Report on the Evaluation of Training Programmes – 2022 Session

1. Breakdown of programmes by higher education sector

The 2022 evaluation exercise began in June, pursuant to Ministerial Memoranda No. 017/179 of 6 April 2022 and No. 017/183 of 8 April 2022. Accreditation and renewal applications were received through the national platform. Memorandum No. 017/179 concerns applications for accreditation from private institutions for the 2021–2022 academic year; Memorandum No. 017/183 concerns the renewal of accreditation at institutions not affiliated with universities for 2022.

In coordination with the Directorate of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, a preliminary review of programme offerings was carried out to limit duplication of programmes within certain institutions. The report notes a 3.11% decrease in public-sector applications compared with 2021 and an increase in private-sector applications, from 305 to 398. The preliminary review was entrusted to a committee comprising representatives of the Agency’s programme evaluation department and the Directorate of Higher Education. It resulted in the exclusion of certain applications relating to duplicate programmes from the evaluation process.

2. Breakdown of programmes by type of application

Applications are divided into new accreditations and renewals. The public sector submitted 475 new applications and 256 renewals; the private sector submitted 154 new applications and 244 renewals.

The report also compares the types of applications with the previous year: for the public sector, it mentions a variation of 0.04% in new applications and 0.03% in renewals. It also refers to stability in the number of private-sector applications between 2021 and 2022.

3. Breakdown of programmes by disciplinary field

The applications were classified into five major disciplinary fields. Science and technology accounted for 261 public-sector applications and law, economics and social sciences for 220. In the private sector, these two fields accounted for 93 and 189 applications, respectively.

This classification covers five main fields, subdivided into more specific areas, and enables the Agency’s committees to monitor evaluations more easily. In the public sector, science and technology (261 applications) rank ahead of law, economics and social sciences (220 applications). Arts, humanities, health sciences and education sciences account for a combined 249 applications.

In the private sector, science and technology and law, economics and social sciences together account for 282 applications. Arts, humanities and health sciences account for the remaining 116 applications. No applications were recorded in education sciences. The report links this orientation to labour-market needs and the need to design programmes that develop skills in demand in Morocco and internationally.

4. Breakdown of programmes by university and institution

The detailed breakdown of applications by university and institution is presented below for both sectors.

In the public sector, Hassan II University in Casablanca (86 applications), Mohammed V University in Rabat (74) and Ibn Zohr University in Agadir (73) are among the institutions that submitted the most files. Hassan I University in Settat submitted 32 applications. Institutions not affiliated with universities submitted 39.

In the private sector, universities and other institutions submitted a total of 398 applications for new accreditation or renewal. The breakdown by institution and the category of private higher education institutions is retained in the table below.

5. Breakdown of programmes by degree

Master’s, specialised Master’s and professional Bachelor’s programmes are among the most represented categories. The tables below reproduce all degree categories for both sectors.

In the public sector, Master’s programmes account for 277 applications, followed in the table by specialised Master’s programmes (117) and professional Bachelor’s programmes (101). The report indicates that applications related to Master’s and specialised Master’s programmes declined compared with 2021, notably as a result of the preliminary programme review introduced with the Directorate of Higher Education.

In the private sector, Master’s (44) and specialised Master’s (68) programmes account for 112 applications. Three-year programmes after the baccalaureate, in professional (38) and fundamental (45) studies, account for 83 applications. The report highlights the prominence of professionally oriented programmes compared with fundamental studies.

6. Breakdown of programmes by expert assessment

Expert assessments are classified into four categories in the report. The table reproduces the figures stated for both sectors.

For both sectors combined, the report gives the following totals: 521 favourable opinions, 329 favourable opinions with recommendations, 72 applications subject to conditions, and 55 unfavourable opinions. The table details the expert assessments for each sector.

7. General observations

The report identifies difficulties involving compliance with programme descriptions, teaching resources and partnerships. The twelve general observations are reproduced below.

The report recalls that evaluations are based on pedagogical standards documents and programme descriptions with which institutions must comply. It notes that shortcomings in certain applications or delayed responses to experts’ requests can lengthen the evaluation process.

1. Absence of self-evaluation reports for some renewal-of-accreditation applications.
2. Failure by some programmes to comply with the admission requirements specified in accredited programme descriptions.
3. Absence of tutorials or practical work in some programmes, despite their inclusion in the accredited descriptions.
4. Mismatch between some coordinators’ specialisations and the modules they coordinate.
5. Failure to specify the number of hours allocated to tutorials and practical work.
6. Insufficient logistical resources allocated to programmes, particularly classrooms and teaching equipment.
7. Weak socio-economic partnerships and poor alignment with the needs of accredited programmes.
8. Absence of partnership agreements for certain programmes that require them, or agreements that do not match the programmes.
9. Relatively few doctoral programmes in medicine and dentistry and Master’s programmes in Science and Technology, compared with other programmes.
10. Lack of coherence between programme objectives, module content and the intended skills.
11. Insufficient qualified teachers to meet the needs of certain programmes, leading some to teach several modules in the same semester.
12. Absence of commitments from teachers working externally at private higher education institutions.

8. Evaluation of foreign degree equivalency applications

In 2022, the Agency also evaluated applications for the equivalency of foreign degrees in four fields. The total stated was 298 applications.

This was the Agency’s first experience of processing degree equivalency applications under its assigned responsibilities. The files reviewed covered pharmacy, dentistry, medicine and clinical biology.