A NEW WAY OF EVALUATING OVERSEAS PROVIDERS Rawazik-Carroll-Fox-Harvey

Agenda A.The Dubai Higher Education Sector - About Dubai - Higher Education Landscape (Providers, Students, Programs) - Free Zones B.Knowledge and Human Development Authority - Role of KDHA - Role of KHDA Higher Education C.Universities Quality Assurance International Board - Role of UQAIB - UQAIB Membership Criteria - UQAIB Members D.Equivalency Validation Model E.Conclusions, Questions and Answers

Agenda A.The Dubai Higher Education Sector - About Dubai - Higher Education Landscape (Providers, Students, Programs) - Free Zones B.Knowledge and Human Development Authority - Role of KDHA - Role of KHDA Higher Education C.Universities Quality Assurance International Board - Role of UQAIB - UQAIB Membership Criteria - UQAIB Members D.Equivalency Validation Model E.Conclusions, Questions and Answers A.The Dubai Higher Education Sector - About Dubai - Higher Education Landscape (Providers, Students, Programs) - Free Zones

About Dubai  His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.  The UAE consists of 7 Emirates which were united on 2nd of December  Dubai is the business capital of the UAE.  Dubai has the second largest population with 1.6 million people.  90% are expatriates from all over the world. Only 10% are local Emirati.  82% of population aged between 15 and 49 years old.

Higher Education Landscape: Providers 58 Higher Education Providers in Dubai International providers from 12 different countries, including UK, US, Australia, France, Lebanon Some of these institutions include: Middlesex University London Business School Heriot Watt University CASS Business School Rochester Institute of Technology Michigan State University

Higher Education Landscape: Students Approximately 38,500 students in Dubai Almost 40% of students Emiratis Multicultural student population: Over 60 different nationalities Dubai Free Zones enroll 44% of students Large number of international students

Over 400 Higher Education Programs Need a wider range of disciplines 75% of program offerings in Business, Engineering & IT Higher Education Landscape: Programs

Established to provide Dubai with targeted communities designed to facilitate international investment, economic growth and the provision of international higher education. Two free zones have been specifically designated for higher education. Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) and Knowledge Village (DKV):  DAC and DKV are designed to facilitate provision of international higher education (commensurate with the Dubai’s strategic positioning as a regional hub; and to meet the higher education needs of a large expatriate community).  This is achieved by licensing branch operations of reputable foreign higher education providers. Free Zones

Agenda A.The Dubai Higher Education Sector - About Dubai - Higher Education Landscape (Providers, Students, Programs) - Free Zones B.Knowledge and Human Development Authority - Role of KDHA - Role of KHDA Higher Education C.Universities Quality Assurance International Board - Role of UQAIB - UQAIB Membership Criteria - UQAIB Members D.Equivalency Validation Model E.Conclusions, Questions and Answers B.Knowledge and Human Development Authority - Role of KDHA - Role of KHDA Higher Education

KHDA is a Dubai Government Authority established to ensure that the Emirate has the human capital to meet its economic and social needs. KHDA role is to: Develop strategic plans, policies, laws and regulations to improve learning and human development. Set Dubai’s education standards in collaboration with Federal Ministries. Oversee and facilitate the implementation of learning and human development policies. Ensure the human capital necessary to achieve Dubai Strategic Plan Ensure graduates have the expertise required to meet Dubai’s workforce needs. The Role of KHDA

Plan and promote the delivery of high quality tertiary education accessible to all national, regional and international students in Dubai. Plan the strategic development of career and technical education to meet the needs of students, employers and the community. Administer scholarships for qualified students into quality local and international higher education institutions. Administer and make recommendations based on QA for the licensing of higher education institutions setting up branch campuses. Provide strong leadership and strategic advice to all levels of government and industry on higher education. The Role of KHDA Higher Education

Agenda A.The Dubai Higher Education Sector - About Dubai - Higher Education Landscape (Providers, Students, Programs) - Free Zones B.Knowledge and Human Development Authority - Role of KDHA - Role of KHDA Higher Education C.Universities Quality Assurance International Board - Role of UQAIB - UQAIB Membership Criteria - UQAIB Members D.Equivalency Validation Model E.Conclusions, Questions and Answers C.Universities Quality Assurance International Board - Role of UQAIB - UQAIB Membership Criteria - UQAIB Members

 UQAIB established in  Purpose is to provide KHDA with reputable, independent and international input and guidance on the quality of branch higher education providers and their programs.  Does this through the “Equivalency Validation” model (discussed later).  Jurisdiction is limited to the Free Zones.  Membership of UQAIB designed to reflect the international strategic focus of Dubai. Universities Quality Assurance International Board

UQAIB: Membership Criteria Members were selected by invitation from KHDA having regard for, at least, the following criteria:  significant cross-border higher education experience from a university perspective;  significant cross-border higher education experience from an external quality assurance agency perspective;  significant cross-border higher education experience from a governmental perspective;  global representation, particularly from countries exporting higher education to Dubai or generally;  professional body experience;  non-higher education postsecondary experience;  KHDA representation;  Other appropriate skills, e.g. higher education data, literature etc.

