The document discusses internal quality assurance at higher education institutions. It outlines key lessons learned, including establishing a quality assurance unit that reports directly to senior leadership and has appropriate authority. It emphasizes the importance of commitment from senior leadership and faculty, involving all stakeholders, conducting assessments regularly, critically analyzing results, taking remedial actions, and closing the feedback loop through continuous improvement. It also stresses the importance of documentation, transparency, communication, simplicity, use of technology, and reviewing the quality assurance system itself on an ongoing basis.

1. INTERNAL QUALITY
ASSURANCE:
LESSONS LEARNED
Quality Education & Training:
Sunday, February 13, 2011 1
Towards a Better Future

2. • Exceptionality (Excellence)
Exceeding high standards / passing
required standard
• Consistency: Exhibited through zero
defects
• Fitness for purpose: Product or service
meets the stated purpose
Quality Education & Training:
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3. • Ensure Effective Operation
• Accountability, to external parties (value for
money)
• Control: Achievement of quality with existing
resources
• Competitiveness
• Basis for Continuous Improvement (most used by
HEIs)
• Required for External Evaluation of QAA
Quality Education & Training:
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4. QA is about Fitness for Purpose
Are we doing what we supposed to be doing in an
acceptable way?
Does the HEI function in a way that enables it to
achieve its set goals & objectives?
Mission-driven Operation
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5. • Ensure the utilization of assessment
results in adjusting institutional plans
• Importance of assessing outcomes
against target levels
Quality Education & Training:
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6. Clearly defined Mission, Goals, Objectives, and
KPIs (as appropriate), and defined measurable
learning outcomes for academic programs
Internal Feedback Mechanism : Pervasive, involving
All stakeholders
All programs & Services
All academic units & Admin, academic and student
support units
Quality Education & Training:
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7. Internal Feedback Mechanism : Pervasive,
involving
All stakeholders
All programs & Services
All academic units & Admin, academic and
student support units
Quality Education & Training:
Towards a Better Future

8. External feedback Mechanism:
Means to collect feedback from experts,
employers, and alumni, for future
development & improvement
Quality Education & Training:
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9. Internal Reflection Mechanism:
Means to react to internal & external
recommendations for improvement
Quality Education & Training:
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10. • Evidence-Based:
Documentation of information
Data gathered
Results of analysis
Actions taken
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11. Effective means of data collection, analysis and
storage
Involve: Heads of units
Database Expert
IT experts
Statistician
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12. Develop mechanism for utilizing results
• Formulation of recommendations
• Developing APPROVED Action Plan with
resources, timeline, and individual
responsibilities (involve unit heads)
•
• Monitoring of Progress
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13. • Review the QA SYSTEM ITSELF
• Are we asking the right questions?
to the right stakeholders?
frequent enough?
• Is the QA system easily implementable?
MAKE IT SIMPLE
Quality Education & Training:
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14. To indicate your satisfaction with university services, please mark
the appropriate box in response to each of the items below.
1 2 3 4 5
Service
Very poor Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent
1 Classrooms and laboratories
2 Library
3 Sports facilities
4 Academic advising
5 Food Services
6 Health Services
Quality Education & Training:
Towards a Better Future

