Higher College of Technology
Quality Assurance Manual
January 2014 Version 7.0
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Table of Contents Foreword .........................................................................................................................................................................................8 Quality Assurance Manual Approval .................................................................................................................................9 Issuance, Review and Amendments of the Quality Assurance Manual ........................................................11 Amendment Log ........................................................................................................................................................................12 Glossary .........................................................................................................................................................................................13
Part I: An introduction to the College and Its Systems......................................................................... 15 Section One: Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................16 1.1 A brief history of the College ......................................................................................................................................16 1.2
College Vision ..............................................................................................................................................................17
1.3
College Mission ...........................................................................................................................................................17
1.4
College Values .............................................................................................................................................................18
1.5
Graduate Attributes .................................................................................................................................................18
Section Two: Quality Assurance in the College ............................................................................................19 2.1 The Quality Policy of the College ..............................................................................................................................19 2.2
Attributes of HCT as an Educational Institution with High Quality Standards .........................19
2.3 Strategic Planning.............................................................................................................................................................20 2.4
The College Annual Quality Cycle, Operational Planning and Annual Report ...........................21
2.5 Quality Assurance Sub-manuals ...............................................................................................................................23 2.6.
Internal Quality Audit .............................................................................................................................................23
2.7
External Quality Audit ............................................................................................................................................23
Section 3 - Management and Operation of the College ...........................................................................24 3.1
Management of the College: Overview...........................................................................................................24
3.2
Financial Management and Administrative Affairs of the College ..................................................25
3.3
Health and safety in the College ........................................................................................................................27
3.4
Community engagement........................................................................................................................................28
3.5
The Mass Media and the College .......................................................................................................................29
3.6
The College and Its Relation with Other Educational Institutions ..................................................29
3.7
The College and Its Relations with the Private Sector and Government Organizations ......30
3.8. Organizational Structure .............................................................................................................................................31 3.9 Committee Structure of the College ........................................................................................................................33
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3.10 The Policy Management System of the College ..............................................................................................35 3.11 Risk Management System..........................................................................................................................................35 Section 4 - Teaching & Learning.............................................................................................................................36 4.1
Teaching and learning strategy .........................................................................................................................36
4.2
Course delivery...........................................................................................................................................................37
4.3
The quality of teaching ...........................................................................................................................................38
4.4
Learning resources ...................................................................................................................................................39
4.5
On-Job Training (OJT) .............................................................................................................................................39
4.6
The structure of academic programs ..............................................................................................................40
4.7
Approval of courses and programs ..................................................................................................................40
4.8
Monitoring of courses and programs .............................................................................................................41
Section 5: Academic Standards ...............................................................................................................................42 5.1
Definition of academic standards .....................................................................................................................42
5.2
The Importance of Academic Standards .......................................................................................................42
5.3
Responsibility for academic standards ..........................................................................................................43
5.4
Underpinning academic standards ..................................................................................................................43
5.5
The College Pedagogical Framework ..............................................................................................................43
Section 6 – Assessment & Examination Standards ....................................................................................45 6.1
Assessment ...................................................................................................................................................................45
6.2
Student appeals ..........................................................................................................................................................46
Section 7 – Student Guidance & Support ..........................................................................................................48 7.1
Student Registration ................................................................................................................................................48
7.2
Student admissions ..................................................................................................................................................48
7.3
Student guidance .......................................................................................................................................................48
7.4
Students with disabilities......................................................................................................................................50
7.5
Student discipline......................................................................................................................................................51
7.6
Student complaints...................................................................................................................................................51
7.7
Student feedback .......................................................................................................................................................52
7.8
Graduate Follow-Up .................................................................................................................................................52
Section 8 – Human Resource Development...................................................................................................53 8.1
Mentoring of College staff .....................................................................................................................................53
8.2
Staff development .....................................................................................................................................................53
8.3
Staff Appraisal.............................................................................................................................................................54
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Section 9 – Research and Consultancy ...............................................................................................................55 9.1
Research and consultancy ....................................................................................................................................55
9.2
Support for research................................................................................................................................................56
9.3
Support for consultancy .......................................................................................................................................57
Part 2: Policies ....................................................................................................................................................... 58 Ministerial Policies .........................................................................................................................................................59 Policy 1: Health and Safety Policy ................................................................................................................. 60 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................60 1.2 Policy .................................................................................................................................................................................60 1.3 Scope ..................................................................................................................................................................................60 1.4 Procedures......................................................................................................................................................................61 1.5 Health and Safety Committee................................................................................................................................63 1.6 Related Documents ....................................................................................................................................................64 Policy 2: Risk Management Policy................................................................................................................. 65 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................65 2.2 Policy .................................................................................................................................................................................65 2.3 Scope ..................................................................................................................................................................................65 2.4 Procedures......................................................................................................................................................................65 2.5 Risk Management Committee ...............................................................................................................................66 2.6 Related Documents ....................................................................................................................................................67 Policy 3: Plagiarism Policy................................................................................................................................ 68 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................68 3.2 Policy .................................................................................................................................................................................68 3.3 Scope ..................................................................................................................................................................................68 3.4 Procedures......................................................................................................................................................................69 3.5 Related Documents ....................................................................................................................................................70 College Policies ..................................................................................................................................................................76 Policy Management System.............................................................................................................................. 77 1.
Overview........................................................................................................................................................................80
2.
Policy Development Framework.......................................................................................................................80
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3.
Development and Publication ............................................................................................................................81
4.
Application....................................................................................................................................................................81
5.
Policy Development Process ...............................................................................................................................82
6.
General Guidelines in Policy Writing ..............................................................................................................84
References: .............................................................................................................................................................................84 Appendix..................................................................................................................................................................................85 Policy Cover Page and Layout ......................................................................................................................................85 Academic Appeals Policy ................................................................................................................................... 88 1.
Purpose...........................................................................................................................................................................91
2.
Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................91
3.
Definitions.....................................................................................................................................................................91
4.
Policy Statement ........................................................................................................................................................92
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders ...................................................................................................................92
6.
Related Policies and References ........................................................................................................................93
7.
Supporting Procedures (Not applicable to English Language Centre)..........................................93
7.1 Procedure for Appeal on Final Grades .............................................................................................................93 7.2 Procedure for Requesting for Make-Up / Re-sit Examination.............................................................94 Appendix..................................................................................................................................................................................95 Admission, Advising and Registration Policy ........................................................................................ 96 1.
Purpose...........................................................................................................................................................................99
2.
Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................99
3.
Definitions.....................................................................................................................................................................99
4.
Policy Statement ..................................................................................................................................................... 100
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders ................................................................................................................ 103
6.
Related Policies and References ..................................................................................................................... 104
7.
Supporting Procedures ....................................................................................................................................... 104
7.1 Specialization Request Procedure .................................................................................................................. 104 7.2.
Registration and Advisory Procedure .................................................................................................... 105
7.3.
Procedure for Repeating a Course............................................................................................................ 106
7.4.
Procedure for Withdrawing a Course..................................................................................................... 106
7.5.
Procedure for Warning of Absence Notification ............................................................................... 106
7.6.
Procedure for Advising .................................................................................................................................. 107
7.7.
Procedure for Timetable Production and Classroom Allocation.............................................. 108
Assessment Policy ............................................................................................................................................. 110 1.
Purpose........................................................................................................................................................................ 113
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2.
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................................. 113
3.
Definitions.................................................................................................................................................................. 113
4.
Policy Statement ..................................................................................................................................................... 115
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders ................................................................................................................ 118
6.
Related Policies and References ..................................................................................................................... 119
7.
Supporting Procedures ....................................................................................................................................... 119
7.1
Plagiarism and Declaration of Originality ............................................................................................ 119
7.2 Procedure for Coordination of Programs and Examination Moderations: (Not applicable to ELC) 120 7.3
Procedure for courses with multiple sections (not applicable to the ELC) ........................ 121
7.4
Procedure for Examination Scheduling and Invigilation Duties allocation ........................ 121
7.5 Procedure for Examination Conduct and Departmental invigilation (separate procedure for ELC) 123 7.6
Procedure for Change of Examination dates (separate procedure for ELC-FP)............... 124
7.7
Procedure for Cheating and Fair Conduct of Examinations ........................................................ 125
7.8
Procedure for Double Marking (Separate procedure for ELC).................................................. 126
7.9.
Procedure for Examination Security:...................................................................................................... 127
Degree Specific Requirements Policy ....................................................................................................... 128 1.
Purpose........................................................................................................................................................................ 131
2.
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................................. 131
3.
Definitions.................................................................................................................................................................. 131
4.
Policy Statement ..................................................................................................................................................... 131
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders ................................................................................................................ 133
6.
Related Policies and References ..................................................................................................................... 133
7.
Supporting Procedures ....................................................................................................................................... 133
7.1
Procedure for OJT.............................................................................................................................................. 133
7.2
Procedure for Issuing Attendance Warnings...................................................................................... 134
7.3
Procedure for Project Evaluation ............................................................................................................. 134
Data Acquisition, Disclosure and Control Policy ................................................................................. 135 1.
Purpose........................................................................................................................................................................ 138
2.
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................................. 138
3.
Definitions.................................................................................................................................................................. 138
4.
Policy Statement ..................................................................................................................................................... 138
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders ................................................................................................................ 140
6.
Related Policies and References ..................................................................................................................... 141
7.
Supporting Procedures ....................................................................................................................................... 141
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7.1
Common Data Sharing and Access Procedure ................................................................................... 141
7.2
Survey Conduction Procedure.................................................................................................................... 141
7.3
Procedure for Complaints Protection and Retention ..................................................................... 142
7.4
Procedure for Approval process and Official Communication channels.............................. 143
Internal Audit Policy ........................................................................................................................................ 144 1.
Purpose........................................................................................................................................................................ 147
2.
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................................. 147
3.
Definitions.................................................................................................................................................................. 147
4.
Policy Statement ..................................................................................................................................................... 149
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders ................................................................................................................ 150
6.
Related Policies and References ..................................................................................................................... 150
7.
Supporting Procedures ....................................................................................................................................... 150
7.1.
Procedure for College Internal Quality Audits (CIQA) ................................................................... 150
7.2. Procedure for Internal Quality Audits (Department/Unit-Level)................................................. 151
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Foreword Higher College of Technology is committed to providing quality education, not only through the development of the students’ cognitive, interpersonal and technical skills, but also by cultivating a culture of quality lifelong learning, which will enable them to make a meaningful and significant contribution to the development of the economy, society and culture of the Sultanate of Oman. A very vital tool to ensure the fulfilment of such commitment is a system of quality assurance which should be sustainably practiced in the College. A Quality Assurance (QA) system involves mechanisms and approaches which will ensure attainment of predefined objectives and full compliance to quality policies and standards as stipulated in this Quality Assurance Manual (QAM) of HCT and other Ministerial and National regulations. This manual outlines basic information about the Higher College of Technology which is related to Quality Assurance. Its primary objective is to provide clarity and direction to all members of Higher College of Technology as far as policies, procedures and By-laws, through which the college will conduct operations, are concerned. Moreover, the provisions contained in this manual will also serve as bases for decisions on issues and concerns related to academic, operational and administrative management in the College. It can also be used by existing or potential stakeholders as an information document, and by internal and external auditors as source of audit criteria. All staff of the College, whether they are involved in support services, teaching or administrative functions, must be familiar with the contents of the QAM and should know how the provisions in the manual relate to their own role in the institution. Quality education is the responsibility of all, and it is only through the whole-hearted commitment of each and every staff-member that the College can succeed and serve the nation as it should.
Dr. Khalid Ambusaidi Dean, Higher College of Technology
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Quality Assurance Manual Approval The Higher College of Technology is governed by comprehensive and updated documentation consistent with the requirements of the Quality Assurance Department of the Ministry of Manpower The content of this Manual has been reviewed by the College Academic Board (CAB) and Quality Assurance Committee and it is authorized for use within the College. Issue No: 7.0 Members of College Academic Board and the Head of QAC Mr. Mohammed Talat Al Tarawneh Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs
Issue Date: January 2014 Dean, Higher College of Technology Dr. Khalid Ambusaidi
Dr. Bassam Khalil Tabash Assistant Dean for Administrative and Financial Affairs Dr. Said Omar Al Mashiki Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Mr. Ahmed Al-Dissi HoC, English Language Center Mrs. Rehana Al Ameer HoC, Educational Technology Center Dr. Samia Salim Said Al-Jaaidi HoD, Applied Sciences Department Dr. Zalkha Khamis Mansoor Al Kharusi HoD, Business Studies Department Dr. Khalid Zayed Al Muharrami HoD, Engineering Department Mrs. Lara Marwan Ayoub HoD, Fashion Design Department Dr. Fatima Al Abri HoD, Information Technology Department Dr. S. K. Sridhar HoD, Pharmacy Department Mr. Skyler Burt HoD, Photography Department
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Dr. Nasser Said Salim Al-Hinai Head, HCT Quality Assurance Committee
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Issuance, Review and Amendments of the Quality Assurance Manual Issuance of the Manual
The heads of the different departments, centres and units will be provided a copy of the manual. The issue number of each copy shall be incremented and dated. In addition, copies may be made available to others at the discretion of the head of the departments, centres or units.
Review
The Manual will be reviewed and subsequently revised, if necessary, every five years to affirm that the current practices in the College conform to the policies and guidelines set out in this manual.
Amendments
The introduction of new programs and/or educational processes, or a change in the management structure, may necessitate amendments or additions to the contents of this manual.
All amendments to the manual must be authorized by the Quality Assurance Committee after the approval by the College Academic Board.
Changes must not be implemented until amendments have been formally issued
Each amendment shall be introduced by the issue of a new page or pages for each copy in existence.
The issue number of each amendment page shall be incremented and dated
Details of all changes shall be recorded on the amendment log to be maintained and kept by the Quality Assurance Committee
Any suggested amendment shall be made in writing and forwarded to the College Academic Board through the Quality Assurance Committee
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Amendment Log SECTION
PAGE #
REVISION
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Glossary Academic levels: The term “academic levels” is used here to mean the standards of academic awards, such as “diploma”, “advanced diploma” and “BTech”. In aiming for a quality College, levels of achievement demonstrated by students gaining an award should be similar to those demonstrated by students in reputed institutions within the nation and abroad. Academic quality: Academic programs should be effective in terms of their usefulness to students; appropriate in terms of enabling students' learning and development through the educational process; and comparable in terms of meeting national, regional and international expectations for academic content and coverage in the relevant subject area. Operational plans: Detailed documents, drawn up at department/unit level, which list actions to be taken in a given timeframe by a department and individual. Operational plans are designed in-line with the strategic plan and stakeholder feedback. ADRI: Approach, Deployment, Results, Improvement. Mission: A plan to be implemented by an institution, which is realistic in relation to the institution’s capacity. It states the steps to be taken by the institution for effective development and improvement (for example, in planning, evaluation and resource allocation) and is used as a basis for decision making in the institution’s strategic plan. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the technical term for forms of academic cheating, usually involving copying from a published source or from another person’s work and claiming the work to be one’s own or copying sections from a published source or from another person’s work and changing a few words and phrases. Policy: Policies are relatively general statements of intent. For example, a “health and safety policy” for an institution will set out in general terms the institution’s intentions and responsibilities in promoting health and safety among its staff, students and visitors. Procedures: Procedures show in more detail how particular policies will be carried out in routine practical terms. For instance, “health and safety procedures” will itemise specific day-to-day actions to be taken in order to safeguard health and safety in the institution. Quality: Quality is inherently variable (“high quality”, “low quality”) and refers to the extent to which processes and activities in an institution are fit for purpose and meet the requirements of all stakeholders.
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Quality assurance: Planned and systematic mechanisms to ensure that specified requirements are met and that responsibility for quality and standards is properly discharged. Quality assurance manual: A document, available in hard and soft copy, which sets out the College approach to quality assurance and enhancement, and specifies how this translates into practice through a rigorous set of policies, procedures, guidelines, forms and regulations. Quality enhancement: A commitment to improve the quality of activities and services, put into practice through forms of regular scrutiny leading to immediate action by named individuals or bodies. Stakeholders: This term refers to all the individuals, groups or formal bodies that have a legitimate interest in the success or failure of an educational institution. In relation to the Higher College of Technology, stakeholders include students, staff, the Ministry, the industry and the communities in which the Colleges are situated. Strategic planning: It refers to the process of developing strategies in pursuit of agreed goals. In general, planning is ‘strategic’ when it operates on a grand scale and takes in ‘the big picture’. Strategy: A strategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal or goals. Vision: An institution’s ‘vision’ sets out where it hopes to be in the medium- or longterm future, in terms of achievements and reputation.
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Part I: An introduction to the College and Its Systems
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Section One: Introduction 1.1 A brief history of the College The Higher College of Technology in Muscat is the second largest higher education institution in Oman catering for nearly 12,000 students studying in various programs. It is one of seven colleges under the Ministry of Manpower in the Sultanate. The Ministry of Manpower (MoM) has six other regional Colleges of Technology, located in Musanna, Nizwa, Ibra, Salalah, Shinas, and Ibri. The Higher College of Technology (HCT), before being renamed and upgraded as such in 2001, was known as Oman Technical Industrial College, established in 1984 at the initiative of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said to educate the citizens of Oman by implementing high quality programs in various fields. The regional Colleges of Technology commenced their operation in 1993, except the ones in Shinas and Ibri, which were established in 2005 and 2008 respectively. HCT is the only college under the Ministry of Manpower that offers programs at the Bachelor’s Degree level while the other Colleges of Technology offer programs only up to the Advanced Diploma level. The College was intended to endow the Omani youth with knowledge and skills to face the challenges of the new era. The programs of the Colleges of Technology implemented from September 2003 are the result of extensive research to ensure the suitability of the programs in terms of Oman industry needs and global academic standards. The new programs took nearly two years to reach their final shape. During these two years, the programs were sent to all the Colleges of Technology in Oman for approval and to universities abroad for comments. They were finally approved by these institutions, the industrial sectors in Oman, local universities, and academics and technology experts at a workshop held in March 2003 at HCT. The programs comprise four levels in addition to the Foundation Program. A student could spend up to five semesters in the Foundation Program before going to the Diploma Year 1 level in a chosen academic program and then to the other levels, namely Diploma Year 2 where s/he decides as to what is his / her specialization, Advanced Diploma, and Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech). These four levels correspond to the first four levels of the postsecondary education described in Oman Qualification Framework (OQF). In HCT, students progress from one level to another depending upon their performance at each level provided they meet progressively demanding criteria. This unique structure affords HCT an element of competitiveness in fulfilling Oman’s demand for qualified and skilled human resources, thus, bridging the gap between achievement and aspirations. It also affords students the flexibility to exit the system after completing any level with a qualification enabling them to enter the job market.
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The College has grown enormously from a student population of about 200 to the current size of about 12,000. Its facilities have expanded from three initial buildings to a total built-up area of approximately 51,290 m2. The College has more than 765 faculty and staff members and an annual intake of about 1,750 students into its foundation program besides transferred students in upper levels. Apart from the English Language Center (ELC), HCT has seven academic departments: Engineering, Information Technology (IT), Applied Sciences, Business Studies, Pharmacy and recently Photography and Fashion Design. The Engineering specializations include Mechanical, Chemical, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Oil and Gas, Electrical Power, Computer, Electronics and Communications, Bio-medical, Mathematics, Civil, Architecture, Draftsman, Quantity Surveying and Land Surveying. Software Engineering, Database, Networking, and IT-Business specializations are offered by the IT Department. Students interested in Applied Sciences have the opportunity to specialize in Applied Chemistry, Applied Biology or Environmental Sciences in the Applied Sciences Department. The Business Studies Department offers the specializations of E-Commerce, Office Management, Human Resources Management, Accounting, and Marketing. Additionally, HCT offers specialized courses such as Certified Accounting Technician (CAT), International Computer Driving License (ICDL), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), and Oracle as co-curricular programs aiming to train students for international certifications. The Pharmacy Department offers a 3-year Assistant Pharmacy Diploma. The Photography Department offers a 2-year Diploma in Applied Photography while the Fashion Design Department offers a 3-year Program with 2 specializations namely, pattern drafting and “stylism”. HCT has dedicated centers and administrative divisions. The Educational Technology Center (ETC) is the central resource for Information Technology facilities, educational technology resources and library services in the College. The administrative divisions are the Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and Administrative and Financial Affairs.
1.2
College Vision
We will be a leading technological institution, providing high quality teaching and learning to prepare and empower the Omani professionals of the future to contribute to national socio-economic development. 1.3
College Mission
To deliver high quality student-centred education that produces competitive graduates who enter the labour market with confidence, strong technological and personal skills, prepared for a life of contribution and success. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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1.4 College Values We value: Professionalism - Hard work, commitment, accountability and transparency Integrity - Honesty and fairness. Flexibility - Willingness to learn, develops new skills, and takes on new responsibilities. Teamwork and tolerance - Transparency, diversity, acceptance, openness to constructive criticism and ethical behaviour. Creativity and innovation - Imagination and originality. Communication - Commitment to the effective exchange of information. 1.5
Graduate Attributes Graduates of the Colleges of Technology: 1) are well disciplined and committed to hard work and a high standard of productivity. 2) are able to apply the knowledge and skills to a diverse and competitive work environment. 3) are able to think critically, analyse and solve problems. 4) have a high degree of competence in using information and communication technology. 5) are professionally competent and up-to-date in their field of specialization in a changing global environment. 6) can gather and process knowledge from a variety of sources, and communicate effectively in written and spoken English. 7) can effectively demonstrate and apply good interpersonal skills in team work and leadership roles. 8) are committed to self-development through lifelong learning. 9) are socially responsible citizens aware of contemporary issues in contributing to national development. 10) are able to demonstrate and apply their entrepreneurial skills.
