quality assurance – the international challenge(s) uk naric annual conference 2 november 2009
TRANSCRIPT
Quality Assurance – The International Challenge(s)
UK NARIC Annual Conference
2 November 2009
International – why bother?
• 196,640 ‘offshore’ students• 112 UK HEIs operating overseas• 351,470 international students
studying in the UK• Protecting the UK ‘brand’
From www.dayinscience.unsw.edu.au/
International challenge? More like challenges!
• Supporting international students in the UK
• Meeting the global market challenge
• Addressing the provision of UK HE delivered abroad (TNE)
Supporting international students in the UK
The challenges:
• Wide variety of expectations and needs
• Use of international agents
• International recruitment practice
• English language support
From www.bathstudent.com/volunteer/holiday/
What is QAA doing to address these challenges?
• Student engagement activity
• International Collaboration Team
• Thematic enquiries into concerns about academic quality and standards in higher education in England
• Section 10 of the Code of Practice
Meeting the global market challenge
The challenges:• Increased competition from overseas• Lack of comparability of quality
assurance methods, processes and outcomes
• Supporting the recognition of UK HE qualifications
• Avoiding the perception of over commercialisation
From www.oecd.org/investment/GFI-7
What is QAA doing
about this?• Working closely with quality assurance
agencies in other countries• Member of the European Association of
Quality Assurance Agencies (ENQA)• Benchmarking of standards• Advising Ministers and providing support• Highlighting the need for caution with regards
to international student fees
Assuring the provision of UK HE delivered abroad (TNE)
The challenges:
• Meeting the rising demand• Great expectations…• Addressing complex and challenging
regulatory frameworksFrom ralphlosey.wordpress.com/2007/12/
Leuven Communiqué, para 17
“TNE should be governed by the European Standards and Guidelines for quality assurance as applicable within the European Higher Education Area
and be in line with the UNESCO/OECD Guidelines for Quality Provision in
Cross-Border Education”.
From www.ond.vlaanderen.be/.../bologna/conference/
What is QAA doing, or planning to do, about it?
• Fostering understanding of the UK approach to quality assurance
• Developing MoUs with
international agencies• Time to replace overseas
audit?• Developing a strategy for the quality assurance of
transnational education (TNE)• Review of Section 2 of the Code of Practice
Final reflections…
• Good quality assurance is key to overcoming the international challenges
• UK HE is an excellent offer, but we must not be complacent
• Let’s work together
