Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher
Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Professor Abdullah Almusallam Secretary General,
NCAAA Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 13-15 November,
2009
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Saudi Arabian Context

• High birth rate, high school retention, strong
  demand for HE.
• Significant economic development, strategies to
  diversify economy.
• Entry to WTO, increased economic competition.
• Policies of Saudizationcreate employment and
  reduce dependence on expatriate labour force.
• These lead to pressure for both expansion and
  high quality in the HE system.

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Saudi Arabian Context Higher Education

• Rapid expansion(8 to 24 universities in 5 years,
  28 private universities and colleges).
• Structural changes(102 Girls colleges, 18
  teachers colleges and 50 health colleges and
  institutes merging into universities).
• Limited and varied experience with QA processes.
• Traditional emphasis on memorization.
• Past emphasis on undergraduate studies. Expansion
  of research and PG programs but will take time to
  produce graduates. (Major scholarship program)
• Shortages of experienced and qualified faculty.
• Expatriate teaching staff from many places-(gives
  experience but differing background in QA).

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Despite these Challenges

• Strong government support for improvements
• in quality.
• Support for quality improvement by leaders
• in institutions (Both presidents and key
  staff)
• Willingness to learn from others.
• New system and structural changes create
• the opportunity for a purpose designed
• strategy for this environment.

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Challenge and Opportunity

• Newness of the system of QA and Accreditation and
  lack of experiences creates a major challenge.
  However it also creates a great opportunity to
  draw on the best ideas and adapt them to
  particular culture and environment of Saudi
  Arabia.
• Fundamental objective is to consistently achieve
  high international standards.

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National Commission for Academic Accreditation
Assessment

• Independent body responsible to the
• Council of HE
• Accreditation of all post-secondary
• Education except Military (public and
• private, higher and vocational education)
• Board of Directors drawn from government,
• institutions, and industry

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Functions of NCAAA

• Establishing standards
• Accrediting programs
• Accrediting institutions
• (Provisional) approval and accreditation of new
  institutions and programs
• Planning, training and support for Q improvement
• Linking and coordination with regional and
  international agencies (NCAAA is a member of
  INQAAHE)

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Principles Underlying the System for
Accreditation and QA in the KSA

• Responsibility rests with institutions (Not
  departments, not government)
• Quality relates to ALL functions.
• Continuing improvement, not minimum standard
• Supportive relationships (internal, external)
• Evaluations based on evidence.
• Diversity encouraged.
• Learning outcome standards consistent for all.
• Involvement of stakeholders.
• Effective leadership essential.
• Systems designed for KSA

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Concepts of Quality

• An INQAAHE survey of 75 QA Agencies published
  in 2003 reported on criteria for quality used by
  these agencies.
• A large majority referred to generally accepted
  standards of good practice
• A substantially smaller number referred to
  fitness for purpose

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Concepts of Quality

• There are variations, but
• Specified standards are most often used in
  systems where QA is based on accreditation.
• Fitness for purpose is most often used in systems
  where
• diversity is a major objective and
• external reviews are conducted primarily to
• verify the conclusions of internal processes
• rather than to assess in relation to standards.

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In Saudi Arabia

• We have defined quality as involving three
  elements
• Consistency with generally accepted standards of
  good practice
• Fitness for purposethe extent to which mission,
  goals and objectives are achieved.
• Fitness of purposethe appropriateness of the
  mission, goals and objectives for the communities
  it is established to serve.

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General Strategies

• Staged development over a five year period.
• Approach to QA drawn from international
  experience, but system designed specifically for
  the KSA.
• Greater detail in documents setting out
  procedures and requirements because of
  inexperience and involvement of people from many
  systems.
• Common requirements but diversity in detailed
  procedures.
• Emphasis on self evaluation verified by
  independent review.

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General Strategies

• No compromise in demands for quality (programs
  and institutions and the QA system itself). but
• Training provided.
• Time allowed for development.
• Standards relate to all activities, but special
  emphasis given to learning and teaching, and
  verified standards of learning outcomes.

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Stages of Development

• Three overlapping stages
• Stage one Development of procedures,
• standards and materials.
• Raising awareness,
• developing materials, procedures and basic
  documents.