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Section Two: Quality Assurance in the College 2.1 The Quality Policy of the College Higher College of Technology is committed to providing Quality Technological Education that leads to the total development of students’ cognitive, interpersonal and technological skills, which would contribute to the country’s development efforts, cultural and environmental preservation, and international competitiveness. QUALITY EDUCATION – an education marked by a relevant and innovative curriculum, scholarly teaching, excellent facilities and environment, which are achieved and sustained through student-centered teaching and learning, collaborative and supportive lecturers and competent administrators. TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION - prepares learners for jobs that are based in manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic and totally related to a specific trade or occupation. 2.2 Attributes of HCT as an Educational Institution with High Quality Standards 2.2.1 HCT as an educational institution with high quality standards aims to achieve the following attributes:
have clear statements of mission, goals and objectives, and be able to communicate these to staff, students and other stakeholders; provide excellent teaching and learning support to students; establish a strong local and regional reputation among the general public and engage actively with the community; ensure the welfare of all staff, reward hard work and creative thinking, and offer opportunities for professional development and promotion; support academic staff who engage in consultancy or other forms of scholarly activity; manage all resources efficiently and deploy them effectively; operate with a high level of integrity, honesty and commitment to the wellbeing of all stakeholders; formulate and implement general policies and specific procedures to support the high quality operation of all its activities; operate an annual cycle of self-review and operational planning to foster continuous improvement of its performance; and be open to external advice and ideas and be informed of new trends and developments in education.
2.2.2 A College with high quality standards must also ensure that the standards for student achievement associated with particular degree level (such as diploma, ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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advanced diploma or baccalaureate in technological education) are in line with standards of student achievement in other reputed institutions, within the nation and abroad and mapped to the learning outcomes and generic competencies identified in Oman Qualifications Framework. 2.2.3 Lastly, quality is about “fitness for purpose”. The College will strive to ensure compliance to the provisions and tenets of quality education be it at the institutional or program level by continuously striving to meet the national standards in institutional and program accreditation.
2.3 Strategic Planning 2.3.1 The College operates within the parameters of a Strategic Plan that is endorsed by the College Academic Board and approved by the Ministry of Manpower. 2.3.2 The Strategic Plan sets out in detail the College goals and objectives within a period of five year and provides a clear direction in the achievement of the said goals and objectives. The goals are congruent to the goals set out by the Colleges of Technology through the Quality Assurance Department and are approved by the Ministry of Manpower. 2.3.3 Key Performance indicators are integrated in the plan so that they will serve as bases in the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the plan which is periodically conducted through self-assessment by the members of the departmental councils and unit heads. 2.3.4 The College is committed to improving quality continuously across the whole range of its activities. Units, academic centres and departments are required to produce operational plans that are derived from the Strategic Plan. 2.3.5 College planning and operation must take place in full compliance of the Bylaws of the Colleges of Technology and other directives that emanate from the Ministry of Manpower. 2.3.6 The Strategic Plan serves as the basis for the annual quality cycle which is anchored on the ADRI cycle model and explicitly manifested in the operational plans of the different units, centres and departments of the College. 2.3.7 Strategic Planning is guided by the principles of SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis.
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2.4
The College Annual Quality Cycle, Operational Planning and Annual Report
Figure 2.4.1. ADRI (Approach, Deployment, Results and Improvement) Model as a basis of Annual Quality Cycle and Operational Planning of HCT (Source: HCT Audit Portfolio) 2.4.1 The College quality assurance strategies which are documented in the Strategic Plan are driven by an annual quality cycle in which all areas of activities are subjected to a process of operational planning, implementation and evaluation. This is reflected in the operational plans of the different units, centres and departments which are based primarily on the College Strategic Plan. 2.4.2 The College bases its quality cycle on the ADRI (Approach – Deployment – Results Improvement) Model advocated by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) and the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA). The College has chosen to base its cycle on ADRI for two reasons. Firstly, it reflects the philosophy of planning, implementation, review and improvement, which already exists in the College. Secondly, in adopting an ADRI-based quality cycle, the College positions itself in relation to quality assurance and enhancement developments in the Sultanate as a whole. 2.4.3 The College “approach” is set out in its Strategic Plan. The annual Operational Plans of the different units and departments show how this will be put into practice or implemented. The College Strategic Plan is drawn up every five years by the College Academic Board (CAB), headed by the College Dean, and the QAC in consultation with the College staff and representatives from the students. The completion of the task is usually scheduled in the month of May to give time for its approval by the Ministry of Manpower towards the end of the academic year and ensures its availability for implementation at the start of the next five years. 2.4.4 In the second phase (“Deployment”), the different units, centers and departments of the College prepare a plan on how the strategic plan will be implemented at the unit, center or department level. This process is referred to as Operational Planning which would result to the drafting of the unit’s / center’s /department’s Operational Plan. Operational planning is done in June of each academic year to give time for the review ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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and approval of the Operational Plan by the center’s or department’s academic council and staff (or their counterpart in other units of the College), and later by the QAC, and to ensure its availability at the start of each academic year which is also the beginning of its implementation. 2.4.5 During the “Results” phase (April and May) the College evaluates the effectiveness of deployment through departmental management review, meetings, self-assessment evaluation, student and staff feedback, and feedback from other stakeholders. Actually, during this period College Units compile and collect data as part of the Self-assessment exercise. In other words, Units should not wait until April to start collecting evidence and data, but it should be an on-going task from September. College units examines critically whether the Strategic Plan through the Operational Plan has been properly implemented, to what extent recent changes in practice have been beneficial, and what further improvements need to be made. The Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that are stipulated in the Strategic Plan and carried over in the Operational Plan serves as bases in the review and evaluation of the Operational Plan. Considering the fact that the Strategic Plan is to be implemented in five years while the Operational Plan is to be implemented in one year, adjustments have to be made in stating the Measures and Targets of the KPI in the Operational Plan. Strategies and KPIs in the College Strategic Plan itself may also be reviewed on an annual basis with the approval of the CAB. Drawing on the results of management review and evaluation in the self-assessment exercise, each Head of Centre / Department / Unit produces a self-assessment report for the Dean. The report outlines the major events and results affecting each unit’s / center’s/ department’s performance during the year under review, and concludes with recommendations for continual improvement. The report includes the strengths, weaknesses, achievements, challenges of the unit / department / center. The format of the report is mandated by the Dean through the Head of QAC. 2.4.6 The “Improvement” phase takes place in June as a prelude to the drafting of the Operational Plan of the next academic year. The improvement phase is documented in the last column of the current Operational Plan after the results of the implementation of the Operational Plan have been reviewed and evaluated. This will be given due consideration and priority in the preparation of the new Operational Plan for the next academic year. 2.4.7 The self-assessment report of the center / department / unit, particularly the recommendations for improvement – form one of the bases of the new Operational Plan which documents the approach, deployment and KPI of the next annual quality cycle. 2.4.8 The self-assessment reports of the different units, centers and departments will be the bases in the preparation of the College Annual Report by the Dean. The College Annual Reports of the Dean for a period of five years serve as bases and are given primary consideration in the preparation of the next College Strategic Plan.
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2.5 Quality Assurance Sub-manuals 2.5.1 The College, as prescribed by QAD and approved by CAB, must prepare three sub-manuals which would cover information about the laboratories or workshops and computer laboratories and how they operate. 2.5.2 Considering the nature of the activities in the laboratories and workshops, the computer laboratories will have their own sub-manual and this will be under the responsibility of ETC. Because of the nature of practical activities in the Department of Photography which is closely linked and related to information technology, it must work with the Department of Information Technology and ETC in the preparation of the sub-manual for educational technology. 2.5.3 The Departments of Applied Sciences and Pharmacy will join together in preparing the sub-manual for science and pharmacy laboratories because of many similarities in their general laboratories and specialized laboratories, as well. 2.5.4 The Departments of Engineering and Fashion Design will prepare a submanual for workshops. 2.5.5 The contents of the sub-manuals will be decided upon by the concerned departments and must be based on the suggested format by the QAD. 2.6.
Internal Quality Audit The College Internal Quality Audit (IQA) is conducted, at planned intervals, to determine whether the provisions of the College Bylaws, Quality Assurance Manual (QAM), policies and procedures are effectively implemented and maintained. The policy and procedure on internal quality audit is presented in part 2 of this manual.
2.7
External Quality Audit External quality audit is conducted by the Quality Assurance Department (QAD) of the Ministry of Manpower at regular intervals. It is the responsibility of the Dean and College Units through the College Quality Assurance Committee to prepare the College for such visits.
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Section 3 - Management and Operation of the College 3.1
Management of the College: Overview
3.1.1
Ethical requirements for staff in the College
The College requires and expects the highest ethical standards from its staff, especially from the Dean, Assistant Deans and Heads of Units, Centers or Departments. The mission of the College relates strongly to the future of the country and to nurturing the country’s young people. This is an important task and it must be carried out in the most efficient and committed way. In short, all staff, regardless of position or designation, is expected to model and live high ethical standards, work diligently and productively at all times. 3.1.2
Role of the College Dean, Assistant Deans and Heads of Units, Centers and Departments
The Dean will take responsibility for the quality of College performance, including the quality of student experiences, and the maintenance of appropriate standards for academic excellence. He is also responsible for the proper operation of the College Council which includes regular meeting and consultation with the members of the College Academic Board (CAB) and with private stakeholders as the need arises. Heads of Units, Centres and Departments are responsible in the means and ways of achieving the goals and objectives set in the Strategic Plan through the proper implementation of their Operational Plans. 3.1.3
Role and Responsibilities of the Ministry of Manpower
The Ministry of Manpower oversees the College and it is the final arbiter on any matter related to the administrative and academic affairs of Higher College of Technology. The Ministry, through the Directorate General of Technological Education has the authority to ask for any information that is considered necessary in establishing the status of the college. The Ministry also has a responsibility to respond promptly to any reasonable requests received from the College. This includes requests for additional staff or resources, once these have been officially approved. The Ministry and the Higher College of Technology will jointly ensure that all channels of communication between them are open and operate effectively at all times.
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3.1.4
Role of the Quality Assurance Department (QAD)
The Ministry, through its QAD, will provide support and advice wherever necessary on matters relating to academic quality and the overall quality of the College services. The Ministry ensures that the appointed head and hired staff members of QAD are competent, qualified, have enough work experience and committed to quality assurance. In particular, the QAD will:
work closely with the Colleges to develop internal quality systems through selfevaluation and other strategies; conduct workshops in the Colleges, according to their needs; monitor the Colleges’ performance and compliance with the QAM, Bylaws and other Ministry directives; assess the progress of each College in implementing the Strategic Plan; conduct quality audits at regular intervals in all Colleges; produce reports for each College identifying strengths and making recommendations for change in areas of relative weakness
3.2
Financial Management and Administrative Affairs of the College
3.2.1
Budget setting
The Ministry of Manpower is responsible for controlling expenditure in all Colleges. Once the College budget has been allocated, the Dean, Assistant Deans, and the budget officer of the college will meet to decide how the college budget will be allocated to the different departments and units. Budget setting will at all times be carried out in the light of the College mission, goals and responsibility to the wider Omani society. The budget will go to the College Council for formal approval once agreed upon by the officers mentioned above. 3.2.2
Budget control The College will control its monetary resources according to procedures set out below.
3.2.3
Maintenance and repair of equipment and facilities
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The Assistant Dean for Administrative and Financial Affairs will report to the Dean on the needed budget allocation for the annual maintenance, repair and upgrading of facilities. Details of all hi-tech equipment, machinery and guarantees/warranties in the College will be kept on file according to detailed guidance given in the Quality Sub-Manuals for Laboratories and Workshops. This will include:
Operating manual Manufacturer and model Serial number Price when purchased Date of purchase Contact details for servicing Servicing contract Location in the College Staff member responsible for day-to-day operation and checking
The Head of Administrative Affairs (and his staff) will be responsible for ensuring that all hi-tech equipment and machinery is serviced on or before the due date. It is the responsibility of the heads of units, centres and departments through their instrument / equipment officer or their assigned staff for this purpose, to submit, follow-up and remind in writing the ADAF of the equipments’ / instruments’ servicing / maintenance details and due date. When a piece of equipment, fixtures, fittings or buildings and other facilities, require repair, this will be reported in writing to the Head of Administrative Affairs by the concerned head of unit, centre or department. 3.2.4
Laboratories and workshops
These matters are covered in detail in the Quality Sub-Manuals of the Laboratories and Workshops. The centre, department or unit concerned must ensure safety, efficiency and uniformity of operation in relation to laboratories, workshops and hi-tech equipment. 3.2.5
Ancillary services of the College
The term “ancillary services” is used here to mean all non-core services (such as canteens, shops, clinics, and College security) that support the main activities of teaching and learning but are not directly related to them. The College undertakes to: Ensure that all ancillary services are delivered efficiently; Seek cost-effective solutions wherever possible; ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0 Page 26 of 153
Maintain good record-keeping in relation to ancillary services so that arrangements can always be investigated whenever this is needed; and Produce procedures for all technical equipment used in providing ancillary services.
It is the responsibility of the Assistant Dean for Administrative and Financial Affairs to ensure that ancillary services are provided appropriately, effectively and efficiently. 3.3
Health and safety in the College
3.3.1 General remarks It is the responsibility of the College through the College Health and Safety Committee to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all the staff as far as this is reasonably possible. The College through the College Health and Safety Committee also accepts its responsibility for safety and welfare of visitors to its premises and other sites under its control, and to all those who may be affected by its work activities. The College through the College Health and Safety Committee will take all necessary steps to ensure that its legal duties (relating to health and safety regulations) are met at all times.
3.3.2 Role of the College Health & Safety Committee The College Health & Safety Committee is responsible for the following:
Providing and maintaining facilities, equipment, systems and working conditions which are safe and without risk to the health of students, staff, visitors, contractors and the general public .
Maintaining the College in a safe condition and without risks to health, and provision and maintenance of safe means of access and egress .
Ensuring that arrangements are in place for the safe transport, handling, storage and disposal of articles and substances that may be hazardous to health .
Providing information, instruction, training and supervision to all staff to enable them to carry out their work activities in a safe manner .
Ensuring that students and staff are able to raise health and safety issues with the management and have them resolved effectively.
Revising and updating the College H&S Policy as and when required in cooperation with the Policy Management Committee.
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3.3.3 Responsibility of staff Besides the Health and Safety Committee, all members of staff have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and of the health and safety of others who may be affected by their work activities. They are also required to follow all relevant procedures, codes of practice and guidelines and report to management any aspect likely to present a danger to health and safety in the college premises. See also By-laws, Article 25 (E) and the College Health and Safety Policy. Each new member of staff will be acquainted with this policy statement during induction. Successful implementation of this policy requires the co-operation and commitment of everyone in the College.
3.3.4 Health and safety procedures Health and safety procedures are set out in the three Quality Sub-Manuals of the concerned departments / units of the College. They cover, among other things: 3.4
Health education First aid in the College Medical emergencies Safety procedures – general Safety procedures – laboratories, workshops and computer laboratories
Community engagement 3.41 The College recognizes the importance of maintaining close relations with the local and regional community. Community engagement means, among other things, that:
Locally and regionally, people feel they know and trust the College; The College is able to enhance its profile and reputation; and The College becomes a community centre for other activities (sports, debates, cultural and religious events and fund raising for charity events) besides teaching and learning.
3.4.2 The College will conduct community engagement activities in a variety of ways such as: Involvement of the wider community in its graduation ceremony; Visits to schools and other organizations (both public and private); College events such as public lectures to which outside guests are invited; and ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0 Page 28 of 153
Use of College facilities by outside groups Fund raising for charity events
3.4.3 The College through its academic departments, centers, and units conducts community engagement activities at least once every year. A plan for such community engagement activity must be submitted to the Media and Public Relations Committee by the Head of Unit, Centre or Department for approval before it will be conducted. An accomplishment report regarding this endeavour should be included in the annual report of the unit, centre or department. 3.4.4 The College encourages its different unit, centers and departments to actively involve the student leaders, students, staff and the community in their planning, implementation and evaluation of community engagement activities
3.5
The Mass Media and the College 3.5.1 The College understands the importance of managing its visibility in print and broadcast media of its status and profile 3.5.2 Whenever a noteworthy event occurs in the College or a member of staff or of the student body performs a newsworthy act, this will be released to the media through a well-drafted press release approved by the Head of Media and Public Relations Committee. 3.5.3 Strong contacts will be maintained with both print and broadcast media (Arabic and English language) and selected journalists or radio/TV crews will be invited to the College whenever the Dean or the Media and Public Relations Committee decides that an activity in the College deserves the attention of the wider public. 3.5.4 A Media and Public Relations Committee will be set up to manage this area of College activity.
3.6
The College and Its Relation with Other Educational Institutions
3.6.1 The College recognises that it does not exist in isolation and that it is to its benefit as an institution to foster and maintain relations and contacts with other educational institutions in Oman, across the Gulf region, and across other countries. 3.6.2 The potential benefits of such relations and contacts are:
Gaining information about the practices of other schools, colleges and universities and, where appropriate, adapting this to the College needs;
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Inviting outside speakers to the College; Building up inter-institutional links leading to cooperation in many spheres such as sports and culture; and Signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to formalize cooperation on specific issues, such as exchange of staff and students, and co-institutional forums on teaching and learning, or research with the approval of the concerned authorities.
3.6.3 The College will continue to seek formal and informal relations with other educational institutions in the coming years. 3.6.4 The College will try to foster and establish agreement with other educational institutions on the exchange of data relevant to its performance indicators (such as data on students, staff and learning resources). This will be used for benchmarking purposes as an aid to continual improvement. 3.7
The College and Its Relations with the Private Sector and Government Organizations
3.7.1 As an institution aiming to provide its students with skills which will be relevant to employment requirements of the labour market, the College places great value on its links with the private sector and with all kinds of government organizations. 3.7.2 In order to maintain and improve contacts with the private and public sector and government bodies, such as Ministries, the College will:
Actively seek to build personal and professional contacts in private and public sector organizations; Keep accurate records of official meetings with such organizations; Invite individuals from such organizations to visit the College; and Maintain private sector representation on the College Board.
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3.8. Organizational Structure
Figure 3.8.1 Organizational Structure of Higher College of Technology
The Colleges of Technology have a Board of Trustees formed by a Ministerial Decision. The Board of Trustees is chaired by the Minister of the Ministry of Manpower. It includes the Undersecretary for Technical Education and Vocational Training, Director General for Technological Education, two of the College Deans as well as representatives from the different government agencies. The Board is responsible for setting up the strategies and policies of the colleges and in pursuing their implementation. Decisions depend on the majority of votes.
The decisions are cascaded to the Undersecretary for Technical Education and Vocational Training who prepares the Ministry’s plan in the light of the government’s development plans and labour market needs. The Undersecretary also supervises the progress of the College. The Director General is responsible for the smooth operation of the colleges, thereby, supervising the implementation of the rules and regulations and decisions issued by the Board of Trustees as stated in Articles 6 and 7 of the College Bylaws.
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The decisions made by the Board of Trustees are cascaded by the Directorate General for Technological Education to the Deans of the colleges.
The colleges are managed by the College Dean through the College Academic Board and College Council. The Dean, Assistant Deans, Heads of Centres, Departments, Sections, the teaching and technical staff are appointed by a ministerial decision which is documented through a ministerial decree, otherwise an internal decree is issued by the dean for some appointments or designations.
The Higher College of Technology ensures the presence of a well-defined organizational structure with a clear job description for each position which is clearly stipulated in the College Bylaws. Individuals assigned in each position are expected to excellently perform their assigned tasks.
The college ensures that information such as plans, regulations and policies are made accessible to all stakeholders through memos and by uploading them in the College website and the Policy Management System. The easy access to information establishes valuable channels for the dissemination of information within and across the college.
The management review of the implementation of policies and the performance of the different academic programs are conducted during the Board of Trustees meetings, College Board meetings, Departmental Council meetings and students’ meetings. Open and cordial communication between the college and its stakeholders is maintained through meetings, conferences and announcements made through the website and are posted on the notice boards.
3.8.1 Management Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the following personnel are set out in the Bylaws of the Colleges of Technology, from article 9 (page 17) onwards.
Dean (Article 9) Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs (Article 11) Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (Article 12) Assistant Dean for Administrative and Financial Affairs (Article 13) Head of the Educational Technology Centre (Article 18) Head of the English Language Centre (Article 20) Heads of Academic Departments (Article 22) Head of Admissions and Registration (Article 26A) Head of On-the-Job Training (Article 26B) Head of Guidance, Counselling and Graduate Follow-Up (Article 26C) Head of Housing, Student Activities and Graduation(Article 26D) Head of Administrative Affairs (Article 27A)
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Head of Financial Affairs (Article 27B) Head of Human Resources (Article 27C) Head of Educational Services (Article 19A) Head of Computer Services (Article 19B) Head of Library (Article 19C) Head of English Language (Article 21B) Head of Curriculum and Teaching Methods (Article 21A)
3.9 Committee Structure of the College
The College Council has the authority to recommend the formation of new College committees and to stipulate their membership, chairmanship and responsibilities.
These committees will normally be sub-committees of the College Council and will submit their minutes of meetings and recommendations to the Council.
When no action is required, the College Council may simply note the receipt of the minutes of meeting without further comment.
