Higher Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Nepal

Higher Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Nepal: Status, Issues and Way Forward APQN Annual Academic Conference 2019 Colombo, Sri Lanka 28 -31 March 2019 Day 2 - Parallel Session subtheme: Innovative Approaches to IQA Development Deepak Kumar Khadka, Ph. D Research Director University Grants Commission Sanothimi, Bhaktapur Nepal

Higher Education…

Higher Education in Nepal Institutions and students (2016/17) Universities 9 Open University 1 Medical academies 4 TOTAL 14 Colleges University campuses Programs Ph. D Community campuses 532 Private campuses 777 TOTAL Source: UGC EMIS Report 2016/17 99 1408 students 1, 222 MPhil Masters Bachelors TOTAL 648 54, 314 315, 000 371, 184

QAA Actors…

Higher Education in Nepal Institutional Players for QAA Ministry of Education Science and Technology University Grants Commission Higher Education QAA Council National Professional Councils Higher Education Institutions

Professional Councils and their QAA function… or lack of National Professional Councils 1. Nepal Medical Council (NMC) Accreditation service Yes 2. Nepal Engineering Council (NEC) Partly 3. Nepal Health Professional Council (NHPC) Partly 4. Nepal Nursing Council (NNC) No 5. Nepal Ayurvedic Medical Council (NAMC) No 6. Nepal Veterinary Council (NVC) No 7. Nepal Bar Council (NBC) No 8. Nepal Pharmacy Council (NPC) No

QAA Process…

A A Q ory st i H 1. Second Higher Education Reform Project (2007 -2014) Funding (mil. $) Components Programs 1. Reform grants 2. Student financial assistance 3. Higher Secondary Education Institutional reform grant, Research funding 4. Strengthening system capacity QAA system, EMIS system, System Basic grant, Matching fund, Performance grant, Equipment and capacity development Funding (percent) 55. 24 68. 2% 4. 2 5. 2% 18. 4 22. 7% ü capacity development, Office equipment and supplies, HR development 3. 12 3. 8% TOTAL 80. 96 Achieved ü National QAA system set up 11 institutions accredited 2. [Third] Higher Education Reform Project (2015 -2010) Reform programs Funding (mil. $) Funding Percent 1. National QAA System 9. 00 13. 8% 125 institutions accredited 2. Grants to HEI 16. 87 25. 9. 0% 265 institutions supported 3. Autonomy to HEI 7. 50 11. 5% 10 campuses 4. Examination reforms at TU 6. 37 9. 8% Exam result in 3 months 5. Academic program reform 9. 00 13. 8% 140 reformed/new academic programs 6. Student financial aid 4. 50 6. 9% 9500 student partially supported 7. Research Funding 6. 75 10. 4% 500 research projects funded, 60 scientists recruited for TU 8. Project Management and Capacity Development 5. 00 7. 7% TOTAL 65. 00 Key Performance Indicator

Nepal UGC-HEQAAC QAA Process Institutional Accreditation Benchmarks, Weight and Indicators Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Policy and Procedures Curricular Aspects Teaching-Learning and Evaluation Research, Consultancy and Extension Infrastructure and Learning Resources Student Support and Guidance Information System Public Information TOTAL Result: § 50 or above marks: “Accredited” § Less than 50 marks: “Not accredited” Indicators Weight (Questions) 15 10 20 10 100 15 10 21 16 28 14 8 8 120

Nepal UGC-HEQAAC QAA Process Higher Education Institution (HEI) submits Self Study Report (SSR) HEQAAC Technical Committee reviews the SSR Feedback HEQAAC forms Peer Review Team (PRT) PRT reviews the SSR PRT makes a Pre-visit, Visit and Follow-up visit at the applicant institution PRT submits Report to HEQAAC sends its recommendation to UGC makes the final decision Pre-decision recommendation Progress report by HEI Assessment of progress report

Quality of education…

Nepal Higher Education Achievement Candidates – Institutions type and strength Institution type Number Student density Student pass rate University campuses 99 1224 23. 56 % Community campuses 532 198 21. 83 % Private campuses 777 185 34. 02 % 1808 263 TOTAL Source: UGC EMIS Report 2016/17

