A quality assurance framework has been drawn up to complement the government’s vision of developing Malta into an international centre of excellence in further and higher education by 2015.

Speaking at a press conference at the old University building in Valletta yesterday, Education Minister Louis Galea said that today’s age required a modern regulatory environment that ensures sectoral growth and promotes high quality standards.

The government, he said, believes that the necessity of quality assurance, accreditation and licensing is not an option but a pre-requisite for such a vision. “More and better education requires that institutions, agencies and policy makers in the fields of education quality assurance, accreditation and recognition of qualifications, work together to enhance protection for students and to assure quality provision,” he said.

“We do not want to see cases where someone will have a degree, masters or diploma that is not recognised by employers,” he said. He said that there was no need for alarm however, as this was more a preventive measure than anything else.

The framework was drawn up by the National Commission for Higher Education (NCHE), chaired by Joseph F. X. Zahra.

The commission made its recommendations for the implementation of a quality assurance framework and the adoption of regulations for licensing, accreditation and quality assurance of further and higher education institutions and their programmes. The NCHE will be organising a seminar on 28 January to present their recommendations.

Mr Zahra explained that in its first year of work, the NCHE conducted widespread consultation with all heads of institutions, governing bodies, student and staff representatives to identify the priorities for structural reform in the sector. Four priority areas emerged from these discussions. They included the need for reforms in licensing of institutions, the need for an accreditation framework for institutions and their programmes, the need to revise the governing structure of state funded institutions and a call to review the funding framework within which state institutions operate.

The NCHE identified licensing and quality assurance as a priority for 2007 and embarked on an intensive research exercise to evaluate the current international developments in accreditation and quality assurance and to integrate such considerations and best practices into a framework that is adequate for Malta’s needs.

CEO Jacques Sciberras explained that the framework consists of the establishment of a competent authority responsible for licensing of all further and higher education providers, a new set of application procedures, and criteria for establishment and obligations for licensees which safeguard a minimum level of quality necessary from all institutions.

Additionally, the licence classification should be linked to the accreditation of an institution and its programmes, and their respective level mapped against the National Qualifications Framework. The proposals cover the establishment of accreditation agencies in Malta applicable standards to ensure their international recognition and reputation.

Mr Zahra presented a report published by the commission which outlines the proposed framework for licensing, accreditation and quality assurance for further and higher education institutions and their programmes.

The report is available at http://www.education.gov.mt/nchequalityassurance.htm