1. OAC Audit Experience sharing Colleges of Applied Sciences-Ibri Balaji.S.K. Swaminathan QA-Coordinator-CAS-Ibri & Dr. Mahmood Al Sheikh Dean CAS-Ibri

2. The Logistics and Coordination – Pre-Audit CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/20092

3. The Path We Walked - Pre-Audit Submission of the Portfolio in January 2009 First Planning Visit Scheduled by OAC in April 2009 Audit Visit – Scheduled by OAC for End of April 2009 Actual Visit of the Panel – May 2009 CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/20093

4. Setting up of the office for Coordination and Logistics Appointment of the contact person from CAS-Ibri First Communication on the planning for the Audit CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/20094

5. First Communication from OAC Contact Person Planning Visit Date of Visit: Sunday 29 April 2009 Agenda Matters for Clarification Clarifications from CAS Ibri about statements in the Portfolio Additional Supplementary Materials The list of Additional Supplementary Materials requested by the Panel CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/20095

6. First Communication from OAC Contact Person Draft of the Audit Visit Program Public Submissions Logistics & Inspection of Premises Venues inspected for suitability including the Audit Panel’s room The room in which the interviews and panel review sessions will be held The lunch venue,where the lunchtime interviews will be held CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/20096

7. Main Issues Supporting materials Requirements of the OAC Premises Inspection and decision on the location Choices Shown A Meeting Room A Classroom A modified dining hall Support by CAS-Ibri Display of the Supporting material Convenience of the panel for the premises arrangement – main focus – the lunch meetings venue for the panel CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/20097

8. Subsequent Communication Additional Supporting material requested by OAC contact person to be forwarded to the International panel members Additional panel members list circulated in case of any objections by the CAS List of representatives to meet the panel circulated by the OAC All issues closely supervised by the Dean, Chair of the steering committee CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/20098

9. Logistics and Coordination- The three days of Audit CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/20099

10. Day 0 Meeting with the Officials in the Ministry of Higher Education – HE. Undersecretary, Chair of the Academic Council, The DG of the CAS (3 Panel Members) OAC had organized Teleconference to representatives from NZTEC Afternoon – Panel only meeting at CAS Ibri CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200910

11. Day 1 Meeting with the Dean (45 Minutes) Meeting with the Managers Assistant. Dean LRC Head Head of Student Affairs Chair of College Council Heads of Departments Students list As in the tables mentioned CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200911

12. Day 1 Academic Teaching Staff: 2 full-time staff each from International Business Administration, Communication Studies, Information Technology, and Design depts. 2 subject coordinators 2 staff involved with academic advising 2 subject coordinators 2 staff involved with academic advising Staff from Student Support services CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200912

13. Day 2 Academic Support and Academic Staff Foundation Program Directors Student Registration/Administration/Public Relations CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200913

14. Day 2 Graduates/ Community Leaders/ Employees Table A: Two CAS graduates who have subsequently enrolled in or completed graduate programs elsewhere, Two graduates working in local schools, One graduate taken part in programs organized in community e.g. with SQU Table B: Leaders of Guides and Scouts Organisations, Representative of Directorate of Health re Blood Donors, Representative from Ibri Hospital-Blood Bank (Arabic Speaker Only) Representative Ibri Health Committee, Ministry of Interior, Representatives Omani Consultative Council Table C: Prominent members of the Ibri community 1, e.g. School Principals, Cleric, Representatives of Dhahirah Directorate of Education A representative from Directorate of Education – Al Dhahira (Arabic Speaker Only) A representative from the Social Development Department – Ibri (Arabic Speaker Only) A representative from Health Department – Ibri (Arabic Speaker Only) CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200914

15. Day 2 Table D: Five local industries potential employers of 2010 graduates Majan Electricity Company Oman Telecommunication Company Bank of Muscat Dhofar Bank Oman International Bank Table E: Prominent members of the Ibri community 2. A representative from the Royal Police of Oman-Ibri A representative from Civil Defense Department – Ibri Owner and Manager of Al Kalbani Real Estates A member of Oman Council – Ibri (Sheikh Sultan Bin Rashid) Hamad Al Rebei – AlYarmouk Company CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200915

16. Day 2 Chair research committee Three members of research committee from different programs Three staff who have undertaken research activities in last year Academic Staff Library : Librarian Assistant librarian Computing Services: Person in charge of computing labs Computer lab technicians Multimedia lab head Help desk personnel CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200916

17. Day 2 The preliminary feedback meeting with selected members of the college No note-taking was allowed For each of the 8/9 areas of the portfolio feedback was given with respect to The commendations The affirmations The recommendations Optional Callback interview was not exercised by the panel on the third day CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200917

18. The Logistics and Co-ordination CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200918

19. Importance of transparency The culture of teamwork To inculcate loyalty Freedom of expression and thought as a tool for higher quality standards Community outreach CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200919

20. Dissemination of Quality Culture Good planning based on history and analysis Academic and non-academic requirements Importance of Communication from ground-up Will be careful to avoid the clichéd “Quality Guys” CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200920

21. On the Training Program Orient the CAS representatives to meet the panel members well in advance Give them enough time to be prepared for the audit in addition to the orientation for the general audit Align interests of active members as well as representatives of all groups when orienting CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200921

22. Phasing of the Training Programs Never crowd too many training in the same week Segment the groups to be trained separately For Arabic speakers For English speakers Academics in Specializations According to the level of involvement in the process CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200922

23. On the Mock Audit Conduct the Mock Audit on time with an external consultant well-in advance Align the Mock Audit after the HEI is prepared with all the supporting material Make sure the Mock Audit is in the same line as the OAC Audit along the lines of Structure Seriousness to the activity From the Administrations'’ point of view From the participants’ point of view Have sufficient number of training programs that are in a phased manner CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200923

24. An Exclusive place for the QA Sessions As in the best practices around the world, there was an exclusive place for the Quality Circle in the CAS that evolved at a later stage Forums for idea sharing would be well coordinated were attended by member representatives who progressively became inactive members CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200924

25. What we were inspired by! OQN Conference Oct 2008 Keynote Address By Jan Botha University of Stellenbosch CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200925

26. What we could achieve @ Quality Assurance Dept. CAS -Ibri CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200926

27. CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200927

28. The top of the mind student problem gets reflected to the panel – may be it is not a deeper problem Difficulty to persuade the students to become active participants in the process Perceived “wet paint syndrome” that kept our hands cold! – “Can we justify this enough?- What if we are asked for more supporting materials?” CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200928

29. Too much to do in too little time Everybody understands the importance but how much to do by when? Started ambitiously and at one point felt like- “Oh lets get it out of our system!” CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200929

30. CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200930

31. On a continuous basis do assessment of the active members and bring in more people We would start early- now that we know the process The trainers will train – the QA-oriented staff will carry the torch forward We will walk with our eyes more open!! On the logistics front we were happy with the support given to the panel! We shall continue the role of supporting the panel in doing their work!!! CAS-Ibri - Logistics & Co-ordination issues11/10/200931