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European Journal of <strong>Educational</strong> Studies 2(2), 2010learning, but there are still criteria for accrediting the institutions’ research. “This is on of the Egyptian problems particularlyin a system that has a lot of students, but with the national Authority for quality assurance and accreditation in highereducation, the situation is different…..we are now speaking about course specification, programme specifications and thedifferent skills required to be gained by graduates like transferable skills, intellectual skills and there is a new terminologythat has been introduced in teaching and learning like e-learning, e-courses, e-library”, expert S said. There is a lot which isgoing on. “The main aim of the NAQAAE is to conform to the national guidelines, and there is a need forinternationalisation…..but with an international organisation, faculties seek to establish criteria that are in the hand ofcountries, particularly developing ones”, expert S added. But the problems with the current operations are that the system ofhigher education in Egypt depends on faculties and not on departments. In Egypt, offering qualified graduates is one of theparameters for obtaining accreditation. Although QAAHE is on the road, a lot still required. The system of QAAHE has beenestablished in cooperation with experience of other countries generally and the UK particularly. This is through selectingcriteria that can go with the Egyptian system of higher education and now the quality assurance authority has a lot of work.The NAQAAE has joint programmes that work together with other national agencies in some different countries, particularlyin the Arab region.Regional LevelEgypt belongs to the Arab region. “The Egyptian quality assurance authority has joint programmes to work together withother national agencies in some different countries”, expert S said. “Quality assurance systems are not static but they aredynamic and capable for change according to circumstances”, expert I said. Like other regions, the Arab region started itown network in 2007 known as the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE). The ANQAHEhas been established in June, 2007 as a non-profit nongovernmental organization. Egypt is a member of this network. Thepurpose to establish the ANQAHE is to create a mechanism between the Arab countries in order to: exchange informationabout quality assurance; construct new quality assurance agencies or organizations; develop standards to establish newquality assurance agencies or support the already present one; disseminate good practice in quality assurance; strengthenliaison between quality assurance bodies in the different countries. The idea of establishing an Arab network was conceivedin July 2004 at a conference in Cairo, Egypt. Many higher education expertises from Arab countries were invited to addressissues of quality assurance in their respective countries. A round table discussion on how quality assurance bodies in the ArabStates might work together took place. The brain storming produced three possible scenarios: The first was to create anetwork; the second to start a non-governmental organisation for QAAHE; and the third was to develop a commission forquality assurance and accreditation for Arab higher education institutions. A final consensus to establish an ANQAHE wasagreed upon in Abu Dhabi in 2005. The president of International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in HigherEducation (INQAAHE) was invited to this meeting to support the initiation of the network. The Outcomes of this meetingwas to develop the first draft of constitution. A third meeting in Cairo, 2006 was organized to agree on the draft constitution,and on the launching the network. Finally the ANQAHE has been launched in Jordan in June, 2007. The Network is workingin association of the INQAAHE and in connection with the Association of Arab Universities.The mission of the ANQAHE is to ensure and strengthen QAAHE in the Arab region and to enhance the cooperation betweensimilar quality assurance bodies or organizations in Arab region and with other regional and international quality assuranceorganizations. The main aims of the ANQAHE are to: support and enhance quality assurance organizations in the Arabregion; develop the human resources and establish a mechanism of cooperation in the field of quality assurance in highereducation in the Arab region; sustain regional and international cooperation in quality assurance in higher education.International LevelThe four key experts were asked about the desirability and feasibility of establishing a UNOIQAAHE. Expert S said that “westarted working with a lot of international organisations to find a system that can enhance higher education in Egypt….Ithink UNESCO is working at this point and they have a lot of work and projects…..an international organisation for qualityassurance and accreditation is acceptable now…..an agency for international quality assurance and accreditation in highereducation is expected to establish its own criteria and entity”. The answer of expert I was that “this is acceptable, but fordealing with the international organisation there is a need for international coordination and all countries are in need toshare this…..I do not mind the idea of establishing a United Nations Organisation for International Quality Assurance andAccreditation in Higher Education……I am supporting the idea for administering and operating quality assurance andaccreditation in higher education across the globe…..there is still a general similarity between all countries…..I see that it isbetter in the early stages to be an agency followed to the UNESCO and when its success is proven, then it can be anorganisation…..the international impression is stronger than the national impression”. Expert A added “there is nointernational accreditation until now…..all types of accreditation are local via national agencies for quality assurance andaccreditation in higher education or via other agencies in other countries…..what is existed now is a network for qualityassurance agencies in higher education represented in the INQAAHE…..there is a common interest and common languagewhich facilitate adopting a specified group of global criteria”. “I thank you for this idea…..I think this is accepted idea…..I56
