Capacity Building for QA: Capacity Building for QA: The experience of RIACESThe experience of RIACES

Third Global ForumThird Global Forumon International Quality on International Quality

Assurance, Accreditation and the Assurance, Accreditation and the Recognition of Qualifications Recognition of Qualifications

Maria Jose LemaitreMaria Jose LemaitreDar es Salaam, September 2007Dar es Salaam, September 2007

September 2007 MJL 2

RIACESRIACES

• Iberoamerican Network for Quality Assessment Iberoamerican Network for Quality Assessment and Assurance in Higher Educationand Assurance in Higher Education

• Established in Buenos Aires, in 2004Established in Buenos Aires, in 2004• Has 29 members, in eighteen countries in Latin Has 29 members, in eighteen countries in Latin

America, the Spanish speaking Caribbean dn America, the Spanish speaking Caribbean dn SpainSpain

• Its funding comes from fees paid by members Its funding comes from fees paid by members (small) and a grant from the World Bank for (small) and a grant from the World Bank for three years, starting 2006three years, starting 2006

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RIACES

Its goal is to promote cooperation and exchange among iberoamerican countries on issues of assessment and accreditation of quality in higher education, and thus, to

contribute to the quality of higher education in the region

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Member Member countries:countries:

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Countries with QA agencies Countries with QA agencies as RIACES membersas RIACES members

Argentina Argentina 

BrazilBrazil

Chile Chile

Colombia Colombia

Costa RicaCosta Rica

CubaCuba

EcuadorEcuador

SpainSpain

MéxicoMéxico

Paraguay Paraguay

Dominican RepublicDominican Republic

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Priorities for actionPriorities for action

• Support to quality assurance activities in those countries Support to quality assurance activities in those countries with no agency or where QA is in its initial stageswith no agency or where QA is in its initial stages

• Support to existing agenciesSupport to existing agencies• Strengthening of links with international organizations Strengthening of links with international organizations

(IESALC, INQAAHE, OEI, ALCUE) (IESALC, INQAAHE, OEI, ALCUE) • Strengthening of the secretariat in order to provide Strengthening of the secretariat in order to provide

information and act as a clearinghouse for QA issues information and act as a clearinghouse for QA issues (www.riaces.net) (www.riaces.net)

• Strengthening of mutual recognition processesStrengthening of mutual recognition processes• Carrying out studies on subjects identified by the GACarrying out studies on subjects identified by the GA

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Capacity building activitiesCapacity building activities

Training opportunities for the human resources within Training opportunities for the human resources within the external quality assurance agencies:the external quality assurance agencies:• Internships for staff members Internships for staff members • Participation in international meetings and seminars. Participation in international meetings and seminars. • Translation and dissemination of quality assurance Translation and dissemination of quality assurance materials from agencies around the worldmaterials from agencies around the world• Participation in conferences and seminars on QA in Latin Participation in conferences and seminars on QA in Latin America and other regionsAmerica and other regions

September 2007 MJL 8

Capacity building activitiesCapacity building activities

Training of academic and administrative staff within Training of academic and administrative staff within higher education institutions higher education institutions

• organization of meetings and workshops and other organization of meetings and workshops and other projects proposed and developed by the agencies. projects proposed and developed by the agencies.

• funding of projects to develop a self assessment funding of projects to develop a self assessment capacity within higher education institutions, capacity within higher education institutions,

• funding of specific projects, that may involve the funding of specific projects, that may involve the presence of foreign consultants to work with groups presence of foreign consultants to work with groups that are trying to set up a quality assurance agency that are trying to set up a quality assurance agency (Uruguay, Central America, Paraguay and Bolivia).(Uruguay, Central America, Paraguay and Bolivia).

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Capacity building activitiesCapacity building activities

Training of academic and administrative staff within Training of academic and administrative staff within higher education institutions (cont.)higher education institutions (cont.)• Organization of study visits for representatives from Organization of study visits for representatives from higher education institutions to learn about self assessment higher education institutions to learn about self assessment and quality assurance and quality assurance • Organization of seminars or conferences on quality Organization of seminars or conferences on quality assurance related issuesassurance related issues

Training of external reviewersTraining of external reviewers• Participation of potential reviewers as observers in Participation of potential reviewers as observers in external review processesexternal review processes

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Capacity building activitiesCapacity building activities

Main objectives:Main objectives:• To set up quality assurance as a joint effort of To set up quality assurance as a joint effort of

quality assurance agencies, higher education quality assurance agencies, higher education academic and administrative staff and evaluatorsacademic and administrative staff and evaluators

• To invite government officials and other To invite government officials and other stakeholders to join these primary actors in stakeholders to join these primary actors in working towards qualityworking towards quality

• To help develop a regulatory framework both for To help develop a regulatory framework both for national and transnational offeringsnational and transnational offerings