IQR Case Study: QAA Accreditation in Qatar
The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) is an independent academic institution for postgraduate studies (master’s and PhD levels) based in Qatar. The Institute integrates teaching and learning with scientific research in a manner that prepares its graduates to become academic researchers in the Social Sciences, Humanities, Public Administration and Development Economics, and accomplished professionals in their field of specialisation.
Commitment to quality and excellence is built into DI’s mission and ethos, given its drive to become one of the foremost centres of academic excellence regionally and internationally. As DI was looking to benchmark against international quality standards and achieve international recognition, engaging QAA was the most appropriate choice. QAA is one of the most reputable and experienced quality assurance organisations in Europe and internationally, and its reliance on the European Standards and Guidelines’ framework (ESG) for IQR provided DI with a suitable framework to benchmark against.
Before formally initiating the IQR process, the Institutional Effectiveness and Quality Assurance Committee at DI organised an IQR retreat to engage more than 60 staff (academic and administrative) and students in a process of self-evaluation. A main outcome of the retreat was an institution-wide improvement action plan that was shared with the DI community and formally adopted by its leadership. This action plan was the backbone of improvements made in the years preceding DI’s submission of the Self Evaluation Document which was required as a final step of the IQR process.
What are the benefits of IQR and International Accreditation?
As with any accreditation process, the most important aspect is not the result itself but the journey of self-reflection, with an aim to identify strengths and weaknesses and use this reflection as a tool for continuous improvement. Undertaking IQR delivered the following benefits:
- Developing and formalising DI’s quality assurance system, directly impacting on many operational areas which led to several enhancements
- Identifying areas for improvement and highlighting areas of strengths and good practices
- Demonstrating that DI’s quality assurance system meets international standards, therefore strengthening DI’s global positioning and competitiveness
- Providing trust and confidence to students and the public in DI’s academic programmes and delivery.
Moreover, IQR has also helped DI to further foster a quality assurance and improvement culture at the Institute through its continuous engagement with quality assurance principles and capacity building across stakeholder groups.
The process of going through IQR has been an extremely valuable one in facilitating comprehensive understanding at DI of the ESG requirements, and in creating improved structures and attitudes in relation to quality and quality assurance with effective contributions from different stakeholders.
The IQR process is also being used to inform strategic planning and decision-making at DI. By using feedback and insights from an external independent quality assurance agency, this helps DI prioritise its resources in areas that are most critical for its long-term success.
DI is looking to further build on its good practices and recommendations identified by QAA to achieve higher levels of excellence in all areas of its academic provision. QAA’s confirmation of DI’s current quality assurance system will allow the Institute to effectively monitor and enhance its academic offerings to provide exceptional value to its students, faculty, staff and relevant stakeholders.