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المملكة المغربية

وزارة التعليم العالي

طر والبحث العلميأ وتكوين ال

Kingdom of Morocco

Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Executive Training

Quality Assurance in Moroccan Higher Education

Mohamed ABOUSSALAH Secretary General

Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Executive Training

Morocco

Outline

I Brief Overview of Higher Education in Morocco

II Importance of Quality Assurance in Morocco

III Relation to broader societal objectives and goals

IV Main challenges

V Role of international collaboration and cooperation

VI Perspectives

Founding of the University "Al Quaraouiyine" (AQ) in Fez, the first university in the world, by a rich woman named Fatima Alfihrya during the reign of the Idrisside Dynasty

Preservation of the traditional system and introduction of a modern higher education system through the creation of five higher education institutions

Founding of the Mohamed V University in Rabat, the first modern university in Morocco

Among Moroccan and foreign elites, internationally renowned, trained at AQ University: - Pope Sylvester II (946 – 1003): philosopher, mathematician and physicist - Moses Maimonides (1138 – 1204): Jewish Physician, theologian and philosopher - Ibn Khaldoun (1332 – 1406): Historian, philosopher, diplomat and Arab politicia

895

1921-1948

1957

1975

- Initiation of a process of creation and decentralization of higher education institutions - Adoption of the first law organizing the Moroccan higher education system

1986-2000

Extension and diversification of higher education infrastructure : 14 Universities, 73 HE institutions 2000

Comprehensive reform of Moroccan higher education system: Adoption of the law 01-00

Strategic Vision 2015-2030

2015

I. Brief Overview of Higher Education in Morocco I.1 Genesis and development

Population of Morocco 34 millions

Overall number of students (without vocational training)

826 114 of which : - 48% women - 80% open access

Private higher education 38 200 (5%)

Universities 24

University graduates (2014-2015) 102 029

Number of faculty members (permanent teachers) 18 313

Enrollment rate in higher education (19-23 years) 31.3%

Number of students in HE vocational training 105 000

Training offer (accredited programs) : - Public higher education institutions - Private higher education institutions

2000 400

Foreign students 15 000

I. Brief Overview of Higher Education in Morocco I.2 Key figures

Public Higher Education

Universities Non University

Higher Education Institutions

Under the authority of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Under administrative authority of technical ministries

Under pedagogical

authority of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Partnership

Universities and HE institutions

Non profit foundations created in the context of internationalization of Moroccan higher education

Under pedagogical

authority of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Private Higher Education

Universities and HE institutions

Created on private initiative

Under pedagogical

authority of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

14 public universities 119 public HE institutions

30 non university HE institutions

5 partnership universities 3 partnership engineering

schools

5 private universities 184 private HE institutions

I. Brief Overview of Higher Education in Morocco I.3 Sector’s components

+

HSD+8

HSD+6-7

HSD+5

HSD+3

HSD +2

High School Diploma (HSD)

University Diploma of Technology (Technician)

Bachelor/ Professional Bachelor

Engineering – Masters (Research) –Professional Masters – Diploma of Business and Management

Medical studies

Doctorate (PhD)

Specialized Medical Degrees ≥10

I. Brief Overview of Higher Education in Morocco I.4 Overall architecture of degrees

Brief history

1991

Establishment of an applied bachelor training program in the open access schools

Contractual training receiving financial support

1997

Reform of the graduate

studies : Master degree-

Doctorate

First evaluation-

accreditation experience

2000 review applications

for accreditation in 19 areas

of study

1998

Evaluation of 92

applied bachelors

Renewal of bachelors

on the basis of

evaluation results

Evaluation of Schools of Science and Technology

Establishment of a new training system : modular, semestrial and continuous assessment

Evaluation of the opportunity of the programs offered

2003

2013

Implementation of the educational reform

Requirement for accreditation before launching any training

Establishment of an overall evaluation-accreditation process of training

Overall review of

university training

programs

Self-evaluation of all the

training programs

Accreditation based on

reviewed standards

2000

II. Importance of Quality Assurance in Morocco II.1 Introduction of the QA system : evaluation and accreditation

Legal framework

Year 1999 : National charter for education and training (lever 16, article 157)

Year 2000 : Law 01-00 organizing higher education (articles 77, 78 and 79) : Comprehensive reform of HE system (programs, governance, scientific research, Quality Assurance..)

