This document discusses protectionism versus transparency in Omani higher education. It explores the measures taken by quality monitoring organizations in Oman to ensure transparency, and whether these measures are adequate. It identifies different types of protectionism exercised by some higher education institutions, and ways to avoid protectionism. The document analyzes factors that can trigger protectionism, such as the flexibility of current quality policies and the role of private investors in higher education institutions.
Effectiveness of Internal Audits in Public Educational Institutions in Kenya...IJMER
Internal auditing has become a factor of the new accountability and control era. The
manner in which public sector entities maintain internal control and how they are held accountable has
evolved to require more transparency and more accountability from these organizations that spend
investor or taxpayer funds. This trend has significantly impacted how management implements,
monitors, and reports on internal control. Although internal auditors can be a valuable advisory
resource on internal control, the internal auditor should not be a substitute for a strong internal control
system. A system of internal control is the primary response to risks. The role of internal auditing has
evolved from an administrative procedure with a focus on compliance, to an important element of good
governance. In many cases the existence of internal auditing is mandatory (intosaigov 9140).
This report analyses the current regulatory framework of higher education in India and highlights areas that require important policy reforms in order to encourage greater private participation. This participation would eventually lead to a more competitive environment in the higher education sector and foster growth, which is needed to achieve the target of 10% increase in Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) set by the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP).
The document discusses issues with higher education institutions in India. It summarizes a survey that found that 90% of management school faculties have no industrial experience, 75% of management institutions are run by politicians, and only 10% of MBA graduates meet corporate standards. Interactions with students proved most lack communication skills, personality, market knowledge, and completed copycat projects. The regulatory system has failed to maintain standards or prevent exploitation, despite entry barriers. For India to build world-class institutions, it needs critical mass of students on university campuses, autonomy for colleges, and an end to the affiliation system that hinders innovation.
Protectionism in higher education refers to actions taken by institutions to conceal weaknesses or present an exaggeratedly positive image. This document discusses protectionism, how it is practiced, when it is most common, and ways to avoid it. Protectionism can take forms like unfulfilled promises, unsolicited actions to satisfy authorities, and concealing incompetence. It is most often practiced when submitting self-reports during quality reviews or to governing bodies. Transparency is important to quality, while protectionism undermines it. Institutions should communicate honestly, respect regulatory requirements, and serve all stakeholders to avoid protectionism.
Education and Training Position Paper June 2013 EN (Final)Brian O'Reilly
This document discusses key issues in Vietnam's education system and provides recommendations to improve quality and relevance. It addresses: 1) Providing more autonomy to higher education institutions to improve quality. 2) Ensuring curriculum and teaching standards provide graduates with needed skills. 3) Improving vocational education programs to meet industry needs. 4) Clarifying management structures between foreign-owned schools and Vietnamese institutions. 5) Increasing quotas for Vietnamese students in international programs to expand opportunities. The recommendations aim to develop a high-quality, internationally-recognized education system to support Vietnam's economic growth and global competitiveness.
Higher education in India has seen significant growth and reforms over time. It is provided through public and private institutions, with oversight from central, state and local levels. While religious and temple-based education was common historically, the system has expanded in recent decades but still faces challenges in quality, management, and meeting demand. The private sector is expected to play an increasing role to help address these challenges and supplement public funding and capacity. Reforms are underway to improve regulation and encourage more participation by Indian and foreign institutions through public-private partnerships.
The document discusses the higher education sector in India. It notes that higher education holds promising prospects due to India's large population of 18-23 year olds and low literacy rate. There are over 600 universities in India and the government spends around 3.8% of its GDP on education. However, less than 1% of government education spending goes towards capital expenditures. The higher education sector in India is seen as a large untapped market with significant growth potential and an expected growth rate of 16% over the next 5 years.
Effectiveness of Internal Audits in Public Educational Institutions in Kenya...IJMER
Internal auditing has become a factor of the new accountability and control era. The
manner in which public sector entities maintain internal control and how they are held accountable has
evolved to require more transparency and more accountability from these organizations that spend
investor or taxpayer funds. This trend has significantly impacted how management implements,
monitors, and reports on internal control. Although internal auditors can be a valuable advisory
resource on internal control, the internal auditor should not be a substitute for a strong internal control
system. A system of internal control is the primary response to risks. The role of internal auditing has
evolved from an administrative procedure with a focus on compliance, to an important element of good
governance. In many cases the existence of internal auditing is mandatory (intosaigov 9140).
This report analyses the current regulatory framework of higher education in India and highlights areas that require important policy reforms in order to encourage greater private participation. This participation would eventually lead to a more competitive environment in the higher education sector and foster growth, which is needed to achieve the target of 10% increase in Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) set by the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP).
The document discusses issues with higher education institutions in India. It summarizes a survey that found that 90% of management school faculties have no industrial experience, 75% of management institutions are run by politicians, and only 10% of MBA graduates meet corporate standards. Interactions with students proved most lack communication skills, personality, market knowledge, and completed copycat projects. The regulatory system has failed to maintain standards or prevent exploitation, despite entry barriers. For India to build world-class institutions, it needs critical mass of students on university campuses, autonomy for colleges, and an end to the affiliation system that hinders innovation.
Protectionism in higher education refers to actions taken by institutions to conceal weaknesses or present an exaggeratedly positive image. This document discusses protectionism, how it is practiced, when it is most common, and ways to avoid it. Protectionism can take forms like unfulfilled promises, unsolicited actions to satisfy authorities, and concealing incompetence. It is most often practiced when submitting self-reports during quality reviews or to governing bodies. Transparency is important to quality, while protectionism undermines it. Institutions should communicate honestly, respect regulatory requirements, and serve all stakeholders to avoid protectionism.
Education and Training Position Paper June 2013 EN (Final)Brian O'Reilly
This document discusses key issues in Vietnam's education system and provides recommendations to improve quality and relevance. It addresses: 1) Providing more autonomy to higher education institutions to improve quality. 2) Ensuring curriculum and teaching standards provide graduates with needed skills. 3) Improving vocational education programs to meet industry needs. 4) Clarifying management structures between foreign-owned schools and Vietnamese institutions. 5) Increasing quotas for Vietnamese students in international programs to expand opportunities. The recommendations aim to develop a high-quality, internationally-recognized education system to support Vietnam's economic growth and global competitiveness.
Higher education in India has seen significant growth and reforms over time. It is provided through public and private institutions, with oversight from central, state and local levels. While religious and temple-based education was common historically, the system has expanded in recent decades but still faces challenges in quality, management, and meeting demand. The private sector is expected to play an increasing role to help address these challenges and supplement public funding and capacity. Reforms are underway to improve regulation and encourage more participation by Indian and foreign institutions through public-private partnerships.
The document discusses the higher education sector in India. It notes that higher education holds promising prospects due to India's large population of 18-23 year olds and low literacy rate. There are over 600 universities in India and the government spends around 3.8% of its GDP on education. However, less than 1% of government education spending goes towards capital expenditures. The higher education sector in India is seen as a large untapped market with significant growth potential and an expected growth rate of 16% over the next 5 years.
This document discusses autonomy in higher education in India. It defines institutional autonomy as giving institutions freedom to achieve their goals and objectives. There are two types of autonomy: substantive, related to academic matters, and procedural, related to administrative functions. Previous research has found a link between autonomy and better research and innovation outcomes. A 2014 UNESCO study of 5 Asian countries found that increased autonomy was accompanied by new accountability measures and benefited institutions with strong leadership. The document examines issues affecting autonomy in India and recommends that autonomy be linked to accreditation levels. In 2018, the UGC granted full autonomy to 62 universities and colleges in India.
