INTRODUCTION – 6th draft (April 29, 2014)
Regional Conference on Quality Assurance in Higher Education
Yogyakarta State University
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
May 5, 2014
Topic: Implementation of Quality Assurance in Higher Education in the Philippines
To the officials of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Yogyakarta State University, the Institute of Educational Development and Quality Assurance., fellow educators and other conference delegates, Mabuhay!
We are gathered here today to discuss, share and learn about quality assurance practices. I am grateful and thankful to Yogyakarta State University for inviting me to share our experiences in the Philippines, particularly with my institution, De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, with respect to quality assurance in higher education.
Let me begin by saying that quality assurance is not merely complying with a set of standards nor is it just window dressing or sugar coating, quality assurance must be an institutional and individual commitment in search for excellence. Quality assurance therefore is a way of life, if we want our institution to grow, develop and be the best among comparable institutions not just in the region but in the country as well.
Quality assurance practice in higher education in the Philippines is almost 60 years old. Its beginnings come from the initiative of several private and government educational institutions to determine the quality of education they offer and to have it reviewed by peers in the sector. My presentation today will provide you with an overview of how quality assurance is practiced in the Philippines, what is its current state, how is it done and what are its challenges.
At the onset, let me tell you that committing the institution and its personnel to a quality standards system is the step in the right direction if we want our institution to realize its full potential and for us to learn from peers and to set standards that we will strive to achieve. There are no short cuts to a good result in a quality assurance exercise. It is the product of the collective endeavors of the many men and women in the school, it is fuelled by our desire to know where we stand and the passion to achieve excellence.
I hope that at the end of my presentation and after our interaction, you will be inspired to pursue quality assurance programs in your respective institutions. As a quality assurance accreditor for almost two (2) decades, I have seen the rise and fall of many institutions Those that rose, walked the talked, made significant investments and strategized their programs and projects well. Those that failed were complacent, in denial or simply ignored the findings of the reports. I hope that you will all choose to be excellent, that you will all decide to engage in quality assurance practice. It will all be worth it.
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES:
Table 1. Distribution of Higher Education Institutions by Institution Type: AY 2011-12
Legend: HEIs – Higher Education Institutions
SCUs - State Colleges and Universities
LUCs - Local Universities and Colleges
HOW QUALITY ASSURANCE IS CONDUCTED IN THE PHILIPPINES:
A typical higher education institution in the Philippines, private or public observes quality assurance mechanism in two (2) ways:
1. Internal quality Assurance (DLSU-D)
A. Creation of Institutional Offices
1. Planning Office (Presidential Management Office [PMO])
• Prepares the short and long term plans for the university
• Conducts administrators’ mid-year and year-end workshops, plans and addresses the agenda/thrust of the Brother President for the University. Strategic plans are attuned to the recommendations of the accrediting agency (Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges & Universities [PAASCU])
2. Quality Assurance Office (QAO) – academics, operations, and environment
• The participative-consultative type of management adopted by the University necessitates the formation of the councils and committees at different levels of management for the implementation of strategic plans
• The QAO supervises, monitors and coordinates with all the divisions (academics/research), administration and mission programs/activities of the University in securing that accreditation be sustained and enhanced.
3. Environmental Resource Management (ERMAC)
• Supervises, monitors the activities and projects of the University campus environment, its welfare, safety and security, its cleanliness and protection of the community to sustain/maintain the eco-friendly environment.
B. Quality Assurance Practices and Activities of the University
• Quality assurances practices are embedded in the over-all University operations. These are emphasized during planning and evaluation sessions of administrators.
• Existence of the Quality Assurance Office that coordinates all quality assurance activities of the University.
• Involvement of all sectors in carrying out self-survey among students, support staff, faculty members, alumni and administrators
• Creation of collegiate and institutional committees to do self-survey activities.
• Presence of steering committee that oversees self-survey activities
• Very close coordination among academic departments and colleges, administrative units and support committees.
• Carrying out regular meetings and discussions to further support self-survey by best features and recommendations from the perspective of all sectors.
• Putting premium on efficient documentation of developments, programs, projects, and events.
• Holding orientation for new key personnel to ensure credibility of QA efforts.
• Close coordination with PAASCU, the premiere accrediting agency in the country.
C. Accreditation Profile
• 22 programs with Level IV PAASCU Accreditation
• The Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) granted DLSU-D LEVEL IV, the highest level of PAASCU Accreditation in December 2011 in four (4) basic program of:
· Education
· Liberal Arts
· Science
· Business and Accountancy
• 1 program with Level II
• 5 programs due for formal survey in September 2014
• 10 graduate programs with Level II and 5 programs with Level I Accreditation
As of School Year 2013-2014 (61%) of our 36 programs are PAASCU accredited.
A. External Quality Assurance (DLSU-D)
In order to validate the activities/projects and strategies done by the university, internal and external agencies are tasked to look into what we are doing inside the university to see if we are in the right direction.
There are five (5) agencies that evaluate colleges and universities in the Philippines. These agencies fall into two (2) federations/network of accrediting agencies.
PRIVATE HEI ACCREDITING AGENCIES
PUBLIC HEI ACCREDITING AGENCIES
Of all these accrediting agencies, PAASCU is the oldest and most prestigious. PAASCU was established on November 5, 1957. It is a service organization that accredits programs which meet standards of quality education.
PAASCU is a founding member of the following International Organizations/Agencies:
l Institutional Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE)
l Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN)
and affiliated with:
l Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
l National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA)
In 1997, DLSU-D volunteered to have a self-survey evaluation using the PAASCU instruments. In this way, we would like to continuously upgrade our institutions educational quality and services through self-evaluation and the judgment of peers.
