AUN-QA Assessments, Challenges and Lesson Learnt

1. AUN-QA Assessments, Challenges and Lesson Learnt Dr. TAN Kay Chuan AUN-QA Chief Quality Officer and Lead Assessor Director, Office of Quality Management National University of Singapore

2. Outline • Background • Initiation • Trial implementation & challenges • Tools development • Implementation • Actual quality assessments • Challenges • Special projects • Improvement • Lesson learnt and Challenges

3. Background AUN-QARevised Manual AUN-QAOperating Guidelines AUN-QAAssessments AUN-QAGuidelines Bangkok Accord AUN-QAManual 2006 2007 2004 Present 2000 Initiation Implementation Improvement

4. Bangkok Accord • Appoint Chief Quality Officer (CQOs) • Formulate common AUN-QA policies, criteria and benchmarking procedures • Identify and encourage the implementation of QA good practices • Enhance mutual collaboration and information exchange • Invite and facilitate auditing, assessment and review by other member universities as well as by external bodies • Be responsible for the implementation of this Accord • Seek further and deeper engagement regarding QA in higher education with ASEAN Dialogue Partners

5. AUN-QA Guideline • Guidelines are benchmark standards towards quality and quality assurance • Strengthen the position of higher education in ASEAN • Promote the harmonisation of quality assurance in higher education within and outside ASEAN • Endorsed by AUN Board of Trustees as well as Presidents, Rectors and Vice-Chancellors of AUN member universities

6. AUN-QA Guideline • AUN-QA Criteria • Criteria 1: QA System • Criteria 2: Teaching and Learning • Course Curriculum • Academic Staff • Student Assessment • Learning Process • Environmental Health and Safety Standards • Learning Resources • Criteria 3: Research • Funding and Facilities • Research Output • Criteria 4: Services • Criteria 5: Ethics • Criteria 6: Human Resource Development (HRD)

7. AUN-QA Manual (2006) • Facilitate implementation of AUN-QA Guidelines • Improve clarity and interpretation of quality criteria and standards • Manual for Self-assessment and Auditing • Endorsed by AUN Board of Trustees as well as Presidents, Rectors and Vice-Chancellors of AUN member universities

8. AUN-QA Manual (2006)

9. AUN-QA Revised Manual (2011) • First revision of the AUN-QA Manual • Criteria and assessment process of AUN Actual Quality Assessment at Programme Level • Associated resources (templates and samples) • Effective August 2011

10. Stakeholder Satisfaction A C H I E V E M E N T S Policy Plan Mission Educational Activities Management Goals Research Human Resources Aims Community Service Funding Quality Assurance and (Inter)national Benchmarking AUN-QA Standards – Institutional QA Source: AUN QA Network

11. Internal Quality Assurance Monitoring Instruments Student Progress Pass Rate Drop-out Rate Feedback from the Labour Market and Alumni Research Performance Evaluation Instruments Student Evaluation Course and Curriculum Evaluation Research Evaluation Service Evaluation Special QA Processes Assurance Student Assessments Assurance Quality Staff Quality Assurance Facilities Quality Assurance Student Support Specific QA Instruments SWOT Analysis Inter-Collegial Audits Information System Quality Handbook Follow up AUN-QA Manual – IQA System

12. Stakeholders Satisfaction Programme Content Didactic Concept ProgrammeSpecification Student Programme Organisation Assessment A c h Student Advice & Support Support Staff Quality Student Quality Facilities & Infrastructure i Academic Staff Quality Expected e v Learning e m Quality Outcomes Staff Assurance e Student Evaluation Curriculum Design StakeholdersFeedback Development Teaching/ n Activities Learning t s Graduation Time Drop Out Rates Graduate Profile Employability Pass Rates Quality Assurance and (Inter)national benchmarking AUN-QA Standards – Programme QA

13. Initiation

14. Trial Run • Burapha University, May 2007 • To put into practice the “Manual for the Implementing of the Guidelines” of AUN-QA models for IQA system, institutional level and programme level • Challenges • Clarification of assessment criteria and self-assessment report (SAR) • Key documents and records in local language • Lack of a structured assessment process • Lack of assessment and reporting tools

