Quality Assurance in Higher Quality Assurance in Higher EducationEducation--AlbaniaAlbania--

Yerevan, 4-5 June 2007Yerevan, 4-5 June 2007

Dhurata BOZODhurata BOZO

DirectorDirector

Accreditation Agency for Higher Accreditation Agency for Higher EducationEducation

Presentation OutlinesPresentation Outlines

• Higher Education Institutions Higher Education Institutions and Programmesand Programmes

• QA and Accreditation QA and Accreditation InstitutionsInstitutions

• Accreditation Agency: statisticsAccreditation Agency: statistics• Relations with HEI and Students Relations with HEI and Students • PerspectivePerspective• Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

A -A - Higher Education System Higher Education System in Albaniain Albania

• Public HEIsPublic HEIs 1313• 3 main HEIs in Tirana3 main HEIs in Tirana• 3 academies3 academies• 1 military HEI1 military HEI• 5 regional HEIs 5 regional HEIs (+1)(+1)• 200 programmes200 programmes

• PrivatePrivate(?)(?) HEIs HEIs 15 (+??)15 (+??)• 13 domestic13 domestic• 2 cross-border&joint2 cross-border&joint• >70 HE programmes>70 HE programmes

A -A - Higher Education Higher Education ProgrammesProgrammes

Programmes in Public HEI-s

51

179

192316

14

16

286 13

UT UPT UBT USH UE UV UK UGJ AA ASEF AP USH

TOTAL 203

B -B - Accreditation System in Accreditation System in AlbaniaAlbania

• Accreditation Agency for HE (AAHE)Accreditation Agency for HE (AAHE)• Evaluation (periodic, analitical, comparative)Evaluation (periodic, analitical, comparative)• Procedure, criteria, requirements, peersProcedure, criteria, requirements, peers• Evaluation resultsEvaluation results• PublicationPublication

• Accreditation Council (AC)Accreditation Council (AC)• Recomendations to GovernmentRecomendations to Government• Decision on procedures, criteria, standardsDecision on procedures, criteria, standards• AppealAppeal

• Council for Higher Education and Science (CHES)Council for Higher Education and Science (CHES)• Recomendations to GovernmentRecomendations to Government• Decision on procedures, criteria, standardsDecision on procedures, criteria, standards• AppealAppeal

• Ministry & GovernmentMinistry & Government• Formal decision (yes, no, conditional)Formal decision (yes, no, conditional)

B -B - Evaluation in HE - Evaluation in HE - ProcedureProcedure

• ApplicationApplication• Approval of request and timeframeApproval of request and timeframe• Self-evaluation (se): se team and se folderSelf-evaluation (se): se team and se folder• External evaluation (ee):ee peers, ee reportExternal evaluation (ee):ee peers, ee report• Training of se and ee teamsTraining of se and ee teams• Foreign expertsForeign experts• Evaluation resultEvaluation result• DecisionDecision• Publication of results (reports) and decisionsPublication of results (reports) and decisions

B- B- Evaluation in HE Evaluation in HE Evaluation TypesEvaluation Types

• Institutional: initial, periodicInstitutional: initial, periodic• Programme: initial, periodic,Programme: initial, periodic,• Mix or intermediateMix or intermediate• Analitical: general policy reasons, Analitical: general policy reasons,

leads also to… leads also to… • Comparative: ranking or customer Comparative: ranking or customer

protection and/or information protection and/or information purposespurposes

B-Evaluation in HEB-Evaluation in HEIInstitutional, Programme Evaluation or nstitutional, Programme Evaluation or

both?both?

