2011 - CAA

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Improving the capacity for Quality:Benchmarking and Data CollectionThe CAA has long emphasized the importance of institutional data gathering orinstitutional research. During the 2010-11 year, this became even more importantas the CAA began the practice of evaluating the institutional research and qualityassurance operations of a campus each time that an External Review Team visitedthe campus. The CAA also sent special teams to several campuses with the expresstask of evaluating the institutional research and quality assurance operations of thecampus. And, too, the Commission sponsored a workshop on “benchmarking” whichhelped institutions to not only better understand the concept of benchmarking, butto think through the issue of selecting the right “peer” institutions against which tocompare themselves.The Data Warehouse initiativeThe CAA is very much involved in a Ministry of Higher Education and ScientificResearch initiative to ensure that reliable and comprehensive data is gathered on theinstitutions of the UAE. There are few more important initiatives that can have theimpact on higher education institutions in the UAE. A reliable database of informationcan provide assistance in benchmarking, strategic planning both on the part of theinstitutions and on the part of the CAA or the Ministry and much more. Whether theissue is total enrollment, the mix of gender or nationalities or retention and graduationrates, the information will provide helpful context for institutional improvement.14commission for academic accreditation
annual report-2011Collaborative Work of the CAAThe international activities of the CAA are important; so, too, is the collaborative workof the CAA with other quality assurance bodies, including programmatic accreditors(for example, AACSB, NCATE or ABET) or groups, such as the Southern Associationof Colleges and Schools or the New England Association of Schools and Colleges,where they are among the six regional accreditors in the United States but areworking outside of that country. The work of the CAA has taken the form of proposingMemoranda of Understanding with these other quality assurance bodies and havingobservers on the review teams which come to the UAE. In some instances, the CAAhas had a joint visit with the international accrediting body; such a visit enabled theCAA to undertake its own work, allowed the international accreditor to do what wasneeded, and saved time and money for the institution and the CAA.International Recognition for the CAARecognition by other international quality assurance agencies is certainlya mark of significance. During 2011, the CAA received recognitionby INQAAHE (International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies inHigher Education) as being one of six institutions in the world to meettheir “Guidelines for Good Practice.” To meet the “Guidelines,” the CAAdemonstrated substantial adherence to international best practices inseveral areas including the way in which the Standards stress evidencebasedoutcomes, the comprehensive nature of the Standards, thegovernance of the CAA, the ways in which the CAA maintains relations withhigher education institutions in the UAE, and the collaborative approachwith which the CAA operates.Commissioner ActivitiesThe Commission’s staff is very active in the international quality assurance effort.The work enhances the professional capacity of the Commissioners, themselves, butalso extends the connections of the CAA to the international community. During the2010-11 year, the Director served on the board and was vice-chair of ANQAHE, waselected to the board of INQAAHE, and made several presentations in Madrid, Beirutand Washington, D.C. The Commission organized a workshop on how to establishquality assurance agencies in other countries of the Middle East and North Africa.Commissioners participated in conferences and made presentations in Madrid,Hong Kong, and Bahrain. The Director and other Commissioners served as chairs ormembers of external review teams in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research15
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Page 6 and 7: The Institutional ContextAs the CAA
Page 8 and 9: The year was one in which the CAA a
Page 10 and 11: High Praise from the InstitutionsAs
Page 12 and 13: Internal Quality AssuranceThe 2010-
Page 14 and 15: UAE Qualifications FrameworkCAA has
Page 18 and 19: Staff HonoursDr. Badr Aboul-Ela was

2011 - CAA

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