QAA: International Program Accreditation – Action Plan
Updated January 2024
Acronyms
| VPAA: Vice President for Academic Affairs Office | IT: Information Technology |
| OSC: One-Stop Student Center | PR: Public Relations |
| VPAA: Vice President for Academic Affairs Office | |
| IT: Information Technology | |
| OSC: One-Stop Student Center | |
| PR: Public Relations |
ESG: European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
Good Practice
| ESG | Good Practice | Action | Responsible Department | Status | Success Indicator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 | The “Live Your Major” course which provides students with different experiences and insights in the field of learning, providing a professional orientation and the opportunity to practice the knowledge and skills they have acquired. | Sustain "Live Your Major" and integrate industry mentorship programmes to provide real-world experience. | English Department | Ongoing | A minimum of one course will be offered every academic year at the English department. |
| 1.4 | The use of the Student Performance Enhancement and Academic Retention (SPEAR) to support students throughout their academic journey and facilitates the monitoring of student progress, enrolment, and grade appeals. In addition, it facilitates the referral of students to the appropriate personnel, including the Dean, student advisors, and counsellors. | The English Department will ensure utilizing the SPEAR system by identifying and implementing opportunities for further development. | English Department, IT | Ongoing | Hold a workshop to introduce SPEAR during orientation and train faculty. Monitor the attrition rates annually to analyze the effect of SPEAR in student success |
| 1.6 | The use of the extensive range of personalised support services in all three programmes to help support student progression and achievement. | Continue offering personalized support, ensuring services are responsive to student feedback and evolving needs. | English Department, Curriculum Committee, Dean's Office | Ongoing | Report the number of personalized support offered every semester. |
| ESG: | 1.3 | ||||
| Good Practice: | The “Live Your Major” course which provides students with different experiences and insights in the field of learning, providing a professional orientation and the opportunity to practice the knowledge and skills they have acquired. | ||||
| Action: | Sustain "Live Your Major" and integrate industry mentorship programmes to provide real-world experience. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | A minimum of one course will be offered every academic year at the English department. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.4 | ||||
| Good Practice: | The use of the Student Performance Enhancement and Academic Retention (SPEAR) to support students throughout their academic journey and facilitates the monitoring of student progress, enrolment, and grade appeals. In addition, it facilitates the referral of students to the appropriate personnel, including the Dean, student advisors, and counsellors. | ||||
| Action: | The English Department will ensure utilizing the SPEAR system by identifying and implementing opportunities for further development. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, IT | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | Hold a workshop to introduce SPEAR during orientation and train faculty. Monitor the attrition rates annually to analyze the effect of SPEAR in student success | ||||
| ESG: | 1.6 | ||||
| Good Practice: | The use of the extensive range of personalised support services in all three programmes to help support student progression and achievement. | ||||
| Action: | Continue offering personalized support, ensuring services are responsive to student feedback and evolving needs. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, Curriculum Committee, Dean's Office | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | Report the number of personalized support offered every semester. |
Recommendations
| ESG | Recommendation | Action | Responsible Department | Status | Success Indicator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | To enhance its approach to the management of quality assurance by documenting all its processes and procedures (in line with the expectations of the University) so it contributes fully to a coherent institutional quality assurance system. | GUST will track the implementation of all QA processes within the English Department using a dedicated project management tool. A project will be created where each QA process is listed as a task, with detailed checklists outlining the steps required to complete each process. Progress will be regularly reviewed during monthly meetings to ensure everyone remains aligned on quality assurance activities. | English Department, Dean's Office, VPAA, President's Office | Ongoing | A project management tool will be used to report any changes to the processes and procedures related to quality assurance. |
| 1.1 | To develop a more systematic and structured approach to documenting engagement with external stakeholders. | The English department plans to create an Advisory Board comprising industry partners, alumni, and community leaders to offer structured feedback and guidance. Regular meetings will be held, with minutes and action items documented to ensure meaningful engagement and track its impact on programmes development. | English Department, Dean's Office | Ongoing | An advisory board will be created by the next academic year. |
| 1.1 | To develop a more structured way to document the quality assurance of internships (other than in public schools) before students start their learning experience. | Implement a standardized internship auditing system and clearly communicate expectations to internship providers. | English Department, Dean's Office | Ongoing | A survey will be created during the next academic year to collect the feedback of the students and internship centers to collect and document the learning experience. |
| 1.2 | To strengthen the design of the programmes to increase alignment between programme objectives, programme learning outcomes, curriculum content, labour market and employability data, and career prospects to offer a more realistic outlook of the expected graduate profile. | The department will hold annual meetings with faculty to review and adjust course content. Furthermore, the learning outcomes will be aligned with the programme objectives. It will also coordinate with the IT team to ensure that relevant programme details are published on the institution’s website. | English Department, Curriculum Committee, IT | Ongoing | Regular meetings will be held as of the fall semester of the next academic year to align the programme objectives, programme learning outcomes, curriculum content, labour market. |
| 1.6 | To incorporate staff assessment in the evaluation of peer tutors to assure the accuracy and quality of subject knowledge and advice provided to students by peer tutors. | Enhance the peer tutor evaluation system by incorporating feedback, emphasizing the reliability and effectiveness of the support provided. | OSC, English Department | Ongoing | Feedback will be provided on the peer tutoring quality after the latter creates a survey by the next academic year. |
| 1.8 | To monitor and review information about the English programmes on the University website to ensure all programme content is comprehensive, accurate, clear and readily accessible. | Implement a regular review process to ensure programme details remain up-to-date and user-friendly for all stakeholders. | English Department, Dean's Office, IT | Ongoing | The department curriculum committee will review all the content every semester and will report any required change. |