MAP 504 INTERNATIONALIZATION OF EDUCATION
TOPIC : CHED CMO #1S 2005, RATIONALIZATION OF ACCREDITATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
PROFESSOR : DR. DANILO HILARIO
PhD STUDENT : MEL OLIVER S. BALAGTAS
SCHOOL TERM :3RD SEMESTER, AY 2019-2020
*******************
ROLE OF THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION CRITERIA AND COMPONENTS
4 LEVELS FOR HEI ACCREDITATION
ACCREDITATION PRACTICES
ACCREDITING AGENCIES IN THE PHILIPPINES
Teaching of accounting ethics an exploratory study on accounting lecturers ...Juan Urquijo
This document discusses a study on how accounting ethics is taught by lecturers in higher education institutions in Malaysia. The study aims to determine lecturers' awareness of teaching accounting ethics, how it is incorporated into courses (either standalone or embedded), the level and methods of instruction, and assessment techniques used. The study was conducted through questionnaires administered to accounting lecturers in public and private universities in Malaysia, with the goal of better understanding how ethics education can help prevent future accounting scandals and protect society.
To understand the institutionalization of business ethics, the differences between voluntary and legally mandated organizational practices. Mandated, Core, and Voluntary Practices of Ethical Decisions. Whistle-Blower Protection
To Study the Role of Quality Management System to Improve Effectiveness of Qu...lalikjan
Quality Management System (QMS) is a permanent feature of all renowned universities of the world. Earlier it was perceived that Quality Management is only an area which may be applied in manufacturing and other Engineering sectors of life. However, now this trend has been changed and quality assurance agencies of the world are giving due emphasis to apply QMS in education industry. This cultural change ultimately improves the quality of education and services as well. Higher Education of Pakistan has taken revolutionary steps in this regard and now Quality Assurance program is running in good number of universities of Public and private sectors. As per Higher Education Commission compulsions, all public and private universities of Pakistan are required to establish their Quality Enhancement Cells (QECs). There are multiple challenges, hindrances and reluctant behaviors in the way of QMS. The first and important hurdle is the cultural change and i.e quality culture. Furthermore, the implementation of quality culture may measure and evaluate educational performance of the process, and may be used for the evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. This programme may contribute for credibility and standardization of academic programmes. Different world wide recognized quality parameters like ISO 9001-2008, International Workshop Agreement-2 (IWA-2) certification may be accredited to different university programmes. This will increase the level of motivation, credibility and recognition both for students and the teachers. A thorough study has been conducted in university of Karachi (International Relations Department) Pakistan and existing trends, facts and quality culture parameters are evaluated in this paper.
Breve resumen de la ley de reautorizacion de educacion (HEOA)Alfredo Calderón
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965 and introduced significant changes to accreditation and the relationship between higher education institutions and the federal government. It expanded government oversight over areas traditionally controlled by higher education like finance, governance, and judgments of academic quality. It also increased reporting requirements for institutions around issues like distance education, student outcomes, and data reporting. The HEOA shifted some power in accreditation from the executive branch to Congress and required institutions to establish policies for transferring credits and verifying student identity in distance education courses while protecting student privacy.
Internal Program Audit NaRM (Autosaved) (Autosaved).docxBantideru
1. This document outlines an internal quality audit conducted at Wollo University's College of Agriculture. It discusses the importance of quality assurance in higher education and ensuring high-quality education and outcomes for students.
2. Quality assurance involves self-assessment, external evaluation, and accreditation to monitor curriculum, teaching, assessment, student support and outcomes to meet standards. It promotes innovation and continuous improvement.
3. The audit was conducted by four auditors and assessed the Natural Resources Management program to evaluate quality.
Internal Program Audit NaRM (Autosaved) (Autosaved).docxBantideru
1. This document outlines an internal quality audit conducted at Wollo University's College of Agriculture. It discusses the importance of quality assurance in higher education and ensuring high-quality education and outcomes for students.
2. Quality assurance involves self-assessment, external evaluation, and accreditation to monitor curriculum, teaching, assessment, student support and outcomes. It promotes innovation and continuous improvement.
3. The audit was conducted by four auditors and assessed the Natural Resources Management program to evaluate quality.
This document summarizes a study that used value chain analysis to understand the competitive advantages of the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) as an Open and Distance Learning institution. It identified ZOU's primary value-creating activities as course development, teaching, research, assessment, and accreditation. It also analyzed the competitive forces in ZOU's industry, including rivalry from other universities offering distance learning programs. The study found that while ZOU had the advantage of being the only state-supported distance learning institution in Zimbabwe, increasing competition from other colleges threatened its position. It recommended that ZOU constantly monitor operations to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and provide quality education to maintain its competitive edge.
This document describes a proposed management model for accreditation and quality assurance of the Business Engineering program at the National Polytechnic School of Ecuador. The model is composed of 13 criteria including educational objectives, curriculum, infrastructure, faculty, student management, learning outcomes, student environment, research, and community links. The model aims to evaluate the quality of the Business Engineering program and create an action plan to improve education quality.
The document discusses accreditation standards for higher education institutions. It makes three key points:
1) There are many accrediting bodies worldwide with varying standards of rigor. Ultimately, the value of accreditation depends on the standards used in the process.
2) There is a growing trend to consider international standards in accreditation to ensure global acceptance of qualifications. This is especially important in fields like medical education.
3) The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority draws on internationally-recognized standards to accredit Omani higher education institutions and provide strong benchmarks for quality. Adopting best practices and international standards will help Omani graduates compete globally.
This document discusses the practice of combining internal audit and compliance functions within organizations, particularly in higher education. While there are some benefits like administrative efficiencies, there are also concerns that combining the functions could compromise independence and weaken compliance effectiveness. The roles of each function are also different, with internal audit focused on risk management and compliance serving as a change agent to address compliance risks. Maintaining independence of the internal audit function is important according to auditing standards.
The document summarizes a research study on the effect of procurement skills on the application of public procurement procedures in Kenyan public secondary schools. Some key findings from the study included:
1) Most public secondary schools do not employ trained procurement professionals or provide training to their procurement committee members, resulting in a lack of procurement skills.
2) While some respondents agreed that training procurement officials could improve implementation of procurement laws, over half disagreed that the current training has led to better implementation.
3) There is a relationship between procurement skills and effective application of procurement laws, as schools with more skills showed better adherence to the laws. The study recommends increased training for procurement officers.
REPORT ON ETHICS & INTEGRITY IN THE TASMANIAN PUBLIC SECTOR.docxchris293
REPORT ON ETHICS & INTEGRITY
IN THE TASMANIAN PUBLIC SECTOR
2013
INTEGRITY COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2
INTRODUCTION
The Integrity Commission was established in October
2010. One of its key objectives is to improve the standard
of conduct, propriety and ethics in Tasmanian public
authorities by adopting a strong educative, preventative
and advisory role.
Since establishment, the Commission has been collecting
information about the state of ethics and integrity in the
public sector. The Commission has done this by delivering
face to face training and education programs; establishing
discussion and advisory groups (Ethical Reference
Groups);1 examining public information about agencies;
investigating misconduct and auditing the way agencies
have responded to allegations of misconduct.
Between November 2012 and January 2013, the
Commission conducted a detailed survey of integrity
mechanisms in state departments and government
businesses.2 The total staff within agencies surveyed
amounted to nearly 31,000. The Commission combined
the information it had gathered from all sources, and from
this survey, to produce the first ‘map’ of the gaps in ethics
and integrity policies and practices in these agencies.
This information provides valuable insight into the key
areas of misconduct risk. The Commission will use this
information to develop training, research and misconduct
prevention activities (products) to ensure that the work of
the Commission is directed towards the areas of highest
misconduct risk and that its products are most effective
in helping agencies to reduce that risk. This work will also
assist agency heads to meet their obligations under the
Integrity Commission Act 2009 to provide training to staff
on ethics and integrity.
WHAT IS A
MISCONDUCT RISK?
Misconduct risk arises from various sources. A poor culture;
gaps in administrative processes; a lack of, or poorly
drafted policies and procedures; ignorance of obligations
and accountability system failures have been identified as
key factors.3
Risk management models are universally recommended
for agencies to assess their own governance needs,
adopt (or not adopt) recommended standards and
tailor their integrity frameworks to suit their needs.4 The
OECD5 recommends agencies identify high risk areas and
manage them with existing processes such as personnel
management or internal audit.