15. Tool Development • Formalisation of assessment process (PDCA)

16. Tools DevelopmentDesktop Assessment Template • Standardisation of assessment and reporting tools

17. ExampleDesktop assessment

18. Tool DevelopmentAssessment Report Template

19. ExampleAssessment Report

20. Tool DevelopmentAssessment Feedback

21. Tool DevelopmentSAR Diagnosing

22. Requirement of Self-Assessment Report • Part 1: Introduction • Content page • Executive summary • Organisation of the self-assessment • Brief description of the university, faculty and department • Part 2: AUN-QA Criteria Requirements • Write-up on how the university, faculty or department addresses the requirements of the AUN-QA criteria (use checklist as a reference) • Part 3: Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis • Summary of strengths • Summary of Weaknesses • Completed checklist • Improvement plan • Part 4: Appendices • Glossary • Supporting documents and evidences

23. Implementation

24. Actual Assessment (2007 Onwards) 4 Years 7 Universities 13 Assessments 32 Programmes

25. Actual Assessment

26. Actual Assessment

27. Results Overview

28. Challenges in Actual Assessment • Shortage of qualified assessors • Different stages of QA development and maturity within ASEAN • Improving assessment efficiency and effectiveness • Recognition of AUN QA Assessment • Harmonisation of AUN QA framework within and outside ASEAN • Sharing the knowledge gained and best practices

29. Special Projects • Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI-CLMV) Project • ADB-CLM Project (Supported by Asia Development Bank) • ASEAN-QA Project (Collaboration with DAAD, Germany) • Training for Non-member Universities

30. ASEAN-QA: Joint QA Capacity Development in the ASEAN region IQA: University QA Officers Intro IQA Theory SAR Writing Finalizing SAR Sensitization: Delegation of Vice-Presidents Site Visits Intro EQA Theory Peer Training Preparing Site Visits EQA: Staff of QA Agencies

31. Training for Non-member Universities • Sep 2011, 1st Workshop • Apr 2012, 2nd Workshop • Dec 2012, 3rd Workshop More than 50 participants from the ASEAN Region

32. CLM Project • Enhance and strengthen the knowledge on QA system implementation and management particularly based on AUN-QA system, • Build up qualified University QA personnel team in CLM countries, • Establish QA system to leverage the quality of education management in CLM countries, and • Provide countries with options for harmonizing university QA system to ensure applicability across Southeast Asia.

33. Improve

34. Training of New Assessors • 1st AUN New Assessors Training Workshop (2008) • 7 new assessors • 2nd AUN New Assessors Training Workshop (2009) • 12 new assessors • Growing of qualified assessors from 6 to 25 • Development path: junior to senior assessors

35. Revision of AUN-QA Manual for Programme Level Original AUN-QA Model for Programme Level Revised AUN-QA Model for Programme Level 18 criteria, 72 statements 15 criteria, 67 statements

36. Guidelines for AUN Quality Assessment and Assessors Certification Assessment

37. Guidelines for AUN Quality Assessment and Assessors • The establishment of an AUN-QA Council which wil govern and formulate policies for the operation of the AUN-QA Network • Define roles, responsibilities and requirements of the applying university, assessors, observers and staff of AUN Secretariat • Provide a common frame of reference and accountability to the AUN quality assessment process and stakeholders for the purpose of certification

38. Sharing the knowledge gained and best practices via proposed IT platform • SAR Submissions • Assessment Results • Progress Reports • Best Practices & Benchmarking • List of AUN Certified Universities • Links to other QA agencies AUN Secretariat Applicant QA Agency Assessor Public User AUN Member 38

39. Lessons Learnt

40. Lessons Learnt • Trial implementation – validation of QA manual • Formulate tools and assessment process before actual implementation • Start small to gain experience • Training and development of assessors • Review for continuous improvement • Assist CLMV partners within ASEAN to catch-up • Gain credibility before considering QA certification • Reach out to QA organisations within and outside ASEAN • Use of IT to hasten harmonisation and sharing best practices

41. Challenges • Globalisation of education • Rising demand for better quality university education • ASEAN Charter - promote greater mobility of students, faculty members, talent and labour Harmonisation of AUN-QA and national/local quality assurance framework for higher education

42. Quality Assurance in ASEAN • 11 Countries: Different culture, language, political system, economy and HEI system Common commitment to QA Most have QA agencies Different approaches, but many similar criteria All have IQA, but EQA varies

43. Quality Assurance in ASEAN QAA + NQF • Indonesia • Malaysia • Philippines • Thailand As of end 2011 QAA without National Qualification Framework (NQF) • Brunei-Darussalam • Singapore • Cambodia Either No Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) or just being established • Myanmar • Lao PDR • Vietnam • Timor Leste SEAMEO RIHED: Quality Assurance Landscape in Southeast Asia

44. Comparison of Assessment/Accreditation Criteria

45. Harmonisation of AUN QA framework within and outside ASEAN

46. Thank You nus.edu.sg