Educational - Ozean Publications
Educational - Ozean Publications
Educational - Ozean Publications
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European Journal of <strong>Educational</strong> Studies 2(2), 2010departments and all the files required for accreditation are in the unit”, expert S said. “Quality assurance units followtechnically the quality assurance centre but administratively follow the deans of faculties…..quality assurance units aremeant by performing all procedures and requirements related to preparing faculties for obtaining accreditation from thenational authority…..quality assurance centre is the main element in preparing faculties within the university for obtainingaccreditation”, expert A said. While the systematic structure of QAU in Faculty of Social Work in Helwan University inEgypt consists of faculty dean, vice-dean, director of QAU, student representative union of the faculty and representativesfrom departments, the systematic structure of the QAC in Helwan University consists of chancellor, vice-chancellor forteaching and learning, vice-chancellor for research, vice-chancellor for community service, director of QAC, two experts inquality, student representative union of the university, the head of businessmen society in Helwan Governorate, the head ofStaffs’ club and one of the graduates. QAC in Helwan University deals with the Ministry of Higher Education. “The qualityassurance centre is a recognised structure inside the university, the content of its structure is quality assurance units”, expertI added. The most important role of the centre is to assist faculties in Helwan University for obtaining accreditation from theNAQAAE. “The main role of these centres and units is to enhance preparing and assisting higher education institutions forobtaining accreditation from the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Education which wasestablished in 2006…..quality assurance centre in Helwan University deals with the Ministry of Higher Education”, expert Iadded.Through an opportunistic face to face survey with five members of the QAU, it has been indicated that the main aims of QAUare: establishing an internal system for quality; assist preparing the faculty for meeting the accreditation requirements;improving the techniques of academic management via increasing its ability for continuous enhancement; enhancingprogrammes, teaching and learning plans for meeting accreditation requirements; advancing students’ roles in the teachingand learning process for providing graduates with competitive abilities in the labour market; spreading the culture of qualityamong staffs; forming the vision, mission and objectives of the faculty; establishing an enhanced data base for the faculty;training selected staff for operating as trainers in the quality field; and preparing the annual report and self study. The surveyindicated that the main activities of the QAU include: conducting workshops for staff, students and beneficiaries forfamiliarising them with quality requirements; preparing a book in quality and accreditation in higher education; including thestudent’s guide information about quality and distributing it for students of the first academic year for free; includingstudents’ assignments some work about quality, faculty vision, mission and aims; training about 30 per cent of academic stafffor learning skills and knowledge about quality; preparing course and programme specifications in 16 specialisation; andpreparing the annual report on self-study. The face to face survey with five members from the QAC and one semi structuredinterview with a key expert in QAAHE illuminate that the main aims of QAC include: raising the national trust in thegraduates of faculties and institutions; supporting infrastructures of faculties for conducting their self-study; supporting theprocess of QAAHE within the university; support building abilities in the field of QAAHE; and operate applying theacademic standards related to faculties inside the university.The result of these surveys illuminate that there should be a focus on the international dimension within the aims andactivities of QAU and QAC. Another kind of cooperation is required with the international labour market, since the processof preparing the graduates is for labour market in general and not only specifically for the local sectors. It would beapplicable is there was some kind of twining between QAU and QAC with similar structures in other universities both locallyand globally. QAC is a recognised structure inside the university and any decision taken by this centre is to be obligated andmust be taken into account. The content of its structure is about QAUs which follow the centre technically but follow thefaculties administratively. There are periodical meetings for the centre and its executive committee is formed from thedirectors of QAUs. On the ministerial scale, there are periodical meetings for QACs. These are legitimate structures forassuring the quality of higher education in Egypt. However, there is strategy to indicate how these structures are evaluated.QAU deals with the QAC and the most important role of the unit is to assist Faculty of Faculty of Social Work in HelwanUniversity in Egypt for obtaining accreditation from the NAQAAE. Quality assurance units follow technically the qualityassurance centre but administratively follow the deans of the faculties.QAUs are affiliated directly to the dean of the faculty. There is a QAU in each faculty. This unit works with all departmentsand all the files required for accreditation are in this unit. The department has to submit to the unit several things like coursespecifications, programme specifications, plan for development, evaluation system, assessment, student assessment, students’opinion in the professors, the research that is done by the department, the community service that is done by the department.They give all these things to the unit and the unit prepare them in files including student support, admissions and facilities.Programme LevelA face to face survey with five academic staff from the Department of Social Group Work, Faculty of Social Work in HelwanUniversity in Egypt revealed that the main aims of academic programme within the department is to: reach a continuous53