Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Assurance€¦ · Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Assurance The case of Central America Presenters • Etty Arjona, CEDUSMA EAC

Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Assurance

The case of

Central America

Presenters

• Etty Arjona, CEDUSMAEAC Advising Center,

Panama• Dale Gough, AACRAO

AACRAO National Conference

Boston, March 2, 2007

CSUCA

CCA

Joint Ministerial Sorbonne Declaration25 may 1998

France - Italy - United Kingdom - Germany

Call upon universities of member states and other European nations to join together

Objective:1. Create the European Higher Education Area2. Consolidate Europe’s position in the world

through a continuously improved and actualized education.

2 Main requirements for this process

1. Implement the European Higher Education Space

2. Reform the HE structures in Europe

19 June 1999

29 Ministers of EducationSign a reply to the

Sorbonne Declarationpledging to develop

The European Higher Education Spaceby 2010

What is the Bologna Declaration?

Governments

Universities

MultinationalOrganizations

• Agreements• Treaties

• Agreements• Funds• Reports• Studies

• Declarations• Recomendations• Information

Heads of StateMinisters of Education

The Bologna Methodology

Importance of Lisbon Convention

1997

Must be ratified by all Bologna Process countries

Recogntion of degrees and titles

ENIC y NARIC networks promote its imprlementation

After 2005 all graduates receive

Diploma supplement

Diploma supplement written in a widely-used European language

Council of Europe: Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning HE in the European

Region

Lisbon Convention:Recognition and Equivalence Of Degrees and Titles - 1997

Asia Pacific Europe

AfricaUnited Arab Emirates

Latin America and the Caribbean

Mediterranean

Joint Heads of State DeclarationLisbon, march, 2000

Objective and strategy to make Europe, by 2010:

1. The most competitive and dynamic economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.

2. European education and its training system to constitute the world’s reference for quality. (Barcelona, marzo de 2002)

European - Ibero American Higher Education Area

• 25 August 2000:Florianopolis (Brazil) Declaration

• 3 November 2000:First EULAC Conference

• 16 - 17 November 2000:The Torino Plan

Florianopolis Declaration - 2000

1. Convergent re-structuring to improve intercontinental compatibility

2. Curricular renovation to promote coherent curricular and credentialling framework

3. Within and between region increase in attractiveness and competitiveness

4. Increase and diversity institutional and thematic networks and cooperation linkages

5. academic mobility between Europe and Ibero America6. Need to Improve mechanisms for accrediation and

evaluation of quality assurance at institutional, national, regional and international levels.

Torino: 16-17 Nov. 2000university representatives urge

governments to

1. Stimulate change and innovation

2. Allow universities to take action

3. Facilitate independent accreditation and evaluation of quality

4. Invest in development of networks and mobility

5. Review visa issuing policies

6. Use, in both continents, the experience of universities committed with the process

The Torino Action PlanEuro-Iberoamerican University Cooperation

2000 - 2010

5 Priority Areas 1. Restructuring of HE systems

2. Curricular reform

3. Accreditation and Quality assurance

4. Increase mobility between Europe, Ibero America and Caribbean

5. More attractive and competitive

General Characteristics of Central American Higher Education

• Ministries of Education control higher education

• Senior state university controls ‘accreditation’

• Difference between authorization and accreditation

• New institutions require AUTHORIZATION from controlling entities

In Central America

ACCREDITATION means institution has

complied with requirements for operation

Traditionally, ACCREDITATION is NOT

a certification of quality.

Stats on Central American Higher Education

Central America:• countries 7• population: 38.7 million

• Higher education• Number of universities

• Costa Rica: 56• Nicaragua: 42• El Salvador: 26• Panama: 35 (85+)• Honduras: 10• Guatemala: 10

• Total: 181 - 231 universities (public = 16) (private = 165 - 215


• Student population 667. 194 (1999)375,155 (57% public)289,039 (45% private)

• study programs 2,257 undergraduate programs• 837 postgraduate• 1445 offered in public universities (47%)• 1649 in private universities (53%)


