GENERAL INFORMATION
TAM title: Accreditation Process in Higher Education Institutions
Type of Event: National workshop
Modality: Hybrid
Location : École Polytechnique d'Architecture et d'Urbanisme, Algiers
Country: Algeria
Dates: 11 – 12 December 2023
Participants: 111 participants in total — 84 on-site and 27 online.
THEMES COVERED
- Internationalization
- Study program accreditation
- European Qualifications Framework
- European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG)
- National accreditation agency
- Engineering study program accreditation.
KEY OUTCOMES
During the workshop, participants:
- Deepened their understanding of the necessity to establish a National Quality Assurance Agency;
- Discussed the importance of developing international partnerships for joint and double degree programmes;
Highlighted the need to enhance the quality of education and to consider the Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Engineering Study Programmes (EUR-ACE).
OVERVIEW
The workshop was organized into several thematic sessions combining presentations and interactive discussions. The format proved effective, allowing participants to engage actively, ask questions, and exchange feedback both during sessions and informal moments such as coffee breaks.
Participants demonstrated a solid understanding of the topics and expressed particular interest in the internationalisation of higher education institutions, the development of joint and double degree programmes, and the creation of a national quality assurance agency. They also shared positive experiences from previous collaborations and international activities, confirming their awareness of the importance of improving educational quality through international cooperation and the adoption of recognised standards such as EUR-ACE.
THE FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY
Title of the activity: Three follow-up meetings to the TAM “Accreditation Process in Higher Education Institutions”
Dates: 8, 10, and 11 January 2024
Audience: 47 participants
Description: Three follow-up meetings were held within the regional conferences in Constantine, Oran, and Algiers (8–11 January 2024) to present the outcomes and recommendations of the December TAM workshop on implementing accreditation processes in higher education institutions. The sessions gathered vice-rectors, directors, and QA officers from regional HEIs. Participants showed strong interest in initiating programme accreditation, with several projects planned for 2024. The national HERE team and NEO will support upcoming seminars and next steps, including identifying pilot HEIs and programmes, developing national accreditation guidelines, and providing technical assistance for engineering programme accreditation.
ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEPS
Recommendations for the higher education reforms in Algeria:
- Creation of a database of experts in the field of quality: Experts, evaluators as well as all managers to be trained either within the framework of international projects (Tempus, Erasmus+, AUF ...., others) or by CIAQUES
- Carry out benchmarking by speciality on:
- quality assurance;
- indicators/norms and international standards for the accreditation of courses or institutions in higher education
- Quality management, choice of the ABET /CTI model, ...
- Strive to improve the National Qualifications Framework to align with the EQF and Dublin descriptors.
- Create a necessary national legislative basis for joint and dual degree programmes.
- Consider the creation of a working group to establish a national accreditation body and adapt the national legislation necessary for such a body. Among the missions entrusted with:
‐ Ensure the provision of the necessary financial resources.
‐ Gain international experience in setting up a national accreditation agency.
‐ Increase awareness of this issue among higher education institutions.
RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL
- INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING ALLIANCE, Graduate Attributes & Professional Competencies – Version 2021.1, [online], Washington DC : International Engineering Alliance, June 2021, available at: https://www.ieagreements.org/assets/Uploads/IEA-Graduate-Attributes-and-Professional-Competencies-2021.1-Sept-2021.pdf
- European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), Homepage, [online], Brussels : EQAR, available at: https://www.eqar.eu/
- European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), ESG — Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, [online], Brussels: ENQA, 2015, available at: https://www.enqa.eu/esg-standards-and-guidelines-for-quality-assurance-in-the-european-higher-education-area/
- ENGINEERS EUROPE, A European Approach to Micro-credentials (Brochure), [online], Brussels: Engineers Europe, January 2022, available at: https://www.engineerseurope.com/sites/default/files/Microcredentials_brochure_2201.pdf
- European University Association (EUA), Homepage, [online], Brussels : EUA, available at: https://eua.eu/
- European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), Homepage, [online], Brussels: ENQA, available at: https://www.enqa.eu/
- European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), Homepage, [online], Brussels : EQAR, available at https://www.eqar.eu/
- Quality Agency for Higher Education (AIKA), Homepage, [online], Rīga: AIKA, available at: https://www.aika.lv/en/
- European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE), EUR-ACE® Framework Standards and Guidelines – Edition approved 4 November 2021, [online], Brussels : ENAEE, 2021, available at: https://www.enaee.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/EAFSG-approved-4-Nov-2021.pdf
- Quality Agency for Higher Education (AIKA), Brochure, [online], Rīga: AIKA, May 2019, available at: https://www.aika.lv/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/AIKA_brochure.pdf
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