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Stages of Development (Contd.)

• Stage two Transition to the new
• system
• Training and preparation,
• preparing supporting materials,
• pilot studies and developmental reviews.

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Stages of Development (Contd.)

• Stage three Full Implementation
• Eligibility assessment,
• Self studies,
• External review and re-accreditation on a five
  year cycle,
• Periodic reviews of the system of QA and
  Accreditation

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Basic Materials1. Handbook

• Part 1. Standards and Processes for QA and
• Accreditation
• Describes Principles underlying the approach
  taken by the commission
• Summarizes The Standards that will be applied in
  QA and Accreditation Judgments
• Outlines the Stages involved in the Approval of
  Institutions and Accreditation of Programs
• Explains a number of terms used in the process.

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Basic Materials1. Handbook

• Part 2. Internal QA Arrangements
• - Focuses on internal QA processes
• - Provides advice on
• establishment of Q centers
• processes of planning, evaluation and internal
  reporting on
• educational programs
• self study and improvement of institutional
  activities.
• - Includes Templates for use in preparing
• reports.

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Basic Materials1. Handbook

• Part 3. External processes provides details of
• what is required in preparation
  for and
• conduct of external reviews. These
• may relate to
• applications for approval and accreditation
• of a new institution
• the accreditation and re-accreditation of
• programs
• the periodic external reviews of institution on
• a five year cycle.

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National Qualifications Framework describes
learning standards expected for each
qualification level.

• Five broad areas or domains of learning have
• been identified
• knowledge, the ability to recall, understand,
• and present
  information, including
• knowledge of specific facts,
• knowledge of concepts, principles and theories,
  and
• knowledge of procedures.

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domains of learning (Contd.)

• cognitive skills, the ability to
• apply conceptual understanding of concepts,
  principles, theories and
• apply procedures involved in critical thinking
  and creative problem solving, both when asked to
  do so, and when faced with unanticipated new
  situations.

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domains of learning (Contd.)

• interpersonal skills and responsibility,
  including the ability to
• - take responsibility for their own learning
  and
• continuing professional development,
• - work effectively in groups and exercise
• leadership when appropriate,
• - act responsibly in personal and professional
• relationships,
• - act ethically and consistently with high moral
• standards in personal and public forums

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domains of learning (Contd.)

• communication, information technology and
  numerical skills, including the ability to
• communicate effectively in oral and written form,
  
• use information and communications technology,
  and
• use basic mathematical and statistical
  techniques.
• Psychomotor skills applies only in some fields
  of study (a surgeon, an artist, a dentist, or a
  musician)

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Basic Materials (Contd.)

• Standards for Institutions (11 areas)
• Companion document provides self
• evaluation scales
• Standards for Programs (11 Areas)
• Companion document provides self
• evaluation scales

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Standards Institutions
Programs

• Mission and Objectives
• Governance and Administration
• Management of QA and Improvement
• Learning and Teaching
• Student Administration and Support Services
• Learning Resources
• Facilities and Equipment
• Financial Planning and Management
• Employment Processes
• Research
• Relationships With the Community

• Mission and Objectives
• Program Administration
• Management of Program QA
• Learning and Teaching
• Student Administration and Support Services
• Learning Resources
• Facilities and Equipment
• Financial Planning and Management
• Employment Processes
• Research
• Relationships With the Community

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Standards for Institutions and Programs

• The same eleven areas are used for institutional
  and program evaluation, but applied to either an
  institution as a whole or to a specific program.
• Everything that affects a program is considered
  in a program evaluation, regardless of whether
  function is provided by a department of college,
  or by the central administration.

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Issues Faced

• Dealing with the diversity of the system.
• Large number of institutions
• Large and small institutions
• Public and private
• Responsibility in different ministries
• Different sectors with different requirements
  academic, professional and technical.
• Conventional and new delivery systems
• Requires flexible approach, and standards and
  procedures relevant to different institutions and
  programs

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• Introduction of quality systems at a time of
  rapid growth
• Will place heavy demands on a relatively small
  number of
• - Individuals
• - Institutions
• - Government agencies
• To provide leadership and support.