In mapping misconduct risk within the Tasmanian public
sector, the Commission identified a number of risk areas
to measure agencies against, in order to determine the
‘health’ of the sector in relation to ethics and integrity. The
areas the Commission focussed on included:
• education on ethical codes and key integrity policies –
this included an assessment of whether education was
ongoing or limited to induction, employees understood
the information that was provided to them and records
of traini.
10/8/2018 Print
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Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
Explain how an organization can structure and manage an ethics program.
Develop a code of conduct that articulates standards to company stakeholders.
Create an ethics training and communications plan.
Evaluate mechanisms for obtaining advice on ethical issues and reporting ethical misconduct.
Design an effective monitoring and auditing system.
9 Implementing an Ethics Program
Bloomberg/Getty Images
10/8/2018 Print
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Introduction
Ethics Program Pays Off for Morgan Stanley
On April 25, 2012, Garth Peterson, former managing director for Morgan Stanley’s real estate business in China,
pleaded guilty to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and for conspiring to evade Morgan
Stanley’s internal controls for meeting securities laws for investment advisers (United States Department of
Justice, 2012). From 2004 to 2007, Peterson cultivated a relationship with a Chinese of�icial to obtain business
approvals. In 2008, executives at Morgan Stanley discovered the violations, reported them to the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC), and �ired Peterson (Lucchetti & Kendall, 2012). Department of Justice of�icials
declined to bring any enforcement action against Morgan Stanley because of its documented ethics and
compliance program, stating:
According to court documents, Morgan Stanley maintained a system of internal controls meant to
ensure accountability for its assets and to prevent employees from offering, promising or paying
anything of value to foreign government of�icials. Morgan Stanley’s internal policies, which were
updated regularly to re�lect regulatory developments and speci�ic risks, prohibited bribery and
addressed corruption risks associated with the giving of gifts, business entertainment, travel, lodging,
meals, charitable contributions and employment. Morgan Stanley frequently trained its employees on
its internal policies, the FCPA and other anti-corruption laws. Between 2002 and 2008, Morgan Stanley
trained various groups of Asia-based personnel on anti-corruption policies 54 times. During the same
period, Morgan Stanley trained Peterson on the FCPA seven times and reminded him to comply with
the FCPA at least 35 times. Morgan Stanley’s compliance personnel regularly monitored transactions,
randomly audited particular employees, transactions and business units, and tested to identify illicit
payments. Moreover, Morgan Stanley conducted extensive due diligence on all new business partners
and imposed stringent controls on payments m.
This document discusses total quality management (TQM) implementation in higher education institutions. It reviews the literature on critical success factors for TQM implementation. The key findings are:
1) Critical success factors for TQM implementation in higher education include management commitment, the role of quality departments, training, employee involvement, and relationships with suppliers.
2) Proper education and training of those involved in the implementation process can help address issues like a lack of continuous improvement culture.
3) There are three approaches to TQM in higher education - a customer focus on students, a staff focus, and a focus on meeting service agreements and specifications.
This document discusses total quality management (TQM) implementation in higher education institutions. It reviews the literature on critical success factors for TQM implementation. The review focuses on implementations, impacts on organizational performance, and indicators that encourage TQM adoption. The findings suggest a conceptual model of TQM critical success factors and their impact on higher education institution performance. Non-implementation of TQM was sometimes due to institutions prioritizing funding over continuous improvement culture. Proper training can help address issues in the implementation process.
AELP Code of Governance for Independent Training Providers (Sep 2018)The Pathway Group
Independent Training Providers (ITPs) provide excellent learning and training experience for learners and apprentices and are a key element of the skills delivery system of this country. They are entrusted with billions of pounds of public funds annually to provide quality services and experiences to students and apprentices. Collectively ITPs deliver most of the UK apprenticeship programme and any individual provider failure damages reputation and trust in the whole programme. Therefore, it is important that we demonstrate the highest standards of governance.
The Single National Curriculum for mathematics aims to develop mathematical literacy, logical thinking, and the ability to solve real-life problems. It is divided into four strands: numbers and operations, algebra, measurements and geometry, and data handling. The curriculum also emphasizes developing students' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural values through mathematics. It takes a concrete-pictorial-abstract approach and uses real-life situations, stories, mental math, and inquiry to engage students in mathematical reasoning from grades 1 to 5. Assessment includes formative methods like tests and projects as well as summative term and final exams. Teaching resources include manuals, workbooks, and online materials.
This document outlines a unit on number operations from the Single National Curriculum for Class 2. It includes 1) comprehensive student learning outcomes like adding two-digit numbers, 2) using conceptual understanding with examples, 3) integrated methodologies like a lab activity using spinners to practice addition, 4) student worksheets and homework assignments, and 5) assessment measures like a class quiz with addition word problems. Remedial assistance is also provided for students who need extra help mastering the key concepts.
More Related Content
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This document discusses autonomy in higher education in India. It defines institutional autonomy as giving institutions freedom to achieve their goals and objectives. There are two types of autonomy: substantive, related to academic matters, and procedural, related to administrative functions. Previous research has found a link between autonomy and better research and innovation outcomes. A 2014 UNESCO study of 5 Asian countries found that increased autonomy was accompanied by new accountability measures and benefited institutions with strong leadership. The document examines issues affecting autonomy in India and recommends that autonomy be linked to accreditation levels. In 2018, the UGC granted full autonomy to 62 universities and colleges in India.
MAP 504 INTERNATIONALIZATION OF EDUCATION
TOPIC : CHED CMO #1S 2005, RATIONALIZATION OF ACCREDITATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
PROFESSOR : DR. DANILO HILARIO
PhD STUDENT : MEL OLIVER S. BALAGTAS
SCHOOL TERM :3RD SEMESTER, AY 2019-2020
*******************
ROLE OF THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION CRITERIA AND COMPONENTS
4 LEVELS FOR HEI ACCREDITATION
ACCREDITATION PRACTICES
ACCREDITING AGENCIES IN THE PHILIPPINES
Teaching of accounting ethics an exploratory study on accounting lecturers ...Juan Urquijo
This document discusses a study on how accounting ethics is taught by lecturers in higher education institutions in Malaysia. The study aims to determine lecturers' awareness of teaching accounting ethics, how it is incorporated into courses (either standalone or embedded), the level and methods of instruction, and assessment techniques used. The study was conducted through questionnaires administered to accounting lecturers in public and private universities in Malaysia, with the goal of better understanding how ethics education can help prevent future accounting scandals and protect society.
To understand the institutionalization of business ethics, the differences between voluntary and legally mandated organizational practices. Mandated, Core, and Voluntary Practices of Ethical Decisions. Whistle-Blower Protection
To Study the Role of Quality Management System to Improve Effectiveness of Qu...lalikjan
Quality Management System (QMS) is a permanent feature of all renowned universities of the world. Earlier it was perceived that Quality Management is only an area which may be applied in manufacturing and other Engineering sectors of life. However, now this trend has been changed and quality assurance agencies of the world are giving due emphasis to apply QMS in education industry. This cultural change ultimately improves the quality of education and services as well. Higher Education of Pakistan has taken revolutionary steps in this regard and now Quality Assurance program is running in good number of universities of Public and private sectors. As per Higher Education Commission compulsions, all public and private universities of Pakistan are required to establish their Quality Enhancement Cells (QECs). There are multiple challenges, hindrances and reluctant behaviors in the way of QMS. The first and important hurdle is the cultural change and i.e quality culture. Furthermore, the implementation of quality culture may measure and evaluate educational performance of the process, and may be used for the evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. This programme may contribute for credibility and standardization of academic programmes. Different world wide recognized quality parameters like ISO 9001-2008, International Workshop Agreement-2 (IWA-2) certification may be accredited to different university programmes. This will increase the level of motivation, credibility and recognition both for students and the teachers. A thorough study has been conducted in university of Karachi (International Relations Department) Pakistan and existing trends, facts and quality culture parameters are evaluated in this paper.