THE BENEFITS/INCENTIVES FOR LEVEL IV STATUS
• Full administrative and financial (tuition and other fees/charges) deregulation from Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
• Authority to revise the curriculum and to graduate students from accredited courses/programs in the levels accredited without the issuance of Special Orders (S.O.) by CHED.
• Given priority in the awards of grants/subsidies or funding assistance from CHED.
• Right to use the word “ACCREDITED” on its publication/advertisement pursuant to CHED policies and rules.
• Limited visitation, inspection and/or supervision by CHED supervisory personnel or representatives.
• Grant of full autonomy for the program for the duration of its Level IV accredited status.
• Right to offer new graduate programs allied to existing Level IV courses, open learning/distance education and extension classes without need for prior approval by CHED provided that the concerned CHED Regional Office is duly informed.
PAASCU conducts both academics and institutional accreditation.
As of May 2013, there are 112 tertiary schools accredited by PAASCU including 9 medical schools and 14 graduate schools. Also, the basic education (elementary and highschool) programs are also part of the PAASCU accreditation process.
PROGRAMS ACCREDITED BY PAASCU
In 1957, PAASCU began accrediting in the tertiary level programs in Liberal Arts, Education and Commerce. Presently, PAASCU accredits the following programs:
1. Liberal Arts/Sciences
2. Education
a. Elementary
b. Secondary
3. Business
4. Accountancy
5. Entrepreneurship
6. Computer Science
a. Information Technology
b. Information Management
c. Information Systems
7.Nursing
8. Pharmacy
9. Medical Technology
10. Hospitality Management
11. Travel and Tourism
AREAS EVALUATED IN THE SURVEY
During the survey visit, the following areas are evaluated:
1. Purposes and Objectives
2. Community Involvement
3. Faculty
4. Instruction
5. Library
6. Laboratories
7. Physical Plant
8. Student Services
9. Administration
OTHER ACCREDITATIONS WE RECEIVED:
1. Dark Green Status – granted 7 years accreditation by Dark Green School (DGS) of the Environmental Education Network of the Philippines, Inc. (EENP) on February 24, 2009.
• DLSU-D is the first University in the Philippines to be conferred a Dark Green School status
• Dark Green School Program Accreditation Areas: (1) Policy (2) Administration and Finance (3) Academics (4) Outreach/Extension (5) Production. The confernment is an affirmation of the University’s “effective integration of environmental concerns in its academic programs and its continuing efforts to improve the environmental situation within its community.
• European Union Accreditation. Ecoswitch is an Asiawide Environmental Certification Programme of the European Union. In the Philippines, it is known as the Green Philippines Island of Sustainability (GPIOS) Project.
2. Granted by Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) Board – a five-year certification for donee institution status (May 20, 2010). The Philippine Council for NGO Certification or PCNC is a private voluntary, non-stock, non-profit corporation that serve as a service organization whose main function is to certify non-profit organizations that meet established minimum criteria for financial management and accountability in the service to underprivileged Filipinos.
At present, more colleges and universities are seeking accreditation recognizing that this quality assurance undertaking is the most effective way to undertake improvements in order to achieve and eventually sustain the quality of their academic programs and their institution as a whole.
Let me end my presentation with a quotation “Quality is everyone’s responsibility and we never have to stop getting better” – W.E. Deming-Jimena Calfa
SOURCE: http://www.paascu.org.ph/home2012/?page_id=196
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/business/2013/08/10/pcnc-stress-strict-compliance-ngo-accreditation-297058
DLSU-D Quality Assurance Office
HE in Numbers – Higher Education Institutions
Higher Education Institutions
At present there are 2,299 higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country. Philippine HEIs can be classified into two: public and private.
Public Higher Education Institutions
Six hundred fifty six (656), or 28.53%, of the total HEIs nationwide are public HEIs. 547 of these are state universities and colleges (SUCs), 95 are local universities and colleges (LUCs), 1 is a CHED-Supervised Institution, 5 are classified as special HEIs, while the remaining 8 are considered as other government schools. State universities and colleges, or SUCs, are public higher education institutions established by law, administered and financially subsidized by the government. SUCs have their own charters. The highest policy-making body of a state university is the Board of Regents (BOR); for the state college, it is the Board of Trustees (BOT). The CHED Chairperson heads all these boards.
On the other hand, local universities and colleges, or LUCs, are established by the local government units (LGUs) through resolutions or ordinances. Financially, LUCs are supported by the local government concerned. A CHED Supervised Institution (CSI) is a non-chartered, public, post-secondary education institution, established by law, administered, supervised and financially supported by the government.
Special HEIs are public organizations offering higher education programs related to public service. Operated and controlled in accordance with the special law that created these institutions, special HEIs are provide special academic, research and technical assistance programs pursuant to the basic mandates of their parent agencies. The Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), and National Defense College all fall under this category. Classified as other government schools are public secondary and post-secondary technical-vocational education institutions that offer higher education programs.
Private Higher Education Institutions
Private HEIs are established under the Corporation Code and are governed by the special laws and general provisions of this Code. Non-sectarian private HEIs are duly incorporated, owned and operated by private entities that are not affiliated to any religious organization; while sectarian private HEIs are usually non-stock, non-profit, duly incorporated, owned and operated by a religious organization. Private HEIs accounts for 71.47% of the higher education system, with a total number of 1,643 institutions – 1,296 are non-sectarian private while 347 are sectarian HEIs.
Table 1. Distribution of Higher Education Institutions by Institution Type: AY 2011/12
Source: HE in Numbers – Higher Education Institutions