• PastPast: : programme evaluation at programme evaluation at department leveldepartment level

• PresentPresent: : shift to intermediate (or mix) shift to intermediate (or mix) evaluationevaluation• Initial: programme levelInitial: programme level• Periodic: institutional less focusing at Periodic: institutional less focusing at

programme levelprogramme level

• Near FutureNear Future: : mainly institutional but mainly institutional but focus on Internal Quality Assurance in focus on Internal Quality Assurance in HEIsHEIs

• FutureFuture: : Quality AuditQuality Audit

C –C – Accreditation Agency Accreditation Agency

• Evaluation: process, procedure, peer Evaluation: process, procedure, peer team, follow up, appeal team, follow up, appeal

• Reporting: periodical, analitical, Reporting: periodical, analitical, comparativecomparative

• PublicationPublication• System-wide analysis; comparative System-wide analysis; comparative

ev.ev.• Collaboration with HEIs for Internal Collaboration with HEIs for Internal

Quality AssuranceQuality Assurance

C –C – AAHE AAHEStatistics: Statistics: evaluations since 2001 evaluations since 2001 (1)(1)

74

129

Evaluations Prog. In Process

TOTAL 203

C –C – AAHE AAHEStatistics: Statistics: HEI evaluated programmes HEI evaluated programmes

(2)(2)

Evaluations / In Process Programmes in HEI-s

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

UT UPT UBT USH UE UV UK UGJ AA ASEF AP USH

Evaluations Programmes In Process

C –C – AAHE AAHE Statistics: Statistics: HEI evaluated HEI evaluated

departments departments (3)(3)

Evaluations / In Process Departments in HEI-s

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

UT UPT UBT USH UE UV UK UGJ AA ASEF AP USH

Evaluations In Process

C –C – AAHE AAHE Statistics: Statistics: evaluations 2001-2007 evaluations 2001-2007 (4)(4)

Evaluations over Years

60

48

11

54

20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 May-07

C –C – AAHE AAHE Statistics: Statistics: experts involvement experts involvement (5)(5)

19+2

03

18+1 18+1

30+626

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Maj2007

External Experts: Domestic Foreign

C –C – AAHE AAHE Statistics: Statistics: budget data 2001-2007 budget data 2001-2007 (6)(6)

Budget Use Capacity

€ 0

€ 20

€ 40

€ 60

€ 80

€ 100

€ 120

€ 140

€ 160

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

000 Euro

Used Planned

C –C – AAHE AAHE Statistics: 2 Statistics: 2ndaryndary fundings fundings (7)(7)

Other Sourses ( TEMPUS - SOROS )

0 €

5,000 €

10,000 €

15,000 €

20,000 €

25,000 €

30,000 €

35,000 €

40,000 €

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 in On WBL

D –D – AAHE AAHE Students InvolvementStudents Involvement

• FactorsFactors ; not active actors ; not active actors• InterviewedInterviewed ; not interviewers ; not interviewers• OccasionalOccasional; not the rule; not the rule• ENQA – SGENQA – SG : New Higher Education Law : New Higher Education Law

• Students rights inside HEIStudents rights inside HEI• Internal Quality Assurance: factors and actorsInternal Quality Assurance: factors and actors• External Quality Assurance: members of peer External Quality Assurance: members of peer

review teams, interviewers and feed back-ersreview teams, interviewers and feed back-ers• Consumers and peers of other HE servicesConsumers and peers of other HE services

D –D – AAHE AAHE Relations with HEIsRelations with HEIs

• Trust, transparence, collaboration Trust, transparence, collaboration and cooperationand cooperation

• Internal Quality Assurance SystemInternal Quality Assurance System• HEI feed back: external evaluation HEI feed back: external evaluation

processprocess Quality Culture (HEI)Quality Culture (HEI) Quality Audit (AAHE)Quality Audit (AAHE)

AAHE NetworkingAAHE Networking

• INQAAHEINQAAHE : : full member 2002full member 2002• CEE NetworkCEE Network : : full member full member

20032003• EAIEEAIE - - individual membership – individual membership –

20042004• ENQAENQA - - intending to apply- intending to apply-

selfevaluation process (below)selfevaluation process (below)

• ECAECA - - cooperation agreement cooperation agreement (CEE – (CEE – Network) - 2006Network) - 2006

E- E- PerspectivePerspective• National LevelNational Level::

