“Flexible Education and ASEAN

Qualifications Reference Framework (ASEAN Context)”

Zita Mohd Fahmi

Fellow QA Specialist Malaysian Qualifications Agency

2016 MQA& IQA International Seminar,

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

The Main Frame-Flexible Education in the National System and the Connection with AQRF

• Programmes

• Design and delivery (includes flexible learning (mode)

• Benefit of Flexible learning

• Learners/Providers /institutions

• Employers/industry

• Fragmented approaches, or broad ministerial policies and guidelines

• Generally part of Lifelong learning and APEL

1. Higher Education sector and providers

Learners

• Legal framework for institutions

• Approval & Quality assurance of providers/programmes

• Certifications and qualifications against the national qualifications framework-full, partial or credit bearing

• Learning outcomes

• Recognition

2. National Qualifications System/

Quality system •ASEAN Single community

•Alignment of NQF to AQRF

•Robust acceptable quality assurance systems

•Generally full qualifications – academic, vocational /occupations/professional

•Facilitate recognition under MRA or MRAs

•Free movement f skilled workers and professional services

3. ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework ASEAN Quality

Assurance Framework

Flexible “Education”

• A set of educational philosophies and systems concerned with providing learners with increased choice, convenience and personalisation to suit their particular learning needs

• It supports policy for improved learning & widening participation which will lead to knowledge based society and economy workers

• A fragmented scenario. Is there a national strategy and appropriate framework for flexible learning?

Flexible Learning • Learners have access to learning experience – time , place, pace, learning style, content assessment and

pathways

• Even now higher education providers apply different method to provide flexibility

• Flexible

• delivery – various - technologically drive,

• use various type of mediated instruction traditional and non traditional

• Course structure, content teaching and learning methods interaction and assessment

• Time and place

• Different pace

• Entry requirements- multiple entry /exit points

• Multi mode delivery-style

• Credit or non credit bearing-inter-institutional exchanges

• Modularised- supermarket

• Course level pathways (content & assessment )

• Pathways (degree component)

“Learning”

Open learning

Blended learning

Modular Short courses

E-learning Net provider

MOOCS

Self directed learning

Student centered learning

Open & Distance learning

Learning- formal, informal,

non-formal by Higher Educations

Providers / Alternate Providers

Work-based learning

Recognition of prior

learning/training Customised company training

Full time part time

Accelerated and de-

accelerated

Mobile learning

Learners Education Providers

Regulators Accreditors EQAA

Industry players

Users of certifications and qualifications

Academic/ skill

learning

Demand and Supply for flexible learning

• Demands from “learners” for personal development – skills or qualifications in step with modern economy

• Learners-local and global-have access to HE &training

• technology/center

• Demand from workers-variety of learning needs

• Demand from employers

• National promotion

• Generally provided by HEP

• HEPs optimised and capitalised on offerings through flexible learning offerings - certifications or qualifications

• Variety of other providers of learning-IT

• National policies to widen access & choices for different sectors-and lifelong learning –upgrading and upskilling

• Malaysian- promoting globalised on-line learning and liifelong learning Defined scope of MOOC and APEL to ensure value and recognition of learning achievement s

Learning achievements of FL: integrity, value & recognition

Integrity of learning and awards - there must be some “conditions of flexibility” to ensure integrity and quality of learning especially when it leads to a certification or a qualification

Importance of Quality assurance is required for flexible learning requirements qualifications– by whom? Building zone of trust

Does it relate to learning outcomes and objectives and philosophy of National Qualifications Framework , -delivery of programme, access and progression t? LLL?

Recognition- Does recognition matter? By whom? At national and across border ?

