ALTAIR Project

144789-TEMPUS-1-2008-1-ES-TEMPUS-JPGR

Strengthening Institutional Capacity in Arab countries

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of Arab Universities in support of policy, management and planning at national and regional levels in order to meet accountability needs and growing development demands. Specifically, the action aims to reach this objective through the Development of sustainable Quality Culture and Capacity Building in Quality Assurance at Arab Universities.

The first project year will be devoted to strengthening of managerial, administrative capacities and technical infrastructure within the partners' universities and Ministries of Higher Education by practical observation sessions and participation in daily activities of a Quality Unit and Accreditation Agency in European Partners and testing the methodology for the assessment of services of the Student Support Service and Accounting and Management service. Technical infrastructure will be strengthened through the development and implementation of integral data and information systems, refreshment of Q-Untits equipement and setting up of a WebSite for each Q-Units. The second project year will be devoted to the adaptation of a common methodology for the assessment of university study degrees and to the pilot experience of assessing the IT Bachelor degree with special attention placed in the inclusion of different stakeholders in assessment practice. The third year will strategically implement the Q-Units and quality assurance procedures and monitor improvement actions implementation. Extensive dissemination activities will be conducted throughout the whole project duration. In order to address the need for benchmarking and sharing of best practices in the experience gained, the project and its results will be analysed and summarised in a publication of a Guide for the Promotion of Quality Culture within Arab Universities and distributed in the region.

University of Alicante

Campus San Vicente del Raspeig, Ap 99 Alicante, ES

Phone: 3496590 97 18

Fax: 3496590 97 15

Email: r.escarre@ua.es

Project Director Roberto Escarré

• Universidad Miguel Hernandez,ES
• MA'TAH UNIVERSITY, JO
• Leadership Agenda, UK
• Accreditation Agency for Degree Programmes in Engineering, Informatics, the Natural Sciences and Mathematics: ASIIN, DE
• Directorate General of Higher Education, LB
• Supreme Council of Universities, EG
• Higher Education Accreditation Commission -Ministry of Education-, JO
• Accreditation and quality assurance Commission
• Ministry of Education & Higher Education, PS
• Ministry of National Education, MA
• Association of arab universities, JO
• Beirut Arab Univerty, LB
• Modern University for Business and Science, LB
• Alexandria University, EG
• Helwan University, EG
• Princess Sumaya Unverisity , JO
• University of Newcatle, UK

36 months