When a sub-committee makes recommendations to the College Council, the Chair of the sub-committee must draw the Dean’s attention to these recommendations before the Council meeting, and the recommendations must be discussed at the Council. They can then be rejected, approved, or approved with amendments. 3.9.1 Quality Assurance Committee (QAC)
One of the committees created by the College Council to replace the Quality Assurance Executive Committee is the College Quality Assurance Committee which is headed by an appointee of the Dean.
The Quality Assurance Coordinator or Officer of each department and unit may be assigned as member of the committee. The official designation of the members of the committee is issued through an internal decree issued by the Dean.
The Quality Assurance Committee has the following responsibilities: 1. Manage the annual cycle of self-assessment and its reporting which is based on the self-assessment reports submitted by the different departments and units. 2. Contribute in policy making and propose standards of practice for the CAB’s approval.
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3. Propose and cooperate with the units concerned on staff training in areas related to Quality Assurance. 4. Provide training to the College on strategic and operational planning. 5. Monitor periodically the implementation of the strategic and operational plans in the College various units. 6. Review periodically the Quality Assurance Manual. 7. Consider reports, correspondence, and publications of QAD and OAAA and provide feedback to the College on these where needed. 8. Make recommendations to the College Academic Board (CAB) according to the results of review and monitoring arising from the operation of quality management procedures. The management will be responsible for endorsing the Committee's recommendations. 9. Provide advice to the CAB on any changes that might be desirable to improve the quality of various aspects of College work. 10. Establish, as appropriate, sub-committees or other task-oriented teams as the Committee requires in fulfilling its role. 11. Ensure that in doing its work and in forming teams, the Committee will always have to aim for quality and respect cultural or religious beliefs / preferences, respectively.
The CAB reviews the QA Committee terms of reference annually and may amend it at any time.
The QAC as a whole reports to the Dean. The QAC Head submits a report of its activities to the Dean once a year.
Quality Assurance Committee meeting procedures: 1. The meeting schedule should be at least three times per semester. 2. The meeting format could be online or in person. 3. The agenda is prepared by the QAC Head in consultation with the CAB, with input from members as the case may be. 4. The quorum should be two thirds of the Committee including the Head. 5. The minutes of the meeting is drafted by the assigned member of the Committee and approved by Head and presented to the CAB through e-mail for information dissemination or approval as the case may be.
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3.10 The Policy Management System of the College
In addition to the College By-Laws, policies, procedures and provisions in this manual, existing guidelines, memoranda and directives that emanated from the Ministry of Manpower, and implemented by the Board of Trustees through the College Council and College Academic Board, new policies, procedures and guidelines may be formulated by the PMC and implemented by the College Council and/or the College Academic Board provided that the said policies, procedures and guidelines are anchored on the vision, mission, and goals and are not covered directly or indirectly in the a) College By-Laws, b) HCT Quality Assurance Manual and existing polices, guidelines and procedures that are published in this manual.
The implementation of the policy, guideline and procedure should be periodically reviewed or evaluated by the College Council and/or College Academic Board through the PMC.
Any Amendments or repeal of policy, guideline or procedure should be justified by the results of the evaluation or review and should be approved by the College Council and or College Academic Board.
Formal request of amendment or repeal of any policy, guideline or procedure should be addressed to the College Council and or College Academic Board through the PMC.
All concerned staff must be informed of any amendment or repeal of policy or guideline. Amendment should only be implemented after the policy or guideline has been approved and announced.
Details of the Policy Management System are presented in Part 2 of this manual (Policy Management System).
3.11 Risk Management System
Risk management is a systematic approach to maximize the prospects of ongoing success by identifying, analyzing, evaluating and treating threats. (ISO/IEC Guide 73 (202) as cited by QAD)
Risk management of the Colleges of Technology (CTs) is designed to understand, prioritize and develop action plans for avoiding potential risks and their consequences that may affect the efficiency of running the college operations (Risk Management System – QAD / MOM).
Details of the risk management system are stipulated in a policy formulated by QAD and it is presented in Part 2 of this manual.
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Section 4 - Teaching & Learning 4.1
Teaching and learning strategy
4.1.1
The basis of the strategy
HCT can be categorized as a “higher education college” where teaching, rather than research, is its main activity.
The teaching and learning strategy of HCT is basically lecture method aided by the use of technology that could enhance the teaching and learning process. However, it is important to note that other appropriate and effective teaching strategies are encouraged to be used. Priority should be given to teaching strategies that promote student centred teaching-learning process and must be skill oriented. Teaching-learning in the College must aim to achieve a ratio of 70% practical work to 30% theoretical knowledge/input in all courses except for those courses that require 100% practical work. This scheme of teaching learning balances and best serves the needs of employers and the students themselves. The teaching / learning activities are anchored in the learning outcomes of courses and programs rather than the content of teaching/ learning materials. 4.1.2
Skills needed by graduates
The College ensures that the graduates will be able to cope with the demands of the local and international workplace. This is achieved by developing the cognitive, interpersonal and technical skills of the students and by keeping up to date with the latest developments in the fields of study offered in the College. . 4.1.2.1 Cognitive skills The College seeks to develop in its students the cognitive skills, such as comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Students must be able to think critically, to evaluate, and to find solutions to both practical and theoretical problems. 4.1.2.2 Interpersonal skills The College prioritizes the following interpersonal skills: the ability to communicate effectively, in both spoken and written Arabic and English, the ability to function as a team member or leader, and the ability to work harmoniously with other people of different backgrounds in order to achieve a common goal. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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4.1.2.3 Technical skills Technical skills are paramount in developed and in developing countries. Graduates of HCT need to possess full confidence, relevant and up-to-date capabilities in the following areas of specialization:
Information Technology Engineering and Telecommunications Business Management Applied Sciences Photography Fashion Design Pharmacy
4.1.3 Class-based learning The delivery of lessons in the different courses is through carefully planned combinations of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical work or hand-on activities, including On-Job Training (OJT). 4.2
Course delivery 4.2.1 Lectures Lectures are defined as tutor-led sessions in which students are expected to listen and take notes to the delivery of contents by the tutors. They are always supported by well-written and well-designed hand-outs prepared by the academic departments. Lectures are conducted in the classrooms which are equipped with multimedia facilities that support effective teaching and learning processes. The College recognizes the challenges that students experience in learning because of the use of English language as the medium of instruction. It is for this reason why the College encourages its tutors to explain complex subjects carefully and incrementally. There should be plenty of opportunities for students to ask for further explanation or repetition of any concept that has not been fully understood.
4.2.2 Seminars The College uses the term “seminar” to mean a gathering of a smaller number of students (fewer than the number of students in a lecture) in order for the students to have a greater opportunity to ask questions and discuss with the tutor. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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Seminars allow students to test their understanding of what has been covered in lectures. They provide opportunities for students to check their understanding both with the tutor and with fellow students. 4.2.3 Tutorials Tutorials are teaching sessions in which a course lecturer meets with a student or a small group of students in order to discuss or explain the lessons that were not fully understood by some students in the class or when an assignment has been set or returned to students. All College lecturers have allotted “office hours” which makes them available to students who want to consult them for tutorials. Nevertheless, students are informed that they can always approach the lecturers to request for a tutorial and must agree on the appointment schedule. 4.2.4 Practical Work The term ‘practical work’ covers any supervised task undertaken by students in workshops or laboratories or fieldworks and involves the use of specialized equipment. It will be carried out with appropriate supervision and technical/academic support. The purpose of practical work is to enhance technical skills that complement and interconnect with theoretical knowledge. 4.2.5 Independent Learning The range of teaching and learning forums (lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical classes) allows the student a variety of opportunities to acquire, apply and test knowledge and skills. College tutors recognize the importance of independent study and increasingly require students to read, think and formulate ideas in their own study time as they progress onwards from the Foundation Program. Students are expected to use the resources in the ETC, such as Internet access, E-learning and the availability of a wide range of books and other forms of learning materials found in the library to support their learning.
4.3
The quality of teaching 4.3.1 The quality of teaching is clearly a key factor in the success of all programs in providing students with the skills they need to succeed.
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4.3.2 The College ensures that the courses are taught by lecturers who are academically qualified, competent and have appropriate work experience in the academe and or in the industry. 4.3.3 The quality of teaching is being evaluated by the departments of the College through periodic classroom observation by the heads of section and senior staff members in addition to student evaluation. 4.3.4 The College actively encourages all its departments to promote sharing of good ideas and best practices among the staff. 4.4
Learning resources 4.4.1 The College ensures that the learning resources are adequate in number and sufficiently up to date. This contributes in preparing students for the national and international job market. 4.4.2 The College regularly reviews the state of its learning resources and upgrades or replaces them when necessary, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Manpower. 4.4.3 The College tries to increase annually the number of learning resources available to students in order to improve learning opportunities and the quality of teaching. 4.4.4 The College believes that it can only fulfil its mission when it continually improves the quality of its learning resources.
4.5
On-Job Training (OJT) 4.5.1 The On-Job Training (OJT) is one of the major requirements for graduation. It is the responsibility of the College through the OJT Coordinators of the different departments and the OJT Department to identify the companies or agencies where the students will have their OJT. Students may also be allowed to look for a company or agency where they can have their OJT; however, it is a must that they will have to go through the process or procedure that is set by the OJT Coordinator of their respective department and the OJT Department for approval and endorsement. 4.5.2 The purpose of OJT is to provide students with opportunities to develop work skills and put into practice their knowledge in an authentic setting, and to develop further their understanding of the responsibilities associated with employment in their field of specialization.
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4.5.3 The objectives and procedures for OJT, including the requirements for both employers and students, and the means of assessing student performance, are set out in the booklet ‘On the Job Training Assessment Record and Student Log Book’. 4.5.4. The College encourages the heads of the different academic departments and their respective OJT Coordinators to plan, design, implement and evaluate ways and means of improving the OJT Program as long as they do not run contrary to the objectives and vision of the program and By-laws of the College. 4.5.6 The policies and procedures related to OJT are in Part 2 of this manual (Degree Specific Requirements Policy). 4.6
The structure of academic programs 4.6.1 For general information about the structure of College programs, see the Bylaws from Article 40 onwards. 4.6.2 The structure of each program, including a full list of courses, is made available to students and other interested parties in the student handbook and webpage of each centre and department. 4.6.3 The programs and courses of the different departments and English Language Center reflect how the graduate attributes are aligned to the learning outcomes, course content and assessments. 4.6.4 The academic programs run by Higher College of Technology are:
4.7
Engineering, Business, Applied Science, Pharmacy, Photography, Fashion Design and IT specializations. Engineering, Business, Applied Sciences and Information Technology specializations have four levels namely, Diploma I, Diploma II, Advanced Diploma and BTech. Fashion design has three levels while Pharmacy and Photography have two levels only.
The Foundation Program of the college is under the management and supervision of the Head of the English Language Centre (ELC) who is directly under the College Dean.
Approval of courses and programs 4.7.1 Program approval
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The academic programs offered by the College are approved by the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Higher Education. 4.7.2 Course approval The courses in each academic program are approved by the Ministry of Manpower.
4.8
Monitoring of courses and programs 4.8.1 The quality of courses and program delivery are continuously monitored by each academic department to ensure that the approved course and program goals, objectives and outcomes are met. Records of monitoring activities are evaluated and results are discussed for continual improvement purposes. 4.8.2 Feedback on courses and programs is sought periodically from the staff and students by each academic department. External feedback is also gathered from the alumni and industry. The feedback on course and program are submitted to the concerned Specialization Committee and will be used by the committee in their review and or revision of the course contents and curriculum.
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Section 5: Academic Standards
5.1
Definition of academic standards The term ‘academic standards’ is used here to mean the specification of knowledge and skills required by a student in order to pass a course, complete a program or be granted a particular academic award (such as Diploma First Year, Diploma Second Year, Advanced Diploma and Bachelor). The main elements that contribute to the maintenance of appropriate academic standards are:
The stipulation of course and programme content so that this generally conforms with similar courses and programs nationally, regionally and internationally The explicit specification of appropriate aims and learning outcomes for courses and programs Methods of assigning grades based on assessment criteria that are consistent across the institution Forms of cross-checking (such as double-marking) to ensure fairness, consistency and inter-institutional comparability in marking and grading
In setting and maintaining academic standards for all subject areas in the curriculum, the College pays particular attention to the definition of “levels”, so that Diploma Year 1, Diploma Year 2, Advanced Diploma and Bachelor courses and programs show a definite step up in levels of achievement from one to the next, and are linked coherently so that each level’s study builds on the level below. 5.2
The Importance of Academic Standards The Higher College of Technology aims to produce graduates who meet the needs of the local as well as the international labour market and are fully capable of entering employment in Oman or elsewhere. If this is to be achieved, employers must be confident that such graduates have achieved a standard in technological understanding and skills that is guaranteed by the certificate they have been awarded. It is therefore extremely important, both for the College itself, and for the community it serves, that courses and programs should be designed, delivered and evaluated according to high standards, and that those students who are certificated as having passed them should genuinely have achieved the relevant learning outcomes.
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5.3
Responsibility for academic standards At the College level the responsibility for academic standards rests finally with the Dean. However, the Dean relies heavily on the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, who has an obligation to ensure that all courses and programs are properly designed and assessed, and that certificates and diplomas are awarded only to those who have unquestionably met the relevant learning outcomes. For the Colleges of Technology as a whole, the Specialization Committees have a responsibility to ensure that within specific discipline areas programs and courses are well designed, meet national and international standards and expectations, and are in line with the needs of the labour market. The Specialization Committees’ Terms of Reference is provided by the Ministry of Manpower. The committees are supervised by the Directorate General of Technological Education which deals accordingly with issues and concerns related to the different specializations.
5.4
Underpinning academic standards Academic standards in the College are assured through a coherent set of processes and procedures which cover program and course design, program and course review, marking and grading procedures, and approval of grades. The recruitment and retention of excellent academic and administrative staff ensures that these processes and procedures run smoothly and are carried out professionally and with accuracy and fairness. External Examiners with suitable specialist expertise are nominated. S/he possesses expertise in the subject area and will use his/her awareness of academic standards in similar institutions in the Gulf and elsewhere to monitor and report annually on the academic activities, making recommendations for change where appropriate.
5.5
The College Pedagogical Framework
The Pedagogical framework is a conceptual framework that shows the theoretical standard for the teaching – learning in the College. The framework provides intellectual identity for the College with regard to the teaching and learning.
The core values which are firmly rooted in the great teachings of Islam include honesty, integrity, patience, perseverance, accountability and other professional ethics.
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Motivation and Development, Professionalism and Discipline. These strands define the graduates of the College hence they are elaborately and rhetorically expressed as graduate attributes. These attributes are built over a sound foundation of knowledge in various forms such as content, context, general pedagogical and professional knowledge. They must be possessed and modelled by lecturers and other stakeholders who are directly and indirectly involved in educating the students.
The whole layered theme is governed and must be placed in the context of institutional standards, technological education standards, national and international standards.
The Pedagogical framework of HCT is currently under review and will be published in full in this manual once finalized.
HCT Pedagogical Framework
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Section 6 – Assessment & Examination Standards 6.1
Assessment
6.1.1 The responsibility of the College through its Academic Departments in relation to assessment The College has a responsibility to ensure that:
Assessment practices are fair, objective and accurate. Test items are reliable and valid. Lecturers mark students’ work promptly and provide feedback to students. Grades are published on time and advice is given to students on any progression or probation issues. Instances of student malpractice, if any, in relation to assessment are fully and fairly investigated.
The College recognises that its assessment practices and the processes through which it awards grades are extremely important and must always be handled with great care and professionalism. 6.1.2 Assessment Strategy 6.1.2.1 The College endeavours to use a varied suite of assessment methods, tailoring these to suit the needs of particular courses. It also seeks to train all academic staff in the principles of assessment and test construction so that they can make effective decisions when assessing students. 6.1.2.2 The main modes of student assessment used by the College are: final examinations, mid-semester examinations, assignments, oral presentations, practical tests, forms of continuous assessment, and project work. In addition, the College uses the following assessment methods (See also Bylaws, Article 62):
Monitoring and evaluation of student attendance; Monitoring and evaluation of student participation in class; and Case studies, role play and micro research to foster student creativity.
6.1.2.3 Examinations remain an essential tool of assessment in higher education. They test the student ability to think carefully and express clearly under time pressure, a situation that is likely to be replicated later in their place of work. 6.1.2.4 Carefully designed assignments offer students the opportunity to work on their own outside class time to answer questions or discuss issues of relevance to the course ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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learning outcomes. Tasks for assignments are designed in such a way that they maximize the opportunity for students to display their individuality and creative thinking. 6.1.2.5 Oral presentations constitute an important assessment method in an environment where students are operating in a second language. Many students may be more confident in their spoken English than in their written English. Offering them the chance to demonstrate their achievement of relevant course learning outcomes orally, therefore, is positive. Furthermore, oral presentations sharpen interpersonal skills and allow students to consolidate and extend their skills in using overhead or LCD projectors and PowerPoint presentations. 6.1.2.6 Practical tests are an essential component of assessment in courses where students learn practical skills in areas, such as IT, applied sciences, engineering and fashion design. Knowledge may be tested by other means, but performance is best tested through practical assessment. 6.1.2.7 At all times the College sees the assessment process as combining both formative and summative functions. For this reason student work is returned promptly and with clear feedback. Furthermore, the tutorial system offers another avenue for students to learn from completed assessment. 6.1.2.8 All courses have standard course descriptions, which stipulate course content, learning outcomes and assessment pattern and highlights of relevant key policies or guidelines, such as attendance and pass/fail criteria. The assessment pattern is closely linked to the learning outcomes to be achieved. Assessment must offer the student the opportunity to demonstrate that they have achieved the learning outcomes. 6.1.2.9 Learning outcomes are set out explicitly to leave no doubt as to what learning must be achieved and to what level. They also reflect student progression from an introductory level to courses whose content requires mature thinking, reflection, analysis and evaluation at the higher levels. 6.1.3 The policies and procedures related to assessment, moderation and invigilation of examination are in Part 2 of this sub manual (Assessment Policy) 6.2
Student appeals 6.2.1 Student appeals in regard to examination results are dealt with in the Bylaws at Article 68. 6.2.2 Appeals in relation to decisions of the Student Discipline Committee are dealt with according to Article 87 of the Bylaws.
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6.2.3 The policies and procedures related to student appeals are in Part 2 of this manual (Academic Appeals Policy)
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Section 7 – Student Guidance & Support 7.1
Student Registration
7.1.1 Student registration will normally be carried out according to the decision of the Ministry of Manpower, and within promulgated quota for the academic year. (See Bylaws, Article 28) 7.1.2 The policies and procedures related to student admission, advising and registration are in Part 2 of this manual (Admission, Advising and Registration) 7.2
Student admissions 7.2.1 After fulfilling the entry requirements, students are normally admitted to the Foundation Program (See Bylaws, Articles 29 and 30). At this stage, a personal file in the SMS is opened for each student. Each student is issued a permanent student number and a password which can be changed by the student if s/he wishes to do so. 7.2.2 The policies and procedures related to admission or enrolment are in Part 2 of this manual (Change of Enrolment Status Policy)
7.3
Student guidance
7.3.1 Academic advice The College believes that it is imperative that all students have ready access to comprehensive and helpful academic advice at all times; which is why each student is assigned to an academic advisor. One of the responsibilities of academic advisors is to guide the students with regard to the courses that they have to register in a given semester. Refer to By-laws, Article 25A for further details. Students will also be informed about “probation”, “transfer”, “dismissal”, “withdrawal” and “postponement” and their meaning in practice. See also By-laws, Articles 51 and 52. 7.3.2 Student handbook The College through the academic department and Assistant Deans’ offices must issue handbooks to all students. The handbook contains essential information for successful study and pertinent information about their department and the college in general. It is given to the students at the beginning of their first semester of study. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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The handbook usually contains the following:
A calendar of events in the College A guide to learning resources in the College Dress code and other guidelines for students on behaviour in the College A list of members of staff and their contact details A clear statement of program goals and objectives Information on the structure of the program, including a complete list of courses Clear information on compulsory and elective courses Information on the types of assessment used in the program A note of plagiarism, guidelines for avoiding plagiarism, and details of penalties for those committing plagiarism. These guidelines should be in line with the provisions of the College Plagiarism Policy included in Part II of this manual. Information on employment prospects after completing the program
The handbook is written in English and translated in Arabic. 7.3.3
Student Induction / Orientation The College through its academic departments and Assistant Dean’ offices schedule the new student induction or orientation every semester and it is conducted before classes are scheduled to start. The schedule of induction is set individually by each department. The students are given the opportunity to ask questions during the induction session.
7.3.4 Student counselling The term ‘student counselling’ refers to advice and support given to students on nonacademic matters. This would include advice given on personal or family problems and all advice and information about College life that does not relate to study. This is mainly the responsibility of the counsellors at the ADSA’s office. Academic advisors or lecturers who have the training, capability and credibility may take this responsibility. Counselling and consultation related to course contents is provided by the lecturers. All lecturers are required to set “Office Hours” which is a schedule allotted for student consultation of the lecturer on matters related to the lesson in the class. Lecturer’s consultation hours every semester are posted on the notice boards for students’ reference.