European Journal of <strong>Educational</strong> Studies 2(2), 2010agree with you…..it is better for the suggested organisation to be followed to the United Nations System rather than to befollowed to any other organisation”, expert M said.However, there some difficulties in that education in every country has it own culture and social circumstances. So what isaccepted in certain country might not be accepted in another country. But there is still a general similarity between allcountries. The international accreditation in scientific sciences may precede the international accreditation in social sciences.This is because social sciences are connected to the cultural limitations of every society. This will require the need toestablish international standards that agree with the national needs and ambitions. Natural sciences have no home, but socialsciences have homes. Every country has its own higher education system. The facilities are different. The finance is different.The number of students is different, but still there are a number of criteria that can be used and applied everywhere. Aninternational organisation for QAAHE is acceptable now. There is the INQAAHE, and there is a difference between anetwork and an organisation. An organisation for IQAAHE is expected to establish its own criteria and entity.IMPLICATIONSThe implications of internationalising QAAHE generally and in the Department of Social Group Work, Faculty of SocialWork in Helwan University in Egypt particularly have positive impacts on the wider academic sector. There are policiestheorising how these implications could be turned into practice. In a number of dimensions, the policy and practice of theseimplications follow.PolicyThe agencies for QAAHE must proceed with specific procedures in order to conduct operation for QAAHE generally and inthe Department of Social Group Work, Faculty of Social Work in Helwan University in Egypt particularly. The followingprocesses illustrate this operation.Site visitSite visit process requires collecting documents by the team of external review on arrival at a HEI. Some of these documentsare: the programme validation; programme handbook; student hand books; a sample of learner support material; staff-studentinteraction records; student assessment criteria and related guide for students; representative samples of students’ assessedwork; sample of programmes; internal reviews of assessed work; examination board proceedings; reports of externalassessors; summaries of student feedback; outcomes of consultations; surveys and other engagements with students; data ofadmission and progression including employment; data of staff including sample publications; examples of outputs fromcommunity involvement; staff development programmes and reports; and professional, statutory and regulatory reports frommeetings with teaching staff and students. Other certain requirements include the need for: scrutinising the sample ofstudents’ assessed work, questions or assignments, marking scheme, marks awarded, and written comments includingfeedback to students; observing a sample of classes; ensuring that the enquiries address the accreditation criteria; ensuringthat there are mechanisms for maintaining and enhancing quality of education offered by institutions; convening the reviewteam regularly (at least once per day) in order to check progress and identify further enquiries; ensuring that each peerreviewer prepare his/her related part of the review for the accreditation process and that the review chair coordinate a reportin order to share information with the team and prepare the first draft of the report.Site visit ends with a feedback meeting chaired by review chair and attended by the head of the institution or his/herrepresentative and other related stakeholders including students. The agenda of this meeting is to include: statements oncentrality of the responsibility of institutions for operating quality assurance and development of systems that include qualityspecifications and systematic reviews and reports; comments on academic standards in educational programmes; quality oflearning opportunities, research and other scholarly activities; community involvement; and how well quality managementand enhancement is to take a root at the institutions. In the site visit, the chair should recognise strengths, weaknesses,opportunities, threats and any other issues identified during the review, with a view to announce any judgements made on anyoperation or step and include the timetable in the written report. Although there may be no discussions on judgements, mainreported issues may be clarified. It is commendable to include in institutional panel student representatives, representativesfrom labour market and significant proportion of panel members from outside the country.57
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