IQR Case Study: Institutional accreditation in Egypt
QAA’s International Quality Review (IQR) helped The British University in Egypt strengthen its quality frameworks and teaching and learning strategies, and demonstrate adherence to international standards.
Professor Catherine Harper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for the Student Journey, and Alam Mahbubul, Director of Academic Services, discuss how the process has played a key role in delivering the University’s growth strategy, enhancing its global reputation and increasing its attractiveness for international partnerships and student recruitment.
Why did you choose to seek international accreditation?
IQR is a widely recognised accreditation across the Middle East and North Africa, and serves as a highly respected external benchmark of internationally recognised education standards, quality assurance, and academic integrity. The University’s aim was to become the first institution in Egypt and in the North Africa region to achieve QAA accreditation, ensuring it remains ahead of competitors in Egypt’s rapidly growing international education market. Attaining this accreditation and aligning with European higher education standards reinforces the University’s global standing, ambitions, and rankings but also strengthens both current and future international partnerships.
Why did you choose to work with QAA and undertake an International Quality Review?
QAA is globally respected and widely recognised as a leader in quality assurance in higher education. Working with QAA ensures that The British University in Egypt’s academic standards and student experience are benchmarked against the internationally recognised European Standards and Guidelines (ESG), enhancing the University’s domestic and international positioning.
The IQR process provided The British University in Egypt with an independent, expert evaluation of the University’s governance, learning, teaching, research, and student support systems. This external perspective was essential in guiding the University towards continuous enhancement, ensuring delivery on the strategic institutional promise of a transformative, student-centred learning environment. Furthermore, working with QAA strengthens the University’s credibility in forming strategic partnerships with leading UK and global universities.
How has accreditation influenced internal quality assurance, academic programmes or administrative processes?
Achieving QAA IQR accreditation has had a transformative impact on The British University in Egypt, accelerating institutional improvements in quality assurance, academic programmes, and administrative systems. The QAA IQR accreditation has had a specific and positive effect by:
- Raising internal quality assurance to international benchmarks
- Modernising academic programmes and assessment
- Strengthening administrative and governance frameworks
- Enhancing the student experience and global recognition of the University’s degrees.
QAA IQR accreditation has positioned The British University in Egypt not only as a regional leader in British-style education but also as a globally credible, research-active institution aligned with the Egypt Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It has enhanced the University’s domestic and international positioning, differentiating it as the only North African university to hold this recognition.
Hear from Professor Catherine Harper about the benefits of IQR:
Benefits of QAA accreditation
Strengthening existing collaborations
Partner universities in the UK view The British University in Egypt as a trusted, quality-assured partner, facilitating joint research projects, dual degrees, and faculty exchanges.
Developing new international partnerships
Accreditation signals to overseas universities and agencies that the University is a trusted partner for transnational education, joint programmes, and research collaborations.
Enhancing global mobility opportunities
The University’s students now have more study-abroad and internship options because international partners have confidence in the University’s quality assurance processes.
Broadening progression routes for students
Students gain assurance that their qualifications are globally benchmarked, making international progression for postgraduate studies, research or employment more attainable.
Increasing awareness of international standards
Faculty members are more actively involved in curriculum mapping, assessment standardisation, and programme reviews aligned with QAA subject benchmarks.
Growing uptake in professional development
Staff participation in training workshops on quality assurance and student-centred teaching has increased, including a significant uptick in the number of staff achieving fellowship certification from Advance HE.
Has accreditation affected your institution’s reputation locally or globally?
The British University in Egypt’s QAA IQR accreditation marks a transformative milestone, one that significantly strengthens the University’s reputation both at home and abroad. Locally, it affirms the University’s position as a leading private institution committed to high-quality education. Globally, it signals that The British University in Egypt's governance, teaching, and support systems are aligned with international academic standards. The accreditation enhances the University’s attractiveness as a global partner, clearly communicating that it adheres to internationally recognised standards, thus facilitating dialogues and collaborations with universities outside Egypt.
About the University
The British University in Egypt is located in El-Shorouk City, on the outskirts of Cairo, and was established through an intergovernmental agreement between Egypt and the UK to provide British-style education in Egypt and the region. It is a leading private university with a modern campus accommodating over 12,000 students, and is committed to applied research and student development. The University is ranked first among private and non-governmental universities in Egypt, and has a distinctive British Academic Model with dual degrees for students (Egypt and UK degrees). The British University in Egypt’s international partnership portfolio spans institutional, industrial, and diplomatic spheres, reflecting its strategy to boost academic quality, student opportunity, research capacity, and global reputation.