7.3.5 Career guidance
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The College understands the importance of providing sufficient career guidance to its students and considers the employment rate of its graduates as an important measure of institutional success. Career guidance is offered to HCT students through the initiatives of academic staff in organizing and delivering related workshops. HCT students also benefit from external guest speakers who are invited to discuss alternative career paths. 7.4
Students with disabilities 7.4.1 The College is committed to offering educational opportunities to all students who meet its entrance requirements, regardless of disability or special educational needs. This is in keeping with the Sultanate’s policy of widening their participation in further and higher education. 7.4.2 Wherever possible, the College will identify the special learning needs of students during the admission process. For example, students will have the opportunity to declare specific physical or cognitive problems on admission forms, including partial blindness, hearing deficiency, mobility problems, and so on. 7.4.3 In cases approved by the Dean, examination papers will be read aloud to the student and the student’s attention will be drawn to any possible options in the questions to be answered and to parts of questions. Question paper may also be presented in larger fonts for students with poor eye sight. 7.4.4 In cases of students with speech impediments, such as stammering, taking courses which emphasize public speaking skills, special arrangements should be taken to ensure fair assessments for these students. 7.4.5 Finally, an amanuensis (a writing assistant) can be appointed for students who have severe difficulties with writing, perhaps due to medical conditions which cause involuntary shaking of the limbs. The amanuensis will write faithfully to the student’s dictation and will also amend the draft at his/her instruction if time allows. 7.4.6 The amanuensis must be an individual who has no prior relationship with the student concerned, and he or she must be approved as an amanuensis by the College Dean. 7.4.7 Where students have substantial defects in hearing or sight, special arrangements will be made for their learning and assessment, as suggested by the academic staff and approved by the Dean.
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7.4.8 As a matter of policy, College buildings will have wheelchair access and lifts. Classes for wheel-chair users will, whenever possible, be allocated to groundfloor rooms. 7.4.9 Specific procedures for identifying and assisting students with special educational needs will be formulated by the College.
7.5
Student discipline 7.5.1 Cases of disciplinary problems are referred to the College Disciplinary Committee that is convened by the College and whose members are appointed by the Dean through an internal decree. 7.5.2 The Disciplinary Committee have set its policy and procedures which are being followed in resolving cases of disciplinary problems and in imposing sanctions or disciplinary actions.
7.6
Student complaints 7.6.1 For student academic appeals, refer to Article 68 of the Bylaws and Academic Appeals Policy in Part II. 7.6.2 When a student has a complaint about matters, such as the structure of a program or course, the way a course or program is assessed, or the learning resources for a particular course or program, this can be raised during course and program evaluation which is conducted periodically by the Academic Departments/ centers. 7.6.3 Complaints concerning both academic and non-academic matters are addressed to the Department / Units’ designated focal point for handling complaints. 7.6.4 Where a complaint is not academic in nature, the student should seek advice from their Head of Section or Head of Department. 7.6.5 If at any time a student is dissatisfied with the response to a complaint that has been formally raised, he or she may seek an interview with the Dean as a final resort.
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7.7
Student feedback 7.7.1 The College recognizes that formal means of collecting student feedback are essential in a quality culture. 7.7.2 The College will at all times seek to collect feedback from students on all aspects of College activity, collate this data, and see to it that the collated data is formally discussed and acted on through College committees. 7.7.3 Feedback is collected from students on courses, programs, services, and facilities through evaluation questionnaires and, where possible, through student representation on College committees.
7.8
Graduate Follow-Up 7.8.1 The College recognises the importance of its graduates as a source of information and support. It is for this reason that the graduates must be:
tracked so that information on employment rates and on the types of employment gained by its graduates will be determined. requested to provide information on the extent to which their College education had prepared them for the world of work through program and course evaluation surveys . asked to identify skills which were not developed sufficiently in College. invited to attend College events, including subsequent graduation ceremonies. models for students studying in the College and invited to give presentations or to meet groups of students informally.
7.8.2 Since the College graduates will make an important contribution to the quality of education and training offered by the College through their feedback, it is important that it will maintain an extensive database of College alumni. 7.8.3 In maintaining contact with its graduates, the College will also establish contact with their employers. This is important so that:
the College can get employer feedback on the quality of its graduates. the College can adjust its courses and programs in relation to employer feedback. continuous improvements can be made to College processes and procedures.
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Section 8 – Human Resource Development 8.1
Mentoring of College staff 8.1.1 The term “mentoring” is used to mean the on-going counselling and guidance provided by a senior colleague to a newly recruited staff member. Mentoring is a widely accepted practice internationally, and is held to be of benefit to both the mentor and mentee. 8.1.2 Mentoring will be available to a new member of staff during the first three months of service.
8.2
Staff development 8.2.1 Staff development is the responsibility of the Dean, Assistant Deans and Heads of Departments. 8.2.2 General teaching staff development opportunities will be available through;
Workshops, training sessions and seminars in the College involving outside speakers or trainers Workshops, training sessions and seminars in the College led by College staff College-organized visits to conferences, workshops, training sessions or seminars elsewhere in the Sultanate.
8.2.3 Staff development opportunities may be initiated either by the Head of Department through the recommendation of the Head of Section (in order to address a weakness noted in staff appraisal) or by the individual staff member. 8.2.4 Staff development will be a key issue to be addressed in annual College Operational Plans. A section of the plan should address the training needs of staff and indicate ways in which these will be met. Progress on implementing this section of the plan will be checked during internal audit. 8.2.5 Professional development of administrative staff comes secondary to the professional development of the teaching staff. This reflects the commitment of the college to excellence in teaching and learning. In addition, the professional development of administrative staff can be achieved through in-house trainings. 8.2.6 In order to promote the professional development of administrative staff, the College will:
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Maintain links with other institutions and professional associations so as to have access to training specialists in areas, such as librarianship, record-keeping, book-keeping, accountancy, financial management, word-processing and spread sheet work, software design and other specializations. Maintain awareness of visits to Oman of “experts” in various fields, so as to invite them to visit the College. Maintain contact with colleagues in neighbouring countries and be aware of regional conferences and other professional gatherings.
8.2.7 When a member of academic staff is nominated to attend a conference or other events (inside or outside Oman), he or she is required to give a presentation of the proceedings of the conference to his/her colleagues. Printed materials or other information from the event should be shared with his / her colleagues. 8.2.8 The college will seek at all times to encourage its academic staff, particularly the young Omanis, to pursue further studies (such as a masters or doctorate degree) and to make use of available support from the Ministry. 8.3
Staff Appraisal Staff appraisal is an important component of an effective system of quality assurance and improvement in the College. Staff appraisal is linked to staff development. Result of staff appraisal should not, therefore, be seen by the staff or the management as a threat to job security. Rather, it should be seen as a means of assessing how skills can be improved. Evaluation tools were developed by QAC for this purpose and it is coupled with a policy that explains the rationale and procedures that must be undertaken in conducting the appraisal. Such policies and procedures are included in part 2 of this manual.
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Section 9 – Research and Consultancy 9.1
Research and consultancy
9.1.1
The primary focus of the College is on teaching and learning. Effective teaching depends to a large extent on teachers who keep themselves up-to-date with developments in their field of specialisation. It is also essential for teachers in the College to maintain contacts with relevant sectors of commerce and industry. For these reasons, the College supports, within limits, academic staff who wish to pursue research and consultancy.
9.1.2
The term “research” is used to mean any individual or collective endeavour that results in a measurable academic outcome, such as a conference presentation, or a published book or article of clear benefit to the College profile and reputation.
9.1.3
In the context of the College mission and goals, applied research, focusing squarely on the needs and concerns of commerce and industry, is seen by the College as an important activity, contributing strongly to the College reputation, the professional skills of staff, and the good of the nation.
9.1.4
The term “consultancy” refers to any work, carried out with the Dean’s written approval, that involves liaison with, and advice to, a company or other commercial or government organization. An example would be where a local company requests a marketing lecturer to advise it on its marketing strategy.
9.1.5
The Ministry provides opportunities for Omani staff to pursue research studies. The ministry sponsors Omani staff to complete their Ph.D. Degree under a sequential program scheme.
9.1.6 The College:
creates a Research and Consultancy environment in the campus, such as conferences, seminars, symposia and workshops. improves infrastructure and laboratory facilities to support research and consultancy activities of the college. enhances the quality of teaching and learning process through educational action research studies encourages staff members to carry out consultancy related activities that would help update their professional knowledge relevant to industries which are located in the Sultanate. bridges the gap between industry and the college by providing training and support to the industry through Industry-Institute Interaction.
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9.2
provides an opportunity for the students to undertake mini-projects so that students will experience practical exposure to their respective fields of specialization.
Support for research
9.2.1
In many cases, research will be carried out by an individual staff member in his or her own time, using personal resources, and driven by the staff member’s own motivation and professional ambition.
9.2.2
In other cases, however, a staff member or a group of staff may identify a research project with potential benefit for the College reputation and the wider community.
9.2.3
The College and the Ministry will endeavour to provide support for a staff member or a group of staff (a “research team”) who can demonstrate, in writing, that the proposed research project:
Is of benefit to the people of Oman; Can feasibly be completed in a time period no longer than one year; Will lead to publications in refereed academic journals, or presentations at internationally recognised conferences; and Can be completed within an affordably small budget
9.2.4
The research team or individual should first approach the Chair of the Research and Consultancy Committee.
9.2.5
The Chair of the Research and Consultancy Committee will then raise the matter with the Dean, who will decide, on the basis of the criteria listed in 9.2.3 above:
9.2.6
Whether the College is in a position to offer any support; and Whether the Ministry should be approached as a potential source of support. In this context the term “support” can mean: A small monetary grant, to be held by the College Dean and used for research project expenses with his written permission. Written permission from the Ministry for a lecturer or lecturers to be given teaching remission (that is to teach 25%, 50% or 75% of the normal teaching load) for a specified period of time. Written permission from the Ministry for a lecturer or lecturers to take either paid or unpaid leave from the College for a specified period of time. The provision of academic books, stationery, or other paper-based resources needed by the researcher or research team.
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9.3
Support for consultancy
9.3.1 The College actively supports staff who wants to engage in consultancy, as long as:
The consultancy project will help to update professional knowledge and thus enhance teaching; and Consultancy can be carried out in the staff member’s spare time or during holidays.
9.3.2
When an opportunity arises for a staff member or members to engage in consultancy, details must first be sent to the Research and Consultancy Committee.
9.3.3
Once this body has provisionally approved the consultancy proposal according to the criteria in 9.3.1 above, the proposal goes to the Dean, who has the right to approve or reject it.
9.3.4
If a consultancy work attracts payment, the member of staff is required to declare this to the Dean.
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Part 2: Policies
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Ministerial Policies 001: Health and Safety Policy
60
002: Risk Management Policy
65
003: Plagiarism Policy
68
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NAME OF POLICY
Policy 1: HEALTH and SAFETY POLICY
1.1 INTRODUCTION The Colleges of Technology are concerned about the health and safety of staff, students and visitors in the campus. One of the responsibilities of the colleges is to provide a safe working and learning environment. The Health and Safety Committee (HSC) is created to ensure proper implementation of the health and safety policies and other requirements implemented in the centers and departments.
1.2 POLICY In order to provide a healthy and safe working and learning environment for staff, students and visitors, the colleges are committed to do the following:
Manage and maintain a work environment where risks to health and safety are minimal
Promote awareness and protection against hazards at the workplace
Protect staff, students, and visitors from any dangers in case of emergency or crisis
Ensure the orderly and complete evacuation whenever an emergency or crisis arises
Familiarize the staff and students with procedures to follow in case of events such as fire, smoke, natural calamities and accidents
Provide appropriate training to staff according to their duties and responsibilities.
1.3 SCOPE Setting out an institutional policy for the colleges of technology to ensure safety and protection of staff, students and visitors inside the college premises.
Creating awareness of safety procedures in Quality Sub Manual (QSM) to staff and students.
Ensuring that health and safety is everyone’s responsibility and its effective implementation requires the involvement and commitment of all stakeholders.
Reporting the health and safety matters to the Health and Safety Committee through proper channels
for
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action.
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Types of hazards Regardless of the type or kind of hazard, they are all risks and therefore should be minimized, if not totally eleminated, at all costs. Hazards include, but not limited to, the following: Fire, smoke, natural calamities, toxic gas release or explosions are examples of the various hazards which may happen during office work or in class.
1.4 PROCEDURES a) General Procedure: 1. Conduct awareness programs for staff and students on health and safety policies and procedures. 2.
Ensure that safety procedures are followed by staff and students.
b) Evacuation Procedure: 1. Instruct and direct students to evacuate the building immediately through the nearest building exit when notified of an emergency. 2.
Proceed to the assembly point.
3.
Proceed to the alternative assembly point decided upon by the college authority if the designated assembly point is blocked.
4.
Report the unaccounted or missing persons to the health and safety officers immediately.
5.
Remain at the designated assembly point until the all-clear signal has been given by the designated health and safety officers.
c) Procedure in the event of fire: 1. Raise the alarm immediately if a fire is confirmed or discovered. 2. Break the glass of the nearest location of the fire extinguisher. 3. Inform Civil Defense on 999. 4. i. Shutdown emergency switches, operation of all machines, equipment and other electrical devices. ii. Turn off gas supplies and gas cylinders. 5. Go immediately to the assembly point.
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6. Proceed to the alternative assembly point decided upon by the college authority if the
designated assembly point is blocked. 7. Remain at the designated assembly point until the all-clear signal has been given by the
designated health and safety officer.
d) Procedure in the event of accident during work or class/lab: (QSM, page 1. Provide appropriate first aid treatment.
)
2. Seek help from the nearest staff member, for serious cases. 3. Take the person to the college clinic for further treatment. 4. Report the incident immediately to the Head of Unit. 5. Inform the family of the injured person. 6. Ensure that the injured person is well assisted. e) Electrical Hazards Procedure: (QSM, page
)
Minor Situation 1. Report any electrical problems such as faulty wiring, electric shock, flickering lights, busted electrical fixtures (switches, lights, lamps etc.) to the College Maintenance Department immediately. 2. Call extension number _______ or ______ for requests requiring urgent action. During weekends, holidays and after working hours, the staff may call _________ for immediate assistance. 3. Fill in a maintenance form which is available in the portal for action by the maintenance department. 4. Report the case to the health and safety officer for further action.
Serious and Immediate Situation 1. Instruct and direct students to evacuate the building immediately through the nearest building
exit when notified of an emergency. 2. Proceed to the assembly point. 3. Proceed to the alternative assembly point decided upon by the college authority if the
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5. Remain at the designated assembly point until the all-clear signal has been given by the
designated health and safety officers.
1.5 Health and Safety Committee This committee is responsible for ensuring that all centers and departments are complying with policies and procedures, and requirements set in the Quality Assurance Manual (QAM), Quality Sub Manual (QSM), and Regulation of Occupational Safety and Health for establishments governed by labor law (OSH) (Ministerial decision 286/2008) a) Membership Chairman
: Assistant Dean for Administration and Finance (ADAF)
Members
: Health and Safety officers of centers and departments (HSO), who will represent the respective centers and departments Cs &Ds.
b) Roles and Responsibilities Chairman 1. Oversees the activities of the committees. 2. Ensures proper implementation of health and safety system in the college. 3. Reviews the implementation of health and safety policies and recommend changes. 4. Reviews feedback reports received from HSO and takes necessary action. 5. Addresses health and safety issues requiring immediate attention. Health and Safety Officers (HSOs) of centers and departments 1. Raise awareness of good health, safety and welfare practices among staff and students in the college through training, seminars and workshops. 2. Identify the hazardous area and safety needs of their unit and suggest improvements. 3. Ensure that the general operating guidelines for labs and workshops are strictly followed.
4. Check the facilities and safety requirements such as first aid kits, emergency exit marking, fire fighting system, assembly points, etc. 5. Facilitate the annual evacuation and fire drill activity. 6. Report to the chairman about health and safety needs of the unit and activities in the college.
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1.6 RELATED DOCUMENTS 1. Bylaws of Colleges of Technology 2. Quality Assurance Manual (QAM) 3. Quality Sub-Manuals (QSMs)
Approval: Effective Date:
Approved By:
First Review Date:
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NAME OF POLICY
Policy 2: RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY
2.1 INTRODUCTION Risk management is a systematic approach to maximize the prospects of ongoing success by identifying, analyzing, evaluating and treating threats. (ISO/IEC Guide 73 (2002) Risk management of the Colleges of Technology (CTs) is designed to understand, prioritize and develop action plans for avoiding potential risks and their consequences that may affect the efficiency of running the college operations. 2.2 POLICY The colleges of technology recognize that risk in its many forms can affect governance and management, reputation, health and safety, environment and community. They must therefore be committed to identify, manage and minimize risks that may affect the day-to-day college operations. 2.3 SCOPE Staff in the college has a role to play in the identification and analysis of risk through the risk management processes which are incorporated within the operational and activity plans of centers and departments. The college is responsible to do the following;
Setting out a risk management policy to support the objectives such as: a) avoid or minimize loss, b) identify opportunities and threats, and c) manage risks.
Training the staff to provide a rational basis in deciding what to do with regard to any identified risks.
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Step (3) Risk Evaluation Step (4) Risk Treatment Step (5) Risk Monitoring Note: For details of the procedures, see the Annexure. 2.5 Risk Management Committee This committee is responsible for ensuring that risk management is applied to all college activities. A.
Membership Chairman
: Dean
Members
: The ADAA, ADSA and ADAF Heads of Centers and Heads of Departments (HoDs and HoCs) College Risk Officer (CRO)
B.
Roles and Responsibilities Chairman 1. Oversees the functioning of the CRO. 2. Reviews the identified risks along with the corresponding contingency plans submitted by CRO. 3. Approves the contingency plan for identified risks. 4. Ensures proper implementation of the risk management system in the college. HoCs and HoDs 1. Promote risk awareness among staff through discussions and training. 2. Ensure that procedures are followed in identifying, assessing, and managing risks according to policy. 3. Inform the CRO which risk requires immediate attention. 4. Submit risk register to CRO. CRO 1. Oversees the risk management activities of the centers and departments. 2. Reviews the risk register submitted by centers and departments.
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3. Evaluates and prioritizes treatment of risks. 4. Prepares contingency plans for identified high risk cases. 5. Reports to the Chairman of the Committee the identified risks along with the corresponding contingency plans and the actions taken by the units concerned.
2.6 RELATED DOCUMENTS 4. Bylaws of Colleges of Technology 5. Quality Assurance Manual (QAM) 6. Quality Sub-Manuals (QSMs)
Approval: Effective Date:
Approved By:
First Review Date:
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NAME OF POLICY
Policy 3: Plagiarism Policy
3.1 Introduction Academic honesty and integrity are highly valued by the Colleges of Technology (CoTs) in line with the “college academic integrity code” (Article 77.2, Part Nine of the College Bylaws) and the principle of “respect for intellectual property” (Art. 75.7, Part Eight of the College Bylaws). Accordingly, the CoTs should ensure that all staff and students are aware of all aspects of plagiarism and its implications.
3.2 Policy The Colleges of Technology are committed to keeping up with high standards of academic honesty and integrity among its staff and students by dealing pro-actively with cases of all forms of plagiarism. Staff and students must be encouraged to use proper citations and acknowledgements to the work of others in respect of the principle of intellectual property.
3.3 Scope
Setting out an policy for the Colleges of Technology in order to keep up with the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty
Encouraging staff and students to present original, high-quality academic outputs
Ensuring that plagiarism is avoided in all its forms
Complying with the OAAA Policy on Plagiarism
Examples of Plagiarism
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Plagiarism occurs when other’s work such as print material, images, audio-visual creations, computer programs, electronic materials, etc. are used without appropriate acknowledgement.
Plagiarism includes, but not limited to, the following:
Copying full or part (paragraphs, sentences or significant part of a sentence) of other’s work directly
Copying from other’s work with an end reference to the original source but without putting the copied text between quotation marks
Paraphrasing, summarising or rearranging words, phrases or ideas of other’s work
Copy-Paste of statements from multiple sources (electronic or print material)
Presenting a work, done in collaboration with others, as independent work
Using one’s own work presented previously
3.4 Procedures A. Dealing with Staff Plagiarism (by Department Council)
Conduct awareness programs for all staff on standards of academic honesty and integrity of the college and the importance of becoming role models to students.
Disseminate the policy to all staff.
Train staff on the use of the plagiarism detection software.
Require the staff to conduct a test of their own academic work (e.g., Course Handouts, Seminar Papers, PowerPoint Presentations, Projects, etc.) for plagiarism using the software.
Require the staff to submit a signed declaration using the Staff Declaration Form and test report along with the original work to the HOD/HOC.
Verify the originality of work submitted.
Identify cases of plagiarism, if any.
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Inform the staff in writing using the Staff Plagiarism Notice Form, in case plagiarism is detected.
Report the case to the Plagiarism Committee through proper channel for further actions.
Implement the action approved by the College Council.
B. Dealing with Student Plagiarism (by Staff)
Conduct awareness programs for all students on plagiarism and its consequences.
Disseminate the policy to all students.
Require the student to submit a signed declaration using the Student Declaration Form.
Check student work for cases of plagiarism using the plagiarism software.
Inform the student in writing using the Student Plagiarism Notice Form, in case plagiarism is detected
Report the case to the Plagiarism Committee through proper channel for further actions.
Implement the action approved by the College Council.
