REVERSING THE TREND : LOCAL TLI’S AS PROVIDERS OF CROSS-

BORDER EDUCATION? 

Curtis FloydCurtis Floyd

Director - Registration, Accreditation and Quality Enhancement (Ag.)Director - Registration, Accreditation and Quality Enhancement (Ag.)

Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT)Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) 1

Rationale

To explore the possibility of local Tertiary Level Institutions being providers of cross-border education facilitated by ACTT’s Programme

Approval Process

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Rationale (cont’d)

• Previous emphasis on America, Asia, Europe• Common exporters of cross-border education

identified include America, Britain, India, Africa, Australia

• Role of ACTT in fostering a culture of being a provider rather than just a consumer of cross-border education.

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Approach

• Interactions with institutions – head, staff, students

• Interfacing with documents and reports submitted• Review of literature• Internet research

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Cross-Border Education defined:

The movement of people, programmes, providers, curricula, projects, research and services in tertiary (or higher) education across national jurisdictional borders.

(Kagia and Ischinger, 2007)

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Context

• ACTT established in 2004• Chapter 39:06, Section 8, subsection 2(n) -

“to ensure that the quality of post secondary and tertiary education delivered in Trinidad and Tobago meets the standards set by the Council”

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Context (cont’d)

• Recognised over 600 cross-border programmes• Great economic prospect (GATS under WTO

includes higher education as one of twelve tradable services under Education)

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Recognition defined

Recognition by ACTT is the evaluation and approval of the quality of a foreign institution and its programmes by a recognised quality assurance agency.

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Programme Approval defined

Programme Approval by ACTT is the quality assurance of locally developed programmes by registered post secondary and tertiary institutions ensuring that they are comparable with similar programmes regionally and internationally.

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Programme Approval

Programme approval is examined under six (6) Criteria which were developed in accordance with international best practice.

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Six (6) Criteria for Programme Approval examine:

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Criterion 1

Authorisation from the Governing Body or relevant authority to offer the programme

• Letter of authorisation from relevant authority; • Minutes of meeting of Governing Body showing

authorisation was granted.

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Criterion 2

Consistency of the programme with the mission of the institution

• Mission statement of institution• Mission statement of programme • Programme aims/objectives

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Criterion 3

A system for internal programme approval • Programme approval policies and procedures• Composition of an independent programme

approval committee• Evidence of access to specalised advice• Programme approval committee minutes• Programme review policies and procedures

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Criterion 4

A detailed programme specification• Title of programme• Programme Aims• Learning Outcomes• Teaching Learning Strategies• Assessment methods• Criteria for admission to programme• Support for learning

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Criterion 5

Resources to support the programme• Staff• Budget for the programme which includes

projections for both income and expenditure

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Criterion 6

A market case has been made for the offering of the programme.

• Report on relevant market research• Documented requests for the programme from

stakeholders e.g. students, parents, employers etc.

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Programmes Approved by ACTT

March 28, 2008 - August 31, 2011

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Rationale for introducing programmes

• Compliance• Requirement for Institutional Accreditation• Competitive edge • Pre-requisite for entry or advanced studies• Access to GATE (Government Assistance for

Tuition Expenses)• To enhance student enrolment• Marketability and expansion internationally

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International Best Practice

• UNESCO Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education

• INQAAHE Guidelines for Good Practice (GGP)

• European Standards and Guidelines (ESG)

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Requirements of Cross-Border Providers

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Common Challenges

• Student access• Quality Assurance of Cross-Border Education• New developments in Accreditation• Recognition of qualifications• Brain drain/gain

(Kagia and Ischinger, 2007)

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Anticipated local challenges

• Historical mindset• Resources – human, financial, physical,

technological• International demand for programmes• Provision of incentives by Government• Endorsement by Quality Assurance Bodies

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Recommendations

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Conclusion

“Turn Obstacles

into

Opportunities”

(Thomas E. Pomeranz, Ed. D., 2001)

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Local

“We can make it if we try, just a little harder”

(Black Stalin)

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THANK YOU

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