Breve resumen de la ley de reautorizacion de educacion (HEOA)Alfredo Calderón
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965 and introduced significant changes to accreditation and the relationship between higher education institutions and the federal government. It expanded government oversight over areas traditionally controlled by higher education like finance, governance, and judgments of academic quality. It also increased reporting requirements for institutions around issues like distance education, student outcomes, and data reporting. The HEOA shifted some power in accreditation from the executive branch to Congress and required institutions to establish policies for transferring credits and verifying student identity in distance education courses while protecting student privacy.
Internal Program Audit NaRM (Autosaved) (Autosaved).docxBantideru
1. This document outlines an internal quality audit conducted at Wollo University's College of Agriculture. It discusses the importance of quality assurance in higher education and ensuring high-quality education and outcomes for students.
2. Quality assurance involves self-assessment, external evaluation, and accreditation to monitor curriculum, teaching, assessment, student support and outcomes to meet standards. It promotes innovation and continuous improvement.
3. The audit was conducted by four auditors and assessed the Natural Resources Management program to evaluate quality.
Internal Program Audit NaRM (Autosaved) (Autosaved).docxBantideru
1. This document outlines an internal quality audit conducted at Wollo University's College of Agriculture. It discusses the importance of quality assurance in higher education and ensuring high-quality education and outcomes for students.
2. Quality assurance involves self-assessment, external evaluation, and accreditation to monitor curriculum, teaching, assessment, student support and outcomes. It promotes innovation and continuous improvement.
3. The audit was conducted by four auditors and assessed the Natural Resources Management program to evaluate quality.
This document summarizes a study that used value chain analysis to understand the competitive advantages of the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) as an Open and Distance Learning institution. It identified ZOU's primary value-creating activities as course development, teaching, research, assessment, and accreditation. It also analyzed the competitive forces in ZOU's industry, including rivalry from other universities offering distance learning programs. The study found that while ZOU had the advantage of being the only state-supported distance learning institution in Zimbabwe, increasing competition from other colleges threatened its position. It recommended that ZOU constantly monitor operations to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and provide quality education to maintain its competitive edge.
This document describes a proposed management model for accreditation and quality assurance of the Business Engineering program at the National Polytechnic School of Ecuador. The model is composed of 13 criteria including educational objectives, curriculum, infrastructure, faculty, student management, learning outcomes, student environment, research, and community links. The model aims to evaluate the quality of the Business Engineering program and create an action plan to improve education quality.
The document discusses accreditation standards for higher education institutions. It makes three key points:
1) There are many accrediting bodies worldwide with varying standards of rigor. Ultimately, the value of accreditation depends on the standards used in the process.
2) There is a growing trend to consider international standards in accreditation to ensure global acceptance of qualifications. This is especially important in fields like medical education.
3) The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority draws on internationally-recognized standards to accredit Omani higher education institutions and provide strong benchmarks for quality. Adopting best practices and international standards will help Omani graduates compete globally.
This document discusses the practice of combining internal audit and compliance functions within organizations, particularly in higher education. While there are some benefits like administrative efficiencies, there are also concerns that combining the functions could compromise independence and weaken compliance effectiveness. The roles of each function are also different, with internal audit focused on risk management and compliance serving as a change agent to address compliance risks. Maintaining independence of the internal audit function is important according to auditing standards.
The document summarizes a research study on the effect of procurement skills on the application of public procurement procedures in Kenyan public secondary schools. Some key findings from the study included:
1) Most public secondary schools do not employ trained procurement professionals or provide training to their procurement committee members, resulting in a lack of procurement skills.
2) While some respondents agreed that training procurement officials could improve implementation of procurement laws, over half disagreed that the current training has led to better implementation.
3) There is a relationship between procurement skills and effective application of procurement laws, as schools with more skills showed better adherence to the laws. The study recommends increased training for procurement officers.
REPORT ON ETHICS & INTEGRITY IN THE TASMANIAN PUBLIC SECTOR.docxchris293
REPORT ON ETHICS & INTEGRITY
IN THE TASMANIAN PUBLIC SECTOR
2013
INTEGRITY COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2
INTRODUCTION
The Integrity Commission was established in October
2010. One of its key objectives is to improve the standard
of conduct, propriety and ethics in Tasmanian public
authorities by adopting a strong educative, preventative
and advisory role.
Since establishment, the Commission has been collecting
information about the state of ethics and integrity in the
public sector. The Commission has done this by delivering
face to face training and education programs; establishing
discussion and advisory groups (Ethical Reference
Groups);1 examining public information about agencies;
investigating misconduct and auditing the way agencies
have responded to allegations of misconduct.
Between November 2012 and January 2013, the
Commission conducted a detailed survey of integrity
mechanisms in state departments and government
businesses.2 The total staff within agencies surveyed
amounted to nearly 31,000. The Commission combined
the information it had gathered from all sources, and from
this survey, to produce the first ‘map’ of the gaps in ethics
and integrity policies and practices in these agencies.
This information provides valuable insight into the key
areas of misconduct risk. The Commission will use this
information to develop training, research and misconduct
prevention activities (products) to ensure that the work of
the Commission is directed towards the areas of highest
misconduct risk and that its products are most effective
in helping agencies to reduce that risk. This work will also
assist agency heads to meet their obligations under the
Integrity Commission Act 2009 to provide training to staff
on ethics and integrity.
WHAT IS A
MISCONDUCT RISK?
Misconduct risk arises from various sources. A poor culture;
gaps in administrative processes; a lack of, or poorly
drafted policies and procedures; ignorance of obligations
and accountability system failures have been identified as
key factors.3
Risk management models are universally recommended
for agencies to assess their own governance needs,
adopt (or not adopt) recommended standards and
tailor their integrity frameworks to suit their needs.4 The
OECD5 recommends agencies identify high risk areas and
manage them with existing processes such as personnel
management or internal audit.
In mapping misconduct risk within the Tasmanian public
sector, the Commission identified a number of risk areas
to measure agencies against, in order to determine the
‘health’ of the sector in relation to ethics and integrity. The
areas the Commission focussed on included:
• education on ethical codes and key integrity policies –
this included an assessment of whether education was
ongoing or limited to induction, employees understood
the information that was provided to them and records
of traini.
10/8/2018 Print
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Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
Explain how an organization can structure and manage an ethics program.
Develop a code of conduct that articulates standards to company stakeholders.
Create an ethics training and communications plan.
Evaluate mechanisms for obtaining advice on ethical issues and reporting ethical misconduct.
Design an effective monitoring and auditing system.
9 Implementing an Ethics Program
Bloomberg/Getty Images
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Introduction
Ethics Program Pays Off for Morgan Stanley
On April 25, 2012, Garth Peterson, former managing director for Morgan Stanley’s real estate business in China,
pleaded guilty to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and for conspiring to evade Morgan
Stanley’s internal controls for meeting securities laws for investment advisers (United States Department of
Justice, 2012). From 2004 to 2007, Peterson cultivated a relationship with a Chinese of�icial to obtain business
approvals. In 2008, executives at Morgan Stanley discovered the violations, reported them to the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC), and �ired Peterson (Lucchetti & Kendall, 2012). Department of Justice of�icials
declined to bring any enforcement action against Morgan Stanley because of its documented ethics and
compliance program, stating:
According to court documents, Morgan Stanley maintained a system of internal controls meant to
ensure accountability for its assets and to prevent employees from offering, promising or paying
anything of value to foreign government of�icials. Morgan Stanley’s internal policies, which were
updated regularly to re�lect regulatory developments and speci�ic risks, prohibited bribery and
addressed corruption risks associated with the giving of gifts, business entertainment, travel, lodging,
meals, charitable contributions and employment. Morgan Stanley frequently trained its employees on
its internal policies, the FCPA and other anti-corruption laws. Between 2002 and 2008, Morgan Stanley
trained various groups of Asia-based personnel on anti-corruption policies 54 times. During the same
period, Morgan Stanley trained Peterson on the FCPA seven times and reminded him to comply with
the FCPA at least 35 times. Morgan Stanley’s compliance personnel regularly monitored transactions,
randomly audited particular employees, transactions and business units, and tested to identify illicit
payments. Moreover, Morgan Stanley conducted extensive due diligence on all new business partners
and imposed stringent controls on payments m.
