Higher Education Quality Assurance and Academic Accreditation: Learning Outcomes and Self-Study – Dubai, 12–16 Apr 2027

Programme overview

Introduction:

Many universities meet accreditation deadlines by assembling documents in the final months, then find that learning outcomes are unmeasured, course reports sit unread and reviewers question the evidence. Higher education quality assurance works only when an internal system collects outcome data every term and turns it into decisions. This Core Concept course equips quality and programme staff to run that system: align programme learning outcomes, assess them directly and indirectly, write course and programme reports, track indicators and prepare self-study evidence. Participants build a Programme Self-Study Evidence Pack and Improvement Plan.

Course Objectives:

• Map institutional and programme accreditation standards to an internal quality assurance system with defined committees, owners and review cycles
• Write measurable programme learning outcomes and align them with courses, teaching activities and assessment tasks through a curriculum map
• Design direct and indirect assessment of programme learning outcomes with rubrics, target levels and sampling rules
• Prepare course reports, programme reports and an annual programme review that link results to actions
• Build a programme indicator set with benchmarks and survey evidence from students, graduates and employers
• Compile a self-study, evidence files and an improvement plan ready for an external peer review site visit

Target Audience:

• Quality assurance leaders who run the institutional quality system and report to university management
• Programme coordinators accountable for curriculum, outcome assessment and programme reports
• Institutional effectiveness and planning staff who maintain indicators, surveys and benchmarking data
• Academic department heads who approve course reports and follow up improvement actions
• Assessment and accreditation officers who prepare self-studies and coordinate reviewer visits

Course Outline:

Day 1: Quality Assurance Foundations in Universities

• Institutional Accreditation Versus Programme Accreditation Scope
• Internal and External Quality Assurance Layers in Higher Education Frameworks
• Input Measures Versus Learning Outcome Evidence in Accreditation Judgements
• Peer Review Accreditation Cycle: Self-Study, Site Visit, Decision and Follow-Up
• Quality System Gap Scan Against Institutional Standards

Day 2: Internal Quality System, Committees and Learning Outcome Alignment

• Quality Committee Structure from Institution to College to Department
• Quality Manual, Policy Register and Annual Quality Calendar
• Programme Learning Outcome Statements with Measurable Action Verbs
• Constructive Alignment of Outcomes, Teaching Activities and Assessment Tasks
• Curriculum Map Matrix: Introduced, Practised and Mastered Levels

Day 3: Assessing Outcomes, Reports and Programme Indicators

• Direct Assessment Plan with Analytic Rubrics, Capstone Tasks and Target Levels
• Indirect Assessment Through Course Evaluation, Exit and Alumni Surveys
• Course Report Template: Grade Distribution, Outcome Attainment and Actions
• Annual Programme Report and Programme Review Meeting Minutes
• Programme Indicator Set: Retention, Completion, Graduate Employment and Satisfaction

Day 4: Benchmarking, Stakeholder Feedback and Evidence Risks

• Internal and External Benchmarking Partner Selection and Comparison Tables
• Employer Advisory Board and Stakeholder Feedback Records
• Survey Response Rate, Sampling Bias and Data Reliability Checks
• Evidence File Index with Traceability from Standard to Document
• Common Reviewer Findings and Corrective Action Tracking Log

Day 5: Case Work: Self-Study, Site Visit and Improvement Plan

• Case Brief: An Engineering Programme and a Business Programme Facing Review
• Self-Study Narrative Drafting Against Each Standard with Evidence Links
• Mock Site Visit Interview Panel with Faculty, Students and Leadership
• Closing-the-Loop Improvement Plan with Owners, Timelines and Measures
• Programme Self-Study Evidence Pack Presentation and Peer Critique

Skills You Will Gain:

• Accreditation Standards Mapping
• Quality Committee Governance
• Learning Outcome Writing
• Curriculum Mapping
• Rubric-Based Outcome Assessment
• Programme Review Reporting
• Academic Benchmarking
• Self-Study Evidence Management

Why Attend This Course:

• Take back a Programme Self-Study Evidence Pack and Improvement Plan built for a programme you are responsible for
• Replace last-minute accreditation document drives with a term-by-term evidence routine that faculty can sustain
• Answer reviewer questions on outcome attainment with assessment data rather than course syllabi alone
• Compare quality practice with colleagues from public and private universities, colleges and professional schools in other systems

Conclusion:

Accreditation outcomes reflect what a university does every term, not what it assembles before a visit. The week moves from accreditation scope and quality frameworks, through committees, learning outcome alignment and curriculum mapping, to direct and indirect assessment, course and programme reporting, indicators and benchmarking. It closes with case work on self-study drafting, a mock site visit and a closing-the-loop plan, so each participant leaves with a Programme Self-Study Evidence Pack and Improvement Plan ready to test with their own quality committee.