Transcript QUALITY ASSURANCE AND RECOGNITION IN HIGHER …

ASEM CONFERENCE
“QUALITY ASSURANCE AND RECOGNITION IN HIGHER
EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS”
CONCLUSIONS
Dr Despina Martidou Forcier
Chief Education Officer
Department of Higher and Tertiary Education,
Ministry of Education and Culture, Cyprus
6 - 7 December 2010
Mediterranean Beach Hotel
Limassol, Cyprus
ASEM CONFERENCE
CONCLUSIONS
I. QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HE IN ASEM COUNTRIES
• Quality assurance is vital for making HE attractive and trustworthy
• At national level, many countries in Europe have established quality
assurance agencies based on the European Standards and
Guidelines on Quality Assurance
• The European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR), which was set up
in 2008, is the major new body in the European context for the
accreditation of QA Agencies
• In Asian countries also QA bodies have been created, such as the
Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN) and the ASEAN University
Network (AUN)
• HEIs both in Europe and Asia have established internal QA
mechanisms, but they still need to develop further a quality culture
6-7 December 2010
Quality Assurance and Recognition in
Higher Education: Challenges and Prospects
Limassol, Cyprus
ASEM CONFERENCE
CONCLUSIONS
I. QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HE IN ASEM COUNTRIES
• EQAR is open to agencies operating both in the European
Higher Education Area and worldwide who can
demonstrate their compliance with the European
Standards and Guidelines
• Promotion of the development of ASEM Quality Assurance
Networks in order to ensure high quality education provision
from Higher Education Institutions both in Europe and in Asia
• Establishment of mutual framework in which Asia and Europe
which will follow the same standards and guidelines on
quality assurance issues
6-7 December 2010
Quality Assurance and Recognition in
Higher Education: Challenges and Prospects
Limassol, Cyprus
ASEM CONFERENCE
CONCLUSIONS
II. RECOGNITION IN HE IN ASEM COUNTRIES
• Globalization, and increased academic and professional
mobility are making mutual recognition and cross-border QA
increasingly important
• In Europe, recognition councils/agencies follow the principles
of the Lisbon Recognition Convention placing emphasis on
learning outcomes in the description of qualifications
• In Asia also recognition bodies are establishing: SEAMEO
RIHED and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) have
been coordinating to establish the ASEAN Quality Assurance
Network (AQAN) from early 2008
6-7 December 2010
Quality Assurance and Recognition in
Higher Education: Challenges and Prospects
Limassol, Cyprus
ASEM CONFERENCE
CONCLUSIONS
II. RECOGNITION IN HE IN ASEM COUNTRIES
• Establishment of joint recognition strategies
between ASEM countries will
• Enhance cooperation between HEIs in Asia and
Europe
• promote mobility of students, academics, and
researchers which will lead to the augmentation
of a multicultural dialogue, and the exchange of
experiences and good practices between the two
regions
6-7 December 2010
Quality Assurance and Recognition in
Higher Education: Challenges and Prospects
Limassol, Cyprus
ASEM CONFERENCE
CONCLUSIONS
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND RECOGNITION IN ASEM COUNTRIES
Recommentations – Steps forward
• Experts from QA and recognition Agencies from Asia and
should meet and set certain common standards and
guidelines to be followed by both regions
• Raise awareness of the common standards and guidelines e.g.
organize a Conference with the involvement of all relevant
stakeholders
• Exchange good practices
• Establish networks of QA and Recognition Agencies of both
regions
6-7 December 2010
Quality Assurance and Recognition in
Higher Education: Challenges and Prospects
Limassol, Cyprus
ASEM CONFERENCE
CONCLUSIONS
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND RECOGNITION IN ASEM COUNTRIES
Recommentations – Steps forward
• Plan for training seminars of HEIs official in Asia
• Promote collaborations between HEIs in ASEM countries
• The ASEM Education Secretariat is asked to coordinate
these activities and to convey the results and
recommendations of the Limassol Conference to the
SOM and the Ministerial Meeting in Copenhagen.
6-7 December 2010
Quality Assurance and Recognition in
Higher Education: Challenges and Prospects
Limassol, Cyprus