1. The Role of Quality Assurance (QA) Units in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
Professor Dolina Dowling
Executive Director: Higher Education Review Unit
Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training
Kingdom of Bahrain

2. The Role of QA Units Why do we need Quality Assurance Units Mandate
Models
Challenges facing Quality Assurance (QA) Units
Strategies to overcome challenges

3. Need for QA Units External
QA agencies and their requirements for: Institutional audits
Program reviews
Accreditation at institutional and program levels
Professional body accreditation

4. Need for QA Units Internal
Assisting in preparing for institutional audits/ accreditation
Assisting departments/faculties in preparing for program reviews/ accreditation
Benchmarking – all levels
User surveys
Impact studies
Graduate tracking

5. Need for QA Units Internal contd.
Developing and monitoring implementation of policies and procedures to manage the quality assurance arrangements of the institution
Program development and approvals
Facilitating quinquennial program reviews/ departmental reviews
Staff development

6. Mandate and Structure of QA Units
Decide on what ‘quality’ means for your institution
Fitness of purpose
Depends on institutional type, age, mission
What is the institution’s approach?
Compliance
Improvement
Enhancement

7. Role of QA Units
Decision about role and responsibilities influences structure and resources
Does it influence location?
QA is an institution-wide activity
So what is best location and reporting line?
The President/Vice Chancellor?
Why?
If to VP: Academic: student and administrative support services do not lie in this portfolio. e.g. library, IT, counseling; residences; examinations and certification
If to VP: Administration: core academic functions of teaching and learning, research and community engagement outside this remit

8. Role of QA Units
Staffing and other resources depends on institutional type, size and shape as well as meaning of quality
Institutional types in Oman, some examples:
Publicly funded institutions
National University
Colleges of Technology
Private institutions
Transnational providers/cross border
Range of institutions - different sizes, offer varying numbers of programs at different levels, niche

9. Role of QA Units
Decision on meaning of quality, roles and responsibilities of QA Unit depends on all these factors
There is no one right way
And
No one size fits all

10. Large Institutions: QA Unit Structure
DIRECTOR
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
SUPPORT DIVISION REVIEW CO-ORDINATOR
PROGRAM
ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
STUDENT EVALUATION
CO-ORDINATOR
PART TIME TYPIST
UNIT ADMINISTRATOR
QUALITY MANAGER
ADMINISTRATIVE
EXTERNAL REVIEW

11. Medium Institution: Integration of QA Unit in Academic Activities
Monitors and evaluates policy implementation
Implementation of feedback
Reports on quarterly basis to Academic Board, Council
INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL
SENATE
JOINT COUNCIL AND Academic Board/Senate
Institutional Quality Assurance
Central Academic Planning Committee
Academic Board/Senate Committees
Library Committee
Discretionary Exemption Committee
Enrolment Management Committee
Rules and Regulations Committee
Timetable Committee
Teaching and Learning Committee
Research Committee
FACULTY LEVEL
Faculty Boards
Faculty Planning and Management Committee
Faculty Executive Committee
Subcommittees of FPMC
Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee
Faculty Quality Assurance Committee
Faculty Research and Higher Degrees Committee
Examinations Committees
SCHOOL/DEPARTMENT LEVEL
Heads of Department
Academic Staff
Quality Assurance Unit
Director
Manager
Administrator

12. QA Unit: Small – niche - provider
Head of Institution
Manager: QA
Academic
Administration
QAU reference point between external quality agency , accreditation bodies and academic departments
Supports QA activities in departments
Member of institutional QA Committee

13. Transnational/cross border provider
Vice Chancellor
Deputy Vice Chancellor:
Academic
Pro Vice Chancellor: Quality
International Campus Head
Dean
Director: Quality
Head of School
Pro Vice Chancellor: Quality – overall responsibility for quality across all campuses;
sets policies and procedures; monitors and evaluates through reporting system
Director of Quality – responsible for ensuring consistency of implementation of parent quality assurance arrangements
Heads of Schools consult with Deans in parent institution regarding program delivery

14. Another model President Centre for Planning and
Institutional Development
Strategic and Institutional Planning
Quality Management
Management Information
Integrates QM into planning and ensures that information is basis of decision-making

15. Activity 1 Break into Groups
Decide on your institutional type, size and mission
Develop an understanding of quality for this institution
In light of the above: develop roles and responsibilities of Unit, capacity requirements
All the time bearing in mind external agencies/bodies: audits/accreditation and what this means for your institution in terms of resourcing; e.g. time, capacity