3.5 Related Documents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Bylaws Strategic Plan Quality Assurance Manual OAC Plagiarism Policy Staff Code of Conduct Student Handbook
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Attachment 1: Suggested Plagiarism Committee Plagiarism Committee. This Committee is responsible for taking care of all matters related to plagiarism. A. Membership Chairman : Asst Dean for Academic Affairs Members : HODs/HOCs : 1 or 2 Subject Experts (ad hoc basis) B. Roles and Responsibilities 1. Conducting awareness programs and issuing guidelines on plagiarism for the college community 2. Receiving referrals or complaints for cases of plagiarism 3. Investigating cases of plagiarism referred or complaints received 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Recommending appropriate actions depending on the degree of seriousness of the case Forwarding recommendations agreed upon to the Dean/College Council for taking action Documenting cases and reports of plagiarism Reviewing the Plagiarism Policy regularly and recommending changes, if needed Submitting reports to the Dean/College Council regarding cases of plagiarism heard and their dispositions at the end of each semester
Disciplinary Action for Staff Plagiarism
First offense: Second offense:
Written Warning and revise the work Dismissal from the college
Staff are given the chance to lodge their appeal against the sanctions to the Dean or College Council.
Disciplinary Action for Student Plagiarism
First offense: Second offense: Third offense:
Written warning and repeat the work Zero mark and suspension for one semester Dismissal from the college
Students are given the chance to lodge their appeal against the sanctions to the Dean or College Council.
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Attachment 2: Suggested Forms A. Staff Declaration Form Name of the College Department Staff Declaration (To accompany all Academic Submissions made by Staff) (Semester………………. Year………………) To The Head, Department of …………. I, ……(Name)………………….…………………………………………….. (Designation): ………, hereby declare that this (Specify the work) …………………..., with the title …………………………………………………….. ………………………………………..…which is being submitted by me as a requirement for …(Specify the purpose of the work) ……… is result of my own research activity and original work except for source material explicitly acknowledged by proper citations. I also understand that plagiarism is an offense that can lead to disciplinary actions depending on the seriousness of the case. Signature: Name: Date:
B.
Student Declaration Form Name of the College Department Student Declaration ( (Semester………………. Year………………) To The Head, Department of ………
I, ……(Student's Name)………………….…………………………………………….. (Student's ID): ……… student of ………….Level, in ……………………..Section of …….. ………………………...…….Department, hereby declare that all my submissions/(specify, if it is for a particular submission only) ………………………………………………………………………………………………… as requirements for the course/program …………..………… are results of my own original work except for source materials explicitly acknowledged by proper citations. I also understand that plagiarism is an offense that can lead to disciplinary depending on the seriousness of the case. Signature: Name: Date:
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C.
Staff Plagiarism Notice Form Department Plagiarism Notice (Semester………………. Year………………) To Lecturer's Name: ………………………………………………………………………. Designation: ………………………………………
This is to inform you that your academic work …(specify the work)………………… with the title……………………………………………………………….. , submitted by you on ….(Date)……for …(purpose of the work submitted)……………………... contains suspected cases of plagiarism as detailed below. S No.
Page
Para
Lines
Suspected Source
Remarks
(Use additional sheets if required) Accordingly, you are hereby directed to submit to the undersigned any clarifications or evidences supporting the original authorship of your work on or before …………... Failure to do so will be taken up as admission of the offense by you, and the case will be referred to the College Plagiarism Committee for further action subject to the prevailing rules and regulations. Signature: Name: Designation: Place: Date: ………………………………………………………………………………………… I acknowledge that I have received the original of this notice. Signature: Name: Designation: Date: ………………………………………………………………………………………….. Original for the Staff Copy for 1. Department File 2. The Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs 3 HR Department
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D.
Student Plagiarism Notice Form Name of the College
Attachment 3: Alternatives
Department Plagiarism Notice (Semester………………. Year………………)
To Student's Name: ……………………………………………………………………….. Student's ID: ………………………………………
This is to inform you that your (Assignment/Presentation/ Project/Thesis/ …………) with the title……………………………………………………………... submitted by you on ….(Date)……as a requirement for the course…(Course Code & Title)……… contains suspected cases of plagiarism as detailed below. S No.
Page
Para
Lines
Suspected Source
Remarks
(Use additional sheets if required) Accordingly, you are hereby directed to submit to the undersigned any clarifications or evidences supporting the original authorship of your work on or before …………... Failure to do so will be taken up as admission of the offense by you, and the case will be referred to the College Plagiarism Committee for further action subject to the prevailing rules and regulations. Signature: Name: Designation: Place: Date: ………………………………………………………………………………………… I acknowledge that I have received the original of this notice. Signature: Name: Date: ………………………………………………………………………………………….. Original for the Student Copy for 1. Staff/ Department File 2. The Advisor
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Attachment 3: Alternatives
While implementing the policy, the Colleges may find it difficult to detect plagiarism for large numbers of submissions (assignments, reports, projects, etc.). The following alternatives are proposed: 1.
Instead of requiring students to sign the Student Declaration Form for each academic submission, the college may opt to require a similar declaration from each student for each course at the beginning of every semester.
2.
The software for testing plagiarism may be made available to students for testing their academic work and generating plagiarism report (similar to the procedure for staff). Note: The software should be capable of archiving all submissions, providing comparison with web resources and previous submissions, and generating reports/alerts automatically.
3.
In case the software is not available; the College may decide to implement the policy on major academic work of students in selected levels, preferably the diploma, higher diploma and bachelor levels.
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College Policies
001: Policy Management System
77
002: Academic Appeals Policy
88
003: Admission, Advising and Registra on Policy
96
005: Assessment Policy
110
007: Degree Specifics Requirements Policy
128
009: Data Acquisi on, Disclosure and Control Policy
135
010: Internal Audit Policy
144
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HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE
Policy Management System
Policy No. Date Effective Approval Authorities Contact
001 Unit of Origin QAC 26/11/2012 Policy Owner HCT HCT CAB Policy Author(s) PMS Committee PMS Chairperson: Samira Said Al Esry, Room CE109, Engineering Department
This work is copyrighted. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. Duplication of this work or parts of it is only permitted under the written permission of the Higher College of Technology. Violations fall under the Prosecution Act of the Oman Copyright Law.
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Version Control Table Version
Author
0.1 0.2
QAC-PMS QAC-PMS
Date (dd/mm/yyyy) 20/09/2012 06/10/2012
Summary of Changes First draft Inserted a table of contents, version control table and incorporated feedback received
Approval Authorities Signature/Date:
Disclaimer: In the case of discrepancies between the College Bylaws and this policy, the College Bylaws will be abided by and will supersede the conflicting policy statement. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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1.
Table of Contents Overview ............................................................................................................................................................. 80
2.
Policy Development Framework ............................................................................................................. 80
3.
Development and Publication………………………………………..……………………………………...81
4.
Application ......................................................................................................................................................... 81
5.
Policy Development Process ..................................................................................................................... 82
6.
General Guidelines in Policy Writing..................................................................................................... 84
References:.................................................................................................................................................................. 84 Appendix ...................................................................................................................................................................... 85 Policy Cover Page and Layout............................................................................................................................ 85
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1. Overview The Higher College of Technology (HCT) is engaged in policy development and management in compliance with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) mandates. This Policy Development Framework (PDF) and national academic accreditation requirements govern the development, implementation and review of college policies and related documents. Its purpose is to ensure that the policies of the college are developed, applied, monitored, and reviewed on a regular and consistent basis. The PDF and national academic accreditation requirements assist and guide the college to achieve its vision, mission, strategic goals and objectives, and also serves to achieve operational efficiency whilst reducing risk. In doing so, the Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) consults the affirmations and recommendations of the OAAA, the Higher College of Technology Strategic Plan, and the emerging regulatory needs and requirements of the College Units to devise a set of generic policy categories required for the college. Policy statements and procedures may originate from the QAC Office or individuals/groups from the units in the college. A policy and procedure is submitted to the designated authority for processing (See procedures below), for approval and endorsement by the College Council. They are disseminated for awareness and implementation. The QAC conducts periodic college and unit audits to monitor and evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the policies and procedures and adherence to the Policy Management System (Refer to Internal Audit Policy and Procedures). The MOM QA Department is the college’s official external auditors.
2. Policy Development Framework HCT policies consist of statements and procedures which are of long term application to the college. They help ensure that the college complies with the Ministry mandate, accrediting body requirements and community expectations. Policy Statements set the standards for what ought to be done that guide the decision making process in carrying-out college activities. A policy statement is an essential tool for academic and management practice. It sets expectations for the performance of individuals and groups, and may be enhanced by the development of specific procedures and/or practices that should be followed to enact the policy. Procedures are the steps for successful application and implementation of a policy or process. They may also exist independently to direct operational activities, with regards to what ought to be done, and assign responsibilities. Procedures detail the implementation of policies, providing step-by-step instructions on how to deploy a process thus aiding the college’s operation. Supporting documents and References provide additional details on HCT policies and are used to recommend standardized practices and processes so as to ensure consistency and completeness in performing tasks. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0 Page 80 of 153
Templates and Forms in a consistent format and style are used to present document decisions, aid and regulate workflow and speed up approval processes.
3. Development and Publication HCT Policies must: 3.1. Represent and support the college mission, vision, objectives, values and strategies 3.2. Be relevant and lead to transparency in their intention and meaning 3.3. Be developed in consultation with the QAC office and endorsed by the college council 3.4. Comply with the by-laws and government legislations 3.5. Assign authority for decision making 3.6. Assign responsibility for actions required under the policy 3.7. Assign an accountable policy coordinator to review the operation and effectiveness of the policy and its proper implementation 3.8. Be in accordance with the policy development framework, using the policy template approved by the QAC. 3.9. Be disseminated for awareness and implementation. 3.10. Provide definitions of important and re-occurring terms 3.11. Be reviewed every two years or when the need arises Policies are written standards that provide guidance and assistance to all college staff to ensure systematic administration of college affairs. The QAC identifies and defines generic policy categories required for the college by referring to the affirmations and recommendations of the OAAA and the HCT Strategic Plan. The QAC initiates the preparation of policies according to the level of priority. Policy statements and procedures may originate from individuals, groups, units, or departments and serve to expand the scope of already existing generic policy categories (as predefined by the QAC).
4. Application The following principles apply with respect to all HCT policies; 4.1. All staff, students, and administrators must comply with college policies when carrying out their activities. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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4.2. Some policies may only be applicable to specific departments or units. 4.3. Policies must be applied equitably and consistently. 4.4. Periodic college and unit audits are conducted to monitor compliance with policies. 4.5. Policies are revised and updated with reference to unit proposals, the findings of audits and feedback from stakeholders.
5. Policy Development Process 5.1. Policy statements and procedures are proposed and prepared by the originators. 5.2. These should be discussed with the members of the policy development team, concerned bodies and stakeholders. 5.3. A draft is prepared and disseminated to all stakeholders for final feedback and the approval of the concerned Head of Department and/or Head of Section, if applicable. 5.4. These are then forwarded to the College Academic Board (CAB) to review and issue approvals. 5.5. QAC distributes approved policies to all units and departments. 5.6. QAC requests ETC to publish new and revised policies on the college website. 5.7. QAC updates the Quality Assurance Manual (QAM).
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HCT Policy Development Process
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6. General Guidelines in Policy Writing 1) Use simple language for clarity of policy statement and avoid long chunks of text 2) The same words for the same concept should be used consistently throughout the policy 3) The policy should be composed of short paragraphs that make use of appropriate active or passive voices 4) The use of “must” or “will” is recommended rather than “should” 5) Avoid acronyms and abbreviations except when necessary 6) Use third person in preference to the second person. (e.g.: “they” rather than “you”) 7) Be as concise as possible to state a case e.g. “All staff and students should…” The word “all” is redundant. Staff and students imply all.
References:
http://policy.monash.edu.au/processes/writing-policy.html http://www.wvu.edu.adminfin/policies/finance/WVU-PS-01.html Carroll, M., 2006, Good Documentation: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines, Workshop Handout, Training Module 05B v2, Ministry of Higher Education & Oman Accreditation Council
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Appendix Policy Cover Page and Layout
HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Policy Name
QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE
Policy No. Date Effective Approval Authorities Contact
Unit of Origin Policy Owner Policy Author(s)
This work is copyrighted. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. Duplication of this work or parts of it is only permitted under the written permission of the Higher College of Technology. Violations fall under the Prosecution Act of the Oman Copyright Law.
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Approval Authorities Name the approval authorities, (e.g. CAB) Date Effective Unless determined otherwise by the approving body, the policy becomes effective once it has been approved. Approval and Revision Details (located in the Version control table) Indicates the approval and revision history including any important dates and/or decision and findings concerning the policy. Policy Owner Must refer to a position title and not the name of the individual Policy Author Must refer to a position title and not the name of the individual Unit of Origin Unit or department which initiated the proposal of new policy statement and procedures Contact Position of the person responsible for answering any queries regarding this policy.
Version Control Table Version
Author
0.1
QAC-PMS
Date (dd/mm/yyyy) 06/10/2012
Summary of Changes First Draft
Approval Authorities Signature/Date:
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Footer: Author_policy name_date_version
pageXofY
1. Purpose [Cambria 13 Bold] Discuss why the policy is needed in a few sentences [Cambria 12] 2. Scope [Cambria 13 Bold] Refers to the subjects and affairs of which the policy applies [Cambria 12] 3. Definitions [Cambria 13 Bold] Provides definitions to unique and important terms used in the policy (E.g. Credit hours is the unit of measurement specifying the weight age of courses during one academic semester). [Cambria 12] 4. Policy Statement [Cambria 13 Bold] The policy statement must be able to guide the decision-maker in areas within the scope of the policy. It sets expectations for the performance of individuals and groups, and it leads to the development of specific procedures and/or practices that should be followed to enact the policy. The policy statement is often short and brief. [Cambria 12] 5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders [Cambria 13 Bold] a. The specific responsibilities of persons and/or bodies to enact the policy. b. Stakeholders identify positions or bodies in the college who have been consulted in the development or revision of the policy. This may also include external community members. Stakeholders also refer to the individuals or bodies who are affected by the policy. Use positions and not names of people. [Cambria 12] 6. Related Policies and References [Cambria 13 Bold] a. Related policies[Cambria 12] b. Other references (e.g. By-Laws or documents) 7. Supporting Procedures [Cambria 13 Bold] Outline the procedures that support the policy. Note it is necessary to prepare procedures for each policy. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE
Academic Appeals Policy
Policy No. Date Effective Approval Authorities Contact
002 Unit of Origin QAC 27/03/2013 Policy Owner HCT HCT CAB Policy Author(s) PMS committee PMS Chairperson: Samira Said Al Esry, Room CE109, Engineering Department
This work is copyrighted. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. Duplication of this work or parts of it is only permitted under the written permission of the Higher College of Technology. Violations fall under the Prosecution Act of the Oman Copyright Law.
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Version Control Table Version
Author
0.1
QAC-PMS
Date (dd/mm/yyyy) 06/10/2012
0.2
QAC-PMS
10/12/2012
0.3
QAC-PMS
27/03/2013
Summary of Changes Inserted a table of contents, version control table and incorporated feedback received Identified non-applicable procedures to the English Language Centre Final review by CAB
Approval Authorities Signature/Date:
Disclaimer: In the case of discrepancies between the College Bylaws and this policy, the College Bylaws will be abided by and will supersede the conflicting policy statement.
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Table of Contents 1. Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 91 2. Scope .......................................................................................................................................... 91 3. Definitions .................................................................................................................................. 91 4. Policy Statement ........................................................................................................................ 92 5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders ............................................................................................ 92 6. Related Policies and References ............................................................................................... 93 7. Supporting Procedures (Not applicable to English Language Centre)................................... 93 7.1 Procedure for Appeal on Final Grades ...................................................................................... 93 7.2 Procedure for Requesting for Make-Up / Re-sit Examination ................................................. 94 Appendix............................................................................................................................................ 95
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1. Purpose Students at the Higher College of Technology reserve the right to appeal on the final grades achieved on their enrolled courses in the previous semester. Students also have the right to appeal for make-up and re-sit examinations. College established systematic appeal processes shall be followed by departments/centers in order to ensure efficient and orderly investigation of all appeal cases.
2. Scope a. The academic appeals policy provides the student a right to appeal against his/her final grade for enrolled courses in the previous semester. The student’s final examination will be reviewed by the Appeals committee to verify the appeal. Other forms of assessment which contribute to the final grade, if available, can be provided by the lecturer concerned to support the case. b. The Students Affairs policy must be used to appeal against continuous assessment, excluding the final examination, performed during the academic semester. c. The Academic Appeals policy outlines the procedures for requesting for make-up or re-sit examinations.
3. Definitions a.
Acronyms: HOD – Head of Department EAC – Examination Appeals Committee AC –Assessment Committee GPA – Grade Point Average
b. Continuous assessment includes all forms of assessments within a particular course excluding the final examination. Each continuous assessment type is allotted a certain weight which contributes to the final grade for a particular course. Course work and midsemester examinations are a part of continuous assessment. c. Final Grade is the overall marks (in letter format) achieved by a student for a particular course. The corresponding grade points of a final grade are used to calculate a student’s GPA in his/her academic transcript. d. The Examination Appeals committee is a group of individuals in a Department/Center tasked with receiving, processing and responding to appeals. This committee is a part of the Assessment Committee. Examination Appeals Committee will henceforth be abbreviated as EAC. The AC should not be confused with the committee that deals with student grievances outside academic appeals. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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e. The Assessment committee (AC) is a group of individuals tasked with managing, moderating and controlling all examinations and assessments, including the setting and monitoring of standards for all types of assessments and invigilation procedures. f.
Make-up examinations are examinations which students have missed and are sitting for the first time, provided the absence was due to a valid reason.
g. Re-sit examinations refer to the examinations that students are allowed to re-take.
4. Policy Statement a. The student has a right to appeal against the results of his/her examination(s) result(s), according to Article 68 of the college By-laws, by completing an Appeal against examination form and submitting it to the designated coordinator or HOD within three working days from the date of announcement of the results. These days will start from the first day of teaching of the next semester. The appeals against examination committee will review the papers within one week from the date of submitting the appeal to verify the accuracy of all marks; implementing double-marking if necessary. b. Students are required to be informed of their coursework and mid-term examination results from the concerned course lecturer before attending the final examination. c. Lecturers must withhold a student’s final grade prior to the official announcement of the appeal results. d. It is not permissible for a student to discuss the subject of his/her appeal with the lecturer of the course s/he is appealing for. e. Under no circumstance should a member of staff promise or grant a student an approval for an appeal without the approval of relevant bodies (HOD and Assessment committee) for that particular matter. f.
If a student fails to attend a semester examination for a reason deemed to be acceptable by the college council, the college will arrange a make-up examination for him or her provided he or she has informed the concerned department coordinator and requested for a makeup examination before the last date for registration or as directed by the College Dean.
5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders a. The Examination Appeals Committee (EAC) is responsible for verifying the validity of an appeal by reviewing the student’s final examination grade achieved for that particular course. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0 Page 92 of 153
b. It is the student’s responsibility to regularly check notice-boards, or any other form of communication usually used by the College, for any announcements with regards to appeals on final grades. c. It is the student’s responsibility to refer to the department notice board, or any other form of communication usually used by the College, to be notified on the outcome of his/her request for Make-up or re-sit examinations.
6. Related Policies and References a. Student Affairs Policy b. Assessment Policy
7. Supporting Procedures (Not applicable to English Language Centre) 7.1 Procedure for Appeal on Final Grades a.
Appeal forms are available at the department focal point or Student Affairs coordinator.
b.
Students are requested to submit the appeal form to the HOD who is responsible for forwarding all appeals to the respective section’s Assessment committee (according to article 68 of the Bylaws).
c.
The AC forwards the appeal to the concerned lecturer and requests for a list of records and documentations, including course details, student’s final grade, student’s coursework and examination grades (marks breakdown), student’s final examination, final examination answer script of the best student (for reference purposes) and the marking scheme for the final examination paper.
d.
The Examination Appeals committee (EAC) reviews the documents, compares them with standard documents and confirms the grading accuracy. The EAC will consult the course lecturer for further clarification and may request additional justification for particular grading criteria.
e.
The EAC will determine an outcome of the appeal and the revised final grades are forwarded to the head of department for approval.
f.
The AC will file a copy of the report and forward a report of the approved changed grades to the registrar (who is responsible for updating the grades in the system), the head of Department, Head of section, the program coordinator (PC), the course lecturer, and the student’s advisor.
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g.
Appeal results (displaying student IDs only, no names) will be announced through notice-boards, online or the student messaging service (SMS).
7.2 Procedure for Requesting for Make-Up / Re-sit Examination a.
The student fills in the ‘request for make-up/re-sit examination’ form and submits it to the assigned coordinator (as per the department/center). Resit examinations refer to the final examinations (up to two courses) exit level students are allowed to re-take. The condition is that the student will only obtain a passing grade.
b. The assigned coordinator forwards the completed form with supporting documents to the AC. c. The AC determines the applicability of requests and displays the list of students eligible for make-up/re-sit examinations on the department notice board and forwards the list to all concerned advisors for information purposes. d. The AC makes the necessary arrangement for make-up examinations as per the list requirements which include (date, time, venue, student list, course details and invigilation) and displays clearly on the department’s notice board and/or any other College means of communication. e. The AC also forwards all make-up/re-sit examination details to concerned advisors for record keeping and to concerned lecturers to initiate preparation of make-up/re-sit examination. f. After conduction of the examinations the AC returns the papers to the concerned lecturers for marking. g. Results are forwarded to the Head of Department/ Section for approval and then forwarded to the Registrars for upload onto the system. h. Results are posted on the notice-boards, or through any other means of College communication, for students’ information.
