Training will focus on improved procedures for degree equivalence and programme recognition on distance education initiatives and a capacity building programme will be developed for of staff and reviewers of HEAC on issues related to QA of technology-enhanced learning courses and programmes, as well as enhancing the expertise of higher education institutions in Jordan. This will enable HEAC to execute its mandate in promoting the quality of higher education and encouraging the facilitation of networking and information exchange between and among universities and higher education institutions. Specifically, the capacity building programme will deal with providing training to staff of the "Quality Assurance Division" which is one has been recently established to promote and support HEAC in developing strong external evaluation and monitoring system as key strategy for the development of credible and effective education and training system in Jordan. A number of capacity building activities will be organised for staff, reviewers and practitioners for faculty members from partner universities. They will have the opportunity to learn about EU standards, share experiences and exchange and update information, disseminate good practices on QA. QA capacity building will be performed at three levels: among reviewer, higher education institutions, and HEAC staff:
1. Capacity building of HEAC staff: activities will include training on topics such as open and distance learning QA standards and processes, and developing quality assurance policies;
2. Training on preparing QA reviewer: topics will include responsibilities and reviewers role, activities and site visits, leadership and inter-team variations, benchmarking and learning outcomes;
3. Capacity building of HEIs: scope will include guiding HEIs to conduct self-study, preparing for external assessment visits, act on the recommendations of assessment reports, initiate, follow-up, and sustain quality culture, continuous interactions with HEAC, publication of guidelines and handbooks, training quality managers of institutions on eLearning and distance teaching standards.
The project also aims at building the capacities of the Department of Universities Recognition and Certificates Equivalency (URCE) and the Higher Committee of Certificates Equivalency (HCCE), at the ministry of higher education, both empowered with authentication and recognition of certificates and academic documents issued by institutions of higher education in Jordan and abroad. In particular, the project will enable URCE and HCCE to follow specific procedure and guideline that aid in the recognition of non-traditional and distance learning degrees and institutions. The URCE carries out the duties of receiving and verifying applications from graduates for certificates equivalency, providing HCCE with relevant information, issuance of the documents of equivalency in accordance with the resolutions of HCCE, following-up the consequences of the implementation of these resolutions with the concerned authorities, and documenting and archiving HCCE resolutions thereof. The URCE analyse the necessary information on HE systems and institutions abroad; prepare reports thereon and presenting them to HCCE, set-up the criteria for selection of non-Jordanian institution of higher education to be recognized by the Ministry, and issuing the lists of accredited institutions in the Official Gazette after the assessment and approval of HCCE. eQTeL will enable both URCE and HCCE to follow specific procedure and guidelines that aid in the recognition of non-traditional and distance learning degrees and institutions.
All future activities related to training within eQTeL will be reported here.