Population access to higher education

• Costa Rica 34.5%

• El Salvador 17.8 %

• Guatemala 10.1 %

• Honduras 11.6 %

• Nicaragua 11.9 %

• Panama 25.0 %

First Central American Universities Congress, El Salvador, 1948

Created the Central American University Confederation

Mission:1. University autonomy2. Unify scientific, humanistic mission of higher education3. Education as a means to build democracies4. Creation of regional university bodies

Creation of the Central American Council for Higher

Education Accreditation

Consejo Centroamericano de Acreditación

Academic - stateuniversities

Multisector andregional

representation

CCA

7 NationRepresentation

Belice

Guatemala

El Salvador

Honduras

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

Panamá

Representación Sectorial

Academic-privateuniversities

Governmental(Ministries of

Education)

Profesional bodies

Studentsrepresentation

CCA CCA CreationCreation ProcessProcessPro-tempore

Committee Meetings

Fora

Mechanisms forcreating CCA

León, Nicaragua (Octubre, 2001)

Sn. José, Costa Rica (Mayo, 2002)

Guatemala (Octubre, 2002)

Panamá (Noviembre, 2003)

CCA CCA CreationCreation TimelineTimeline

August, 2003

October, 2003

November, 2003

CCA memberselected

Induction andTraining for

CCA members

FoundingCharter signedand Swearingin of Members

(IV Forum)

FirstWorkshop

withAccrediting

Agencies

StudentRepresentative

selected

CCA: CCA: structurestructure

Technical Committee

Ad-hoc Committees

CCA

Central American Forum on Accreditation

Coordinationand Oversight

Board

Executive Board

External AuditTechnical Secretariat

Technical Unit Administrative Unit

Central Central AmericanAmerican Forum Forum forfor thetheAccreditationAccreditation ofof HigherHigher EducationEducation

• CCA’s consulting body.

• Regional forum for exchange of experiences, debate and discussion on issues pertaining to quality andpertinence of Higher Education.

• Participants: signatary parties (sectors) of the CCA agreement, accreditation agencies and employers ofuniversity graduates.

CoordinationCoordination andand OversightOversight BoardBoard

• Provide support needed.

• Liaison between CCA and the 4 sectors represented.

• Ensure implementation of Founding Agreement.

• Bylaw revisions.

• Review budget.

• Review incorporation of new representatives.

• 2 representatives from each sector.

Stag

e1

Legal framework

Develop technicalframework

Technical documentation

Support for creation ofaccrediting bodies

Conferences and training about CCA

Liaison with otherbodies

INQAAHE RIACES

COPAES CECC

SICA CSUCA

UCR

Linkage with FundingInstitutions

DAAD

CSUCA

Recognition as THE regional body

CCA Foundation created

Documents and Steps for Permission to Operate1. Power of attorney granted to a lawyer2. Petition addressed to Minister of Education3. 2 copies of petition4. Incorporation papers (optional)5. Copy of incorporation registry from Public Registry6. Commercial Registry, type A or B (Ministry of International Commerce)7. Certification of non-profit status8. Financial solvency9. Curricular Plan10. Approval of curricula plan (by approving agencies = senior state

university? Pertinent ministry?)11. Academic Bylaws and Internal Regulations12. Supervision status of physical and administrative plant13. Faculty curriculum vitae (complying with standards for university

faculty)14. Rental or Proprietary contract15. Information on address, telephone, fax, email, etc.16. Name of chief executive officer (director)

Agencies Germane to Central American Higher Education• Parlacen: Central American Parliament• SICA: Sistema de Integración Centroamericano• CECC: Coordinación Educativa Centroamericana (Council of Ministers of Education of Central America)• SICEVAES: Sistema Centroamericano de Evaluación y Acreditación de la Educación Superior• SINAES: Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior (Costa Rica)• CdA: Consejo de Acreditación de El Salvador• ACESAR: Agencia de Acreditación Centroamericana de la Educación Superior en el Sector Agroalimentario y de Recursos Naturales

• ACAP: Agencia Centroamericana de Acreditación de Postgrado.• COPAES: Consejo para Acreditación de la Educación Superior - Mexico• INQAAHE: International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education• RIACES: Red Iberoamericana para la Acreditación de la Calidad de la Educación Superior• DAAD: German Academic Exchange Service