ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework

(AQAF)
AQAN
• A network of EQA Agencies in ASEAN Region
• Founded in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in July 2008
• A registered international association under the Societies
Act 1966 of Malaysia
• Secretariat hosted by Malaysia Qualifications Authority
• 10 full members representing EQAAs at the ASEAN
Member States and 7 Associate Members
• AUN-QA is an associate member of AQAN
AQAN
• Member of INQAAHE
• 2016; Recognized as ASEAN “Entity”
• 2017-2020 AQAN President; Prof. T. Basaruddin
• Mission: To share information, to build capacity and to establish
the ASEAN regional quality assurance framework à AQAF
Asean Quality Assurance Framework (AQAF)
A framework that defines the quality assurance components as
a regional reference point for establishment of the quality
assurance systems for ASEAN, national, and institutional level

AQAF
ASEAN Harmonized/Comparable
Higher Education QA System
HE Quality in ASEAN region
AQAF four quadrants
4 1
External Quality
1 Assurance Agency • Key player in maintaining and sustaining NQF EQAA
the quality of education in every nation
(EQAA)
AQAF
2 External Quality • Core activities of the quality assurance
Assurance agency (Accreditation of program or IQA EQA
Processes (EQA) institutional)
3 2
3
• The responsibility for quality rests with
Internal Quality
the higher education institutions
Assurance (IQA) themselves
4
National • Key instruments for the reform of
Qualifications education, training and qualification
Framework (NQF) system across ASEAN member states
Asean Quality Assurance Framework
(AQAF)

4. Qualification Framework (KKNI)

1) EQAAs
2) Accreditation Process
(EQA)
3. Internal
QA
Program Program
University
BAN-PT/LAM
HE Quality Assurance System

Lembaga penjaminan Mutu

External (BAN-PT/LAM)
UU No. 12/2012 tentang Pendidikan Tinggi
Quadrant 1; Principles of External Quality Assurance
Agency (EQAA)
The EQAA of ASEAN countries (has)
1. Mission and common goals 6. Keeps abreast with new
statements. developments and innovations in
quality assurance as part of its internal
2. An established legal basis and is
continuous improvement system.
formally recognized and trusted by
competent public authorities in its 7. Sufficient and sustainable
home country. resources.
3. Autonomous responsibility for its 8. Collaborates with key stakeholders,
operations and its decision-making both nationally and internationally.
processes and judgments made are
free from undue influences. 9. A reliable system for controlling,
auditing and assessing all processes
4. Standard and transparent system of its operations.
of appointing members of the Board.
10.Keeps the public informed of its
5. Policies and management practices current policies, procedures, criteria,
are based on good governance, standards and assessment results.
transparency and accountability.

Quadrant 1
Quadrant 2; EQAA - Standards and Processes
1.Interest of students and the 6. Assessment must be objective,
society should be at the forefront of fair, transparent and conducted
external quality assurance processes. within an appropriate time frame.
2.Standards must be comparable to 7. The EQA provides appropriate
international good practices and training at regular interval for the
related to internal quality assurance of development of assessors.
higher education institutions.
8. The EQA ensures professionalism
3.Development of standards must and ethical conduct of assessors.
involve participation of relevant
stakeholders to meeting current 9. Quality assurance activities and
needs and demands. processes are assessed on a
cyclical basis to promote
4.Standards must be made publicly continuous improvement.
available and applied consistently
and with due regard for cultural 10.An appeal mechanism is
diversity. established and accessible to all.
5.The process normally includes a
self-assessment report (SAR) of
the programme or institution, site
visits, feedback, formal decisions
and follow up procedures. Quadrant 2
Quadrant 3; Principles of Internal Quality Assurance
6. The quality system is promulgated and
1. The institution has a primary
responsibility for quality. supported by the top management to
ensure effective implementation and
2. Quality assurance promotes the sustainability.
balance between institutional 7. Sufficient resources for establishing
autonomy and public
and maintaining an effective quality
accountability.
system within the institution should be
3. Quality assurance is a participatory provided.
and cooperative process across all 8. The institution should have formal
levels incorporating involvement of mechanisms for approval, periodic
academic staff, students, and other
stakeholders. review and monitoring of programmes
and awards.
4. A quality culture underpins all 9. Quality is regularly monitored and
institutional activities including reviewed for purposes of continuous
teaching, learning, research, services
improvement at all levels.
and management.
10. Relevant and current information
5. A structured and functional internal about the institution, its programmes,
quality assurance system with achievements, and quality processes is
clearly defined responsibilities is accessible to public
established.
Quadrant 3
Memaknai AQAF Quadrant 3 dalam SPMI

The institution Quality assurance is a

1 has a primary
participatory and
responsibility cooperative process
for quality. 3 across all levels
incorporating involvement
of academic staff,
9 students, and other
stakeholders.
Quality is regularly
monitored and 5
reviewed for A structured and
purposes of functional internal
continuous quality assurance
improvement at all system with clearly
levels. defined responsibilities
is established.
has BAN-PT and its accreditation
process been aligned with AQAF…..?

10 Principles of AQAF Quadrant 1;

Self Assessment Report

BAN-PT;
Current status, legal basis,
resources, governance, etc.
Purposes of the AQAF
• Serves as a common reference point to align quality
assurance systems, higher education institutions and
qualifications.
• Encourages national QA systems to benchmark against
the Framework.
• Improves consistency of QA practices and builds a zone
of trust to facilitate recognition of qualifications.
• Promotes regional harmonization in higher education.
4. Principles of National Qualifications
Framework
1. NQF facilitates the progressive nature of learning and training with the inclusion of
recognition of prior learning.
2. NQF supports student and workforce mobility through recognition of qualifications,
including lifelong learning.
3. NQF is based on learning outcomes that emphasize student-centered learning and
student competencies.
4. NQF is generally defined by levels, descriptors and can be based on a credit system.
5. NQF supports consistency, transparency and flexibility of learning pathways and
progression.
6. NQF must be supported by relevant national policies
7. Stakeholders must be consulted and actively involved in the development and
implementation of the NQF.
8. The implementation of the NQF is to be carried out by an authorized body and
supported by a set of agreed quality assurance principles and standards.
9. NQF is dynamic and should be reviewed to meet the changing needs and
developments.
10.NQF should be complemented by an authorized information center.
Characteristics of AQAF
• Consists of four interrelated Principles
• Each Principle focuses on 10 core statements
• Inspirational document recognizing the diversity in
ASEAN’s culture, beliefs and values that shape higher
education systems
• Not prescriptive but uses generic statements of good
practice that can be adapted to various political, educational
and socio- cultural settings.
• Serves as a link between Internal and external quality
assurance as well as the Qualifications Framework.
AQAF pilot implementation
• EQAAs External Review (Quadrant 1 dan 2):
• BAN-PT, MQA, PAASCU, ONESQA
• Institutional (HEI) Review (Quadrant 3);
• Indonesia: Polban, Ubaya
• Philippine: UPLB, Angeles University
• Thailand: KMUT, two universities
• Malaysia:
• Vietnam: Hue University