1. African Union Perspectives
8th International Conference on Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa Windhoek, Namibia (19 – 23 September 2016)
African Union Perspectives
in Enhancing Quality and Accelerating Harmonisation
Presented by
Dr. Yohannes Woldetensae
Senior Education Expert
African Union Commission 1

2. Preamble Vision of African Union  To build integrated Africa
(demands harmonised education system)
Assembly/AU/Decl.6(XXV)
Committed to establish harmonised mechanism to ensure comparable higher education in Africa
EX.CL/Dec.894(XXVII)
Requested setting-up of mechanisms for harmonisation and quality assurance processes
Continental Education Strategy recognises the importance of harmonisation and quality assurance

3. African Union Strategy for Harmonisation – Major Goals
Bridge the gap between disparate educational systems in Africa
Provide an integrating platform to develop regional harmonization initiatives that cohere into a continental process of harmonization
Advance joint curriculum development and institutional partnerships among African Universities to ensure global competitiveness
Facilitate the recognition of qualifications and promote Intra-Africa academic mobility
Promote the development of harmonised quality assurance mechanisms

4. HARMONISATION QUALITY ASSURANCE
AU Harmonisation and Quality Assurance Initiatives
HARMONISATION
Recognition of Qualifications
Intra-Africa Academic Mobility
Joint Curriculum
TUNING
ADDIS CONVENTION
QUALITY ASSURANCE
AQRM
PAQAF
HAQAA INITIATIVE

5. Addis Convention
“Addis Convention” is the revised and updated version of the 1981 “Arusha Convention”
Addis Convention
REVISED CONVENTION ON THE RECOGNITION OF STUDIES, CERTIFICATES, DIPLOMAS, DEGREES AND OTHER ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN AFRICAN STATES
Addis Convention is currently not operational due to the lack of ten countries having ratified African countries signed, no ratification yet
Informal Working Group is established to start preparing for the formal implementation

6. Addis Convention
AUC is working jointly with UNESCO to facilitate the ratification of Addis Convention
Qualifications issued by an accredited HEI of a Party shall be recognized in the receiving Party
 The process for recognition of qualifications requires QA and accreditation mechanisms
There is need to set up QA agencies & information centers to implement the Addis Convention
Each Party shall ensure that adequate and clear information on its education system is provided

7. Addis Convention Requirements for Implementation
Setting up National Quality Assurance Authority
 To carry out periodic evaluations of higher education institutions and programmes
Setting up a National Information Centre
 To disseminate information on institutions and programmes status of recognition

8. Intra-Africa Academic Mobility
It involves mobility of students and academic staff among selected Networks of African Universities
The academic mobility scheme is managed by EC Executive Agency in collaboration with the AUC
The scheme promotes credit transfer and recognition of degrees between participating HEIs
A new call for Intra-Africa Mobility Scheme is launched with deadline of 15 June 2016
Currently, 72 universities are involved in academic mobility from 34 African countries

9. 72 Universities from 34 countries are implementing academic mobility

10. Tuning/Harmonisation Initiative
Tuning is a methodology to develop curricula by identifying learning outcomes and competences
The Tuning Africa project is implemented jointly by the EC and the AUC
The Tuning initiative involves 105 HEIs from 41 African Countries in eight subject areas
The Tuning approach complements the African Harmonization Strategy  Bottom-up initiative
Tuning creates the basis for developing an African Credit Transfer System (Student workload survey)

11. - PAQAF - Pan African QA and Accreditation Framework
PAQAF  guide implementation of continental QA and accreditation mechanisms
PAQAF was validated by national/regional QA agencies, endorsed by Ministers of Education and adopted by AU Assembly at 2016 January Summit
The development of PAQAF helps to establish harmonized QA practices in the continent
It facilitates the establishment of a Continental Accreditation Agency (AU Exec. Council decision)

12. - PAQAF - Pan African QA and Accreditation Framework
Instruments
Continental Qualifications Framework
Addis Convention
Continental Standards and Guidelines for QA
African Quality Rating Mechanism (AQRM)
African Credit Accumulation and Transfer System
Continental Register for QA agencies and quality assured higher education institutions
Implementing Agency
A Pan-African QA and Accreditation Agency

13. HAQAA Initiative
HAQAA  Harmonisation of African Higher Education, Quality Assurance and Accreditation
The HAQAA initiative aims to support PAQAF in the context of Africa-EU Strategic Partnership, and will be implemented from 2016 – 2019
Implementing Consortium
AAU, EUA, DAAD, ENQA, University of Barcelona
The HAQAA Initiative has an Advisory Board of key African regional stakeholder organisations
The European Commission and the African Union form the key management steering group 

14. THANK YOU Concluding Remarks
The AU Strategy for harmonization incorporates a strong focus on establishing effective quality assurance and accreditation mechanisms
The Africa Union emphasize the importance of coordinate efforts of key stakeholders in implementing the harmonization strategy
 The HAQAA initiative is instrumental to advance the development of a harmonized quality assurance practices in the continent and to advance the implementation of PAQAF
THANK YOU