Topic No.28: The quality assurance according to the AUNQA

The quality assurance process in education, according to the principles of AUNQA, includes: It consists of 8 factors as follows:-

 

1. Expected learning outcomes

2. Curriculum structure

3. learning management

4. Student assessment

5. Quality of personnel

6. Learning support resources

7. Infrastructure, and

8. Outputs/outcomes

 

• Items 1 and 2 reflect the precision in curriculum design.

• Items 3 and 4 reflect high-quality teaching, learning management, and assessment processes, demonstrating excellence in defining the envisioned learner profile and curriculum design. 

• Items 5, 6, and 7 reflect the readiness of input factors, encompassing both learning support and learning resources.

 

The underlying hypothesis is that excellence in aspects 1–7 will lead to excellence in aspect 8. In other words, well-designed curricula, effective teaching and learning processes, and robust support systems should result in high-quality educational outcomes.

 

Observations from past assessors' evaluations:

Assessment results for aspects 1–7 often fall in the "Good" to "Very Good" range across all areas, but the outcomes (aspect 8) are frequently rated as "Needs Improvement." This scoring pattern appears logically inconsistent.

Possible explanations may be 2 alternatives:

 

If the curriculum design is truly good, the management processes are genuinely effective, and the supporting factors are fully adequate, then the indicators used to measure outputs and outcomes may be inappropriate, leading to misaligned evaluation results.

 

If the outputs/outcomes are indeed unsatisfactory (or reflect a low level in reality), then the high scores given for curriculum design, teaching and learning processes, and support systems may not accurately reflect the actual conditions (indicating flaws in scoring for the input and process factors).

>>>How to correct these weakness in assessing Process<<<

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Note: AUN-QA CRITERION

CRITERION 8: OUTPUT AND OUTCOMES

8.1 The pass rate, dropout rate, and average time to graduate are shown to be established, monitored, and benchmarked for improvement.

8.2. Employability as well as self-employment, entrepreneurship, and advancement to further studies, are shown to be established, monitored, and benchmarked for improvement.

8.3. Research and creative work output and activities carried out by the academic staff and students, are shown to be established, monitored, and benchmarked for improvement.

8.4. Data are provided to show directly the achievement of the programme outcomes, which are established and monitored.

8.5. Satisfaction level of the various stakeholders are shown to be established, monitored, and benchmarked for improvement

What is "Benchmarked”  in AUNQA

In the context of AUN-QA (ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance), "benchmarked" refers to the process of comparing an institution's or program's performance metrics against established standards, best practices, or peer institutions to identify areas for improvement.

Key Aspects of Benchmarking in AUN-QA:

1. Comparison with Standards – Measuring performance against AUN-QA criteria or international quality assurance frameworks.

2. Best Practices – Learning from top-performing universities or programs to adopt effective strategies.

3. Continuous Improvement – Using benchmarking data to set targets and enhance educational quality.

4. Quantitative & Qualitative Metrics – Includes pass rates, employability, research output, stakeholder satisfaction, etc.

Reference 

https://www.aunsec.org/application/files/2816/7290/3752/Guide_to_AUN-QA_Assessment_at_Programme_Level_Version_4.0_4.pdf