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• Recruitment of International Reviewers
• In the early stages we will rely on international
  reviewers. We want to demonstrate international
  equivalence to the highest standards.
• However these people have
• limited availability.
• They are also expensive which will be an
  increasing problem as the system expands,
• In any case we want to rely increasingly on our
  own people. We need to balance the mix as local
  experience is gained but maintain sufficient
  external participation to make sure
  internationally recognized high standards are
  maintained.

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• Development of commitment to a wider range of
  outcomes, and skills in using new teaching
  strategies.
• The need to change from spoon feeding to creative
  thinking and problem solving, and
• The development of personal attributes of
  personal and group responsibility, leadership,
  and other expectations.
• It is expected that there will be resistance from
  many faculty who are not convinced of the need
  for these changes, or who lack the skills in
  different forms of teaching.
• Training in teaching strategies will be necessary
  and a lot of attention will need to be given in
  institutions to management of change strategies.

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• Responding to changing technology and educational
  delivery systems.
• These developments are occurring throughout the
  world, and SA will be in a similar position to
  others
• These changes create both challenges and
  opportunities.
• We must be open to constructive change, but
• make sure that good practice is preserved and
  that standards of learning outcomes are
  maintained.

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• Increasing requirements for defining and
  verifying learning outcome standards.
• The system must be consistent with world wide
  trends to emphasize standards of learning
  outcomes and to verify achievement
• Saudi Arabias recent entry to the World Trade
  Organization will create important opportunities,
  but require high levels of skill in the
  workforce.
• There must be confidence in these skills in the
  country, and internationally.

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• Increasing demands on institutions.
• There will be a lot of work involved.
• the use of independent external evaluations may
  also cause negative reactions, particularly if
  judgments are critical.
• This means that processes must be
• no more expensive or demanding than necessary,
• flexible to reflect each institutions own
  objectives,
• and recognized by institutions as providing real
  value to hem.
• The relationship between the Commission and the
  institutions must be one of cooperation and
  support, with the shared objective of improving
  quality.

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• Achieving acceptance and credibility for a local
  system for QA and accreditation.
• It may take some time for a new local system for
  accreditation and QA to be recognized as giving
  widely recognized international credibility for
  quality judgments.
• This will require considerable effort to ensure
  that processes are rigorous and transparent,
  widely publicized, and that there are no
  compromises in the judgments made.

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• Professional accreditation of programs.
• Requirements for programs in professional and
  technical fields are often separately developed
  by professional associations. In SA these
  separate professional registration requirements
  exist to a very limited extent.
• This may be a short term problem. But it creates
  an opportunity to combine academic and
  professional judgments about quality in a way
  that has proved difficult to achieve in a number
  of other countries.

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Issues Faced (Contd.)

• QA for the Commission itself.
• As a QA agency, the Commission should model the
  QA processes it believes are necessary in the
  educational institutions with which it deals.
• The Commission
• has prepared a good practice statement to guide
  its own activities.
• has adopted QA processes comparable to those it
  is requiring of institutions.
• will subject itself to independent quality review
  by international accrediting agencies.

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Achieving High International Standards

• The major objective of the QS is to support the
  institutions to achieve and to be seen to have
  achieved standards that are at least equivalent
  to high international standards. This applies to
  all their areas of activity, but the most
  important element is the quality of learning
  outcomes achieved by students.
• We want global standards in all aspects of HE,
  but the main consideration is student learning
  outcomes. (Possibly the most difficult to
  demonstrate)

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Achieving International Standards

• Mechanisms used to support global standards and
  verify achievement
• Detailed descriptions of generally accepted
  standards of good practice combined with
  comprehensive self evaluations and external
  verification.
• Requiring evaluations based on evidence,
  including local and international benchmarks.
• Using of experienced international quality
  reviewers able to give advice and make reliable
  comparative judgments.
• Developing a qualifications framework specifying
  generic standards and process for verifying
  consistency with the framework.
• Requiring processes to verify standards of
  student achievement.
• Professional field requirements are being
  developed that are consistent with international
  requirements but integrated with the academic QA
  requirements defined by the NCAAA..

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Thankyou