International cooperation in recognition and quality assurance

What can be learned from higher education ?

By Michaela Martin

Structure of this presentation

Global trends in higher education New forms of mobility Quality assurance as a global

movement International cooperation in QA Bologna process as model for

regional cooperation

1.Global trends in higher education

Increasing student numbers Diversification of higher education

provision Privatisation Growing levels of international

mobility Of students Of programmes Of institutions

Growth of tertiary students worldwide since 1991

Mobility of students 1975 to 2004

Source: UNESCO, 2006

Privatization

Public provision does not meet demand Asia : some countries more than 80 % of

enrolments in private sector Africa : private provision is expanding

rapidly Private higher education market ($300

billion world wide on current expenditure alone (IFC)

Growth of cross-border higher education

New forms of mobility (1)

Programme mobility Joint study programmes Franchized programmes Double degree Articulation Validation

New forms of mobility (2)

Institutional Branch campuses Independent institutions Acquisition/mergers Affiliation/networks Virtual university

The consequence is :

more complex and diversified higher education systems

loss of control of public authorities over parts of the HE system

more potential for academic fraudcredential evaluation more complexincreasing need for international

collaboration in recognition and quality assurance

Within this context ….

Some 70 countries worldwide have put in place external quality assurance mechanisms

They respond to domestic concerns needs while trying to establish international comparability

Major concern also with strengthening internal quality assurance mechanisms

EQA covers different realities

Quality audit Quality assessment Accreditation Concepts are loosely used by

agencies in realityAccreditation is becoming the most

common mechanism of EQA

Justification for accreditation

Maintain required standards Guarantee qualifications awarded Mechanism for quality

enhancement Readability of higher education

provision Portability of credentials (nat/int)

Convergence of accreditation process

Basic process elements Self-study Site visit/peer review Reportingthorough, however time-consuming

and costly process

Areas for assessment

Integrity and mission Governance and management Human resources Learning resources and infrastructure Financial management Student profile and support services Curricular aspects Teaching-learning and evaluation Research, consultancy and extension Internal Quality assurance system

Explaining convergence

Basic model for accreditation process stems from the US experience

Importance of international and regional networks

International co-operation and aid

International collaboration in quality assurance

As part of its work in recognition, UNESCO has established Global Forum on QA in 2003

INQAAHE Regional networks : ENQA, RIACES,

APQN, CANTATE, AfriQua, etc Exchange of experience Codes of good practices for QA process Capacity development (GIQAC)

Ex : European region

Context : European Integration within the European Union

Bologna process : creation of a European HE space by 2015

Common qualifications structure ECTS system

Facilitate student mobility Based on student workload and LOs 60 credits per year equivalent to 1500 to 1800

hours

Ex European region

Diploma supplement Standardized description of nature, level,

context content and status of a study programme

Including information on qualification holder, qualification, national higher education system

Quality assurance : one of the pillars of cooperation

ENQA : Guidelines for QA Creation of a register of quality assurance

agencies

Ex : Africa

Africa is following the Bologna process WAEMU and CAEMC (CEMAC) adopted directives

to adopt bachelors-master’s-PhD structure SADECC region has decided to establish a

regional qualifications framework African Union intends the creation of an African

higher education space through harmonization of qualification structure

Strengthening of quality assurance systems (AfriQua)

Vision : creation of an African Qualifications Framework

Conclusions

Increased levels of student mobility push the need for strengthened mechanisms of recognition of HE credentials

Cross-border higher education creates strong pressure for the development of national QA systems

Regional integration processes provide a political framework for co-operation on QA and recognition

UNESCO plays an important role at the global level