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protectionism vs transparency as a quality issue in Omani higher education education quality case study
1. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
Protectionism vs. Transparency
as a Quality Issue in Omani Higher Education
Ali H. Fayadh
Program Director, ELS-Oman, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
ahfayadh@omantel.net.om
ahfayadh@yahoo.com
Abstract. Protectionism comes into sight when an organization ignores or
hides necessary improvements or purposely inflates positive aspects and
underestimates problems. This work is confined to protectionism and
transparency in the Omani private higher education sector. It attempts to
disclose the measures quality monitoring organizations take to ensure
transparency in the sector, whether these measures are adequate or not, the types
of protectionary acts exercised by some Higher Education Institutions (HEIs),
and the ways suggested to avoid protectionism.
This study will explore the aspects of a sensitive issue and will assist HEIs to
improve their policies and actions; it will also diagnose areas where the Ministry
of Higher Education (MoHE) and Oman Accreditation Council (OAC) may
intervene; it invites researchers to deal with this issue more openly in the future,
utilizing other research methodologies; finally, a tentative "Terms of Reference"
is offered which may be elaborated into "Guidelines on how to avoid
Protectionism in HE Quality" in the future.
It is suggested that many HEIs practice protectionism in different disguises, and
that some HE quality policies instigate HEIs' inclination to protectionism.
1 Introduction
Protectionism is a common phenomenon put into practice directly (intentionally)
or indirectly, and can be spotted effortlessly in different parts of the world
nowadays; as such, it has invited multiple arguments, gained its own proponents
and opponents, and been utilized as a propaganda tool to accomplish political,
economical and social objectives. But what is Protectionism?
According to Wikipedia
1
, "Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining
trade between states, through methods such as tariffs on imported goods,
restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to
discourage imports, and prevent foreign take-over of native markets and
companies". The aim is to protect the national economy with barriers against
2. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
external influence and trade. In economics, it is contrasted to free-trade, but in
education to transparency. As such it has more opponents than proponents.
In HE, Protectionism is seen as a HEI's "motivation to omit or conceal areas where
improvements are required or, when they cannot be concealed, to present them in a form
that deliberately over exaggerates positive aspects and underplays problems. It may even
motivate HEIs to ensure that certain people will be unavailable to meet with the Audit
Panel during the Audit Visit"
2
.
The MoHE, OAC, and HEIs have their own laws which should be respected,
provided that they are well-addressed and made public. Thus, each HEI draws its
own internal mechanisms that flows from its own statement of intent, and are in
line with those of the other higher local authority, MoHE and OAC. However, to
a certain extent the local higher authority must respect those of the HEIs; during
audits HEIs are rarely questioned about their own well-set mechanisms (usually
commended), and only reminded (affirmations & recommendations) about those
that deviate from quality standards. In other words, while HEIs are encouraged
to buy their own laws, they should also buy those of the MoHE and OAC. In
doing so, they are defined as transparent; otherwise, they are not. It is evident that
institutions resort to protectionism when they feel they do not have their own
proper consistency, and cannot respond to those of the governing authority.
1.1 Problem
Taking into consideration the OAC's above conception of the protectionary acts,
HEIs should opt for transparency. The extent of how HEIs have responded to
this concept is still unresolved. Therefore, in order to explore the situation in the
HE sector, this work attempts to answer the following questions:
What measures do quality monitoring organizations take to ensure
transparency in Omani Higher Education?
Are these measures adequate or not?
What are the types of protectionary acts exercised by some HEIs?
How to avoid protectionism?
1.2 Methodology
In order to respond to the above questions and other relevant issues, the
Observational research method is utilized in this work because of:
Sensitivity of the research issue
3. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
Size and variability of the HE sector
Familiarity with the HE sector in Oman
Continuous monitoring as a result of living in Oman
Stimulus for other types of future research
Evaluation with inferences and a judgment
1.3 Limitations
This work is confined to protectionism and transparency in the private
HE sector. Reference to public HEIs is made only to enlighten the issue
under consideration.
It will not attribute protectionary acts mentioned in this work to HEIs by
name.
Issues discussed are directly/indirectly associated with Quality Audit
Manual (OAC, 2008).
1.4 Significance
It explores the aspects of a sensitive and important issue; thus, it will
assist HEIs to improve their policies and conduct, and to diagnose areas
where MoHE and OAC may intervene.
It invites researchers to deal with this issue more openly in the future,
utilizing other research methodologies.
It will attempt to draw a tentative "Terms of Reference" which may be
elaborated into "Guidelines on how to avoid Protectionism in HE
Quality" in the future.
2 Omani Quality Measures
2.1 HE Regulating Authorities
The Omani Higher Education (HE) sector has been expanding vastly.
Quantitatively, the number of HE Institutions (HEIs) has grown to more than 60,
and the number of functional units, staff and resources has also increased
tremendously. In addition, more attention has been laid on quality, professional
development, regulating laws and strategic planning.
4. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
The major authority in the sector is the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE),
established in 1994, whose role is to oversee public and private HEIs for the
application of HE standards
3
. Two General Directorates supervise the HEIs,
public and private. On the other hand, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU)
established in 1986 is the only public university in Oman which is run
independently by a university Council chaired by HE the Minister of Higher
Education, and Academic Council Chaired by the Vice Chancellor. Also, the
Ministries of Man Power, Health, Justice and Defense (MoMP, MoH, MoJ, MoD
respectively) and Oman Central Bank run their own colleges and institutes.
The multiplicity of HEIs' affiliations has its pros and cons. Such diversity allows
for more specialized professional monitoring and avails additional resources for
HE development. However, this mixture has proven to be difficult to govern by a
single regulatory mechanism, with laws, regulations and policies as HEIs have
different external affiliations, and varying governing bodies, administrative
policies and resources.
To respond to the international, regional and national challenges of quality and
accreditation and ensure public accountability, the Oman Accreditation Council
(OAC) was established in 2001 to assist "in the development of the Omani higher
education sector through institutional quality audits, institutional and program
accreditation processes. Also, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher
Education, it has responsibilities for establishing academic standards, and
providing training and networking opportunities"
4
.
The Oman Quality Network (OQN) "is a collegial and independent, not-for-profit
network of Omani Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), focused on quality
enhancement to disseminate quality in the HE sector through different activities"
created in 2006
5
. It works in coordination with the MoHE and OAC, and is run
by an elected Executive Committee.
2.2 Quality Policies
There are two major types of policies set to maintain quality in the sector: Initial
or licensing criteria that are normally set and enforced by the relevant authority
(e.g., the Directorate General of Private Universities and Colleges (DGPUCs)),
and accreditation mechanisms set by the OAC. The final approval of all policies
is granted by the MoHE.
It must be underlined here that there is no officially recognized manual, criteria
or law which regulates the licensing requirements for new HEIs. Instead, there
are procedures of licensing that are set (and developed) by the DGPUG. Also, the
follow-up routine is maintained by the relevant body based on internal
5. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
regulations. Unfortunately, the accreditation process has not been approved. The
Requirements for Oman’s System of Quality Assurance (ROSQA) was developed into
a draft quality plan (v4), which awaits final approval. The accreditation process
itself was broken off into three repetitive stages: Institutional Auditing,
Institutional Accreditation, and Programme Accreditation. There is a formal
Quality Audit Manual to control ongoing auditing processes which are expected
to finalize in 2013. Excluding the Foundation Programme Standards, other
policies are not officially ratified.