• New Higher Education Act – QA ridesignNew Higher Education Act – QA ridesign• More foreign experts and expertise involvementMore foreign experts and expertise involvement• HEIs and Student feed back - institutionalisationHEIs and Student feed back - institutionalisation• QA for QA SystemQA for QA System• A more close collaboration with HEIs for Internal A more close collaboration with HEIs for Internal

QA in HEIsQA in HEIs

• International LevelInternational Level::• ENQA: SG – How AAHE knows its work?ENQA: SG – How AAHE knows its work?• Selfevaluation – ESG (Selfevaluation – ESG (ENQAENQA), GGP (), GGP (INQAAHEINQAAHE), ),

GQPCE (GQPCE (UNESCOUNESCO))• Selfcheck analysis (Selfcheck analysis (see belowsee below))• Self-evaluation reportSelf-evaluation report• External evaluation from ENQA (Register??)External evaluation from ENQA (Register??)

Selfcheck AnalysisSelfcheck Analysis (1)(1)

B. Standards B. Standards for EQA in HEfor EQA in HE

already already fully fully imple-imple-mentedmented

missing elementsmissing elements kind of measures kind of measures planned & planned &

deadlinedeadline

Standard 1Standard 1Use of internal quality Use of internal quality assurance procedures:assurance procedures: External quality assurance External quality assurance procedures should take procedures should take into account the into account the effectiveness of the effectiveness of the internal quality assurance internal quality assurance processes described in Part processes described in Part A above. A above.

Standard 2Standard 2Development of Development of external quality external quality assurance processesassurance processes: : The aims and objectives of The aims and objectives of quality assurance quality assurance processes should be processes should be determined before the determined before the processes themselves are processes themselves are developed, by all those developed, by all those responsible (including responsible (including higher education higher education institutions) and should be institutions) and should be published with a published with a description of the description of the procedures to be used.procedures to be used.

Yes Yes

No xNo x

Yes xYes x

NoNo

Agency looks at this Agency looks at this aspect during the external aspect during the external evaluation but HEIs do not evaluation but HEIs do not have a permanent internal have a permanent internal Quality Assurance system, Quality Assurance system, only fragmentary only fragmentary elementselements

This has been already This has been already done and reviewd in the done and reviewd in the light of the ENQA ESGlight of the ENQA ESG

Establishment of Establishment of Internal Quality Internal Quality Systems in HEIs is Systems in HEIs is provided and the provided and the regulations and regulations and standards are going standards are going to be discussed in to be discussed in collaboration of the collaboration of the agency with HEIs in agency with HEIs in order to harmonize order to harmonize both internal and both internal and external quality external quality processes; the processes; the process has already process has already startedstarted

Planned to review Planned to review in content some of in content some of the procedures for the procedures for establishment of establishment of new Bachelor and new Bachelor and Master Programmes Master Programmes in Bologna viewin Bologna view

Selfcheck AnalysisSelfcheck Analysis (2)(2)

B. Standards B. Standards for EQA in HEfor EQA in HE

implementeimplemented?d?

missing elementsmissing elements kind of kind of measures measures plannedplanned

Standard 4Standard 4Processes fit for Processes fit for purposepurpose: : All external quality All external quality assurance processes assurance processes should be designed should be designed specifically to ensure specifically to ensure their fitness to achieve their fitness to achieve the aims and the aims and objectives set for objectives set for

them.them. . . ……..……..

Standard 8Standard 8System-wide System-wide analysesanalyses: : Quality assurance Quality assurance agencies should agencies should produce from time to produce from time to time summary reports time summary reports describing and describing and analysing the general analysing the general findings of their findings of their reviews, evaluations, reviews, evaluations, assessments etc.assessments etc.

