Educational - Ozean Publications

European Journal of Educational Studies 2(2), 2010METHODOLOGYThe main intellectual methodology underpinning this research is documentary analysis accompanied by four depth semistructured face to face interviews and face to face survey across fifty one experts from higher education sector in Egypt. Thisresearch seeks to establish and assess whether there is a need for framing the map way of QAAHE generally and in theDepartment of Social Group Work, Faculty of Social Work in Helwan University in Egypt particularly towards a new era ofinternational development, operating via establishing a UNOIQAAHE as a multidimensional international organisationwithin the systematic structure of the UN system for governing and operating IQAAHE. In addition to the research interviewsand survey in Egypt, the methodological device framing this research includes systems analysis, policy analysis anddocumentary analysis. A brief description of each follows.System is a collection of subsystems that are interrelated and interdependent, working together to accomplish predeterminedgoals and objectives (Kendall and Kendall, 2002: 901). Systems analysis is the process of gathering information about currentsystem, which may or may not be computerised, identifying its strengths and problems and analysing them to produce aconcept for a refined system (Whitten et al, 1989: 253). Its main strength is the goal of the analysis phase, directed tounderstand requirements for a refined system and developing a system concept that addresses this or decides that a newsystem is not needed. This is achieved by following a basic process of analysis divided into three steps: understanding thesystem, identifying improvements and developing design for the To-Be system (Dennis et al, 2002: 94). It is an appropriatemethodology for this research in that it analyses and tests current systems and practices in the development of QAAHE in theDepartment of Social Group Work, Faculty of Social Work in Helwan University in Egypt, indicating how they behave andoffering to potential design an accepted system for a future development of QAAHE generally and in the Department ofSocial Group Work, Faculty of Social Work in Helwan University in Egypt particularly. Within different dimensions, Ijustify in brief how I use this approach through particular methodological considerations.Policy analysis is the process of assessing and deciding across alternatives based on their usefulness in satisfying one or moregoals or values through following some stages including: problem formulation; selection of criteria; comparison ofalternatives and selection of the policy; consideration of political and organisational constraints; and implementation andevaluation of the programme (Munger, 2000). ). Its main strengths includes: knowing how to gather, organise andcommunicate information in situations where deadlines are strict and access to relevant people is limited; developingstrategies for quickly understanding the nature of policy problems and the range of possible solutions; identifying the likelycosts and benefits of alternative solutions and communicate these assessments to the related organisations; predicting betterand evaluating more confidently the consequences of alternative policies; and understanding better the political andorganisational behaviour in order to predict, and perhaps influence, the feasibility of adoption and successful implantation ofpolicies (Hogwood and Gunn, 1984). It is an appropriate method for this research in order not to replace but to supplementpolitical advocacy and to raise the level of argument among contending interests. The end result, hopefully, would be adebate on how the future development of QAAHE generally and in the Department of Social Group Work, Faculty of SocialWork in Helwan University in Egypt particularly should be constructed in order to assist in addressing and achieving theglobal concerns.Documentary analysis is the careful examination of documents and their content in order to draw conclusions about the socialcircumstances in which the documents are produced and read (Bloor and Wood, 2006: 57-58). Its main techniques include:content analysis in order to describe the characteristics of documents; interpretative analysis in order to explore meaningwithin content; and critical analysis in order to focus on the relationship between documents and aspects of social structures(Ibid). It is an appropriate method for this research in order to examine current theories, policies, practices and settingsjustifying the adequacy of envisioning a future development of QAAHE generally and in the Department of Social GroupWork, Faculty of Social Work in Helwan University in Egypt particularly for addressing and achieving local and globalneeds.DISCUSSIONThe application of internationalising QAAHE generally and in the Department of Social Group Work, Faculty of SocialWork in Helwan University in Egypt particularly requires further enhancement, and a need to assess the process of createestablishing a UNOIQAAHE within the systematic structure of the United Nations system across case studies. The case studyof this research is applied on the Department of Social Group Work, Faculty of Social Work in Helwan University in Egypt.This case study requires a discussion analysis across different levels of development. Current operations in the developmentof QAAHE in Egypt generally and in the Department of Social Group Work, Faculty of Social Work in Helwan University inEgypt witnessed different types of development. The main intellectual frame that underpins investigating current operations51