In short, Oman Qualifications Framework (OQF), Oman Standard Classification
of Education Framework (OSCED), Oman HEI Classification Framework,
Program Standards, Program Licensing Manual, Program Accreditation &
Recognition Manual, HEI Licensing Manual, Standards Assessment Manual –
Institutional Accreditation: Stage 2, and Appeals Manual are all under
development6
and are not yet brought into effect by a proper legislation. In other
words, quality mechanisms are developed gradually, and introduced in a de facto
form. Needless to say the current state is normal considering the short life-span of
Oman's adherence to HE quality assurance. In fact, all quality policies (approved
& waiting-for-approval) are under continuous scrutiny. Undoubtedly, there are
reasons behind current situation whose examination lies beyond the limits of this
work.
The full accreditation process (all three stages) may take no less than (12) years
for a HEI to be licensed, provided it had met all requirements of these three
stages. Hence, it sounds reasonable that HEIs be trained on repetitive checks (and
all accompanying requirements- portfolio writing, visit interviews, panel reports,
etc.)
7
shown in Figure (1):
Figure 1: The Accreditation Process Cycle
Audit Institutional
Accreditation
Audit Programme
Accreditation
Institutional
Accreditation
4 yrs 4 yrs 4 yrs
1-2 yrs 1-2 yrs
4 yrs
Programme
Accreditation
6. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
3 Types of Protectionism
Protectionism is handled differently. As an economical issue, Levy (2009)
identifies three types of protectionism: "Intentional protectionism encompasses
measures that are explicitly intended to favor domestic industry over imports.
Incidental protectionism occurs when measures can be readily justified on other
grounds but also have the effect of obstructing import competition. Instrumental
protectionism describes a burgeoning set of policies in which trade actions are
used as a lever to change another country's policies"
8
.
However, protectionism is classified into two different types for this work; the
first is associated with the route and intensity of the protectionary act, the second
with its legality.
3.1 Route and Intensity
Protectionary acts are undertaken to protect the HEI against (an)other
stakeholder(s); stakeholders are of different ranks: governing (regulatory
authorities), governed (students, parents, and other beneficiaries), or equal (other
HEIs and competitors). Figure (2) shows the course and intensity of relation.
HEI
Regualting Authorities
(MoHE, OAC, etc.)
Possible
Competitors
Other
HEIs
Students
&
Parents
Figure 2: Protectionism Course and Intensity
7. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
Figure (2) shows that HEIs may exercise minimum intensity level (indicated by
the upper normal arrow) when they protect themselves against governing
(regulatory) authorities who have the power of the legislation; it is minimum
because it is made (ought to be made) difficult to locate (hidden). Mutual
protectionism might be practiced by similar HEIs (referred to by a dotted
horizontal arrow) where peer institutions tend to hide facts from one another to
win the consumers. Another type of protectionism is characterized with a
maximum intensity level (marked with the bold normal arrow), and practiced
when a HEI attempts to woo its students or their sponsors by misinforming them
in order to join the institution, or to flatter them so that they do not complain to
higher authorities or leave the HEI; it is maximum because HEIs' senior
managers think that students (and their sponsors) are less threatening to them.
3.2 Legality
Protectionism can occur in these forms:
a. Legal protectionism where a HEI can follow its own laws, i.e., it can
draw its own protectionary mechanism, supported by all stakeholders
(including the regulatory authority). This type may amount to
transparency.
b. Rationalized protectionism is observed when a number of
stakeholders, not all, legislate (and make public) certain acts to protect
their own entity. Such acts usually raise criticism and/or refusal by
other stakeholders. These acts are of relative transparency.
c. Protectionism per se occurs when a HEI conceals facts from some or
all stakeholders. This is a totally rejected non-transparent action.
4 Factors Triggering Protectionism
Protectionism is handled differently in different contexts; it is sometimes
legalized by a good portion of the nation, e.g., the Americans (and people of
other G20 nations) have decided on measures that contradict with free trade
agreements they have already created and enforced worldwide, in order to ease
down the burden of the recent financial crackdown. However, they were attacked
by both fellow Americans and foreigners.
In our situation protectionism (namely Legalized and per se) is seen as an
unlawful exercise attempted to polish the grim reality of an institution. It is
ethically rejected because it is not true, and is aiming to stick a false label to the
organization. However, people generally tend to act transparently in the absence
of circumstances holding them back. The drive to protectionism is chosen due to
many factors:
8. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
4.1 Flexibility of Current Policies
With the many policies pending for ratification, and with numerous "under-
review" documents, the efforts to ensure quality can be questioned. In order to
transparently have the sector to respond to a policy, it must be issued as an
official legislation in the form a Royal Decree, or as a Ministerial Bylaw. It is
unfavorable to state that the quality process is run in accordance with the
INQAAHE standards in the absence of a national regulating system. INQAAHE
and other quality agencies require that endorsed policies must have been
demonstrated relevant legally and practically
9
. Of course, such a requirement
would confuse all participants in the process, not only the HEIs. A holistic
approach to the formation of the quality management system is a prerequisite.
Also, the quality policies adopted must be non-discriminatory and unambiguous.
They must stop all local HEIs from seeking quality checks outside the national
system, since double checks might lead to incongruous results that harm either
the HEI or the quality local system, in addition to its deterrent impact on the other
HEIs.
4.2 Safe Investment
The profitability and concessions of the HE sector have attracted a diverse
society of private investors. The notion of HEIs as "non-profit" organizations was
severely disputed in many forms. The result is that many HEIs are run by Board
of Directors (BoDs), not by actual appointed CEOs (Chancellors, Deans, and
their staff), i.e., the overall intention of HEIs has been diverted from academia.
As a result, the motivations of the governing body have collided with those of the
administration, and ended up with many HEIs resisting development. Even when
they take steps towards that goal they are influenced by the volume of the
expected profit.
The MoHE has mitigated the negative influence of investors through the
establishment of the Board of Trustees (BoTs), which is the governing authority
in HE worldwide. But BoTs remain dummy structures because they themselves
are appointed by BoDs, without sabbatical members to contribute to daily
business.
The BoDs' intervention amounts to manipulation in many cases, and takes many
forms, not only in Oman, but in the Arab world. The Jordanian regulations, for
instance, have been very tough and forbidden investors from entering into the
university campuses. The scarcity of resources available provided by BoDs has
deterred the progress of HEIs in all walks of life, including quality. Anyhow,
HEIs governance remains one of the sensitive issues in the private HE sector.
9. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
4.3 Foreign Affiliation Leniency
Excluding a small number of foreign affiliates, the majority do not practice real
influence on the affiliated local HEIs for many reasons. Affiliation agreements
are not activated or applied, and the fixed periodic visits are insignificant if they
happen at all. While the absence of effective mutual relationship restricts the
local HEIs' experience in the different aspects of HE quality process, excessive
interferences are damaging as well.
Moreover, many Omani HEIs have miscellaneous foreign affiliation contracts at
the same time, a phenomenon that may have a negative impact on the HEIs' final
resort to attain to quality standards, as different HEIs have different quality
mechanisms. The understaffing of Quality office and absence of rigorous
internal quality procedures in the majority of the local HEIs would impose more
risks on their progress and burden academic staff with extra tasks as well.
4.4 Insubstantial Statement of Intent
The HEI's vision, mission and objectives and relevant strategies distinguish it
from other HEIs. The statement of intent has a far-reaching influence; it triggers
everything within the institution, affects roles and functions of departments and
individuals, and sketches a proper quality path for the institution.
Unfortunately, the generality of our organizations do not have thorough
statements of intent. On the other hand, a number of these institutions have
drawn their vision and mission statements to the minimal so as not to provide for
additional requirements.
