Promoting Internal Quality Higher Education In Africa

The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), together with the Association of African Universities (AAU), the National Accreditation Board (NAB) and the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) have signed a memorandum of understanding, in the form of a project agreement, with the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany to promote internal quality assurance in higher education institutions in Africa. 

The signing ceremony took place at the UPSA, following a two-day project advisory board meeting. 

The project, ‘Train IQ Africa, is being funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). 

According to the Project Coordinator and Head of the Centre for Higher Education Development and Quality Enhancement at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, Dr. Solveig Randhahn, the project is about developing the capacity of internal Quality Assurance (QA) officers in universities in West Africa to ensure internal quality in higher education. 

She noted that the project will focus on five related issues of internal quality assurance, including a focus on what it means to do effective quality assurance management in higher education institutions, the necessary tools and procedures used to implement quality assurance structures and the methods of data collection and evaluation. 

The Dean of Graduate Studies at the UPSA, Professor Goski Alabi, who is the main local facilitator of the Project noted that the University was identified by the project initiators and the funding partners to be the main implementing partner because of its expertise and capabilities in the area of Quality Assurance.  

Prof. Mrs. Alabi noted that the UPSA was particularly enthusiastic about the project because of its focus on quality management. ” The Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Accreditation Board in Ghana, Richard Adjei, believes that the internal quality assurance training one  is a timely project, because it will support the quality of tertiary education in Ghana in particular, and the West African sub-region in general. 

He said the Board will replicate duplicate the experience to maximise the benefits of the project nationally.   

About 30 participants from universities across the West African sub-region will benefit from the training project which is expected to last for about a year and a half.

Source:  GBC