Reimagining Quality Assurance in the 'New Normal'

Perspectives from students, providers and quality assurance bodies on the impact of COVID on teaching and learning, and online education.

March 17, 2022 (Thursday)
13:00 - 14:30 GMT

This webinar marks the launch of a new series of INQAAHE’s talks, through which INQAAHE aims to connect its membership with the broader international higher education community to discuss today’s pressing issues.

At a time of rapid change in higher education we see it crucial for the international quality assurance community to engage with all key stakeholders to collectively reflect on shared challenges and share insights and best practice, with a view to ensuring that higher education and quality assurance continue to serve the best interest of our increasingly interconnected communities.

This first webinar in the series, co-organised with the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE), will look at the impact of the global pandemic on teaching and learning, and the challenges and opportunities associated with online learning. We will be listening to the perspectives of students, education providers and quality assurance bodies, engaging with participants in discussion. 

We have collected the views of a range of students in different regions about their learning experience during the global pandemic, which will be played in a short video. We will then hear from the American University of Bahrain about their experience of having to pivot to online learning, and from Arizona State University on their experience of delivering learning in a digital environment. Quality Matters, a US quality assurance organisation for online education, and the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority, will share their views from an external quality assurance perspective. It will be an interactive webinar with plenty of opportunities for participants to ask questions and inform discussion,    

A recording of the session is publicly available on INQAAHE's YouTube channel:

The following speakers joined us in this session:

Dr. Wafa Almansoori

Dr. Wafa Almansoori is the Director of institutional Research and Assessment at the American University of Bahrain, a post she assumed since Sept 2020. During the period 2007-2020 she worked at the Education & Training Quality Authority (BQA), where in 2007 she joined the team responsible for setting the national quality assurance authority, one of the initiatives of the national education reform project of the Kingdom of Bahrain. During her time at the BQA, she served as the Director of the Directorate of Higher Education Reviews and the Directorate of vocational reviews. Prior to that, Dr. Almansoori was a faculty member at the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department of the University of Bahrain. She was also the Vice Chair of the Board of the Council for Regulating the Practice of Engineering Professions from 2016-2019 and a member from 2013-2016. Dr. Almansoori serves on the External Reviewer list of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education and is a member of Abdulrahman Kano international School’s Academic Board. 

Dr. Almansoori received her B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering qualification from the University of Bahrain, her master’s degree in Microelectronic Systems and Communications from the University of Liverpool, UK, and her PhD Degree from Tufts University, USA. Her current research interest is in the field of institutional effectiveness, teaching and learning and quality assurance in higher education.

Dr. Almansoori's presentation is available here.

Mr. Ahmed Ali

As the Director of International Digital Enrollment at EdPlus at Arizona State University, Ahmed is responsible for the graduate degree program Enrollment & Outreach efforts in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region. Currently based in the United Arab Emirates, Ahmed has worked in higher education for over 12 years. His key focus areas are outreach, counseling, and student recruitment. 

Prior to joining EdPlus at ASU, Ahmed was the Client Relationship Director at Thunderbird School of Global Management, responsible for the executive education activities in the MENA region. He has also worked at Hult International Business School, formerly known as Arthur D. Little School of Management, where he oversaw the Recruitment and Marketing efforts in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

Mr. Ali's presentation is available here.

Dr. Bethany Simunich

Dr. Bethany Simunich is the Director of Research and Innovation at Quality Matters (QM), an educational non-profit dedicated to quality online learning at all levels of education. In this role, Dr. Simunich leads efforts to help institutions, faculty, and staff make data-driven, research-based decisions to implement online quality assurance and promote online student success. Dr. Simunich has worked in higher education for over 20 years, focusing on online learning for a majority of that time, including as an online instructor, instructional designer, and as a distance learning administrator and researcher. Dr. Simunich earned her doctoral degree from The Ohio State University, and two Master’s degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Simunich's presentation is available here.

Dr. Jenny Walker

Dr. Jenny Walker has many years of experience in quality assurance of higher education, formerly contributing as an Associate Dean to the development of quality management systems and steering self-evaluation activities at one of the first accredited HEIs in Oman. She has served on various QA panels and is currently, as Consultant to the CEO of Oman’s national quality assurance agency, she oversees all EQA activities pertaining to the higher education sector in Oman and is responsible for bringing to fruition new systems such as Programme Accreditation, the endorsement of International EQA activities engaged in by the HEIs in Oman and the building of a national register of recognised International EQA agencies. 

Dr. Walker's presentation is available here.

The session was chaired by:

Dr. Fabrizio Trifiro

Dr. Fabrizio Trifiro’ is an international expert in quality assurance and international education. He heads Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) quality benchmark services aimed at supporting the international recognition of qualifications in challenging areas, and leads strategic engagement with key international stakeholders. In this role Fabrizio developed the TNE Quality Benchmark and TVET Quality Review and Accreditation, the only international schemes aimed at improving international understanding and trust of TNE and TVET qualifications respectively, regardless of countries of origin.

Prior to joining NARIC, Fabrizio was with the UK Quality Assurance Agency for over 10 years, where he led on the quality assurance of UK TNE, the international students experience, and cross-border cooperation with international QA bodies and networks.

Dr. Nadia Badrawi

An Egyptian expert in Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education and a professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at Cairo University. Prof. Badrawi is the main founder and currently the president of the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE). She disseminated the culture of Quality Assurance in Higher Education at international regional and national levels. She is currently chairing the reform of Medical education committee for undergraduate and foundation years at the Supreme Council of Egyptian Universities. She was one of the main founders to establish and develop the National Quality Assurance Authority in Education in Egypt. She is also a Board Member of: The Advisory Council of the CHEA International Quality Group (CIQG).