5 HEIs' Protectionary Practices
Relatively speaking, these acts of protectionism are practiced in the HE sector as
well as all the other sectors across the globe; some of these practices are legal
whereas others are not. The former are set by the HEI to comply with quality
standards in operation (the Buy-One's-Laws principle) and made known to all
stakeholders, and the latter are those adhered to in order to rationalize/hide away
an unlawful situation.
In this work, protectionary acts shall generally be identified first, and then an
inventory of these acts will be suggested. An endeavour will be made to allocate
these acts within the HEI's life span or relevant stage/phase of quality check:
10. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
5.1 Identification of Unlawful Practices
5.1.1 Unfulfilled promises
They are noticed when the HEI makes hollow promises accompanied with
propaganda coverage, e.g., new campuses, more facilities, enrolment
concessions, etc.
5.1.2 Unsolicited actions
These are claimed to be done to satisfy higher monitoring authorities, e.g.,
requirements of performance indicators (staff numbers, Omanization
rates, new posts, etc.), benchmarking, etc.
5.1.3 Latent incompetence
This is practiced in the absence of efficient staff and/or effective
administrative mechanisms and academic policies, e.g., practicing
plagiarism, unreal statistics, etc.
5.1.4 Voracity
This is exercised when the HEI minimizes its statement of intent to
generate more profits, e.g., indulgence in non-academic investments,
creating false settings, mismanagement of (financial) resources, etc.
5.2 Inventory of Protectionary Acts
5.2.1 During Normal Times
The phrase "normal times" here is used to mean "during the period with
no quality checks at all, i.e., before the enforcement of quality standards,
or where no quality check is expected or in progress". In the absence of
effective monitoring and the presence of a growing number of HEIs of the
same or relatively similar offerings, a HEI tends to perform these
practices to survive the competition in the market (with other HEIs).
5.2.1.1 Self -Promotion or Bragging
Internationally, there are certain bragging rights a HEI is allowed to
practice to reflect upon their own academic excellence; a HEI is
entitled to bragging, if and only if the bragging points are really
existent, e.g., issues regarding notable size of staff (percentage of
PhD, Masters, Assistants to other staff and to students), number of
students, diversity, programmes, facilities, research, etc.
But bragging is undesirable if it rests on no solid grounds, for
instance, overstatement of multiple foreign affiliation (usually mono-
11. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
directional in nature), e.g., one HEI reiterates pompously it has had
ties with 8 foreign affiliates (!!). In doing so, these HEIs aim to attract
more "consumers" to their institutions. To have more than one affiliate
may have negative consequences (even if the foreign affiliates operate
in terms of their contracts) because of its additional obligations (and
cost) that would bring up more confusion to the HEI itself. It must be
emphasized that HEIs are encouraged to have as many as they can of
bilateral cultural, scientific, or research agreements with other foreign
HEIs since such agreements are different from affiliation contracts.
5.2.1.2 Propaganda
Many HEIs have good marketing policies (which is commended),
whereas some exaggerate and act irrationally; during new enrolment
peaks, they try to attract consumers with flyers, ads in newspapers,
shopping centres, e-messaging (e-mails and SMS), and many other
sponsored activities. In these advertisements, they do not refer to
academic facilities, future prospects, etc., they rather mislead fresh
school-leaving students: just register and get a "parchment/diploma"
from a reputed foreign university!! Other HEIs advertise ornamented
campus architectural designs, claiming they cost millions, but they do
not exist in reality.
5.2.1.3 Community Service Exploitation
HEIs are obliged as non-profit organizations to support the local
society freely; it is true that some HEIs have taken initiative towards
that end, but the majority are turning their campuses into "training
institutes" in order to generate additional income. For instance, 75%
of a HEI's enrolment is in vocational/professional training courses,
and only 25% of its population are regular academic students!! Other
HEIs have been offering training courses for the public and taking up
the roles assigned to the MoMP-licensed training institutes. This
paid-for service is, HEIs claim, a community service.
5.2.1.4 Improper Labels
A number of inviting labels are occasionally utilized by some HEIs in
order to attract more consumers, e.g., the label "University College"
recurrently appears in many occasions (ads, celebrations,
correspondence, promotion, etc.). In fact, a HEI is only entitled to use
the label if it offers a postgraduate programme
10
.
12. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
5.2.1.5 Ineffective Practices
HEIs have many ineffective practices, departments and posts to
respond to common requirements, e.g., participating in some local,
regional or international events without effective contribution, and
then tending to inflate this participation. Also some HEIs have as part
of their Organizational Structures many dummy nodes (departments,
offices, etc.), with a single employee or with many ill-
informed/trained employees.
5.2.2 Post-Normal Times (during Quality Checks)
HEIs are alerted during quality checks and many staff are pressured by
administration to do additional work in addition to their normal
obligations (particularly daily academic activities). Therefore, many
undesirable actions (including protectionism) result. These acts are
practiced when the concerned person does not find satisfactory answers to
the pending issues. Different types of protectionary practices occur
during the different stages of the quality check.
5.2.2.1 Before
Since all HEIs know their next scheduled quality check at present,
their endeavours to satisfy the process requirements start early before
the writing of the self-study portfolio itself. As we have just
mentioned, in their attempt to satisfy quality standards, they may
endorse both accepted and non-accepted measures; such tendency is
regarded as "understandable", though the OAC has also reminded
HEIs to act untransparently. The common practice, however, is that
HEI's are inclined to "protect their reputation", and prove accredible
11
.
The protectionary practices observed during this stage are as follows:
1. Exaggeration in all aspects of work, particularly media
coverage where the audited HEI is exceptionally present
everywhere in an attempt to stage itself as pioneering.
However, it must be underlined here that such practices are
encouraged if they occur normally; but if they are intended to
attract the attention of the monitoring authority, individuals
and institutions, e.g., in anticipation of MoHE visits or OAC
checks, they are protectionary.
2. Befriending all stakeholders by settling all pending or
unresolved issues in order to avoid unexpected complaints or
submissions.
3. Imposing its "own laws", e.g., one HEI has created for itself
two CEOs in order to suggest that it is fully prepared for a
13. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
higher status or accreditation. On the other hands, some HEIs
do not appoint PhD staff, assistant CEOs, etc. claiming they
(actual CEOs) can run business themselves alone, or with the
help of the BoDs.
4. Some HEIs resort to hiring external consultants/teams to
prepare the floor for the quality check, including the portfolio
writing, claiming that such expertise will benefit the whole
institution. Other HEIs trust one/two experienced staff to
control the process. Both cases undermine the goal behind
quality checks, which must be the collaborative effort of all
stakeholders.
5.2.2.2 During Portfolio Writing
1. Exaggerating the number of quality (sub)committees
formulated and meetings held. A HEI has announced in local
newspapers that it has discussed quality and nominated many
committees to accomplish the task, though the same HEI is
understaffed and thus cannot accommodate for the proper
work of this number of committees. Another HEI has held
more than 100 meetings for the Steering Committee (SC)
alone.
2. Overemphasizing portfolio writing tasks or vice versa, with
many/fewer assumptions and less outcome.
3. Producing descriptive portfolio/evidence which is full of
pompous style.
4. Resorting to plagiarism deliberately or accidently.
5. Submitting excessive number of positive results and less
negative ones and OFIs (Opportunities for Improvement).
6. Extensive communication with the Contact Person (of the
OAC) to tell they care.
7. Exceptional attention to superficial matters such as the over-
decorated editing of the self-study portfolio, e.g., cover pages,
binding, CDs, paper quality, etc.
8. Exaggerating the number of (Additional) Supporting Materials
attached.
9. Utilizing a professional editing company.
5.2.2.3 Before Panel Visit
HEIs have full relief after the submission of their self-study portfolios,
but those who realize that the portfolio submission is only the
beginning of a long race act differently. As far as protectionary acts
are concerned these are some of the practices observed:
14. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
1. Continuing intensive media coverage.
2. Preparing lists of interviewees on a non-random scale.
3. Coercing interviewees, particularly internal interviewees,
using different styles.
