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course materials and lectures in the form of audio cassettes, video recordings, CDs and DVDs.
Beside this usually Open or Distant or Virtual universities have regional and local study centers
to provide tutorials, counselling, guidance and evaluation facilities. These ODE programs
provide an excellent opportunity to every person to acquire higher education without leaving
home or workplace with greater equity and possibly with higher quality.
5.1.2.8 Quality assurance
Efficient use of resources and productivity of the education depends upon quality assurance and
other factors as well. Quality assurance in higher education is instrumental in the development of
human capital in many ways; enables to compete at global level, promotes equity and increases
accessibility, that ultimately lead to the construction of equitable knowledge societies (Bubtana,
2005). Quality and relevance in education at all levels is very important. Provision of education
without ensuring quality and relevance is a waste of time, resources and energies that lead to a
mismatch between the outputs of higher education and socio-economic needs particularly of
labor markets. This mismatch leads to graduate unemployment, low level of competitiveness and
low contribution of higher education in the development (Haddad, 2005). UNESCO being a
leading organization in education is well aware of the importance of quality in education at all
levels. So it is helping member countries in quality assurance process in higher education by
assisting in policy reforms and developing their capacities. To achieve these goals UNESCO has
launched Global Initiative for Quality Assurance Capacity (GIQAC) program.
5.1.2.8.1 Global Initiative for Quality Assurance Capacity
UNESCO and the World Bank launched a joint program “Global Initiative for Quality Assurance
Capacity (GIQAC)”in 2007. GIQAC aims to build on UNESCO‟s work through the Global
Forum on International Quality Assurance, Accreditation and the Recognition of Qualifications
and the UNESCO/OECD Guidelines for Quality Provision in Cross-border Higher Education
(UNESCO, 2010) . The major objectives of GIQAC are:
To support development and evolution of quality assurance in higher education
To facilitate and support participation in regional and sub-regional Networks
To assist emerging quality assurance systems