november 18, 2003 educational preeminence in the arab gulf: an assessment of progress american...
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November 18, 2003
Educational Preeminence Educational Preeminence in the Arab Gulf: in the Arab Gulf: An Assessment of ProgressAn Assessment of Progress
American University of SharjahAmerican University of Sharjah
Licensure and Accreditation
• Licensure: Legal requirement for operation
• Accreditation: Verification of quality of education
What is Accreditation?
• Accreditation is a voluntary process is a means of self-regulation and peer review adopted by the educational community.
• The accrediting process is intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence.
Accreditation Impact for students
• Assures quality education
• Facilitates transfer of credits between institutions admission to graduate schools
• Strengthens employment opportunities
AUS Accreditation
U.S. U.A.E.
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
• Institution-wide • Program-by-program
Self-Study Comprehensive Model
“Self-Study enables a college or university to appraise every aspect of its programs and services, governing and supporting structures, resources, and educational outcomes
in relation to the institution’s mission and goals.”
Self-Study Comprehensive Model
• It begins with a careful reassessment of the institution’s mission, goals, and objectives.
• Self-Study lays the groundwork for gathering data and conducting analyses, as well as setting priorities and making recommendations for change and improvement.
Milestones in AUS Accreditation
October 2001 U.S. incorporation – Delaware
December 2001 Submitted Self-Assessment Document
June 2002 AUS given “Candidate for Accreditation” status
December 2002 AUS Self-Study Design accepted by MSCHE
December 2003 AUS submits Self-Study Report
March 2004 Accreditation campus visit
June 2004 Accreditation decision
Self-Study Organization
Co-Chairs named in May 2002
Dr. Sallie SheppardAssistant to the Chancellor for Planning and Evaluation
&
Dr. Amer MoustafaAssociate Dean, School of Architecture and Design
Self-Study Organization
Study Committees Mission Students Student Support Services Faculty Educational Programs General Education Assessment & Institutional Effectiveness Governance, Administration & Integrity Institutional Resources and Planning
Self-Study Organization
Steering Committee Members
• Nadia Alhasani• Fatima Badry• Maher Bahloul • Mona Chehabi• Hany El-Kadi• Richard Mundy • Gayle Russell• Kassem Saleh• John Shannon• Sami Tabsh • Ron Williams
Ex-officioAmr Abdel-HamidGeorge DeBinMalakeh DabboussyChristine JensenTarek El-Mourad
Members-at-LargeMoza Al ShehhiWadiah AtiyahLeland BlankRobert CookMartin Giesen
Self-Study Organization
Committee Members
Participating in the work of 9 committees, over 70 faculty, students, and staff representing all university units and activities have worked very hard over the past year to make this study possible.
Major Activities of the Self-Study
• Developed study questions based on Middle States’ 14 Standards of Excellence
• Interviewed students, faculty, staff and administrators
• Reviewed AUS documents such as catalog, faculty handbook, HR manual, etc.
• Surveyed faculty, staff and students during spring 2003
Major sources of data for Self-Study
Survey Number Distributed
Number Returned
Response Rate
Faculty 190 150 79%
Staff 350 234 67%
Student 500 381 76%
Self-Study Survey
• Each study committee prepared a report in June 2003
• Steering Committee reviewed and identified gaps in the studies and reports
• Study Committees reconvened in September to complete work and resubmit reports
• Draft of the Self-Study report was prepared and reviewed by Steering Committee Some study committees Faculty Senate Committee on Self-Study Chancellor and Deans Former Chancellor Rod French
Preparation for Self-Study Report
• Provides basic information about the institution – history and profile
• Presents the findings from our internal assessment
• Documents recommendations for improvement
• Advocates the accreditation of the institution— serves as our application
Role of the Self-Study Report
• AUS has developed a remarkable university setting offering quality higher education that synthesizes the American model with local Arab context.
• AUS has created an exceptionally diverse multicultural learning environment suitable for a 21st-century global world.
• AUS has attracted excellent faculty with superb scholarly and professional achievements.
• AUS has recruited and graduated quality students with great potential for professional and entrepreneurial leadership.
• AUS has nurtured and supported a unique environment of self -governance and inclusive decision-making.
• AUS has provided its constituents with quality services in support of their involvement with the university.
Self-Study Findings
Self-Study Findings
AUS Mission, Revisited
The self-study has recognized the need to revise the mission statement to a more standard format with an associated set of focused goals and measurable objectives. The meaning and spirit of the original mission which has worked so well for the institution’s first six years, remains unchanged.
