The official presentation on FHEC to the APQR Review Team in 2015

1. Fiji Higher Education Commission
ASIA PACIFIC QUALITY REVIEW 2015
Akuila Savu
Quality Assurance Analyst (External)
Fiji Higher Education Commission

2. Overview* Education System in Fiji
* Legal Framework
* Fiji Qualifications Framework
* Fiji Higher Education Commission
* Logo
* Mandated Functions
* Reporting Line
* Organisation Chart
* Strategic Alignment
* Core Services
* Processes
* Process Details
* Autonomy
* Appeals
* Resources
* Research
* Consultancy
* Summary

3. Education System in Fiji
Early Childhood
Education
Primary Schools
*Secondary
Schools
*Vocational
Schools
*HEIs
(including
universities)
*Employment /
Non Formal
Sector /
Subsistence
*Technical
Colleges
Ministry of Education
FHEC

4. Legal Framework
Higher Education Promulgation
2008
Higher Education Regulations
2009
Higher Education (Qualification)
Regulations 2010
Higher Education (Qualifications)
(Amendment) Regulations 2013

6. Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC)
• VISION
Fiji, a premier, world class higher
education destination.
• MISSION
To ensure that HEIs pursue an
indispensable level of quality,
excellence and relevance in higher
education that is globally
competitive and internationally
recognised.
• VALUES
• Aligning with national and
international imperatives in
higher education
• Quality education and training to
develop quality graduates
• Equity, access and relevance in
higher education
• Critical thinking, creativity and
free intellectual inquiry
• Lifelong learning
• Cooperation and partnerships
with industry and professional
bodies
• Transparency, accountability and
responsiveness

7. Logo
• The spherical mass denotes the
globe to express recognition of
and commitment to universal
imperatives and standards in
higher education.
• The blue arcs represent
organization and alignment in
approach to issues and in finding
solutions.
• The orientation of both the arcs
and the globe stand for
openness to ideas,
responsiveness and transparency.

8. Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC)

9. Reporting Line
Minister of
Education – Dr.
Mahendra Reddy
Fiji Higher
Education
Commission
Fiji Qualifications
Council and other
Commission
Committees
FHEC Secretariat

11. Strategic Alignment
Tertiary Education Strategy (under
development)
Strategic Development Plan (2012 –
2015)
Annual Business Plan
Section Plan

12. Core Services of FHEC
Accreditation
Services
Communication
Network
Qualifications and
Standards
Development
Capacity Building
Qualifications
Registers and
Records(ROL)
Advisory to
Government’s
initiatives
Quality Assurance

13. Processes: How FHEC does it?
Recognition Registration
Accreditation of
Provider
Programmes
Delivery of
National
Qualifications
INSTITUTIONS
EXTERNAL EVALUATION AND REVIEW (EER)

14. Process Details
PROCESS
CRITERIA
ASSESSMENT
TIMEFRAME
Recognition
13 Outcomes
External
Committee
Once off
Registration
53 Outcomes
External
Committee
7 yrs – Uni;
5 yrs - others
Programme
Accreditation
Level 1 - 6
78 Outcomes
External
Committee
5 years
Programme
Accreditation
Level 7 – 10
47 Outcomes
External
Committee
5 years
National
Qualification
Delivery
78 Outcomes
Internally
Assessed
Annual
Review
7 Key
Evaluation
Questions
External
Committee
Once during
Registration

15. Autonomy
Higher
Education
Promulgation
2008
Body
Corporate
Establishment
of
Commission
Written
directions
from Minister
Commission
reports
directly to
Minister
Committee
Reports
directly to
Commission

16. Appeals
• Representation
• Set out in Section 20 (3 &
4) of HEP 08 and Sections
12, 34 (b), 44 (b) and 45
• Hear appeals to both
Recognition and
Registration (21 days)
• Commission
• Higher Education Appeals
Tribunal (HEAT)
• Set out in Sections 41 –
43 of HEP 08 and Sections
46 – 52 of HER 09
• Three member Panel,
Chair will be current or
retired judge
• Yet to be formed
(Commission)

17. Resources
• People
• MQR
• Work Experience
• Personal Attributes
• Physical
• Financial (Govt & Donor)
• ICT
– Mobility
– Website
– Social Media
– Project Management Tools
– Feedback Tools
– Information System

18. Research
• “Level Playing Field”
• Lack of coordination
between information
gatherers
• Quality measures based
on input (EFTS and
costs)
• Moving to outputs
(Completion and
Retention rates) on
accumulation of data

19. Quality Assurance Measures
• Policy on IQA of FHEC
– Proper Implementation
this year
• National Review
– SEA
– FBEA
• Regional Review
– EQAP (to be conducted this
year)

20. Consultancy
• Individual Consultants
– Dr. John Harre
– Mrs. Elizabeth Clewley
• PINZ
• MFAT
• MQA

21. FHEC Timeline
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
*HEAB
established
*HEP 2008
*HER 2009 *FHEC
established
*HE(Q)R 2010
Institutional
Accreditation
begins
FHEC website
launched
TPAF Team
joins FHEC
PINZ
Consultation
begins
Strategic
Development
Plan 2012 -
2015
Fiji
Qualifications
Framework
launching
Completion of
PINZ
Consultation
Programme
Accreditation
Begins (1-6)
Funding Model
Framework
adopted
Revised
Organisation
Structure
Funding Model
structure
finalised
EER Trials
commence
HE(Q)(A)R
2013
Institutional
funding M&S
commences
Committee for
the
Accreditation
of University
Qualifications
(CAUQ)
finalised (7-10)
APQN review
CAUQ
Accreditation
commences
New Website
launched
Record of
Learning (ROL)
data services

23. Thank you
and
Vinaka Vakalevu