Nepal Higher Education Achievement Research Publication Strength of Nepal and neighbors Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 China India Thailand Pakistan Bangladesh Sri Lanka 7 Nepal 8 9 10 11 Myanmar Afghanistan Bhutan Maldives SCImago data (1996 -2017) Population 21 years Citable Citations per (2017) Publication per H index Documents Document 1000 population 5052579 7. 64 712 7, 550, 262, 101 6. 7 1379217 8. 58 521 1, 409, 517, 397 9. 8 148862 11. 1 289 69, 037, 513 21. 5 121836 7. 38 217 197, 015, 955 6. 2 38897 8. 85 167 164, 669, 751 2. 4 15364 11. 85 146 20, 876, 917 7. 3 10755 11. 08 2145 1052 696 248 10. 12 13. 49 7. 85 10. 98 116 29, 304, 998 64 45 36 26 53, 370, 609 35, 530, 081 807, 610 436, 330 3. 7 0. 4 0. 3 8. 6 5. 7

Status of QAA …

Nepal UGC-HEQAAC QAA Process 1. Institutions Participation (2009 -2019) Institution type Total LOI SSR University campuses 99 75 25 9 - Community campuses 532 150 62 20 6 Private campuses 777 96 11 1 - 1408 321 98 30 6 TOTAL Accredtd Reaccredtd 2. Level of Participation Institution type Interested (LOI/Total) Willing (SSR/LOI) Successful (Accrd/SSR) University campuses 7. 6% 3. 3% 36. 0% Community campuses 2. 8% 4. 1% 42. 0% Private campuses 1. 2% 1. 1% 9. 0% 2. 3% 3. 0% 36. 7% All campuses

Nepal UGC-HEQAAC QAA Process Participation trend – 10 Years Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 TOTAL LOI 11 0 25 38 20 51 85 25 41 25 321 SSR Accrd* 1 1 3 5 6 7 10 20 22 23 98 1 0 4 4 2 0 3 2 15 11 36 *Accredited and re-accredited 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 LOI 2013 SSR 2014 2015 2016 Accredited* 2017 2018

Nepal UGC-HEQAAC QAA Process Major problem: Poor participation of institutions in QAA process Step Number of Institutions Ratio 321/1408 2. 3% SSR after LOI 98/321 3. 0% Accreditation after SSR 36/98 36. 7% LOI submission

C O S T Nepal UGC-HEQAAC QAA Process Accreditation Fee: Free Financial Reward: Based on the number of graduating students Rewarding step LOI submission SSR submission PRT formation PRT visit Accreditation Research Cell Laboratory TOTAL (N₹) TOTAL (US$) Financial reward (N₹. ‘ 000) Technical/ 200 students Technical 1000 students General/ 200 students General/ 1000 students 200 400 500 18000 30000 1000 55100 200 400 500 90000 150000 1000 5000 247100 200 400 500 6000 1000 18100 200 400 500 30000 50000 1000 82100 606, 000 US$ 2, 718, 000 US$ 199, 000 US$ 903, 000 US$

Nepal UGC-HEQAAC QAA Process CULPRIT for poor participation Factor Possibility Cost Definitely No Hassle Could be (takes average 2 years) No or low impact of Accreditation Needs a study on impact Unconvincing prestige Needs a survey Poor institutional leadership Likely for public institutions

Nepal UGC-HEQAAC QAA Process Recent Major Regulatory Initiatives for QAA Regulation 1 2 3 4 The UGC Educational Quality Assurance and Accreditation Regulation 2017 The QAAC Higher Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation Directive 2017 The UGC Notice Regarding Mandatory Participation of Higher Education Institutions in Quality Assurance and Accreditation, 23 January 2018 Quality Assurance and Accreditation: A Brief Guidelines 2013 Year Impact 2017 Towards an autonomous QAA council 2017 Staff provision 2018 Participation in QAA mandatory Reprint 2018 More promotion

Thank You! Lumbini – the birthplace of Lord Buddha Photo: Aravinda Shakya