Interna

Nepal

University Grants Commission, Nepal

The overall objective of the proposed research project was to study the impact of COVID-19 on Quality Assurance and Accreditation Systems of the countries who are technologically weak. The information on interim efforts and difficulties faced by the QAA Agencies of technologically weak countries towards digitalization of the system and process would provide policy feedback to advance the system to a next stage. The aim of this study was to explore the best practices initiated by the agencies of the economically and technologically advanced countries so as to adopt similar measures by developing countries. The project would also map the problems the QAA Agencies of developed and developing countries faced during the transition to digital era of assessment.

This research was designed with three objectives namely i) to explore the impacts of COVID-19 to the QAA Agencies and review the strengths and weaknesses of existing QAA system, ii) map the innovative ways initiated by the QAA agencies to carry out assessment for accreditation amidst the pandemic, and iii) identify the risk and problems associated with digital transformation (innovative approach) of assessment.

COVID-19 pandemic induced transition to digital era in the QAA process was not easy in many countries as it had to be adopted abruptly. Though the nature of impact of COVID-19 in QAA process was similar across the countries, the extent and the time gap to cope and adopt to the new digital mode differed between ICT advanced countries and the weak countries. Undoubtedly, many of the ICT advanced countries had strong ICT infrastructure and resources to early transit to full digital mode of assessment which was otherwise for ICT weak countries. The experience of many of the accrediting agencies indicated maintaining the quality in virtual assessment a challenging task either due to inadequate technology and resources or due to lack of quality culture in HEIs. The question of credibility was also raised initially for its adoption without adequate infrastructure and expertise and probably not to the online system as such. On the whole, despite limited data, this study has come up with many positive and impressive findings and we believe this will help readers to understand how QAA agencies transited to digital era during COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full report.