The Board of Directors of the National Agency for Evaluation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Scientific Research held its meeting on Monday, January 13, 2020, at the headquarters of the Higher Education and Scientific Research sector. Mr. Saïd AMZAZI, Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, delegated by the Head of Government, and Mr. Driss OUAOUCHA, Minister Delegate in charge of Higher Education and Scientific Research, chaired the said meeting.
The two ministers opened the meeting by thanking and expressing appreciation to the members whose terms had ended. They also took the opportunity to welcome the new members of the Agency’s Board, particularly the new ones. The two ministers invited these new members to support the Board’s work by submitting proposals and recommendations for improving the Board’s work. They confirmed that their effective involvement in the quality assurance process in higher education and scientific research will be an added value in the evaluation of public and private higher education institutions, especially as Morocco is anticipating major reforms in training and education, with the launch of the Bachelor programs planned for September 2020 and also the launch, for the first time, of the evaluation of public and private higher education institutions.
The two ministers highlighted the richness of the agenda, in particular the following three key points:
- First point: Draft budget of the Agency for 2020;
- Second point: Project to evaluate the three categories of higher education institutions: university institutions, institutions not under universities (ENPU), and private higher education institutions;
- Third point: The Agency’s Strategic Plan (2020-2024), which is an equally ambitious and important project.
At the end of their speeches, the two ministers apologized for leaving the Board because of their commitment to attend a royal event, and delegated the Secretary General of the sector, Mr. Mohamed ABOUSALEH, to conclude the Board’s proceedings.
Subsequently, the Director of the Agency took the floor, thanking and expressing appreciation to the outgoing Board members, renewing his welcome to the new members, and requesting their commitment to promoting the Agency’s work through their proposals. On this occasion, he also confirmed the Agency’s openness to its partners, notably the members of the Board of Directors.
Following the speeches, the agenda covered the following items:
- Presentation of the new members of the Board of Directors;
- Approval of the minutes of the meeting of November 7, 2019;
- Presentation on the evaluation process for training programs;
- The Agency’s evaluation process;
- Closing of the 2018 and 2019 budgets and presentation of the draft 2020 budget;
- Launch of institutional evaluation;
- The Agency’s Strategic Plan “2020-2024”;
- Approval of the draft framework agreement concluded between ANEAQ and the quality assurance body in Guinea.
Following the approval of the minutes of the last Board of Directors meeting, and within the framework of implementing the role of the special committees and enabling the Agency to carry out its missions, the Board members appointed two of their number to the permanent committees, replacing the two outgoing members. They are:
- Ms. Nadia BENCHDIMA: Member of the Scientific Research Evaluation Committee;
- Ms. Nazha HAYAT: Member of the Training Programs Evaluation Committee.
To involve the new members in the context of the Agency’s work, the Director presented an overview of the Agency since its creation, notably regarding its missions, the powers of the Board of Directors, and the review of the Agency’s activities in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He also presented the review of the evaluation of training programs in 2019.
- The Director further shed light on the external evaluation process of ANEAQ within the framework of the African initiative HAQAA, with the support of the European Union, relating to the development of the African quality criteria ASG-QA, following the preparation of ANEAQ’s self-evaluation report. Two international experts were subsequently appointed to conduct the site visit between September and November 2018. This operation resulted in an external evaluation report by the two experts in charge of this mission, which was published on the Agency’s website.
- The Director also emphasized that the Agency is preparing to launch the evaluation of institutions following the approval of the quality criteria by the Government Council and their publication in the Official Bulletin. He also added that the Agency aims to evaluate all public and private higher education institutions over the next five years according to a program drawn up for this purpose, which represents an ambitious project requiring the synergy of the efforts of all stakeholders.
In this same context, it was specified that this year’s institutional evaluation will involve a pilot experiment of one institution per university among the twelve universities of the Kingdom, on the proposal of His Excellency the Minister Delegate in charge of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
As for the methodology, the Board members proposed establishing an effective methodology, and for the success of this fairly important national project.
- The Director also drew the attention of the Board members to the financial question of institutional evaluation, given that the current fee schedule for services, determined under the joint note of the Minister of Economy and Finance and the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Executive Training, covers only 20% of the evaluation costs of an institution, which amount to 200,000 Dirhams according to a detailed table relating to the said costs.
In this context, some members proposed granting a certificate of distinction “labelization” to institutions/universities to encourage them to participate in the evaluation process. The Agency may also establish a national ranking of institutions/universities in accordance with the Ministry’s 2017-2022 action plan.
Consequently, some members asked that more importance be given to experts, in view of their role in the Agency’s work, especially regarding the selection and training of experts and the recruitment of foreign experts.
Within the framework of the cooperation and partnership with numerous quality assurance bodies to which the Agency is committed, the framework agreement signed between ANEAQ and the quality assurance body in Guinea was presented for approval. The said agreement was adopted unanimously by the Board members. To facilitate the Agency’s work, the decision was made to delegate to the Agency’s Director the approval of agreements, provided that the Board is informed.
Next, the Director presented in detail the Agency’s strategic plan (2020-2024), which contains five axes, as follows:
- First axis: Governance of the Agency;
- Second axis: Monitoring the implementation of the Agency’s missions;
- Third axis: Strengthening cooperation and partnership;
- Fourth axis: Supporting and strengthening the culture of evaluation and quality assurance;
- Fifth axis: Shift from prior control to accompanying control.
The Board members appreciated this ambitious strategic plan, which will be an added value for higher education in Morocco. Questions were asked regarding some points of this plan, and answers were provided.
Within the framework of this strategic plan, notably its fifth axis aimed at the shift from prior control to accompanying control of the Agency as a public establishment under the provisions of Law No. 00-69, the Director asked the Board to authorize the Agency to carry out the administrative procedures necessary for the adoption of a system of rules and methods for public procurement specific to the Agency, in accordance with Article 9 of Law 80-12 relating to the Agency, and this in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This is with the aim of concluding a multi-year program contract between the supervisory ministry, the Ministry of Finance, and the Chair of the Agency’s Board or the Director delegated for this purpose. All Board members gave a positive opinion on this matter.
Decision 01/2020
Approval of the minutes of the Agency’s Board of Directors meeting dated November 7, 2018.
Decision No. 02/2020
Approval of the Agency’s draft budget for the year 2020.
Decision No. 03/2020
Approval of the proposal to authorize the Agency to carry out the administrative procedures necessary for the adoption of a system of rules and methods for public procurement specific to the Agency (in accordance with Article 9 of Law No. 80-12 relating to the Agency).
Decision No. 04/2020
Approval of the draft framework agreement concluded between ANEAQ and the quality assurance body in Guinea, with delegation to the Director for the approval of agreements, provided that the Board is informed.
Decision No. 05/2020
Appointment of two Board members to the special committees:
Ms. Nazha HAYAT: Member of the Training Programs Evaluation Committee;
Ms. Nadia BENCHDIMA: Member of the Scientific Research Evaluation Committee.