The Quality Assurance System for Post‐Secondary Education in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive, Developmental and Unified Approach

Abstract

The rapid growth in the number of post‐secondary institutions in Saudi Arabia over the last few years necessitated the creation of a government agency for accreditation and quality assurance. The National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment was established in 2004 for this purpose. Between 2005 and 2008, it developed a new three‐stage quality assurance and accreditation system that benefited from the international expertise, while keeping its characteristics. This comprehensive detailed system was implemented gradually with wide acceptance. It included standards in 11 areas of activity for both programmes and institutions, including: a national qualifications framework that specifies generic standards of learning outcomes, and supporting materials such as key performance indicators, student surveys, self‐evaluation scales, templates for programme plans and reports, and handbooks detailing quality assurance processes. During this period, considerable help has been provided by the British Council through the Excellence in Higher Education project.

Keywords:

• National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment
• Saudi quality assurance system
• developmental review
• pilot review
• Excellence in Higher Education project

Acknowledgements

Many thanks go to Professor Abdullah Al‐Musallam, General Secretary for NCAAA for the information he provided; and to Ms. Tahira Hoke, Director of Academic Assessment and Planning Centre, PSU‐CW, Riyadh, for contributing to this paper.