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Appendix Procedure for Final Grade Appeals
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HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE
Admission, Advising and Registration Policy
Policy No. Date Effective Approval Authorities Contact
003 Unit of Origin QAC 27/03/2013 Policy Owner HCT HCT CAB Policy Author(s) PMS Committee PMS Chairperson: Samira Said Al Esry, Room CE109, Engineering Department, internal extension 5240,
[email protected]
This work is copyrighted. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. Duplication of this work or parts of it is only permitted under the written permission of the Higher College of Technology. Violations fall under the Prosecution Act of the Oman Copyright Law.
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Version Control Table Version
Author
0.1 0.2
QAC-PMS QAC-PMS
0.3
QAC-PMS
0.4
QAC-PMS
Date Summary of Changes (dd/mm/yyyy) 25/04/2012 First draft 14/10/2012 Incorporated changes based on feedback from QAC members: Renamed to Admission, Advising and registration Policy, Table of contents on separate page, Sub-divided policy statements into ‘admission into specialisation, advising, and timetabling & registration’, Added policy statement on postponement cases, Reviewed supporting procedures 10/12/2012 Non applicability of English Language Centre 27/03/2013 Final review by CAB
Approval Authorities Signature/Date:
Disclaimer: In the case of discrepancies between the College Bylaws and this policy, the College Bylaws will be abided by and will supersede the conflicting policy statement. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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Table of Contents 1. Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 99 2. Scope .......................................................................................................................................... 99 3. Definitions .................................................................................................................................. 99 4. Policy Statement ...................................................................................................................... 100 5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders .......................................................................................... 103 6. Related Policies and References ............................................................................................. 104 7. Supporting Procedures............................................................................................................. 104 7.1 Specialization Request Procedure…………………………………………………………. 104 7.2. Registration and Advisory Procedure……………………………………………………..105 7.3. Procedure for Repeating a Course……………………………………………………….106 7.4. Procedure for Dropping a Course………………………………………………………..106 7.5. Procedure for Warning of Absence Notification………………………………………..106 7.6. Procedure for Advising………………………………………………………………….107 7.7. Procedure for Timetable Production and Classroom Allocation………………………..108
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1. Purpose Student admission into specialisations, advising and registration and related issue services are provided in an organized, systematic, and elaborate manner, governed by the ByLaws of the College, and department/unit best practice.
2. Scope a. This policy is used for all admission, advising and registration related issues within the College departments. b. The College offers a variety of post-foundation programs. This policy describes the system practiced to enrol students into their preferred specialization. For degree specific requirements, refer to the Policy for Degree Specific Requirements. c. Candidates from different academic systems who wish to continue their education at the Higher College of Technology and for all matters regarding internal and external transfers in the college please refer to the policy for Change of Enrolment Status. d. This policy is not applicable to the English Language Centre.
3. Definitions a. Acronyms: GPA – Grade Point Average CGPA – Cumulative Grade Point Average OCGPA – Overall Cumulative Grade Point Average ARC – Advising and Registration Committee HOD – Head of Department HOS – Head of Section ADAA – Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs ETC – Educational Technology Centre b. Credit hour is the unit of measurement specifying the weightage of courses during one academic semester. c. On completion of a course the student’s performance is assessed and awarded grades equivalent to his performance (e.g. A, A-, B+, B, B- ….F). The corresponding grade point of each grade is displayed in the table below.
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Grade
Percentage Range
Grade Point
A AB+ B BC+ C CD F
90 - 100 85 – 89 80 – 84 76 – 79 73 – 75 70 – 72 67 – 69 60 – 66 55 – 59 Below 55
4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.0 0.0
d. Each grade achieved by a student is equated to a numerical value. This numerical value is called Grade Point. (e.g. Grade B = 3 grade points) e. GPA (Grade Point Average) is computed on a four point (4.0) scale and reflects the student’s performance during a particular semester. f.
CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) is the average of the grades obtained by the student in all the courses during 2 or more semesters for an independent level.
g. Overall Cumulative Grade Point Average (OCGPA) is the average of the grades obtained by the student in all the courses for the entire period of study undertaken h. The Advising and Registration Committee (ARC) is a group created to handle all issues with regards to advising and registration and looks into the assignment of advisors, setting up of timetables, data input into the academic module, informing staff and students of important registration information, and monitoring and controlling the advising and registration process, amongst other things.
4. Policy Statement Admission into specialisation a. Prior to joining a specialisation, students need to attend a foundation year in order to study the English Language, Mathematics and Information Technology with the purpose of providing them with the basic information and reforming their basic skills thereby qualifying them for their post foundation program. The laws controlling the student’s promotion from one specialisation level to the next higher level, criteria for successfully graduating the foundation program and enrolment at their respective college is in accordance to Article 29 of the college Bylaws.
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b. A student will be dismissed should he/she twice fail in the English language foundation program. Students can be re-admitted within one year if they meet the requirements of the English language. c. The duration of study at the College of Technology is two years to qualify for a Diploma, three years to qualify for an Advanced Diploma and four years to qualify for a Bachelor’s degree. d. The specialisation request agreement is a signed contract between the student and the department confirming the student’s understanding of the conditions required to be fulfilled in order to be enrolled into a specialisation of his/her preference. Students are assigned specializations based on their preferred specialisation (priority wise), CGPA and gender cut-off. e. The department board will assign students a specialisation based on their preferred specialisation as per the contract agreement provided she/he has satisfied the requirements for that specialisation. f. The department does not guarantee the student will be offered a specialisation of his/her preference. Advising g. Students are welcome to consult their academic advisors during allotted office hours. Students must not contact their advisor on their personal phone lines nor should they expect an advisor to contact them unless an urgent matter arises. The official means of correspondence between advisor and advisee outside the office is via e-mail. h. Academic advisors have the duty of clarifying the program / semester audit plan, implications of failing and the credit hour system to his/her advisees. i.
The advisee has the right to select his/her preferred option within the context of the subject in question after consulting his/her advisor provided it satisfies the college ByLaws and will not cause significant delay or changes to his/her specialisation.
j.
Advisors will monitor students’ general performance and provide advice on academic and non-academic matters concerning them.
k.
It is the advisor’s responsibility to request his/her advisees to sign an updated copy of the advising (TC1) form following any changes regardless of the number of changes of assigned courses.
l.
In the case of an advisor being engaged with urgent office work, it is his/her duty to inform the advisees (via e-mail) of a convenient meeting time to complete advising
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tasks. Academic advisors are not obliged to communicate with their advisees using their personal phone lines. m. Under no circumstance should an advisor promise a student an approval of request or appeal without consulting the approval of relevant bodies (e.g., HOD, HOS, Assessment committees, etc.) for that particular issue. n.
The department registrar is to share all updates and notifications regarding registration and advisory matters with the advisors prior to sharing any information with the students.
o.
The College Students Affairs is responsible for keeping records of all postponement cases.
p.
Advisors are required to notify their advisees on probation
Timetabling and Registration q.
Registration is the sole responsibility of the student.
r.
Timetable coordinators prepare the timetables considering the following constraints among other things: choice of timing of individual staff, availability of rooms allocated to the section, avoidance of continuous classes for a teacher, 8 AM to 8 PM timetables for the students with an individual staff contact time not exceeding 7 hours per day, sequencing of the timing for a particular course with at least one day gap between two sessions, number of projected sections for each course, and maximum utilization of resources.
s.
Timetable coordinators have to refer to the allocated work load for staff designations as outlined by the College Bylaws and corresponding Ministerial Decrees/amendments.
t. In accordance with Article 44 of the college ByLaws and its amendments Ministerial Decree 17/2012, the minimum limit of credit hours for a full time student per semester is 15 credit hours as per the degree audit plan. Students on probation are allowed to register for a maximum of 12 credit hours. u. In accordance with Article 44 of the college ByLaws (and Ministerial Decree 17/2012), a student may register for 18 credit hours provided a semester GPA of 2.75 or above has been achieved in the previous semester. Also, a student who has already registered for 15 credit hours and has only 3 or 6 credit hours remaining to complete the level will be allowed to register for these as well, provided, again, the GPA is 2.75 or above.
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v. The minimum limit of credit hours for the summer semester is 6 credit hours. Students having one course pending for graduation or students who have achieved a semester GPA of 2.75 or above may register for 9 credit hours for the summer semester. w. Should students have 3 credit hours remaining to complete the level and their CGPA qualifies them for promotion to the next level, they can register up to 9 hours of the next level courses in addition to the credit hours left over for them from the lower level, provided the total credit hours does not exceed 12. The credit hours of the next level courses will not be counted in the current semester/level GPA or the CGPA. In the summer semester the number of those hours should not exceed 9 hours. x. Students who have attained a semester GPA below 2.0 are automatically transferred to status of academic probation. y. Students are issued a First Warning Notice, Second Warning Notice and Debar Note for 10%, 20% and 30% absence respectively, of total class hours. A student whose absence has reached 30% will not be allowed to sit for the final examination of that course. For the ELC Foundation Program the percentages are 5%, 10% and 15%. z. Students who have failed a course are requested to repeat the course immediately in the following semester. If the course is attempted 3 or more times, calculation of CGPA will start from the second attempt. aa. In accordance with Article 56 of the College Bylaws, students may postpone their study for two semesters while attending college, based on approval by the college’s dean and for health or family reasons. In exceptional circumstances, a third postponement can be granted, subject to the approval of the college council, after verifying the student’s respective circumstances. bb. A student who passes with a grade C or below is allowed to repeat a maximum of three courses per level. This may not be applicable to some departments or specific programs, as per the approval of the authorizing body. cc. Students are authorized to add or drop a course at the start of the semester during the allocated time period for add and drop. According to Article 44 of the college ByLaws, students are allowed to drop 3 credit hours or only one course within one week from the date of announcing the midterm exam results. The Dropped course will appear as a ‘W’ in the student’s transcript.
5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders a. It is the student’s responsibility to regularly refer to his/her e-mail for notices from his/her advisor and to consult his/her advisor for all academic related concerns prior to approaching other staff in the college. It is also the student’s responsibility to refer to ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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the College means of communications (websites, notice-boards, displays, etc.) and his/her Ministry account for any important information relevant to him/her. b. It is the responsibility of the academic advisor to communicate with his advisees via email on a regular basis and to keep them notified of registration updates and other instructions regarding advisory matters. c. It is the responsibility of every academic advisor to refer to the policies and procedures prepared for advising. d. It is the responsibility of the course lecturer to update the advisor and concerned parties about any serious issues pertaining to particular students taking his/her course.
6. Related Policies and References a. Change of Enrolment Status Policy b. Student Affairs Policy c. HCT College Bylaws
7. Supporting Procedures INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF
7.1 Specialization Request Procedure a. Academic advisors will request their respective advisees to complete a specialization request form one semester prior to specialization. Advisors will request their respective advisees to complete a specialization request form during their pre-final and final semesters of the Diploma First year level. The student is advised to refer to the attached instructions sheet for completing a specialization request form prior to filling it in. The requirements for specific specialisations are occasionally updated and it is important that the student refers to the updated specialization request form whilst forming his/her decision. b. After collecting the completed specialization requests forms, the advisor will forward an abstract of his/her advisee’s preferred specialisation to the specialisation committee. c. The Departmental Council will initially prepare a forecast of the number of students expected to enrol in a particular specialisation, and in coordination with the heads of sections and head of department, will finalize the final allocation of specialisations immediately after the final results are announced.
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d. The Departmental Council is responsible for dividing their students into specialisations and forwarding the approved consolidated decisions to the respective registrars. The Department Registrar will then allocate academic advisors to the new intake of students. e. Students are informed of their assigned specialisations at the beginning of the academic semester or during registration week via the college website. f.
Students who wish to request for a change of specialisation during this period are requested to refer to the department’s student affairs office and to complete a signed form.
g. It is the decision of the head of department to approve a change of specialisation for any student during this later stage based on the circumstances and as she/he judges appropriate.
7.2.
Registration and Advisory Procedure a.
At the start of the 1st Year Diploma, students will be assigned an academic advisor at the start of the academic semester. A list of advisors assigned to the students will be displayed on the department notice boards.
b. New intake students are requested to consult their academic advisors prior to registration. The advisor will share the course audit plan with the student and keep records of students’ details. c. Students may only register for courses approved and assigned to them by their academic advisors. d. Students are requested to register for all courses online (through the college website) and it is the student’s responsibility to print out a confirmation of courses she/he has registered. Students are also requested to sign his/her timetable at the start of the semester with their respective advisors to confirm registered courses. e. Students are given a time period in which they are allowed to add or drop a subject at the start of the semester. f.
Students who have not registered for a particular course after the deadline for registration may not be guaranteed a seat in that course.
g. Critical case students (probation students, students having one remaining subject in order to graduate) as judged by the advisor, may be entitled for registration after the registration deadline provided the course can occupy additional students and the academic advisor is granted authorization from the college registrar to register the student. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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h. Students experiencing technical difficulties with online registration are advised to call the College hotline and inform their academic advisors.
7.3.
Procedure for Repeating a Course a. Students who wish to repeat a course are requested to notify their advisor before the registration week. b. The advisor will assign the requested course to the student.
7.4.
Procedure for Withdrawing a Course
a. Students are authorized to inform their advisor of their intention to drop a course during the specified Add-and-Drop week provided the total number of credit hours for that semester does not contradict the college ByLaws. b. Students who wish to withdraw a course after the semester has commenced and no later than one week from the announcement of mid-term results are requested to provide a signed request of their intention to withdraw a course to their academic advisor. Withdrawn Course will appear in the transcript with W (withdrawn) status, without affecting the GPA. Limitations to withdrawing a course:
pre-requisite courses, students in mixing levels withdrawing a lower level course, project, debarred courses, only one course per semester.
c. The academic advisor should approve the student's request before the course is withdrawn. d. The academic advisor is responsible for withdrawing the course from the student’s records in the student management system.
7.5.
Procedure for Warning of Absence Notification a. For courses offered by other departments, the College registrar forwards the Warning Letters (received from the respective lecturers) to the concerned Department registrars who forward the Warning to the Section registrars, who forward it to the advisor. The advisor contacts the student then provides feedback to the Department registrar who consolidates all feedback and forwards to the College registrar. b. For courses offered within the departments, the Course lecturer forwards a Warning Letter to the department’s Students Affairs coordinator, and the Section registrar. The Section registrar forwards to the Department registrar who informs the College registrar of the student status.
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c. In the case of a “No Show”, advisors are advised to retain copies of student-notification as a form of evidence should it be required. Advisors may communicate with students via e-mail, phone messages or in person. INFORMATION FOR STAFF
7.6.
Procedure for Advising a. The head of department forwards a list of newly joining students (Diploma 1st and 2nd Year and transfer students) to the departmental registrar. b. The departmental registrar will assign advisors for each student in accordance to their level and specialisation. c. Advisors are requested to keep organized records (student details, timetable, transcript, probation warnings, leave of absence, and OJT details) of all advisees as per the set department advising file format. Note: student details must include student’s full name, seat number, level and specialisation, contact number and college e-mail address). d. It is the responsibility of the academic advisors to keep records of all advisee e-mail addresses and to assure the advisee that the advisor will communicate with the advisee via e-mail on matters regarding advising instruction and registration updates. e. Advisors are requested to assign courses for students prior to registration. The advisor has the duty of requesting his/her advisees to sign both an advising (TC1) form prior to registration and a registration confirmation form after. These forms will be referred to verify alleged advising errors. f.
Advisors are requested to identify students who will undergo OJT and submit a list of names to the OJT coordinator two weeks after registration.
g. Advisors are requested to submit an updated student mapping/ course projection form to the department registrar after the mid-term exams and final exams. h. Advisors are requested to identify and keep record of all advisees under academic probation. A notification of academic probation form is to be completed and signed by both the advisor and the student. The academic advisor must provide a copy of this signed form to both the student and the section’s registrar. It is the duty of the section’s registrar to forward the signed probation forms to the respective heads of section and/or student’s affairs representative should a request be made. i.
The advisor is requested to forward a list of students who have been dismissed, or are undergoing OJT to the section’s registrar.
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j.
7.7.
It is the responsibility of the registrar to notify all advisors with instructions forwarded from the college student affairs department and to update all advisors on registration and advising related changes at all times.
Procedure for Timetable Production and Classroom Allocation a. The timetable coordinators collect the advisory formats (also known as student progression system) one week after the mid-term results. b. Approximately 6 weeks before the end of the semester, the Advising and Registration committee (ARC) will analyze the advisory formats in liaison with timetable coordinators to determine the number of courses to be offered in the following semester, including the number of sections for each of the theory and practical courses. c. Each course should make provisions for additional number of students due failure cases in the current semester, students transferred from other colleges, and/or new students enrolled for the course. The Registrar forwards an adequate forecasted total number of students for each course for the coming semester to the timetable coordinator. d. The ARC will submit the proposal to the department council of the section to revise lecturer and/or technician teaching load and for approval. e. Approximately 4 weeks before the end of the semester, the timetable coordinator will coordinate with other departments about inter-departmental courses. The timetable coordinator also coordinates with the Central Resources of the college regarding room allocations and the ADAA for approval. f.
The first draft of the timetable is prepared and submitted to the Steering Committee/department Council. The approval is to be released at least 6 days before the end of the semester.
g. All timetables will be encoded into the computer and prepared for printing at least 3 days before the end of the semester. The sectional timetables are classified as per the following categories: Student’s timetable (TT) Student’s TT consists of the courses of each specialization and level, number of sections for each course, information about the credit hours, contact hours for theory and practical, daily schedule of each section, location of classes, and names of faculty. Faculty timetable This is issued to the individual lecturer and technician of the section. This consists of the schedule of each course assigned to the faculty with location. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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Resource timetable Resource TT for a particular classroom or laboratory consists of the schedule of classes conducted in the particular resource with the names of the faculty. Load Sheet This consists of the list of staff of the section with the theory and practical load engaged each member. Overload of each faculty member, if any, and the total section overload are computed from this. h. The ARC uploads the timetable into the academic module soon as it is activated. i.
The provisional course timetable is uploaded on the website at least two days prior to the registration schedule.
j.
The timetable is sent to the ETC through the college TT coordinator for uploading to the college website.
k. Respective TT coordinator should consult their Head of Section in deciding the number of sections for each course and the allocation of teachers for each section. Availability of teachers, their workload, their choices for the courses, and the students’ feedback are criteria for the allocation.
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HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE
Assessment Policy
Policy No. Date Effective Approval Authorities Contact
005 Unit of Origin QAC 19/06/2013 Policy Owner HCT CAB Policy Author(s) PMS Committee PMS Chairperson: Samira Said Al Esry, Room CE109, Engineering Department, internal extension 5240,
[email protected]
This work is copyrighted. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. Duplication of this work or parts of it is only permitted under the written permission of the Higher College of Technology. Violations fall under the Prosecution Act of the Oman Copyright Law.
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Version Control Table Version
Author
0.1 0.2
QAC-PMS QAC-PMS
0.3
QAC-PMS
0.4
QAC - PMS
0.5
QAC - PMS
0.6
QAC - PMS
Date Summary of Changes (dd/mm/yyyy) 13/07/2012 First draft 22/10/2012 Incorporated feedback received from stakeholders: Moved the table of contents to a separate page Revised some policy statements Revised the procedure for change of examination date Inserted the procedures for cheating and fair conduct of examinations and doublemarking 10/12/2012 Indicated where policy statements /procedures are Non applicable to the English Language Centre 17/02/2013 Inserted a policy statement regarding hand-written assessments 24/04/2013 Inserted procedures for invigilation, academic security, benchmarking and handling multiple courses. 19/06/2013 Final review by the College Academic Board
Approval Authorities Signature/Date:
Disclaimer: In the case of discrepancies between the College Bylaws and this policy, the College Bylaws will be abided by and will supersede the conflicting policy statement. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0 Page 111 of 153
Table of Contents 1.
Purpose .................................................................................................................................... 113
2.
Scope ........................................................................................................................................ 113
3.
Definitions ............................................................................................................................... 113
4.
Policy Statement..................................................................................................................... 115
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders....................................................................................... 118
6.
Related Policies and References .......................................................................................... 119
7.
Supporting Procedures ......................................................................................................... 119
7.1. Plagiarism and Declaration of Originality………………………………………………119 7.2. Procedure for Coordination of Programs and Examination Moderations: (Not applicable to ELC)…………………………………………………………………………………………….120 7.3. Procedure for courses with multiple sections (not applicable to the ELC)………….. 121 7.4. Procedure for Examination Scheduling and Invigilation Duties allocation………………121 7.5. Procedure for Examination Conduct and Departmental invigilation (separate procedure for ELC)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..123 7.6. Procedure for Change of Examination dates (separate procedure for ELC-FP)…….. 124 7.7. Procedure for Cheating and Fair Conduct of Examinations……………………………………125 7.8. Procedure for Double Marking (Separate procedure for ELC)………………………..126 7.9. Procedure for Examination Security:…………………………………………………..127
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1. Purpose The purpose of this Policy is to ensure
2.
Coordinated, consistent assessment and examination practices to assess students learning across all the Academic Departments and Centre. Invigilation conduct, Academic security and integrity of all exams.
Scope a. The Assessment policy provides to address all examination and assessment related issues inclusive of plagiarism, schedules, invigilation, cheating and fair conduct of examinations, coordination of programs and moderation of exams, marking of exam papers, moderation of marks, and academic security within the college department for both students and staff. b. Information concerning the grading of projects and all other matters related to end of level projects is available in the Policy for Degree Specific Requirements. c. For information regarding additional requirements for exit, graduation and awards refer to the policy for the Degree Specific Requirements. d. Some of the sections of this policy are not applicable to ELC. These are rewritten to cover the conditions of ELC and are separately appended in section III of QAM. Note: e. The Assessment policy should not be used to appeal against decisions made by examination boards. These should be dealt with through the Academic Appeals Policy. f.