UQAIB: Members  Dr Warren Fox (Chairperson) Executive Director, Higher Education, KHDA  Professor Roger Field Chairman, Committee for University Academic Programs, New Zealand  Dr Rick Voorhees Past President, Association for Institutional Research, USA  Dr Ralph Wolff President & Executive Director, Western Association of Schools & Colleges, USA  Prasad Krishna Professor of Mechanical Engineering at NIT Calicut, India  Professor Mala Singh Former Executive Director, Higher Education Quality Council, South Africa  Professor Lee Harvey Executive Editor, Quality in Higher Education  Professor Stephen Parker Vice-Chancellor, University of Canberra, Australia  Professor Ahmed Al Eisa Board member of the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment, KSA  Peter Cheung Secretary General, Federation for Continuing Education in Tertiary Institutions, Hong Kong  Martin Carroll Consulting Director, Oman Accreditation Council

Agenda A.The Dubai Higher Education Sector - About Dubai - Higher Education Landscape (Providers, Students, Programs) - Free Zones B.Knowledge and Human Development Authority - Role of KDHA - Role of KHDA Higher Education C.Universities Quality Assurance International Board - Role of UQAIB - UQAIB Membership Criteria - UQAIB Members D.Equivalency Validation Model E.Conclusions, Questions and Answers D.Equivalency Validation Model

A HEP Branch generally has the following characteristics:  It is wholly or partially-owned by the foreign HEP Home, although it may have other investors.  It is recognized by the HEP Home by way of a formal resolution of the most senior governing body as being a Branch of that HEP Home.  It uses the same name as the foreign HEP and the same brand or a clearly related sub-brand.  It offers degree programs awarded by the HEP Home.  The students are students of the HEP Home; the HEP Home accepts full responsibility for their enrolment and guarantees full recognition of all academic credit earned. In practice, Branch HEP models often vary considerably. What is a Branch HEP?

 Each Branch HEP is required to obtain an annual Academic License from KHDA Licensing Bureau.  As part of the Licensure process, UQAIB reviews all de novo and renewal academic licensing applications.  The objective of UQAIB’s review is to validate that the HEP Branch provides a learning context equivalent to that at the HEP Home; and that the programs achieve equivalent learning outcomes to that at the HEP Home.  UQAIB does not accredit: it relies on the international accreditation bodies of the home campus. Equivalency Validation – Branch HEP

Equivalency Validation Factors Equivalency Validation Model considers the quality of higher education provision at branch campuses on three factors: 1.The higher education institution must be appropriately approved in a manner recognized by the government of its home country. 2.The standards applied in such approvals for the home campus must be in line with international best practices and eligible to meet Dubai’s minimum standards. 3.There must be evidence of equivalency whereby the programs offered at the HEP Branch are of the same nomenclature and comparable academic standards as those offered at the home campus. Where the HEP Branch is unable to provide satisfactory information in this regard, UQAIB may commission its own standards-based audit.

 Each Diploma or Degree program provided by a Branch HEP must be registered annually by UQAIB.  Program validation is usually done concomitantly with HEP Branch validation, but may be done separately (to provide opportunity for two separate starting points per year).  Program validation is based on the same principles as HEP Branch validation.  Includes collection of key statistics to assist KHDA with capacity analyses for strategic planning purposes.  Programs that have been developed anew for Dubai (and which, therefore, do not exist at the HEP Home) may need to be accredited by CAA. Equivalency Validation – Programs

Agenda A.The Dubai Higher Education Sector - About Dubai - Higher Education Landscape (Providers, Students, Programs) - Free Zones B.Knowledge and Human Development Authority - Role of KDHA - Role of KHDA Higher Education C.Universities Quality Assurance International Board - Role of UQAIB - UQAIB Membership Criteria - UQAIB Members D.Equivalency Validation Model E.Conclusions, Questions and Answers

 The UQAIB Equivalency Validation model is strategically designed to ensure that Dubai is capable of providing genuine international higher education (rather than internationally sourced higher education that is then modified to local standards).  UQAIB places a high level of reliance on the existing QA provisions of foreign EQAAs, but where that is not available, has alternative quality assurance provisions. Summary