| 1.8 | To establish a systematic process for monitoring the ongoing accuracy of programme information on the University website. | Schedule periodic updates and quality checks to ensure consistency in programme information. | English Department, Dean's Office, IT | Ongoing | The department curriculum committee will review all the content every semester and will report any required change. |
| 1.9 | To develop a more systematic approach to action planning, to improve programme level monitoring and feedback and engagement with stakeholders. | Create a structured, data-driven action plan based on learning analytics and feedback, setting clear timelines and responsibilities to track improvements. | English Department, Dean's Office | Ongoing | The prospective advisory board will be consulted on the action plan to improve programme level monitoring and feedback and engagement with stakeholders. |
| 1.10 | To develop an approach to identify, record and share learning from external quality assurance processes within the Department and across the three programmes. | Leverage the University's internal communication platform for sharing QA insights. | English Department, PR | Ongoing | In the next academic year, a partner university will be consulted to identify, record and share learning within the Department and across the three programmes. |
| ESG: | 1.1 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To enhance its approach to the management of quality assurance by documenting all its processes and procedures (in line with the expectations of the University) so it contributes fully to a coherent institutional quality assurance system. | ||||
| Action: | GUST will track the implementation of all QA processes within the English Department using a dedicated project management tool. A project will be created where each QA process is listed as a task, with detailed checklists outlining the steps required to complete each process. Progress will be regularly reviewed during monthly meetings to ensure everyone remains aligned on quality assurance activities. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, Dean's Office, VPAA, President's Office | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | A project management tool will be used to report any changes to the processes and procedures related to quality assurance. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.1 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To develop a more systematic and structured approach to documenting engagement with external stakeholders. | ||||
| Action: | The English department plans to create an Advisory Board comprising industry partners, alumni, and community leaders to offer structured feedback and guidance. Regular meetings will be held, with minutes and action items documented to ensure meaningful engagement and track its impact on programmes development. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, Dean's Office | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | An advisory board will be created by the next academic year. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.1 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To develop a more structured way to document the quality assurance of internships (other than in public schools) before students start their learning experience. | ||||
| Action: | Implement a standardized internship auditing system and clearly communicate expectations to internship providers. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, Dean's Office | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | A survey will be created during the next academic year to collect the feedback of the students and internship centers to collect and document the learning experience. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.2 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To strengthen the design of the programmes to increase alignment between programme objectives, programme learning outcomes, curriculum content, labour market and employability data, and career prospects to offer a more realistic outlook of the expected graduate profile. | ||||
| Action: | The department will hold annual meetings with faculty to review and adjust course content. Furthermore, the learning outcomes will be aligned with the programme objectives. It will also coordinate with the IT team to ensure that relevant programme details are published on the institution’s website. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, Curriculum Committee, IT | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | Regular meetings will be held as of the fall semester of the next academic year to align the programme objectives, programme learning outcomes, curriculum content, labour market. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.6 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To incorporate staff assessment in the evaluation of peer tutors to assure the accuracy and quality of subject knowledge and advice provided to students by peer tutors. | ||||
| Action: | Enhance the peer tutor evaluation system by incorporating feedback, emphasizing the reliability and effectiveness of the support provided. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | OSC, English Department | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | Feedback will be provided on the peer tutoring quality after the latter creates a survey by the next academic year. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.8 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To monitor and review information about the English programmes on the University website to ensure all programme content is comprehensive, accurate, clear and readily accessible. | ||||
| Action: | Implement a regular review process to ensure programme details remain up-to-date and user-friendly for all stakeholders. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, Dean's Office, IT | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | The department curriculum committee will review all the content every semester and will report any required change. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.8 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To establish a systematic process for monitoring the ongoing accuracy of programme information on the University website. | ||||
| Action: | Schedule periodic updates and quality checks to ensure consistency in programme information. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, Dean's Office, IT | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | The department curriculum committee will review all the content every semester and will report any required change. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.9 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To develop a more systematic approach to action planning, to improve programme level monitoring and feedback and engagement with stakeholders. | ||||
| Action: | Create a structured, data-driven action plan based on learning analytics and feedback, setting clear timelines and responsibilities to track improvements. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, Dean's Office | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | The prospective advisory board will be consulted on the action plan to improve programme level monitoring and feedback and engagement with stakeholders. | ||||
| ESG: | 1.10 | ||||
| Recommendation: | To develop an approach to identify, record and share learning from external quality assurance processes within the Department and across the three programmes. | ||||
| Action: | Leverage the University's internal communication platform for sharing QA insights. | ||||
| Responsible Department: | English Department, PR | ||||
| Status: | Ongoing | ||||
| Success Indicator: | In the next academic year, a partner university will be consulted to identify, record and share learning within the Department and across the three programmes. |