3.
Students who miss an examination are advised to refer to the “leave of absence for students” in the Student Affairs policy or the Academic Appeals Policy for make-up or Re-sit examinations.
Definitions a. Acronyms: HOD – Head of Department AC – Assessment Committee HEP –Higher Education Provider ELC FP – English Language Center Foundation Program FESC – Final Examination Supervisory Committee PC – Program Coordinator
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b. The Assessment committee (AC) is a group of individuals tasked with managing, moderating and controlling all examinations and assessments, including the setting and monitoring of standards for all types of assessments and invigilation procedures. c. An examination is the evaluation of the skills or knowledge acquired by a student via a set of questions or exercises related to each courses. Final examinations are comprehensive, covering all topics covered in class. d. Course work is defined as all forms of assessment for a particular course excluding final examinations. This includes, but is not limited to, class quizzes, online quizzes, essays, projects, assignments, mid-semester examination and student centered learning. All course work contributes to the final grade of a course, with weight specified by the departments’ delivery and Assessment/ evaluation plan for each course under a given program. e.
f.
A mid-semester examination refer to the examination administered around the middle of a semester in the Academic Calendar, during regular class timings or mutually agreed slots within the mid-semester examination period (of two weeks) without interrupting the regular class schedule of the students. Final Examinations refer to the examinations administered before the end of the academic teaching period in a semester according to the College’s official final examination period planned in the Academic calendar. However, ELC’s FP schedule will be finalized by the Director after referring to the College Examination Schedule. It is preferably scheduled 1-2 weeks before the College schedule of exams.
g. The Final examination period is scheduled by the College Board at the start of each academic year. It is defined as the entire duration of scheduled examination starting from the date of the first exam and lasting until the date of the last examination (including weekends). (Not applicable to ELC- FP) h. FESC consists of chosen staff from the department’s AC. The FESC is responsible for scheduling and monitoring the invigilation of final examinations for all staff as well as ensuring academic security when managing the collection and hand-over of examination papers in the examination control room. This committee will be supported by members of the Administration and Students Affairs Departments. i.
For ELC FP, the AC will be the only committee dealing with all examination and assessment related issues. The members of this committee are the Committee Head who is the HoS-Curriculum and Teaching Methods, Testing Coordinators (for each skill2 members) and Chief Testing Coordinator. Similarly, for ELC Post Foundation (PF), Examination and Assessment committee will be the only committee dealing with all examination and assessment related issues. The members of this committee are the Post Foundation Academic Coordinator, Post foundation Program Coordinator, Technical Communication Course Coordinator, Technical Writing I & II Course Coordinator, Pharmacy English Course Coordinator. PF Academic Coordinator is the
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Head of the Committee and one of the course coordinators nominated by the Head will be the Chief Testing coordinator.
4.
Policy Statement
Assessment, plagiarism and examination a. The student’s grade in a course is based on theoretical and/or practical continuous assessment, research projects and the semester final examination in accordance with Article 60 of the College Bylaws. The inal examination assesses the entire/most of the course content/learning outcomes in accordance with Article 61 of the College Bylaws. b. Article 25 of the College Bylaws states that one of the duties and tasks of a lecturer is to conduct/administer examinations in compliance with college regulations and instructions c. Continuous assessment is conducted and assessed by the respective course lecturers and/or technicians, who will keep record of all grades. d. All assessed assignments and quizzes are to be fully prepared in an electronic format. Hand written assignments (assessment paper) will strictly be unaccepted by the department / center. e. Course lecturers are required to provide their students with an approved course delivery plan which consists of the course details, objectives and outcomes, references and the tentative schedule for continuous assessments for the registered course. f.
Students and examiners/course coordinators should abide by the Plagiarism Policy for course ‘declaration of originality’ forms and penalties for plagiarized cases.
g. Course Instructors are expected to return work assigned to the students with the corresponding marks no later than the last regular day of classes in courses for which there is a final examination. For particular assignments/assessment tools important for the students’ understanding of course (e.g. quizzes), which will be included in the final examination, the course instructor can withhold the student answer scripts but feedback should be provided to the students before the end of the teaching period. The students should be given a cumulative score of all the continuous assessments and Midsemester examination before they appear for the final examination. h. No other coursework, including laboratory work, will be due during the final examination period unless it is assigned in advance and in lieu of the course’s final examination. (Not applicable to ELC)
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i.
All concerned are advised to adhere to the guidelines for final examination preparation including front page format, question setting and mark distribution scheme. It is the duty of the Assessment Committee (AC) to share the guidelines with all, prior to the setting of papers. (Not applicable to ELC)
j.
No final examinations shall be administered on a weekday after 5.30pm, or on a Friday.
k. Students should not take more than two final examinations per day. l.
Students are allowed to request a change in the examination (mid-semester and/or final) dates fixed by the individual Department’s Timetable Coordinators subject to their fulfillment of their respective department’s criteria, which take into account the actual examination period and potential clashes with other courses.(Not applicable to ELC)
Moderation, double-marking and grade approval m. Final examination papers are to be completed by the course lecturer at least two weeks prior to the scheduled start of the examination period, for moderation purposes. All question papers require the approval of the moderation committee which consists of the program coordinators, assessment committee coordinators and course experts. It is each individual staff’s responsibility to ensure total academic security of the examination paper prior to handing it over to those concerned in the examination control room.(Not applicable to ELC) n. After the conduction and marking of the course examination papers, the lecturer is to approach the course expert/ Program Coordinator for double marking (10% of papers with a minimum of five papers). This process is recorded in a Double-Marking form signed by both parties. A separate procedure exists for the ELC. o. The course lecturer is to forward a hard copy of the final results of his/her course (in the Course Grade Analysis form), together with a copy of the Double-marking form, to the AC within two days of the scheduled examination date. A separate procedure exists for the ELC. p. The AC shall forward these results (Course Grade Analysis) to the Department Council for approval. q. Final course grades, once approved by the Department Council, are uploaded on the Student Management System by their respective Course lecturers, who are not allowed to announce results before the scheduled Student Grade Announcement date. (Not applicable to ELC FP).
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r. A printed copy of the final grades entered in the system should be submitted to the PC for double checking for discrepancies and the Advising and Registration Committee (ARC) for filing.
Invigilation (not applicable to the ELC) s. It is the duty of the Assessment Committee (AC) in collaboration with the timetable coordinator and registrar of each department to prepare the schedule of final examination, identify the venue of examination and assign two (2) invigilators for each examination room. The number of invigilators in a room should be increased if the number of examinees exceeds the ratio of invigilator to examinees which is 1:15. t. The posting of the schedule of examination and other related information (i.e. venue) should be done at least three weeks before the schedule of final examination. u. It is also the responsibility of the AC or HoD (for departments where the former is not applicable) of each department to assign standby invigilators and examination supervisors. v. The AC must ensure that the distribution of duties related to the conduct of examination among staff is fair, balanced and approved by the head of the department. w. The AC must inform the staff of any change in the schedule of final examination, supervision and invigilation. x. In case a department needs additional invigilators and or standby invigilators from other departments after exhausting all possible means to maximize human resources in the department, a formal request must be submitted by the HoD to the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs (ADAA) at the earliest time possible. The request should include the following information:
Total Number of additional invigilators and or standby invigilators needed Schedule and venue of invigilation
y. The AC representatives of the different departments must furnish the ADAA the data of invigilation duties for final, practical and technique examinations, and final evaluation of course projects z. The ADAA equally allocates the request to the different departments and requests the department ACs through their HoD to identify the staff who must respond to the request based on the schedule and availability of the staff. In case the invigilation duty is scheduled on weekends or holidays, consent of the concerned staff must be asked by the HoD through the AC. aa. The AC of the department who requested for additional invigilators from other departments must ensure that one of the invigilators in the examination rooms where the additional invigilators (invigilators from the responding departments) are assigned should come from the requesting department.
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bb. Swapping of invigilation and supervisory duties should be discouraged. However, for valid reasons it may be allowed and must be approved by the HoS / HoD. Any plan for swapping has to be coordinated with the Department AC by the concerned staff member. Both parties involved in the swapping must signify their agreement. cc. Invigilation duties performed during weekend and/or public holiday will be compensated accordingly (numbers of days of invigilation will be equal to the number of days to be compensated) and arranged within the department. dd. No staff is to interfere with the invigilation process inside the examination halls. Any issues should be reported to the Final Examination Supervisory Committee (FESC), which will resolve the problem if needed. ee. All examiners should be readily available to answer queries raised by students (during the irst 30 minutes of the examination only). Their presence inside the examination hall is only after being requested by the invigilator. ff.
Students and invigilators are prohibited from using mobile phones inside the examination hall.
gg. No student will be allowed into the final examination hall after 30 minutes from the start of the examination. Students are not allowed to exit the hall within the irst 30 minutes. Students reporting to the examination halls within the irst 30 minutes must be allowed to take the examination and a record of their names and the time they were present is to be made and submitted to the AC. Late students are not to be allocated any additional time to complete the examination. (Not applicable to ELC. Please refer to ELC procedure for Conducting Written Final Examination and invigilation). hh. If a cheating case is proven the student will automatically be referred to the Student Disciplinary Committee for action.
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders a. The AC is responsible for: Managing the examination moderation and control Setting and monitoring standards for all types of assessments (homework assignments, quizzes, mid-semester exams, final exams, project-based assignments, etc.) Setting standards and procedures for final-year projects Handling students’ appeals against grades (through the Academic Appeals Committee) Managing make-up and re-sit examinations Ensuring the integrity of the invigilation procedures, including the fair distribution of duties, and publishing of examination timetables
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Managing the invigilation of all examinations (through the FESC), including ensuring adequate resources and conducive examination environment, reporting late and/or cheating cases, and resolving any emerging issues during examinations Ensuring that academic security is provided before, during and after the conduction of exam (through the FESC)
b. It is the student’s responsibility to familiarize him/her-self with policies and procedures concerning examinations and assessments by either referring to a circulated supplement, an academic advisor, or coordinator for policies and procedures. c. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they check their final examination dates for any clashes and notify the proper authorities within the set revision period. (Not applicable to ELC FP) d. It is the responsibility of course lecturers to inform students of the course content which will be covered in all assessments and examinations of their taught subject well in advance. e. Results of all the continuous assessments and Mid-semester examination should be made known to students by the course lecturer before they appear for the final examination. f.
6.
It is the responsibility of all invigilators to refer and adhere to the set procedures for invigilation of examination.
Related Policies and References a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k.
7. 7.1
College Bylaws Academic Appeals Policy Student Affairs Policy Plagiarism Policy Data acquisition, disclosure and control policy College Invigilation Guidelines ELC Guidelines for Plagiarism ELC Procedure of examination conduct and invigilation ELC procedure of coordination of program and examination moderation ELC students Code of conduct during exams ELC procedure of marking and moderation of Exam papers
Supporting Procedures Plagiarism and Declaration of Originality
Academic Departments: please refer to the Plagiarism Policy ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0 Page 119 of 153
For English Language Center: a. Suspected cases of plagiarism should be reported to the Project & Presentations (P & P) coordinator /Course coordinator by course lecturers. P & P Coordinator / Course Coordinator should consider the case of plagiarism and act on it according to the ELC guidelines for Plagiarism. The P & P Coordinator/course Coordinator may consult HoS Curriculum and Teaching Method (CNTM) /PF Academic coordinator for further action. Please refer to the appendix: ELC Guidelines for Plagiarism for more details.
7.2 Procedure for Coordination of Programs and Examination Moderations: (Not applicable to ELC) a. The department registrar and timetable coordinator are requested to forward information (number of registered students, course timetable) regarding all courses to the respective Program /Academic Coordinator of those particular courses. b. The Program /Academic Coordinator is responsible for approving the course delivery plan (CDP) and class activity prepared by the course lecturer. Lecturers are requested to obtain an approved and signed copy of the CDP before disseminating to students. The Program/Academic Coordinator is also responsible for liaising with visiting lecturers (part-timers) and to encourage them to follow department standards whilst delivering their taught courses. The CDP is the students’ schedule reference when it comes to examination and assessments. c. Course lecturers are requested to forward a copy of the mid-semester examination and marking scheme to the respective Program /Academic Coordinator for moderation. d. Course lecturers are requested to forward a copy of the final exam to their respective Program /Academic Coordinator and course experts to verify the outcomes covered and distribution of marks at least 2 weeks before the start date of the final exam examination (for departments having fewer courses to moderate this can be adjusted to one week). The Program /Academic Coordinator and course expert will advise the lecturer of any modifications to the exam paper prior to approval. e. The lecturer then forwards the examination paper to the AC for final verification. f.
The lecturer should only print and distribute the exam papers after acquiring approval from the Program /Academic Coordinator, course experts and AC. This is achieved by obtaining a signed copy of the examination moderation form, available with the AC.
g. It is the responsibility of the lecturer to treat his/her exam paper as a highly confidential document until the date and time the exam is scheduled for. A copy of the ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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examination answer sheet is then forwarded to the Program /Academic Coordinator after the exam has taken place. h. The course lecturer is requested to confidentially forward a hard copy of the final results of his/her course (Course Grade Analysis) to the AC within two days of the scheduled examination date. i.
The AC shall forward these results (Course Grade Analysis) to the Department Council for approval. The lecturer should not enter grades in the Student Management System unless they have been approved.
j.
A printed copy of the final grades entered in the system should be submitted to the PC for double checking and the Advising and Registration Committee (ARC) for filing.
7.3 Procedure for courses with multiple sections (not applicable to the ELC) a.
All lecturers teaching the course have to form a team and nominate a course coordinator who will be in charge of ensuring ONE common examination paper is created for the course. b. All lecturers need to contribute to the ‘exam question bank’ after which the course coordinator will draft the examination paper. c. This examination paper has to be approved by all the lecturers concerned before being sent for moderation. d. The condition for moderation in this case is that a course expert other than the lecturers teaching it should be consulted. In the case that there is no course expert this task will be delegated to the Program coordinator or Head of Section.
7.4 Procedure for Examination Scheduling and Invigilation Duties allocation a. The ADAA and all examination coordinators/Timetable coordinators will discuss and determine the number of examination days required by each department. For ELC Foundation Program the Examination and Assessment Committee (AC) will discuss with ELC Director and determine the number of examination days required for the MidSemester Exam & Level Exit Exam. b. The Department Timetable coordinators will discuss and specify the probable dates of examination for the common courses (from Information Technology, Department of Applied Sciences, English Language Centre, and Business Department). For ELC Foundation Program the Examination and Assessment Committee (AC) will decide the probable start of exam which will be fixed after taking into consideration the number of days needed for the exams as well as the days needed for the marking.
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c. The AC of each Department/center determines the number of classes or groups having exams and the resource requirement then prepares the examination schedule and forwards the information to the Department Timetable Coordinator to liaise with concerned offices/responsible people to provide the necessary resources. d. The first draft of the tentative final examination will be prepared by the timetable coordinators /testing coordinator by considering the following constraints; All theory examinations should be conducted during the allotted dates. No student should have more than two examinations on a day. Examinations are to be conducted in the available and suitable classrooms for the section. e. The first timetable draft is submitted to the ADAA and College Time Table Coordinator for verification. For ELC FP it is submitted to the Director for verification. f.
The first draft is submitted to the Department Timetable Coordinator who will then liaise with concerned persons and departments to upload the schedule on the college website to disseminate the information and verify possible exam conflicts. If there are conflicts, the Department Timetable Coordinator will contact the concerned Timetable Coordinator to settle the problem at least 1 week before the Exam date. (Not Applicable for ELC FP)
g. The first draft of the tentative final examination will be posted on the department notice board (maximum duration of three days). This is an opportunity for students to revise their examination schedule and notify the department of clashes in their exam schedule. (Not Applicable for ELC FP). h. The timetable coordinator will resolve any clashes and the final draft of the examination schedule will be resubmitted to the ADAA and College Time Table Coordinator for resource allocation. (Not Applicable for ELC FP). i.
The final version will be re-posted on the department notice board and the college website and submitted to the Director/Head of the Departments after making the suggested changes for approval and dissemination to all concerned.
j.
Once approved, the timetable coordinators will disseminate this information to all the teachers and students at least 3 days prior to the examination period through approved mode of communication.
k. Timetable coordinators/AC members of all sections will discuss and decide collectively the allocation of invigilation duties (including stand-by invigilators) based on the following criteria: Invigilation duties are to be distributed equitably amongst available staff.
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No member of staff should be asked to invigilate two consecutive sessions on any particular day, unless it is necessary. In such cases, the venue of the two examination sessions needs to be close and the break between two exams shouldn’t exceed 1 ½ hour. If possible, no staff member will be given more than one duty per day. Special requests from individual staff members with valid reasons need to be considered favorably. For departments/ units with more than one section, the examinations from one section will be invigilated by staff from the other sections, constraints allowing. Some invigilators should be kept on standby invigilation duty for Exam location where the number of sections exceeds 30. Two invigilators (proctors) should be assigned to each group if the number of students in a section exceeds 15. The FESC will assign hall monitors / coordinators who will regularly patrol the corridors to ensure smooth examination conduction. These hall monitors will also deal with students who encounter difficulties once they started their examinations (e.g. falling sick, or need to use the bathroom). l.
On the time of examination of a particular course, an examiner is to be available for clearing doubts of the students.
m. After preparation of the invigilation schedule, it should be approved by the Head of the Department/ Centre and disseminated to all the invigilators 3 days before the start of the Exams along with the invigilators’ guidelines. n. The examiner/course coordinator should prepare the attendance lists with the column provided for marking the student absent. This list should be ready at least 1 working day before the scheduled exams. o. Once invigilation duties are assigned, they are not to be changed. In case of an emergency, a written request may be made to the AC / FESC who will then arrange for a substitute invigilator.
7.5 Procedure for Examination Conduct and Departmental invigilation (separate procedure for ELC) a. Students reporting to the examination halls within the irst 30 minutes must be allowed to take the examination and a record of their names and the time they entered is to be recorded and submitted to the FESC.
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b. Invigilators should be present at the assigned exams control room no less than 30 minutes prior to the start of the examination and must be present at the exam hall at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the examination. c. Examiners should hand-over their examination scripts as per their respective department guidelines. Examiners are also requested to prepare two lists as follows:
One examination attendance list, with space for student and invigilator signatures One student room display list that includes details of the course and room location of the examination, to be posted outside the examination room at least 30 minutes before the start of the examinations.
d. All invigilators should familiarize themselves with the invigilation guidelines provided by the College. e. All examiners should be readily available to answer questions during the irst 30 minutes of the examination only. f.
The examiner has to be present in the examination control room no later than 5 minutes after the expected finish time of his/her examination, to collect the answer scripts.
7.6 Procedure for Change of Examination dates (separate procedure for ELC-FP) 7.6.1. Academic Departments a. The Timetable Coordinator will announce the tentative examination schedule and clearly state the deadline for accepting change requests. Any requests submitted after this deadline will not be entertained. b. Students should obtain a request form from the department and fill it up as required. c. As per the criteria for examination changes, a sheet containing the signatures of all students registered for the course concerned should be attached with the request form (to signify full class consent of the proposed new examination date). d. In the case of the mid-semester examination, consent from the lecturer (or instructor or technician) concerned should also be indicated by his/her signature on the request form. e. The request will then be submitted to the relevant Timetable Coordinator to make necessary changes / arrangements subject to the constraints. 7.6.2.
ELC Post Foundation Program
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a. The change of ELC Post Foundation Exam date is only possible if it is not in agreement with ELC Timetable and thus it would be impossible for the department to hold the exam. b. The proposed change of exam date will be approved by the Head of Centre and then a request will be sent to the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs who heads the College Timetable Committee for approval. c. Once the exam date is discussed and approved by the College Timetable Committee, it can never be moved as ELC Exams are common course exams unless the change is proposed by higher authorities. d. If students report exam conflicts between ELC Common Exams and Exams from other departments, the PF Course lecturer must note details such as student’s course, department and lecturer’s name. This information will be forwarded to the Department Timetable Coordinator who will then contact the concerned department to settle the problem.
7.7 Procedure for Cheating and Fair Conduct of Examinations a. If a student is found to be attempting to talk, whisper and/or signal, the invigilator in the first instance will just give a discrete warning. If the behaviour persists, this will be treated as a use of unfair means (i.e., cheating) and the examination paper will immediately be withdrawn from the student. b. Invigilators who notice the use of unfair means (other than mentioned above) should immediately take possession of the paper, material, ruler, calculator etc. that is being used by the student to cheat. If the student wrote on his/her body or college property, pictures are admissible as evidence. c. The lecturer concerned/AC (for ELC) will be called to verify the evidence of unfair conduct. If it is not relevant, the student will be allowed to continue with his/her examination. If the material is found to be relevant, then the student will not be allowed to continue the examination. The invigilator(s) should then attach a signed paper with this evidence and submit to the FESC through the course lecturer in the control room. In case the student is not at fault and is allowed to continue with the examination, appropriate extra time should be allowed by the invigilator for that student. However for ELC FP the student may be allowed to answer the other skills. d. The paper should immediately be taken to the HOS/ HOD by the course lecturer with a report from the FESC (after completing the other skills exams in the case of ELC). A signed statement should be taken from the student regarding the issue. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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e. After the completion of the above actions, HOD or in the absence of the HOD, the HOS/ Unit Registrar will submit a copy of the occurrence report to the Assistant Dean for Students Affairs (or the Investigation Committee). A cheating case summary sheet should be maintained by the Department concerned. f. The student will be interviewed by the Investigation Committee (ELC management in the case of ELC FP). The Committee must complete the proceedings in a continuous sitting until a decision is taken. The following actions will be taken:
The paper will not be marked and no credit (zero) will be given to the student. Depending on the nature of the case, the student may be given a chance to appear for the Re-sit Test. A report of his/her behaviour in the test will be put in the departmental file. Copies of the report will be forwarded to the Dean and/or Deputy Dean. The concerned department should be informed of this decision.