5.2.2.4 During Panel Visit
1. Attempting to have a good impact on the Panel members
directly/indirectly in different ways
12
.
2. Forcing some "trouble-making" stakeholders, e.g.,
incompetent, challenging, etc., not to attend during the panel
visit.
3. Striving to recognize how the Panel members work, or the
interviewees respond, etc.
5.2.2.5 After Panel Visit
5.2.2.5.1 Before Panel Report
1. Complaining about the work of the panel, or the process itself.
2. Releasing positive news about the outcome of the Audit,
misinterpreting the feedback got from the Panel Chair at the
end of the visit.
3. Keeping everyone in the dark about the results or the process.
4. Collecting false evidences and excuses about the pitfalls
uncovered by the panel.
5.2.2.5.2 In Reply to Panel Report
5. Attempting to prove that recommendations of the report are
baseless.
6. Disagreeing with Panel members, their course of work, and
conclusions.
7. Appealing against the Panel Report.
5.2.2.5.3 After Panel Report
8. Undermining the recommendations and inflating the
commendations in public (by interviews with CEOs,
newspaper press releases, etc.).
9. Terminating tasks to improve, postponing them until next
quality check.
15. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
5. Tentative Terms of Reference
Table (1) shows tentative terms of reference, which can be elaborated by the
work of the different HE organizations, to act as guidelines to the HEIs:
Table 1. Tentative Terms of Reference
# Question Answer Action to Avoid Protectionism
1 What is
Protectionism?
Protectionism is an
undesirable act aimed to
conceal facts from the HEI’s
stakeholders, by providing
false/distorted information
about the institution in order
to distance itself from
possible harmful measures.
In other words, it is an
unethical, unlawful action.
1. To accomplish transparency, a HEI
must:
a. Identify itself clearly by drawing
a sound statement of intent
(vision, mission, goals and
objectives) and applies them via
realistic strategic planning.
b. Maintain a delicate Resource
management process.
c. Communicate honestly with its
stakeholders.
d. Act as a non-profit organization.
2. To serve the interests of ALL
stakeholders, and respect the
requirements of the regulatory
authorities through a legal (and even
legalized) protectionary framework.
2 Who practices it? It is intentionally practiced
by the HEI's owners and
senior managers who know
the real irregularities of the
organization, and
inadvertently by other
stakeholders who are
unaware they are protecting
an offensive practice.
1. To set clear roles and responsibilities of
each stakeholder, and sustain them in
everyday transactions.
2. To ensure that the people responsible for
governance (BoDs & BoTs) and
administration (Chancellors, Deans,
HoDs, etc.) act independently in terms of
their roles and responsibilities and in line
with the HEI's statement of intent.
3. To avoid all acts of coercing,
threatening, etc. practiced to misinform
regulatory bodies or their
representatives.
4. To enroll professional cadre and sustain
honest community, adopt rigid criteria of
selection, procedures of orientation, and
appeal/complaint mechanism to be
checked by regulatory authorities
periodically.
3 How is it practiced? 1. Unfulfilled promises
2. Unsolicited actions
3. Latent incompetence
4. Indifference
5. Voracity
1. To act rationally in line with a HEI's own
realistic statement of intent.
2. To satisfy international performance
indicators and cooperate with other peer
HEIs.
3. To provide learners with reputed human
resources and reliable facilities.
4. To avoid all ungrounded allegations.
16. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
4 When is it most
practiced?
Protectionism is adhered to
in:
1. Self-reports to a
regulatory authority
(during quality checks)
2. Reports to a governing
body (in annual reports)
3. Peaks of student
enrolment (before
regular study
commencement)
1. To provide self-informative manuals and
guidelines concerning all types of reports
required.
2. To organize explanatory workshops,
meetings and gatherings to simplify the
tasks and exchange experience.
3. To produce evaluative reports relying on
accurate data, and relevant performance
indicators and benchmarking tools.
4. To endorse an obvious reward policy,
reflecting dedication on the part of the
governing and regulatory stakeholders.
5. To facilitate cooperation, not
competition, between HEIs. This is the
role of the regulatory authorities who
must manage annual fairs, control
programme licensing policy, and assure
existence of manuals.
6 Conclusion
Thomas (2002) asserts that "Human society requires universities – they are not an
added extra, they are an essential part of the fabric of our civilization, our
educational provision, our search for new knowledge and our civic life"; among
other things, HEIs are characterized with organisational structures that collocate
"decision making, financial control, administration and accountability", and
considered as acknowledged contributors "economically, socially and culturally
to the city and region"
13
.
In 2004, Southon claims that "Universities are neglecting their role as the
intellectual engines and guardians of society"; thus "they have lost their integrity
and become creatures of student whim and short-term corporate interests", with
"Many academic leaders are more pre-occupied with ensuring financial viability
than advancing and integrating their disciplines. In the process they are alienating
their colleagues by overloading them with teaching and cutting support services.
The situation is exacerbated by the reporting demands of government in an
illusory attempt at transparency. The result is decline in genuine independent
thought and co-operative collegiality"
14
.
The increasing gap between the planned role and the actual practice has been
under controversial debate. Protectionism is one of the actions exercised by the
"corporate" senior managers to protect their interests; in other words, the failure
17. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
of a HEI to respond to effective quality standards is concomitant with
protectionary acts.
Therefore, a HEI must adopt a clear policy which enables students, parents and
other stakeholders to know about its real status in order for them to make proper
decisions regarding their enrolment in this HEI. This has been a hot issue in the
western world, particularly in the USA, whereby HEIs are requested (by the
regulating authorities) to initiate an Office of Consumer Protection. This
initiative stems from the need for education to obtain a meaningful credential
since current policies are crafted by the professionals' voice of HEIs, not the
students' voice. Hence, there must be existent a kind of "user-friendly 'truth-in-
education' information", which is based on a Consumer "Bill of Rights" where
data must be geared towards providing information to students purchasing HE
services
15
.
HEIs thus become inherently self-protected when they endorse such policies as
students and other stakeholders (including the public officials) are well-aware of
the HEI's statement of intent which rests upon students' "quality, flexibility and
fit for life styles"
16
. The Omani MoHE has demanded that transparent
information should be available for fresh students in both languages, Arabic and
English, and published to the public on the HEIs' websites, brochures and
booklets in order to enable them choose appropriately and know their rights fully.
A protectionary act may be accepted if it aims to save the interests of ALL
stakeholders, not some of them only, particularly, investors and/or senior
managers. Irrespective of the counter arguments, protectionism may be hailed by
a HEI’s society when it defends its interests, provided that the HEI itself acts
within the framework of the effective regulations as well, that is, the regulations
legislated by the country’s regulating authorities, the MoHE and OAC in the
Sultanate of Oman.
18. ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011ICQI-Lahore, 2-3 May 2011
Notes
1. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protectionism)
2. The Quality Audit Manual, Oman Accreditation Council. 2008, p. 45.
3. (http://mohe.gov.om/)
4. (http://www.oac.gov.om/)
5. (http://www.oac.gov.om/oqn/guidelines/)
6. The Quality Audit Manual , op. cit., pp.12-13
7. Ibid, pp. 10-12
8. Levy, op. cit., 2009.
9. See The INQAAHE Policy Statement (2004)
10. A university college must offer post graduate studies and implement a
thorough research development plan. For more information, see Guides
for Institutional and Programme Accreditation. ROSQA. MoHE. p. 21
11. The Quality Audit Manual, op. cit., p. 45
12. In $ 10.2 entitled Undue Influence, the OAC lists possible forms of
influence practiced on the Panel Members. For more information, see The
Quality Audit Manual, op. cit., p. 44.
13. Thomas, Eric. (2002). Roles of Universities.
http://www.bris.ac.uk/university/vc/role_of_universities.html
14. Southon, Gray. (2004). The intellectual role of universities?
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=2714
15. (http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/11/consumer_protection.ht
ml).
16. Ibid