Yes Yes

No No x x

Yes Yes xx

NoNo

We accept and try to We accept and try to implement but the implement but the difficulty lays in the difficulty lays in the experts, cause not all of experts, cause not all of them are able to this them are able to this evaluation approachevaluation approach

Yearly system wide Yearly system wide analyses arre carried analyses arre carried out by AAHE after the out by AAHE after the parallel evaluations and parallel evaluations and also for some also for some predefined indicators in predefined indicators in all HEIs such as staff all HEIs such as staff indicators, student indicators, student indicators, structure indicators, structure and organisational and organisational matters related to matters related to financial effectivityfinancial effectivity

National experts National experts need to be need to be trained by trained by international international experts with experts with experience in experience in the fieldthe field

Overall reports Overall reports for HEIs where for HEIs where the first round the first round of evaluations is of evaluations is over (three until over (three until now)now)

Selfcheck AnalysisSelfcheck Analysis (3)(3)

C. SC. Standards for tandards for external quality external quality assurance agenciesassurance agencies

implementedimplemented??

missing missing elementselements

kind of kind of measures measures plannedplanned

Standard 2Standard 2Official status:Official status:

Agencies should beAgencies should be

formally recognised byformally recognised by

competent publiccompetent public

authorities in theauthorities in the

European HigherEuropean Higher

Education Area asEducation Area as

agencies withagencies with

responsibilities forresponsibilities for

external qualityexternal quality

assurance and shouldassurance and should

have an established legalhave an established legal

basis. They shouldbasis. They should

comply with anycomply with any

requirements of therequirements of the

legislative jurisdictionlegislative jurisdiction

within which they within which they operateoperate

Yes Yes X X

NoNo

Selfcheck AnalysisSelfcheck Analysis (4)(4)

C. SC. Standards for tandards for external quality external quality assurance agenciesassurance agencies

implementedimplemented??

missing missing elementselements

kind of kind of measures measures plannedplanned

Standard 6Standard 6Independence:Independence:

Agencies should be Agencies should be

independent to the independent to the extent extent

both that they have both that they have

autonomous autonomous responsibility responsibility

for their operations for their operations and thatand that

the conclusions and the conclusions and

recommendations recommendations made in made in

their reports cannot their reports cannot be be

influenced by third influenced by third parties such as HEI, parties such as HEI, ministries or ministries or

other stakeholders.other stakeholders.

Yes Yes X X

NoNo In operational, In operational, finnancial and finnancial and practical termspractical terms

More More clarification clarification from ENQAfrom ENQA

F F – – Lessons LearnedLessons Learned• Publicity and follow-up is equally/more impacting as/than Publicity and follow-up is equally/more impacting as/than

accreditation decisionaccreditation decision

• More respect for HEI’ authonomy: more realiable, More respect for HEI’ authonomy: more realiable, collaborative and objective is the evaluation outcomecollaborative and objective is the evaluation outcome

• Less burocracy: more efficiency and effectivity for EQALess burocracy: more efficiency and effectivity for EQA

• More flexibility: more acceptance and reliability for EQAMore flexibility: more acceptance and reliability for EQA

• More institutional: more acceptance and impacting on HEIsMore institutional: more acceptance and impacting on HEIs

• Foreign expertise and peers: crucial for small countriesForeign expertise and peers: crucial for small countries

• Shift gradually to an output approach-students at the focusShift gradually to an output approach-students at the focus

• Student feed-back is not simply an added value: it is as Student feed-back is not simply an added value: it is as valuable as peers findings and more impacting on HEIsvaluable as peers findings and more impacting on HEIs

International Guidelines: ESG International Guidelines: ESG for QA in EHEAfor QA in EHEA

International Guidelines: UNESCO International Guidelines: UNESCO Guidelines for Quality Priovision in Guidelines for Quality Priovision in

Cross- border EducationCross- border Education

Accreditation Agency for Higher Accreditation Agency for Higher EducationEducation

AddressAddress: : Rr. “L. Dukagjini”, Nr.5, Rr. “L. Dukagjini”, Nr.5, Tirana, AlbaniaTirana, AlbaniaTel. & FaxTel. & Fax: : + 355 4 257 954/266 302+ 355 4 257 954/266 302E-mailE-mail: : aaaal@albmail.comaal@albmail.com Web siteWeb site:: www.aaal.edu.alwww.aaal.edu.al

Thank youThank you