The mission of the American University of Sharjah is to The mission of the American University of Sharjah is to achieve and maintain educational preeminence as a co-achieve and maintain educational preeminence as a co-educational, American-model institution grounded in educational, American-model institution grounded in Arab culture.Arab culture.
Self-Study Findings
Engagement
• AUS has grown rapidly from a handful of people to more than 600 faculty and staff and over 3,500 students.
• Faculty, staff, and students do participate at various levels and in different capacities in governance and decision-making across the university.
• Further engagement in governance and decision-making within AUS remains desirable.
• Engagement with the community outside AUS at the local, national, regional (GCC), and international levels can also be advanced.
Self-Study Findings
Curriculum, Learning, and Educational Activities
• AUS has made remarkable strides in providing students with the best possible conditions for learning, has already established itself as a leading institution in the UAE, and is emerging as the best American-model institution in the Arab Gulf region.
• AUS should review, revise, and publish its educational objectives and learning outcomes for all programs relative to the AUS mission and goals.
• AUS should establish a mechanism for coordinating graduate program activities, operations and performance.
• The general education program should be reviewed in terms of meeting the liberal education needs of undergraduate students in conjunction with the goals of the majors.
Self-Study Findings
Assessment, Evaluation, and Planning• The importance of evaluation and planning has been recognized and the Chancellor has created the position of Assistant to the Chancellor for Planning and Evaluation. Two linked university-wide committees, the Academic Planning Committee and the Resource Planning Committee, are developing their roles to coordinate and facilitate planning efforts.
• AUS should develop and implement a planning framework in which assessment plans and processes are integrated with the aim of improving overall institutional effectiveness
• A formal university-wide mechanism, such as SOE’s CAIP, should be developed and implemented to ensure that assessment measures of teaching and learning are effectively used in the evaluation and improvement process.
• AUS should develop planning processes which ensure availability, allocation and effective utilization of resources.
• An appropriate mechanism should be developed to involve faculty and staff in the institutional assessment and planning processes.
Self-Study Findings
Faculty Issues
• AUS faculty have come from various geographic, cultural, educational, and professional backgrounds making AUS one of the most diverse faculty groups in the world. They came with high expectations and a genuine passion to build an emerging institution.
• AUS should develop multiple mechanisms to further strengthen support for research, scholarly activities and creative work.
• AUS should continue to pursue the development of an environment that advances the need for quality teaching not only as desirable from the faculty for professional growth, but as a requirement for individual reward through employment contract and promotion.
• AUS should review and revise as necessary policies for faculty evaluation, retention, promotion and remuneration in salaries and benefits.
Self-Study Findings
Communication & Information Dissemination• AUS has developed a variety of processes and procedures to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the institution. These include the
• Faculty Organization Plan and Faculty Handbook; • The university catalog• A Student Handbook • A Human Resources Manual • A Business Procedures Manual• AUS Website
• There is room for improvement: AUS should review and enhance its mechanisms of informing faculty, students and staff of their rights and responsibilities; rules and regulations; and the availability and scope of services. Effective mechanisms should also be developed to ensure the timely, consistent, and accurate communication of information informing faculty, students and staff of any updates or changes as they occur.
Self-Study Findings
University Services• The university provides a rich array of services across campus which are supportive of educational, administrative, social, and cultural, as well as leisure and personal needs of users. These services are intended to meet the various needs of faculty, students, and staff.
• Because of its importance to the overall smooth operation of the university, AUS should review and revise (as necessary) IT services delivery to ensure that the needs of the individual academic units/programs and administrative units are met.
• AUS should review its services and extracurricular activity offerings to ensure that they are meeting the goal of supporting an American-model education.
Self-Study Visit: March 14-17, 2004
• Chair of team: Dr. Richard Kneedler
• Size of team: 7-10 faculty, staff and administrators from U.S.
• Study AUS report and documents
• Interview faculty, students and staff on campus
• Provide report to Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Accreditation Scenarios
Commission receives report at its June meeting and makes a decision:
either
Full accreditationSelf-study is repeated in 5 years
Or Accreditation with Conditions
Further Information and Input
Self-Study Websitehttp://www.ausharjah.edu/selfstudy/
Dr. Sallie Sheppard, [email protected]
OR
Dr. Amer Moustafa, [email protected]