Factors contributing to QA Basic data: HE in Lebanon & Regulations What has been done (2006-2014) What we were doing Emerging Trends

1. 1
Workshop 7-8 Sep. 2018
Order of Engineers in Lebanon
Towards Quality Assurance for Engineering
Programs in Lebanon
Ahmad JAMMAL
Director General of Higher Education
Lebanon
Email: ajammal@higher-edu.gov.lb
ajammal@ieee.org
URL: http://www.higher-edu.gov.lb

2. 2
Outline of Presentation
• Factors contributing to QA
• Basic data: HE in Lebanon & Regulations
• What has been done (2006-2014)
• What we were doing
• Emerging Trends

3. 3
Factors contributing to the growth of QA
• The recognition in many countries & the need for greater
accountability for the use of national resources.
• The growth in higher education in many countries.
• The increased diversity in HE provision including the
establishment of Hybrid systems, and the growth in distance
learning.
• Trade off between the reduction of direct governmental control of
HEIs and the introduction of EQA arrangements.
• Increase of private HEIs , including “for profit” providers.
• Creating in many regions of a “HE space” which encourages
student mobility and the mutual recognition of qualifications.
• Increasing internationalisation of HE including the growth in
cross-border providers and the need for the mutual recognition of
qualifications and higher education credits

4. 4
Basic Data: Higher Education in Lebanon
Beginning of HE institutions in Lebanon dates back to19th century:
- Law of HE 1961: recognition of 10 HEIs, UL in 1953
- 1972-1996: Licensing 10 HEIs,
- 1999-2001: Licensing 19 HEIs,
- 2009-2018: Licensing 11 HEIs (8 Started up: 5 Univ., 3 Col)
Now, we have 51 HEIs licensed by the Lebanese Government
(47 working), they are classified as follows:
- One public university (LU)
- 29 private universities
- 17 HE Colleges/Institutes
We have 165 specialties in the different institutions
203000 Students (125.000 in the private, 78.000 in the public)

5. 5
Basic Data: Regulating Bodies & Regulations:
1- Colloquium Exams Committees (MD, Dental Dr, Pharmacy,
etc.): 1955, Now all health sciences specialties
2- Equivalence Committee: 1955
3- Engineering Practice Committee: 1955
4- Higher Education Law (Council of Higher Education): 1961
5- Council of Universities: 1967
6- Directorate General of Culture & Higher Education 1992 :
Ministry of Culture & Higher Education
7- Decrees No 9274 & 8864 (Technical Committee, Institutes
of technology, Licensing criteria: 1996
9- Directorate General of Higher Education 2002:
Ministry of Education & Higher Education

6. 6
MS Eng.
Engineer’s Degree
Engineering programs in Lebanon
Baccalaureate (General or Technical)
BS – B.Tech (90-96 Cr) BS Eng. (108 Cr)
Undergraduate
courses in Engineering
BEng
Engineer’s Degree
3 yrs. 3 yrs
5 yrs
1 yr
2 yrs.
1 yr – (12 Cr)
Doctorate PhD
3 yrs
2 yrs. - (40 Cr)
Technical
Degrees
TS
2 yrs.
University
Degrees
> 60 Cr

7. 7
What has been done
Evolution in the system (Actions & Regulations)
2006: Strategic plan for HE (HE law, Quality, LU, DGHE, etc..)
2007: Implementing Starting-up process for Institutions & Programs
2006-2008: Dissemination of Quality culture ( WS, Training,
Tempus projects, etc.)
2008-2010: preparing New Regulations (New HE law,
Lebanese QAAgency, DGHE structure, …)
2011-2013: Assessment of university branches (39)
2012-2013: WB Benchmarking project about Governance in HEIs
(Mission, Management, Finance, Autonomy, Participation)
2013: New Decree for TVE (Paths from BT to Univ. & TS to BS)
2013: New Decree Regulating doctoral studies.
2014: New HE Law (New Obligations) ratified by the parliament
Now: DGHE structure to General Assembly (Parliament)
QA Law in Discussion in the Parliament

8. What we are doing in QA (1)
Developing Lebanese Quality Assurance System in HE
- All HEIs must implement an internal QA process & conduct an
external assessment (Law 285/2014)
- Project law to create the Lebanese Quality Assurance Agency in HE:
- Autonomous
- Board of Trustees (relevant stakeholders: Universities, Orders,
Employment sector, International experts): Supervise the Agency
- Board of Directors: composed of experts in QA
- Standards & Indicators
- Actions:
- Dissemination of Quality culture: Since 2006
- European Projects Tempus & Erasmus+ LEPAC, QAHEL, TLQAA,
TLQAA+ (2006-2018): Standards, Guides, Training, Pilot studies
- WB Screening card on governance in HEIs (2012-2013),
participation of 29 HEIs, Renew the process 2015-2016.
8

9. 9
Impact:
- Many HEIs got accreditation from international agencies,
(MSA, NEASC, EVALAG, FIBAA, ACQUIN) others on their
way. External assessment (HCERES, EAU, ..)
- Many Engineering programs are accredited by ABET
(USA), & CTI (France), others on their way.
- National committee to prepare Guides & procedures for self
assessment & External assessment of Engineering Programs,
MD programs (in Collaboration with WFME) and Pharmacy
programs (QA Standards & Procedures) to be implemented
for the Re-recognition of programs

10. What we are doing (3)
New Law for Higher education
Ratified in 28/5/2014 by the parliament (Law No. 285/2014)
- Academic Tech. Com. Supported by Specialized Tec.
Committees for programs (Experts & representatives from the
Orders in professional degrees):
- Framework for licensing programs (Criteria & standards)
- Starting-up process with site visits & Financial analysis
- Continuous assessment by the committees during the 5 years
starting process (checking the evolution of the program,
admission, equipment, Staff, etc.)
- Recognition up to the first graduation for 3 to 6 years.
- Re-recognition (continuous assessment of the programs)
every 3 to 6 years.
- Accountability:
- Based on the evolution and the situation of the programs in the
institution) 10

11. Re-recognition: Proposed model to be used
Follow the following approach:
• Sets of regulations and guidelines formulated by STC
& ATC and adopted by the CHE.
• Self-evaluation prepared by the institution
• The appointment by ATC of a peer group (STC)
whose review of the institution or programme would
start with a review of the self-evaluation.
• Site visits by the peer group (STC).
• The publication of a report or, in some cases, only
the decision
• Report by the STC, Recommendation by ATC
• Decision of re-recognition by the MEHE (OJ)
11

12. 12
Emerging Trends
QA for enhancement
• Greater emphasis on Internal QA and the
encouragement of institutional “Quality Culture”
Much greater use of Explicit Statements of requirements
• Qualification Frameworks
• Subject Benchmarks
Greater focus on outputs
• Direct – What a student has learnt
• Indirect – Where a graduate has gone
Breaking down of national boundaries

13. Thanks
Ahmad JAMMAL
Director General of Higher Education
Ministry of Education & Higher Education
Habib Abi Chahla Street, Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: +961.1.772500
Fax: +961.1.772529
Email: ajammal@higher-edu.gov.lb
Web: www.higher-edu.gov.lb
Twitter: @ajammal_lb
Skype: a-jammal