Operating an External Quality Agency I

This course provides an in-depth exploration of the structures, methods, and practices involved in external quality assurance (EQA) in higher education. Structured into 3 modules comprising 10 units, the course takes a systems-level view of quality assurance agencies, focusing on their organizational design, operational frameworks, and accountability mechanisms. Students will examine the core functions of EQA agencies, including the development of review methodologies and standards-based approaches to quality. Through global case examples, the course investigates key quality assurance processes such as institutional accreditation, self-assessment, review reporting, and decision-making. A central focus is placed on the human dimension of quality assurance, particularly the roles, training, and selection of peer reviewers. Emphasis is given to the importance of ensuring credibility, stakeholder engagement, and sustained institutional improvement through well-structured EQA processes. Assessment in this course will be 100% continuous, utilizing a combination of formative and summative methods. The assessments consist of three components A, B and C. Students will be required to pass each component to pass the course. This course will be delivered entirely online using a blend of synchronous (e.g., web conferencing) and asynchronous (e.g., discussion forum, wiki and blogs) tools.