The various dimensions of quality
• Quality perceptions among stakeholders
• Levels of QA and how they relate to each other
• Quality, Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement: understanding the differences
• Various EQA Approaches in Different Arab Countries (short overview)
• The impact of transitioning to online learning on QA

Session (2): External Quality Assurance

• Global trends and development in QA
• QA Developments in the Region – including those related to the recent shift to online learning in response to COVID 19
• Challenges for QA in the region: Regional, National and Institutional
• Case studies from the UK and Europe

Session (3) – Part A : Developing Internal Quality Assurance Systems

This session is the longest session of the workshop and is geared towards providing participants with an overview on how to establish a comprehensive and integrated internal QA system. The session will include part (A) and (B). Part (A) focusing on the key components of an IQA and part (B) dedicated to QA of academic programs.

• Drivers for Developing and implementing Integrated IQA Systems
• Characteristics and Principles of IQA Systems
• Elements of IQAs systems
• The Quality Policy
• IQA Structure, organization and governance
• Scope of IQA
• Common Pitfalls when developing and implementing IQAs System
• IQA Processes and Tools
• IQA Information System and role of IR

Session (3) – Part B: Internal Quality Assurance (Academic Programs)

Part B of session (3) is focused on QA arrangements for academic programs, from the time of initiation to the annual and periodical program review

• The program life cycle (PDLC) Concept
• QA Checks and balances for each stage of the PDLC
• Annual and cyclical program evaluation and revision
• The role of various stakeholders in program assessment and improvement
• The role of IQA systems in maintaining programs’ quality standards

Session (4): Creating and Sustaining a Quality Culture: From Quality Assurance to Quality Enhancement

The session focuses on how institutions can establish and sustain an internal quality culture by adopting different strategies such as: Linking internal quality to strategic priorities and institutional mission -Leading and supporting change – Building internal capabilities – Documenting your quality experience, etc . It will also involve key questions for discussions and debates among participants.

• Building an internal quality culture: Key ingredients and elements
• Context-mechanism-outcome configuration of quality culture in HEI
• Core values and beliefs of a quality culture
• Key enablers for creating and sustaining a quality culture
• Linking internal quality to institutional strategy
• Moving from quality culture to quality enhancement
• Using QAA’s key principles and ways of working with the ESG as an example of using a regional framework for quality enhancement
• Interacting with participants to find out how they feel their own experience of QA will fit with the European framework and the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) as an example of an international framework for QA
• Functional elements of quality enhancement

Session (5): QAA’s International Quality Review (IQR)

• An introduction to the IQR review method, its outcomes and benefits
• An understanding of how it offers a model against which to test your own IQA system against international standards

Who is this Workshop for?

The workshop is relevant to anyone involved in delivering or overseeing online learning including:

• University Vice Presidents, Provosts and Members of Executive Management.
• Deans and Directors of Quality Assurance and Accreditation Offices.
• Managers and staff working in Institutional Effectiveness and Institutional Research Offices.
• Deans and Heads of Department of Administrative and Academic Support Units in charge of overseeing the quality of programs and services within their Units.
• Representatives from Ministries of Higher Education and External QA agencies involved with Quality Assurance from Higher Education.

Workshop Facilitators