Flexible Learning, National Qualifications Framework and ASEAN Qualifications

Reference Framework

ASEAN context: AEC • Formed in 1967

• ASEAN Economic Community: single market and production base for better economic opportunities; Vibrant market of 600 million people

Combined GDP of nearly $3Trillion USD by 2025 and

Closer integration could lift aggregate output by 7% and generate 14M additional jobs

Going global in trade

• Goal: to continuously build complementary physical and human infrastructure to enhance the competitiveness of AEC

ASEAN context: ASCC

•ASEAN Socio Cultural Community: Education Work Plan

•GOAL: to strengthen, deepen and widening educational cooperation among the ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Dialogue Partners as well as other regional platforms on education to achieve an ASEAN Sharing and Caring Community

Status and development of AQRF Status:

• Developed under Economic Cooperation Project with AANZFTA

• AQRF and Governance/Structure endorsed by the Ministers of Finance, Education and Labor;

• AQRF Committee (the Referencing Committee) to be constituted by October 2016

• Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand with expressed intention to reference their National Qualifications Framework by 2018;

• Formation of AQRF governing body

Implementation

• Preferably a national qualifications framework in place-levels, learning outcomes and descriptors

• A robust quality assurance system at national levels –compatible to recognised regional quality assurance framework –AQAF and others

• National NQF self referencing to AQRF

Purposes of AQRF

• To enhance quality of education and training

• To enable comparisons of qualifications across countries that will:

• To support recognition of qualifications

• To facilitate lifelong learning

• To promote worker mobility

• To promote and encourage credit transfer and learner mobility

ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework

• Enables comparison of qualifications across AMS;

• Addresses education and training sectors that incorporates informal, non-formal and formal learning and promotes lifelong learning;

• Provides a common spine of levels to which all NQFs relate

• Broadens the understanding of the national qualifications systems of ASEAN Member States for people from other ASEAN countries and from outside the ASEAN region.

Country A AQRF Country B

8

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

A common reference framework or translation device that

Implementation Process

Preferably a national

qualifications framework in

place

A robust quality assurance system at

national levels –compatible to

recognised regional quality

assurance framework -

AQAF

Information system

National NQF self referencing

to AQRF

Acceptance of self referencing

report

Pre requisites Are your qualifications accredited? Voluntary Formal Notification intend to perform referencing Submission of report

ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework developed by ASEAN Quality Assurance Network- 4 interconnected quadrants

1. External Quality Assurance Agency

2. EQA policies, standards & processes

3. Institutional Quality Assurance System

National Qualifications Framework

ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework

• ASEAN Economic Blue Print 2007- mobility of services and free movement of skilled workers

• Cha-am Hua Declaration Roadmap2009-15

• Australia- New Zealand- ASEAN FTA (AANZFTA) ECWP

• 2012-2015 AANZFTA Consultants and Task force (ASEAN)

Mobility of worker, students and services

• 2015 AQRF endorsed by the Economic, Labor a and , Education Ministers

• ASEAN Quality Assurance Network (AQAN,2008)

• Mobility of worker, students and services

SEAMEO RIHED - 2008 Meeting - The Roadmap to Harmonisation of Higher Education Area

• ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework (AQAF, 2014)

• 2016 KL Declaration for Harmonisation in Higher Education/TVET

Selected initiatives to enhance comparability of qualifications

and mobility of Students & Workers in the ASEAN region “An ASIAN Bologna Process

ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework (AQAF) (Education)

ASEAN competency-based occupational standards

Skills Recognition System – e.g. Tourism Skills

Standards

Mobility (Economic /Trade)

Mutual Recognition Agreement for professional services

Status of ASEAN NQFs [source: BATEMAN And coles. EU SHARE RePort, 2016]

1. No intent

2. Desired but no progress made

3. Background planning underway

4. Initial development and design completed

5. Some structures and processes agreed and documented

6. Some structures and processes established and operational

7. Structures and processes established for 5 years

8. Review of structures and processes proposed or underway.

Source: Bateman, Keating, Burke, Coles & Vickers (Vol IV, 2012) based on a scale developed by James Keevy, Borhene Chakroun & Arjen Deij (2010).

EQAA

BDNAC

ACC

NAAHE

QAC

MQA

Dev

CHED+5

NPE

ONESQA

GDETA/NQA Center

Some Development and Challenges – National and ASEAN

• At national level flexible learning is important, to be recognised and quality assured

• ASEAN respect for diversity and difference

• On-going reforms at national level to address structure of education and training provisions-different stages

• The challenges in developing -

• Robust quality assurances systems –policy, administrative and resources to build zone of trust

• A working national qualifications frameworks and various types standards-consensus

• Alignment to AQRF

• Enhancing understanding and addressing clarification of links of AQAF, MRAs and AQRF

Terima Kasih (TQ)

Zita

zitafahmi.mqa@1govuc.gov.my