15. Please indicate your satisfaction with various library services, by
putting () in the appropriate boxes below
1 2 3 4 5
Service
Very poor Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent
1 Library space
2 IT availability within library
3 Adequacy of books & references
4 Currency of books & references
Adequacy of databases and
5
periodicals
Access to library resources from
6
off-campus
7 Printing & photocopying facilities
8 Help provided by library staff
Quality Education & Training:
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16. Establish QA Unit within Organization Structure
to report directly to the CEO
Develop QA MANUAL , describing:
• What to be evaluated ?
• When?
• By whom?
• How ?
Effective utilization of results (Closing the loop)
Continuous monitoring of progress
Quality Education & Training:
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17. Consider
Inputs,
Process, and
Outcomes
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18. Quality Education & Training:
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19. Area: Inputs
Utilization to Improve
Area Procedure / Tool Time Frame Responsible
Effectiveness
Academic Periodic Self-Assessment and
Annually Vice Chancellors Improve Curriculum and Services
Programs Internal Audits
National Accreditation by The
Academic The Vice
Ministry of Higher Education Five years Improve Curriculum and Services
Programs Chancellors
and Scientific Research, UAE
Curriculum External Evaluation / Report As needed Dean and Chair Develop Curriculum
Program Advisory Board /
Curriculum Annually Dean and Chair Develop Curriculum
Meetings and Reports
Student Evaluation, Instructor At the end of
To Improve Delivery of Material &
Courses Evaluation, Review by Reports every Dean and Chair
Faculty Evaluation
and Forms Semester
Assessment
Library Evaluation Form Annually Service Improvement
Committee
Assessment
IT Services Evaluation Form Annually Service Improvement
Committee
Quality Education & Training:
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20. Area: Process
Utilization to Improve
Area Procedure / Tool Time Frame Responsible
Effectiveness
Advisor
Every For advising & course plan
Students’ Files Evaluation/Advisor Advisor
semester offerings
Report
Student Satisfaction Dean and For Improving Advising
Advising services Annually
/ Survey Chair Services
Assessment
Student Services Evaluation Form Annually Service Improvement
Committee
At the End of
Student Evaluation / Dean and
Instructional delivery every To Improve Delivery of Material
Evaluation Form Chair
Semester
College of Gradate Studies
Research Projects and Chair and
Audit and Evaluation Annually and Research Evaluation,
Units Dean
Faculty Promotion
Assessment
Website Quality Evaluation form Annually Service Improvement
Committee
Quality Education & Training:
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21. Area: Outcomes
Time Utilization to Improve
Area Procedure / Tool Responsibility
Frame Effectiveness
International
Accreditation Chairs and Improve curriculum
Academic Programs Five years
(ABET, AACSB, Deans and services
WFME, etc.)
Graduate
Follow-up CASTO, IR Career advising/
Employment Annually
Survey Unit Career Service Office
Employer satisfaction
Graduate Employer
Revision & Update of
Employment Satisfaction Annually IR Unit
Curriculum
Employer satisfaction Survey
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22. Element Tools of Assess/Evaluation
Analysis of outcome achievement (Institutional Research)
Development of objectives, curriculum, teaching
Employers Survey
Alumni Survey
External Evaluation Reports
& learning tools & methods
Program Advisory Board Consultation
Sem. 8 Student Exit Survey
Sem. 7 Summative Test
Graduation Project
Phase II Sem. 6
Internship
Sem. 5
Formative Test
Sem. 4
Student Portfolio
Phase I Course Evaluation by faculty
Sem. 3
Course Evaluation by Students
Sem. 2 Midterm exam
Quizzes
Semester 1 Project
Report and Essay
Presentation
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23. What Triggered Change
•Faculty dissatisfaction with
the degree of engagement
in policy making
•Complaints about
chairperson selection
Action/Improvement
Analyses & Follow up Faculty Introduce scheme for
Engagement chairperson election by
faculty
Assessment / indicators
•Faculty satisfaction with the process
•Chairperson performance
•Department performance
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24. Keys to Success
Commitment of
 Upper Administration
 Faculty
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25. Keys to Success
Authority
• Ensure having well-staffed QA Unit
• QA unit report directly to CEO,
with appropriate authority
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26. Keys to Success
Trust
Faculty & Staff need to be assured that
assessment is not a Threat to them.
It is rather means of improvement
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27. Keys to Success
Pervasiveness across the institution
Involve ALL relevant Stakeholders in :
 Setting goals, objectives
 development of
Assessment tools
Feedback
 Reflection on results & developing recommendations
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28. Keys to Success
Planning
Based on strategic plan, and its related goals &
objectives (for each program, service, unit):
Develop TIMED-ACTION PLAN with
Target levels & KPIs
Quality Education & Training:
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29. Keys to Success
Technology
Increase use of technology
On-line standardized formats for feedback
Quality Education & Training:
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30. X

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31. Keys to Success
Timing & Frequency
Choose appropriate timing & frequency
For student feedback: make it a condition to
announcement of exam results
Quality Education & Training:
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32. Keys to Success
Transparency
Conduct CRITICAL analysis
Do NOT hide Weaknesses
Present remedial actions taken
Quality Education & Training:
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33. Keys to Success
• Closing the Loop
Making use of the results in
Planning & provision of resources, to ensure
continuous improvement
Leading to
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT
Quality Education & Training:
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34. Keys to Success
Documentation
• Ensure Documentation of Internal
QA Processes
Essential for External Review
Quality Education & Training:
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35. Keys to Success
Continuity
• Continue monitoring as scheduled
• Do not do it just for Accreditation!!
Quality Education & Training:
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36. Keys to Success
• Review the QA System itself
Are we doing it right?
Asking the right questions
to the right people
at the right time
Quality Education & Training:
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37. Commitment
Authority
Pervasiveness
Trust
Communication
Simplicity
Technology
Transparency
Documentation
Continuity
Quality Education & Training:
Towards a Better Future

38. Badr Aboul-Ela – Badr.Aboulela@mohesr.gov.ae
Quality Education & Training:
Towards a Better Future