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Experts meet over regional education challenges

Updated: 2014-05-05 11:42:27 UGANDA: Top East African higher education executives, administrator ,researchers and policy makers will meet on Monday for six-days in Arusha, Tanzania, to share practices and challenges, including prospects in the Regional education systems.   The third East African Higher Education Quality Assurance Network (EAQAN) will be held at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, on the outskirts of Arusha town, under the theme: “Creating a Quality Assurance Culture in the East African Higher Education Area”.   According to Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) press officer, Wilhelmina Balyagati, the meeting would provide unique opportunity for quality assurance practitioners, top administrators of higher education institutions, executive members of national accreditation bodies, higher education researchers and related stakeholders to share ideas on quality assurance issues, systems, practices and challenges in the region’s education.   In a press statement, she said that the main objective of the conference was to offer an opportunity to academicians and practitioners in quality assurance an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and networking among stakeholders involved in quality assurance work in the region.   "They will also discuss policies concerning quality assurance in the East African Higher Education systems and their impact on the practice of quality assurance and learn from the best practices within and outside boarders of the East African region," she added.   Three key topics based on papers will be presented.   These include: International cooperation and the harmonization of East African higher Education systems (establishing internal quality assurance systems in EA higher education institutions: Issues, approaches and challenges; and the role of quality assurance networks in enhancing quality culture in the EA higher education area).   Senior education experts and professionals will also debate through a panel discussion on paradigm shifts in quality assurance practices and international and regional partnerships for quality assurance.   The over 100-plus participants will also display and exhibit their institutions’ posters which will carry quality assurance documents, instruments, reports, tools handbooks and innovations.   The conference is being organised by IUCEA in collaboration with EAQAN, Germany Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Aga Khan University.   The EAQAN is a network of quality assurance practitioners in the region.   The network was formally established in 2012 following the adoption of its Constitution.    During the General Assembly held in May 2012 in Entebbe, Uganda, it was agreed that a conference be organized to provide a unique and an important opportunity for quality assurance practitioners and related stakeholders to share ideas on quality and prospects of Regional higher education.