Interview with El Mokhtar Bakkour: “An Autonomous Body Open to All Stakeholders”

Publication: L’Économiste | Date: 28 February 2017

Interview with El Mokhtar Bakkour — Conducted by Ahlam Nazih

Interview with the Director of ANEAQ: “An Autonomous Body Open to All Stakeholders”

In an interview published in the daily newspaper L’Économiste on 28 February 2017, El Mokhtar Bakkour, then Director of the National Agency for Evaluation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Scientific Research (ANEAQ), presents the Agency’s initial priorities and the challenges of establishing it.

He discusses the launch of the first study-programme evaluation missions, the development of quality standards adapted to the Moroccan context, and the ambition to establish ANEAQ as an autonomous, transparent organisation committed to continuous improvement.

Launching the first evaluation missions

Appointed Director of ANEAQ in September 2015, El Mokhtar Bakkour explains that the Agency is beginning its activities with an initial phase devoted to evaluating higher education study programmes.

The aim is to gradually establish the tools, methods and expertise required to conduct evaluations, while building the institutional foundations of an agency expected to play an important role in the national higher education system.

The Director also mentions the possibility of launching an initial institutional evaluation, provided that the necessary standards are available.

Adapting quality standards and simplifying procedures

The interview highlights the need to review existing evaluation standards and procedures to adapt them to new quality assurance requirements.

According to El Mokhtar Bakkour, this work covers pedagogical standards, accreditation procedures and regulations governing higher education institutions.

He also stresses the need to simplify the administrative procedures associated with study-programme accreditation. ANEAQ intends to contribute to this development in consultation with the Ministry of Higher Education, with a focus on efficiency and modernising procedures.

An agency independent in carrying out its missions

One of the key issues discussed is ANEAQ’s autonomy in conducting evaluations and producing its reports.

El Mokhtar Bakkour explains that the Agency acts as an independent body responsible for carrying out evaluations and submitting its findings. Decisions on accreditation or recognition remain the responsibility of the Ministry.

This distinction is intended to safeguard the independence of the evaluation process and ensure the credibility of the analyses and reports prepared by the experts involved.

A gradual expansion of ANEAQ’s capacity

The interview discusses the organisational and staffing challenges faced by the Agency during its early years.

The Director emphasises that building a qualified team, mobilising experts and developing in-house expertise are essential to conducting evaluation missions effectively.

He presents this launch phase as a gradual process requiring time to consolidate the Agency’s organisation and develop its operational capacities.

Involving higher education stakeholders

El Mokhtar Bakkour also emphasises the importance of an approach that is open to all stakeholders in Moroccan higher education.

Academic staff and researchers, students, institutional leaders and private operators all have a role in developing a culture of evaluation and quality assurance.

The interview also addresses graduate employability. The Director stresses the need to consider the opportunities provided by programmes in the labour market when assessing their quality.

Towards recognition according to international standards

Finally, the Director discusses the prospect of ANEAQ itself undergoing an evaluation, in line with international quality assurance practices.

This direction reflects the ambition to build a credible institution able to draw on international experience and become sustainably involved in international higher education evaluation networks.

Read the press article