a strategy for reform of higher education in jordan (16.3.2003)
TRANSCRIPT
Walid MaaniMinister of Higher Education and
Scientific Research16.3.2003
“A statement detailing the desired state of a sector at a future point of time within a given environmental setting”
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The scope where the sector should operate
The measured outcome and competencies that the sector wishes to achieve
The required resources for achievement of goals
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Understanding the significant role of solid higher education in any economy to sustain development
The realization of the link between economic development and the ability to gain and apply knowledge
Knowing that comparative advantages come less and less from abundant natural resources or cheaper labor, and more and more from technical innovation and the competitive use of knowledge (1)
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Jordan higher education development projectEconomic Consultative Council HRD papersVision 2020The R.E.A.C.H initiativeYEA position paper on educationThe social and economic transformation
programStrategies for higher education 1997Higher education fora on quality and relevance,
research and finance 1998Financing higher education, Hauptman 1998
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Eight public universities with 80.000 studentsTwelve private universities with 30.000 studentsTwenty one community colleges with 29.000
students55% of students are females25% of total recurrent costs are recovered in
the public sectorSpending on education relative to GNP is
greatest in the Arab worldOne third of educational expenditure is given to
higher education
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Acute shortage of fundsLow standards of graduatesNon-relevance of programsMinimal accreditation standardsLack of quality controlNo emphasis on researchGovernance
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Re-structuring tuition fees to recover cost should start now over 5 years
Scholarship funds should be established to support needy students, excelling students and special groups
University debt should be wiped outGovernment should finance the
establishment of any public university according to the master plan
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Phasing out of government financial
support to university current expenditure must
go hand in hand with re-structuringGovernment financial incentive should
be given to universities :Complying with accreditationAchieving excellenceDemonstrating creativity and innovationSupporting quality research
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Admission should be open to all who are able to satisfy the requirements
A new national university admission test (NUAT) which could be created by a national testing center (NTC) should be put in effect to replace the Tawjihi as the tool for university admission
The format of the Tawjihi should be changed to reflect the above
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Admission should be on competitive basisSpecial groups could be dealt with by
offering financial aid rather than university seats.
The National Unified Admission Office should be maintained.
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Minimize the emphasis on university student input as long as they satisfy admission criteria
Maximize the emphasis on university student output by:tying it to university eligibility for financial
incentives and making it an integral part of the
accreditation criteria
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Any restriction on establishing new private institutions of tertiary education should be lifted in the presence of strong and active accreditation policies
All students passing the Tawjihi or satisfying the criteria of university admission should be given the chance of tertiary education
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The Council of Higher Education should review all existing university programs to abolish repetition and ensure excellence. New programs should be examined before licensing
A new national electronic test (NET) of university output should be introduced
Financial incentives and re-accreditation should take into account the results of individual universities in the NET
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Curricula must be revised to ensure:ModernityRelevanceCritical thinkingSelf learningPractical skills
The revision must be completed in one year and repeated every five years
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Instructional methods should ensure:The use of new technologiesThe emphasis on self learningCritical thinking
Mechanisms of students evaluation should be changed to reflect the ability to measure achievement of objectives
An exit evaluation of programs should be completed by graduating students
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A stringent policy of appointment according to merit and with transparency should be applied. In-breeding should be stopped
A major scholarship program should be instituted in all universities
In-house programs for rehabilitation of staff should be activated or created
Promotion should be linked to performance
Tenure should be replaced by contracts
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The accreditation council should be strengthened and its formation changed to incorporate ALL stake holders:UniversitiesGovernmentEmployersProfessional bodies
Accreditation should apply to ALL institutions of tertiary higher education
Financial aid to public universities should be tied to compliance with accreditation standards
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The Higher Education Quality Assurance Council of Jordan (HEQACJ) as an independent national quality assurance body should be created
All programs must be evaluated in-house and externally
All programs and universities should be ranked, this ranking should be made public
Financial aid should be tied to excellence
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Funds available for research should be increased through the activation of collection of the 1% allocated by the companies law
Research should be directed to serve development plans and solve national problems
University scientific journals should be unified
Quality research only should be considered for promotion of staff
Universities should be rewarded for quality research and its relevance
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University high officers in public universities should be selected through search committees
Accountability should go hand in hand with responsibility
The ratio of administrative staff should conform to international standards
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University budgets and annual reports should be made public
The CHE should appoint an external audit to look at university finances annually
Students should be given more role in university councils and committees dealing with students’ affairs
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Laws must ensure complete separation between private university ownership and administration
Non-profit tertiary education institutions should be given preference and incentive
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Laws to establish the following should be enacted: The NUAT The HEQACJ A law to regulate the establishment of non-profit
entities The temporary laws of higher education and
public universities should be amended to reflect the changes
The temporary law of private universities should be amended to reflect: complete separation between university ownership and
administration defining new rules for licensing of universities and
other tertiary education institutions
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A committee should be set up to review all existing programs. New programs should be subjected to a process to ensure need, feasibility, job opportunities for graduates
The committee should be composed of all stake holders
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