THE BUSINESS TRIP REPORT

OF THE MONGOLIAN DELEGATION PURSUANT TO ITS PARTICIPATION IN

THE CHEA 2014 ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND CIQG 2014 ANNUAL MEETING

Mongolian delegation: P.Erkhembulgan, Director of Higher Education,Ministry of Education & Science Kh.Batsaikhan, Vice Chairman of the Mongolian National Council for Education

Accreditation R.Bat-Erdene, Chairman of the Higher Education Policy Council

Ulaanbaatar city

THE BUSINESS TRIP REPORT

OF THE MONGOLIAN DELEGATION

PURSUANT TO ITS PARTICIPATION IN

THE CHEA 2014 ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND CIQG 2014 ANNUAL MEETING

January 26 – Feb 04, 2014

Submitted to:

Strategy & Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Education & Science (MEDS)

Project Implementation Unit, Higher Education Reform Project (HERP)

ADB Mongolia Country Office

The group is composed of Mr. P.Erkhembulgan,Director of Higher Education, MEDS, Mr.

Kh.Batsaikhan Vice Chairman of the Mongolian National Council for Education Accreditation

and Mr. R.Bat-Erdene Chairman of the Higher Education Policy Council to attendthe Council for

Higher Education (CHEA)’s 2014 Annual Conference and CHEA International Quality Group

(CIQG)’s Annual Meeting which were held in Washington D.C. during January 27-30, 2014. This

trip was funded by the Higher Education Reform Project funded by the Asian Development Bank

(ADB).

The main purpose of this trip was to increase international visibility of the Mongolian National

Council for Education Accreditation, strengthen working relationships with key international

accreditors and learn from leading quality assurance discourses. For this purpose, attendance

to this event was highly recommended by the international consultant served through HERP.

Another goal of this trip was to explore possibilities for international recognition of MNCEA by

such reputable body like CHEA and its CIQG. Moreover, it was a membership duty of NCEA as

one of the first CIQG members to attend these annual conference and meeting.

This year’s conference has provided vast of information and expert discourse on latest trends in

international quality assurance practices with special focus on aspects of emerging innovative

and non-traditional modes of learning, and ongoing debates related to re-authorization of the

U.S. Higher Education Act which has broad implications to wider academic community

worldwide. Invited speakers include senior public servants, top political decision-makers,

renowned professional experts and leaders of academic institutions. It was critical to learn about

competent perspectives of various authorities concerning accreditation standards and

procedures with regard to improved affordability and accessibility, college rating and low-cost

provision. In the current time of technological advancement, traditional modes of learning are

challenged by on-line offerings and non-college provisions, role of the liberal arts contrasted

against competency-based training modules, and altogether questioned how Quality Assurance

and Accreditation practices should keep a pace with these changes. The conference provided a

highlight on Mongolia’s higher education developments to this reputable community of

international experts by offering a presentation based on recent performance assessment of

students of Mongolian business schools by Peregrine Academic services.

CIQG annual meeting has provided a global review of the current developments in international

quality assurance at regional and country levels. Major trends are similar to those in the U.S.

higher education and stresses increased provisions of non-traditional alternative forms of

learning by increasingly private offerings. Again, there is a great demand globally to make

quality assurance tools responsive and conducive to this emerging transformation.

During the visit, delegates met and had exploratory discussions with following representatives

and officials and agreed with them on the mutual collaboration;

Judith Eaton, CHEA presidenthas expressed willingness to provide the Mongolian National

Council for Education Accreditation with professional assistances and to organize customized

training for the NCEA and HEIs. Also, she expressed her consonance with CIQG Senior Advisor

Stemanka on advancing the mutual collaboration officially.

StamenkaUvalic-Trumbic,CIQG Senior Advisor on International Affairs, expressed her

readiness to help for making an assessment in the MNCEA activities and also, recommended to

send an official request for collaborating on this issue to CIQG. As she said, CIQG has not

started any operation to conduct external evaluation of international accreditation agencies, but

Mongolia could be the first country to commence.

Jamil Salmi,Tertiary education expert (http://tertiaryeducation.org), expressed that he is

available to participate in providing comments and feedback on upcoming policy

recommendation in regard of the higher education financing in Mongolia and interestedto

present at relevant workshops and seminars.

With Mr. Steve Parscale, Director of Accreditation, ACBSP, the delegates exchanged opinions

regarding organization of a joint workshop for peer-reviewers to be held in March 2014. Parties

agreed to work further clarifyingthe target group of participants and linking this exercise with

those planned within the framework of HERP training programs. Also, parties reviewed ongoing

collaborative activities and discussed the amendments to be made into the Memorandum of

Understanding between ACBSP and MNCEA.

Ms. Amanda Reid Esq, Director of Adjunct Accreditation & Applied Science, ABET, expressed

the ABET interest in collaborating for accrediting engineering programs offered by Mongolian

higher education institutions and agreed to keep this dialogue on official note.

Ms. J.Alimaa, Director of International Operations, Peregrine Academic Services, expressed

their willingness to assist on the activities to reform and renew the MNCEA emphasizing that the

learning assessment exercise laid a strong basis for further cooperation.

As the delegates observe, mainstream changes and new tendencies being occurred in higher

education quality assurance and accreditation practicesin the United States and globally as

below;

The President Obama’s administration, as well as the federal government, is initiating a

broad spectrum of changes to make the higher education costs affordable and empower

students by enabling their informed-decision making and simplifying financial aid

procedures, stimulating cost-saving modes of learning and innovative instruction, eliminating

overregulation and streamlining accreditation, and introducing college rating as a basis for

funding decisions. All these are very much the response to emerging needs and changes in

the higher education landscape globally.

The current accreditation practice with focus on institutional processes and inputs is

questioned with emergence of non-traditional providers, especially, those who are named as

‘non-college’. Powerful alternatives based on technology such as MOOCs and Coursera

along with credential-validating enterprises like Charter Oak State College may attract more

learners than conventional degree-granting institutions.Accordingly, the focus is shifting to

outcome measures such as learning outcomes and competencies acquired.

There is growing voice demanding substantial review of established practices and

procedures of quality assurances. Many stakeholders see the current practices costly,

harmful to institutional autonomy and innovativeness. Formal recognition of providers and

qualifications is now challenged with diversification and expansion of provision globally.

Considering this ongoing deliberations, the delegations conclude that legal framework and

practical procedures regulating higher education in the country needs massive changes

reflecting these global trends and emerging vast opportunities.

The detailed information about the CHEA events is available on www.chea.org and

www.cheainternational.org.

REPORT WRITTEN BY:

P.Erkhembulgan, Director of Higher Education,Ministry of Education &

Science

Kh.Batsaikhan, Vice Chairman of the Mongolian National Council for

Education Accreditation

R.Bat-Erdene, Chairman of the Higher Education Policy Council

Photos