WRITING A GOOD FUNDING PROPOSAL

WRITING A GOOD FUNDING PROPOSAL

“Quality assurance for technical education in Jordan / Engineering Education ” Project Title: Funded By European Training Foundation - Tempus department

Project consortium: Jordan Ministry of Higher Education & Jordan University of Science & Technology (JUST) Sweden - KTH Swedish National Agency for Higher Education Italy University di Torino

A good news We have been informed by Ministry of Higher Education that a good opportunity exists for funding a worthwhile and well addressed proposals from TEMPUS Good Idea + Good Plan Good Proposal =

There are two vital facts to bear in mind before starting proposal writing : • First: • The proposal should be written for the benefit of MHE &JUST as well as for the funding body “TEMPUS” . • So we have to be concern about the development of meaningful cooperative relationships between European Commission and Jordan

Second: • The selection committee members have to read hundreds of proposals seeking support, so we have short time to grab our reader's attention. • Therefore, a well-formulated problem should be addressed

CHOOSING A TOPIC: • What we want to do first? Choosing a topic that is interesting to Faculty of Engineering but also of more general interest to all partners is a key part of the overall assignment We decided to choose a case for support which helps us in conducting our mission efficiently.

The Main Mission of Faculty of Engineering is: • To implement a suitable strategy which enable the achievement of the following Objectives: • Curriculumdevelopment • Continuous improvement ofteaching and learningperformance . • Better experiential learning environments which to be provided bylaboratories and workshops • Using an effectiveassessmentmethods to determine thequalityof the learning process.

What do we need ? We need a framework for ensuring the quality of teaching and learningand to establish a suitable system for accreditation of programs and courses in our faculty. This is a professional development and team type project

Is it necessary to apply for the project? NO Let’s ask ourselves : • The paperwork is killing • Running a large project is very complex • Writing a proposal is expensive • We never know if we will get the money

Why we want to do it? Because YES A great emphasis, has been shown recently, by Ministry of Higher Education on : • program evaluation, • curricula monitoring, • quality assurance • accreditation This is due to the continuous increase in the number of local universities, private institutions and enrollment

Is it an important problem whose solution will have a useful effects? YES NO Find out the problem, objectives and methods The higher education system at Jordan has been adopted to meet the local and regional needs and at the same time , to assure that the education system will be a major national asset, a source of national security and the emerging characteristic that shifts Jordan to the status of adeveloped countries

Quality assurance of teaching, program evaluation, staff appraisal and assessment in the Jordanian universities is conducted internally. It is limited to: • Student evaluation of the course at the end of each semester 2- Evaluation reports prepared by the Head of the departments & the Dean when the staff applied for promotion. **1 These are not sufficient to evaluate the staff, academic and teaching performance

**2 still, most of the staff in public Universities believe that, there is so far no need for accreditation to their programs,because, public universities have been steered for a long time centrally by the MHE which has a big say in the recognition of Higher Education programs and the degrees to be delivered. The majority have agreed upon that, there is a need for better internal quality assessment; but**3only a few believe in external quality assessment and accreditation.

However, international developments can not be neglected. we see an emphasis on accreditation due tothe global establishment of many private institutions for higher education , students exchanges and students mobility. In the near future it might be not possible to look at quality in a national framework only. **4 An international dimension may be need not only to validate national standards but also for assessment and accreditation.

Specific objective: To develop a framework for ensuring quality of higher education and establishing a system for accreditation of programs and courses in technical universities at Jordan

A proposal could be written to address a well formulated problem Can we lunch the program without external help? YES, we can solve the problem faster and with less cost NO, due to the lack of Financial resources Qualifiedstaff

Lack of financial resources How much we can offer? estimated total cost + - Needed budget ? Staff costs Travel & stay costs Equipment Other costs

Lack of qualified staff Knowledge is needed Experience is needed Totally Partially Trainingprograms

We have a Case for Support, the project is definitely needed and should be funded so we can start writing the proposal Training abroad Training programs Training locally

The most basic composition of a proposal is simple , it needs: 1- A beginning (the introduction) 2- A middle ( the body of the material to be presented) 3- An end ( the conclusion and recommendation) • The INTRODUCTION summarizes : • The problems we intended to solve • The solutions to that problems and benefits to be • received from the solutions • The cost of that solutions

The body explains : • The details of the solution. • What method will be used. • The required material, personal and equipment. • When the work will begin and when the job will be • completed. • The detailed cost for the entire job.

Size of Engineering Education System - Engineers employment records for the year 2002 [6] (Population =100%): • Total number of Jordanian engineers 50632 • Rate of engineers to HE persons 10.33% • Rate of Engineers to population 0.95% • Rate of employed engineers to population 0.85% • Rate of unemployed engineers to population 0.1% • Rate of unemployed to employed Engineers 11.8% • Rate of Engineers to persons employed in industry 8.75%

Output/Outcomes: • The project will be implemented as a structural measure pilot project in 1-year period. Following outcomes will be produced: • The report on the experience on introduction of quality control and accreditation for courses and programs in European countries is prepared and made available for all interested parties in Jordan • The system for quality control is developed and applied for 5 selected pilot courses from the newly introduced study programs in JUST • International conference “Quality control and accreditation of higher education” is organised in Jordan • Recommendation for implementing quality control and accreditation at university level is developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Jordan • The practical seminar “Introduction of quality control and accreditation for technical

Activities Visit of Swedish and Spanish partners to Jordan for kick-off meeting. The meeting will include following activities: • Appointing project coordinators in Jordan, Sweden and Italy • Acquaintance with current situation with quality assurance and accreditation in higher education in Jordan • Meeting at the Ministry of Education of Jordan with persons working with quality assurance and accreditation of higher technical education • Forming the project team in Jordan for the project implementation

Study visit to Sweden and Italy for getting necessary information concerning implementation of quality assurance, accreditation and standardization of higher education at university and institutional level. • Preparing the report concerning experience of EU partners in quality assurance and accreditation of technical programs and courses • Organising international conference “Quality control and accreditation of higher technical education” in Jordan • Developing recommendations on implementation of quality assurance and accreditation of higher technical education in Jordan • Performing pilot application of developed quality control and accreditation system for 5 selected courses from new programs, developed in the framework of Tempus projects • Organising the practical seminar “Introduction of quality control and accreditation for technical disciplines in Jordan universities” • Coordination and management activities • Coordination meetings of the appointed project coordinators • Assigning responsible persons for all project activities • Producing activity reports within 2-weeks after finishing the activity • Preparing progress reports and the final project report and submitting them to Tempus • Day-by-day coordination and management using e-mail and phone.

The CONCLUSION should emphasize : The benefits that the reader will realize from the solution . • Funding this project will help in implementing a suitable strategy which enable Jordan Universities to achieve the following themes: • curriculum reform to ensure that students have opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and adaptation to new situations • 2. - improved teaching and learning necessary for deep understanding of technical information and self learning skills. • 3 - - experiential learning environments provided by laboratories and workshops • 4. - effective assessment methods to determine quality and improve the learning process.

THANK YOU..

WRITING A GOOD FUNDING PROPOSAL