Year 2011 : New constitution (Article 31: ensure access to quality education)

Year 2015 : Strategic Vision 2015-2030

QA as a part of the higher

education reform

The HE Reform provides the quality assurance through three types of assessments :

• Global assessment of the system on a regular basis

• Institutional assessment of higher education institutions

• Program evaluation and accreditation

II. Importance of Quality Assurance in Morocco II.2 QA : increased interest and awareness

QA as a part of the higher

education reform

Global assessment of the system on a regular basis

Institutional assessment of higher education institutions

Program evaluation and accreditation since 2003

Creation within the Higher Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research of the National Body of Evaluation (Instance nationale d’évaluation: INE) in 2006.

Mission : conducting global, sectorial and thematic evaluations of the whole system by assessing its pedagogical and financial performances with respect to the objectives set and benchmarking with international standards

Creation in 2014 of the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Scientific Research

Missions :

• Institutional evaluation of public and private higher education and scientific research institutions

• Evaluation of training programs seeking accreditation

• Evaluation of Doctoral Studies Centers and programs

• Evaluation of Scientific Research activities and Research Structures

• Evaluation of Higher Education and Scientific Research Cooperation Programs

Development of an evaluation-accreditation process based on :

Call for program proposals launched by the Ministry

Development of program projects by the teaching staff (self-evaluation, standards..)

Adoption of programs projects by governing bodies of institutions and universities

External evaluation of the projects conducted by experts

Accreditation decisions taken by the National Board of Accreditation

II. Importance of Quality Assurance in Morocco II.2 QA : increased interest and awarness

QA as a part of the strategic vision

Strategic vision of the Higher Council for Education,

Training and Scientific Research for the period 2015-2030

Foundations of the vision :

Equity and equal opportunity Quality for all Promoting individuals and society

Strategy of the Ministry of Higher Education for the

period 2015-2030

4 Strategic axes (39 projects)

Axis 1 : Improving access and studies in higher education in order to ensure equity, equal opportunity and sustainability of learning (7 projects)

Axis 2 : Promoting quality in order to improve the outcomes and to meet the needs of development and employment market (11 projects) : Diversification and professionalization of the training offer, Improvement of students soft skills, development of life long learning, integration of information technology in Higher Education…

Axis 3 : Supporting scientific research and improving its performance (10 projects) Axis 4 : Developing governance of the HE system to enhance its performance (11 projects)

II. Importance of Quality Assurance in Morocco II.2 QA : increased interest and awarness

On a national level, QA enables continuous improvement of training and its adaptation to

the country’s development needs by :

Diversifying and professionalizing programs

Adapting training offer to the socio-economic needs and those of major structural projects

Improving the employability of graduate

Improving the relevance of training and skills

Incorporating best practices in training and research

Providing the employment market with highly qualified human resources (increasing the competitiveness of the country)

reassuring parents and students about the quality of training

At an international level, QA contributes to :

Improve the attractiveness and visibility of the Moroccan universities and institutions : internationalization of the HE and research system

Guarantee the value and comparability of qualifications : benchmarking of national qualifications with international standards

Facilitate the academic and professional mobility of students and researchers

Enhance the level of scientific research and promote research networking

III. Relation to broader societal objectives and goals

Development of a national integrated system of Quality Assurance by :

Disseminating the culture of evaluation and accountability

Promoting QA in HE : Securing the involvement and commitment of all stakeholders (Faculties, Administrators, researchers, students, …)

Implementing the missions of the Agency : structure, staff, process, guidelines…

Ensuring the Agency’s independence

Setting up QA structures within universities

Improving the training-employment suitability and graduate employability

Facing the overcrowding in HE system : Development and improvement of training programs to meet the needs of the increased number of students

IV. Main challenges

Examples of international collaborations :

British Council European programs: Tempus (Aqi-Umed, Tempus Forevale).. Bilateral cooperation : France, UK, Belgium, USA, Germany,… Evaluation and accreditation Agencies : New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC),

ANQAHE, AERES, QAA, Texas International Education Consortium TIEC..

Pilot evaluations : Business schools (ENCG) by the French Foundation of Management Education (FNEGE) ESTs by IUT-Consultants FSTs by the EU Schools of Medicine by the EU Self-evaluation conducted in some universities

Outcomes :

Training activities related to evaluation and accreditation Transferring of expertise and exchanging of best practices Sharing successful experiences Organizing seminars, conferences and workshops…

V. Role of international collaboration and cooperation

The development of an effective quality assurance system in Morocco should be

based on the following principles :

Involvement of key stakeholders in the system

Support within the framework of the international cooperation

Using of best quality assurance practices and standards existing at the international level

Expected results :

Increasing and improving

Employability of

graduates

Quality and

Relevance of

programs

Mobility of

students and

researchers

Competitiveness

of institutions

VI. Perspectives

Thank you for your attention