7.8 Procedure for Double Marking (Separate procedure for ELC) a. The Assessment Committee, in consultation with Program Coordinators and Curriculum Committee, will assign selected members (hereafter called double-assessors) to doublemark the final course examinations offered by the individual departments prior to the final examination period of any particular semester. This schedule information is to then be circulated to the concerned staff (i.e., the Double Assessors (DA)). b. Double-marking will be performed for 10% (and not less than five) of the total number of answer sheets of the selected courses. The answer sheets must be selected through random sampling. c. The AC will inform the course lecturer when exactly he/she should submit his/her answer sheets (including answer key) to the committee. This should not be later than the allocated marking period, usually assigned as 72 hours after the examination conduction for courses with large student numbers. d. The DA will then be called in to randomly select answer sheets for double-marking. He/she will report back to the AC within 1 working day through the Double-marking Form. e. A 5% deviation in marks between those by the Double Assessor and the Course lecturer is acceptable. f. The AC will notify the lecturer of detected errors, if any, and the required correction in the marking. g. Lecturers may only upload final grades into the Student Management System after receiving approval from the Department Council. h. The AC must present to the QAC a signed record of all DAs, their assigned courses, the total number of students, number of examinations assessed and any remarks.
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7.9.
Procedure for Examination Security:
a. During the preparation of the examination paper up to the handing over to the AC, the course lecturer/coordinator is responsible for ensuring security. After the handover to the AC it is responsible for security. b. The person responsible for printing should physically be present in the publishing /copying room and make sure that all the excess/waste copies of the examinations are collected. c. All the examination paper envelopes should be sealed immediately after counting and organizing them into sections/groups. The examination attendance list should be included in the envelope. d. The moving of examination papers from the photocopying room to the control room should be done by the examiner concerned. No students/other course teachers should be involved for this purpose. e. The exams should be stored under lock and key in a place where no staff other than the Head of the Department or the AC members can reach them. f.
In the control room, exam papers should be handed over only during the time specified to the authorized staff/invigilator and a signature should be taken from the recipient.
g. No students should be allowed to enter the exam hall/room before the specified time. The exam halls/rooms should be kept locked before the exam (after arranging the chairs/desks and thorough checking for any written material). h. The invigilators should be responsible for the security of the examination room/halls during the examination. i.
After the exam the invigilator is responsible for taking the answer scripts to the control room safely.
j.
The FESC is responsible for the security of the exam answer scripts after the exam until handing over to the lecturer / internal assessor, who is responsible for security during the marking.
k. The final exam answer scripts should be stored safely for a minimum of one academic year after which they should be destroyed via approved procedures (please refer to the Data acquisition, disclosure and control policy).
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HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE
Degree Specific Requirements Policy
Policy No. Date Effective Approval Authorities Contact
007 Unit of Origin QAC 24/04/2013 Policy Owner HCT CAB Policy Author(s) PMS Committee PMS Chairperson: Samira Said Al Esry, Room CE109, Engineering Department, internal extension 5240,
[email protected]
This work is copyrighted. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. Duplication of this work or parts of it is only permitted under the written permission of the Higher College of Technology. Violations fall under the Prosecution Act of the Oman Copyright Law.
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Version Control Table Version
Author
0.1 0.2
QAC-PMS QAC-PMS
0.3
QAC-PMS
0.4
QAC-PMS
0.5
QAC-PMS
Date Summary of Changes (dd/mm/yyyy) 09/08/2012 First draft 26/11/2012 Second draft (Incorporated feedback from other departments) 01/12/2012 Third draft (New Procedure 7.7 added) Policy is not applicable to the English Language Centre 23/02/2013 Inserted policy statements regarding student punctuality and class handover grace period Modified Procedure for Issuing Attendance Warnings 01/05/2013 Incorporate feedback from the College Academic Board
Approval Authorities Signature/Date:
Disclaimer: In the case of discrepancies between the College Bylaws and this policy, the College Bylaws will be abided by and will supersede the conflicting policy statement. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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Table of Contents 1. Purpose ..................................................................................................................................... 131 2. Scope ........................................................................................................................................ 131 3. Definitions ................................................................................................................................ 131 4. Policy Statement ...................................................................................................................... 131 5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders .......................................................................................... 133 6. Related Policies and References ............................................................................................. 133 7. Supporting Procedures............................................................................................................. 133 7.1.
Procedure for OJT ............................................................................................................ 133
7.2.
Procedure for Issuing Attendance Warnings .................................................................. 134
7.3.
Procedure for Project Evaluation .................................................................................... 134
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1. Purpose In order to successfully obtain an approved degree awarded by the Higher College of Technology, a set of requirements are to be fulfilled. This policy with related procedures addresses all degree-specific requirements.
2. Scope a. This policy is used for all degree specific requirements. Specifically, it outlines guidelines for the issuing of merits, attendance warnings, requirements for On Job Training, student punctuality and final degree projects. b. This policy is also used for course improvement and enhancing program standards c. This policy is not applicable to the English Language Centre.
3. Definitions a. Pre-requisite courses – many courses above the introductory level require a minimum background of knowledge which is indicated by the prerequisite courses cited in the individual course description. Co-requisite courses are those which must be taken with or before a specific course. b. On Job Training (OJT) - Students are required to undergo 8 weeks (Minimum of 300 hours) of On-Job Training program to qualify for graduation and to complete their degree/qualification. c. Appeal Against Examination Results Committee - a committee set-up in the department to handle appeals received after final examination results each semester. This is not to be confused with the College Academic Appeal Committee which consists of the ADAA, ADSA and registrars and looks into dismissed cases.
4. Policy Statement dd. The minimum duration of study, after the foundation program, is two years to qualify for a Diploma, three years to qualify for an Advanced Diploma and four years to qualify for a Bachelor’s degree. ee.At the end of each semester, the Admission and Registration Department will prepare the College Honour List. To qualify for this list, the student must meet the following criteria:
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-
-
Must have registered and completed a minimum of 15 credit hours in that semester (and 12 credit hours for the Pharmacy, Photography and Fashion Design Department) Must have obtained a GPA 3.5 in at least one semester. Must not have failed any course. Must not have faced any disciplinary or punitive action
ff. Students are issued First Warning Letters, Second Warning Letters and Third Warning Letters for 10%, 20% and 30% absence of total class hours, respectively. Students whose absence has reached 30% will be debarred from the inal exam of that course. gg.
A student will not be allowed entrance into a class after ten minutes of its commencement. Those students who lie within the ten minute limit shall be marked as ‘Late’. Three ‘Lates’ will be regarded as one ‘absent’.
hh. Students are required to undergo 8 weeks (Minimum of 300 hours) of On-Job Training program to qualify for graduation and to complete their degree/qualification. ii. The OJT program aims to introduce the student to the actual working environment through theoretical and practical training programs in industrial and business world. This training will enable the student to get acquainted with the industrial skills, organizational structure, business operations and administrative functions in his field of study such that s/he may relate to and strengthen her/his academic knowledge. jj. Students are eligible for OJT provided they have completed all courses in their specialization or have a maximum of 2 pending courses. If there are no students on the OJT waiting list this can be extended to include those students who have completed 70% of the courses in their exiting level and wish to go for OJT. kk. Students completing OJT will be assessed based on their performance, presentation, and completion of their log book on a pass/fail basis. ll. Students are advised to follow all Health & Safety Rules within the Industry, and to maintain discipline and strictly adhere to the Rules and Regulations provided by the Company. mm. If a student has secured a job before or during his/her OJT, the irst 2 months of his job will be considered as OJT hours. nn. Attendance and participation of students in all classes and laboratories are essential to the process of learning in the college. Students will be issued warning letters as their absence increases, and will be barred from sitting the final exam should a student’s absence reaches 30% of the set hours in each academic semester.
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oo. All Units and Departments must strive to continually enhance their benchmarking, delivery and assessment standards of all offered programs.
5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders a. The Industrial link committee and OJT coordinators are responsible for coordinating between the heads of sections and departments regarding industrial links and their counterparts and other concerned bodies. b. The OJT coordinators are responsible for maintaining a departmental database comprising department activities, industrial links, jobs and training opportunities, and to follow up unified standard assessment for on-job-training and ensuring students comply with college by-laws, rules and regulations. c. The OJT coordinators / Supervisors are responsible to supervise and monitor the student during their OJT.
6. Related Policies and References a. b. c. d. e. f.
Inter Department Program Audit Plan Specialization Course Outcomes Assessment and Examination Policy Invigilation Policy Students Affairs Policy Change of Enrollment Status Policy
7. Supporting Procedures 7.1
Procedure for OJT
a. Allotment of Students to OJT places in consultation with the: Training institution supervisor Student Concerned department OJT section of the college b. Nomination of college assessor for each place of OJT in consultation with the: Concerned department OJT section of the college c. College assessors/OJT coordinators must ensure adequacy of OJT site before the OJT period and to prepare the “Scheme of work” in consultation with the Industrial supervisor.
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d. A copy of the ‘Assessment record of OJT activities’ to be given to the industrial supervisor. e. At least one day before the OJT, the college assessor will brief the student about the place and nature of work, Scheme of work, timings, goals, objectives and outcomes of the corresponding level of OJT. f. Students completing OJT will be assessed based on their performance, presentation, and completion of their log book on a pass/fail basis. g. There will be two assessments, one at the end of 4th week and the second during the 8th week of the OJT. h. At the end of the successful OJT, the student will submit a written project report to the college assessor along with the signed sealed ‘log book’.
7.2
Procedure for Issuing Attendance Warnings
a. The course lecturer is required to issue a student a First Warning letter if the student’s absence reaches 10% of the set course hours in each academic semester without a valid excuse. This warning letter is copied to his/her advisor. b. The same procedure is to be followed if the student’s absence reaches 20%. c. When the student’s absence reaches 30% he/she is debarred from sitting for the final examination paper and the advisor forwards this information to the Registrar to forward to the Students Affairs Department.
7.3
Procedure for Project Evaluation
a. The Project Coordinator will notify through means available all project students to form project groups. b. Project supervisors are allotted to respective groups in consultation with HOS and Project Coordinator and the information is passed on to all project students through means available.. c. Students are to meet the supervisors to finalize their area and title of the project work. d. Students have to meet the supervisor to a minimum of once in a week to discuss the progress of the project. Supervisors have to maintain the attendance of their project groups. e. The Project Supervisor evaluates the performance of the students based on the following parameters (where applicable): Literature Survey, Project Planning or Action Plan, Project Methodology, Teamwork and Report Writing which embraces recording the experimental results / laboratory work and Results and Discussion. f. Project students have to prepare the Project Report by following the technique adopted by the department. g. The HOS forms a panel for evaluating the Project work through the assessment criteria set by the department. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE
Data Acquisition, Disclosure and Control Policy
Policy No. Date Effective Approval Authorities Contact
009 Unit of Origin QAC 01/05/2013 Policy Owner HCT CAB Policy Author(s) PMS Committee PMS Chairperson: Samira Said Al Esry, Room CE109, Engineering Department, internal extension 5240,
[email protected]
This work is copyrighted. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. Duplication of this work or parts of it is only permitted under the written permission of the Higher College of Technology. Violations fall under the Prosecution Act of the Oman Copyright Law.
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Version Control Table Version
Author
0.1 0.2
QAC-PMS QAC-PMS
0.3
QAC-PMS
0.4
QAC-PMS
0.5
QAC-PMS
Date Summary of Changes (dd/mm/yyyy) 13/07/2012 First draft 28/09/2012 Second draft with QAC feedback incorporated 11/12/2012 Third draft with QAC feedback incorporated 20/01/2013 Fourth draft with update of policy titles and survey instrument title. Modified student information definition and the limit for data retention with regards to lecturer assessment records 01/05/2013 Final review by the College Academic Board
Approval Authorities Signature/Date:
Disclaimer: In the case of discrepancies between the College Bylaws and this policy, the College Bylaws will be abided by and will supersede the conflicting policy statement. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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Table of Contents 1. Purpose ..................................................................................................................................... 138 2. Scope ........................................................................................................................................ 138 3. Definitions ................................................................................................................................ 138 4. Policy Statement ...................................................................................................................... 138 5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders .......................................................................................... 140 6. Related Policies and References ............................................................................................. 141 7. Supporting Procedures............................................................................................................. 141 7.1. Common Data Sharing and Access Procedure ……………………………………………..141 7.2.
Survey Conduction Procedure............................................................................................. 141
7.3.
Procedure for Complaints Protection and Retention ......................................................... 142
7.4. Procedure for Approval process and Official Communication channels…………………...143
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1. Purpose The College aims to establish a system for the secure, practical, efficient and ethical management of data via the Data Acquisition, Disclosure and Control Policy.
2. Scope a. This policy establishes the requirements and system for the collection, analysis, access, protection, distribution and disposition of student and staff related data. b. This policy applies to all hard-copy or electronic data at the college, particularly, internal and external community data, program review and development documentation, course documentation, survey documentation, student information and retention, staff information and inventory data.
3. Definitions a. Documents are classified as internal and external documents. b. Internal documents include the following: Quality manual, Strategic and operational plans, monitoring and/or evaluation tools, office manuals and procedures, quality sub manuals, program structures, laboratory manuals prepared by lecturers and technicians, course information files, and college forms. c. External documents are those documents produced/provided by entities outside HCT. d. Data refers to Quality related information which directly affects the operation of the unit/department/center. e. Staff information and data refers to personal information, medical records, education and work experience documents, teaching schedules and responsibilities, and any other work related documents. f.
Student information refers to personal information, medical records, admission references, course assessment records, student transcripts, industrial training records, social activities (if any) and other student related documents.
4. Policy Statement Data Access, Protection and Retention a. Data protection and confidentiality should be strictly respected and applied during the handling of sensitive and/or restricted data. Authorized users should not leave ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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sensitive, confidential and/or restricted information unattended and accessible to others. b. Staff and student complaint details are restricted to the Quality Assurance representative, the individual complained against, complainant, Head of Section, Head of Department and other staff/committees directly involved with the subject of complaint, subject to sensitivity and the nature of the complaint. c. All data is to be strictly managed as per the data management system. The data management system entails that data access is made available when required by authorized users. Personal and academic records are to be adequately maintained during the respective retention period (as specified in the procedures), with obsolete data being properly disposed of. d. Staff members who disclose personal, sensitive and/or other confidential information, internally or externally, without authorized reasoning will be subject to disciplinary proceedings as per Civil Service Law and Omani Labour Law. e. All department/unit related common forms, documents, and references should be accessible via the department/unit’s common network. f.
Student-related information (as provided by staff) should be factual. Judgments, comments or opinions should not be included unless it is necessary to support a case.
g. All staff information is confidential except which has been officially released by the college or already made available in the public domain. h. Disclosure of any information is permissible to legalized bodies (e.g., state authorities, court orders, etc.) upon approval from the College Dean. i.
Student transcripts should be archived by the Students Affairs Department for a period not exceeding 50 years. All other records will be archived for a minimum of one academic year.
j.
Enrolled students and staff are eligible to obtain any available and authorized information as per the rules and regulations in effect.
k. QA officers are authorized to request any documentation or information from members of any of the Departmental committees without prior notice. l.
It is the responsibility of the course coordinator to treat his/her exam related documents as highly confidential up until the date and time the examination is scheduled for. The lecturer must not submit a hard or soft copy of the examination paper to any staff without his/her presence.
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Data Management, Collection and Transfer m. All staffs are strongly advised to issue a note when referring advisees/students to other members of staff (particularly in other departments). The dated e-mail or signed note must explain reasons for referring students to the concerned staff. This practice enables staff to prevent and to identify unnecessary referrals and to ensure hassle-free and efficient means of information transfer. n. Each staff is required to properly document all data and processes (including forms, flowcharts, annexure, and supporting graphics) related to program reviews, program development, needs analysis and other internal department practices. o. Approval of amendments to existing documents and/or processes is required from the concerned authorities. Approved changes are to be properly disseminated to all stakeholders and updated in the relevant sections of the QA Manual. p. Transfer of data is to be performed via the standardized means of transfer for a particular document to the concerned staff or student as described in the procedure sections of other policy categories. q. Student information is to be collected during the admission stages in the college by the Student Affairs Department. r. Staff information is to be collected and constantly updated during the entire employment period by Department Human Resources. s. It is not permissible for staff to collect data and conduct staff evaluations of other staff belonging to the same department / section or those sharing an office without prior written permission/request from the Head of Department/Unit. t. All exiting staffs are requested to hand-over essential documents to the respected HOS/Program coordinator prior to exiting in order to maintain a smooth hand-over of duties. u. All staff must submit an electronic copy of their teaching material to the HOS v. To guard against low reliability, results of Students’ Feedback on Teaching and Course Delivery collected from less than 10 students in a group/section should not be used for making administrative decisions. Findings from such small scale administrations (less than 10 students per class), however, can still be used for formative assessment purposes. .
5. Responsibilities and Stakeholders a. All are accountable for providing incorrect or incomplete academic or personal
information which may otherwise affect decisions made by the college concerning a student or staff’s status. It is the responsibility of the student and staff to update ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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Academic Advisors, Registrars and/or Student Affairs Department and Head of Department for any change. b. Academic advisors, course lecturers, and Student Affairs department are responsible
for maintaining and updating student/staff information in the system c. All staffs are responsible for the accuracy of any given information. d. Student Affairs department is responsible for the secure archiving of all academic
transcripts. e. The Department Assessment Committee are responsible for the secure archiving of all
course related assessment records (e.g. Marks breakdown, student examination papers) f.
All staffs are responsible to notify their Department QA officer of witnessed noncompliance of any staff to this policy.
6. Related Policies and References a. b. c. d. e.
Plagiarism Policy Internal Audit Policy Assessment Policy Staff Affairs Policy Admission, Advising and Registration Policy
7. Supporting Procedures Data Access, Protection and Retention
7.1 Common Data Sharing and Access Procedure a. b.
The HOD and appointed coordinators will upload new documents onto the department’s shared common folder. All department/unit staffs are provided access to the common network folder, and are responsible for consulting the Education Technology Centre (ETC) regarding instructions on how to map individual computers to the shared folder.
7.2 Survey Conduction Procedure a. The QAC may delegate concerned department / section committees to conduct specific surveys within a given time period. Where College-wide standardized surveys or evaluation instruments exist, College Units are not allowed to deploy their own tools without the approval of the QAC.
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b. In the case of surveys which are required to be conducted during regular class hours, classes should not be interrupted. The concerned surveyor is responsible for notifying the lecturer beforehand on the scheduled date for survey conduction. c. If a survey is required to be conducted during class hours it may be conducted at the end of class. d. Following data collection, the ETC, or the entity charged with administering the instrument on behalf of the College, should release the results of College wide surveys to the relevant HoD and the Head of College QAC only. Within departments, results can be shared with the Departmental QA Officers subject to the conditions and regulations indicated herein and under strict confidentiality measures. e. Following data collection, the ETC, or the entity charged with administering the instrument on behalf of the College, must not forward raw data or any information that may reveal the identity of individual respondents to the Departments’ Heads. Only aggregated data (e.g. item averages, sub-scale scores, and overall averages) and responses to open ended questions can be released to relevant HoDs. f. The College Unit administering the surveys consolidates the raw survey data and forward the results report (as explained above) to the Head of Department. g. The QAC representative incorporates the survey findings into the annual Selfassessment reports. h. Computer-based surveys should not to be conducted during regular class hours (unless approved otherwise by the HOD for special circumstances.) i.
Student Feedback on Teaching and Course Delivery must be conducted online and must be widely announced by ETC and the Departments.
j.
Findings from Students Feedback on Teaching should be used for both, summative (for making administrative decisions) and formative (to inform teaching improvement efforts) evaluation purposes.
7.3
Procedure for Complaints Protection and Retention a.
All staff involved in the process of a complaint (e.g. complainant, QA officer, HOS, HOD, Concerned committees) should only forward the complaint-related details (e.g. Complaint, findings, outcomes, personal data) to the concerned parties.
b. The QA officers forward the complaint to the concerned authority for feedback. In the case of sensitive and confidential complaints, the identity of individual or group submitting the complaint is kept anonymous.
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c. The Department Council and/or QA officers retain all complaints in a folder. The archived complaints are used for reference and tracking of nature of repeated complaint subjects and concerned parties. Complaints history may be referred to for the evaluation of staff and for the preparation of the department /unit’s annual and self-assessment reports. Data Management, Collection and Transfer
7.4
Procedure for Approval process and Official Communication channels a. All staff must report to their immediate senior, whether it is the Head of Department, Head of Section or Program coordinator regarding concerns and requests related to their office duties. Specific procedures which require intra-department approval are to be practiced as per the procedures presented in specific procedures which require approval within departments (for example, approval for examination moderation, approval of leave of absence). b. All staff must respond to the concerned parties regarding the approval status within 3 working days. This is applied to avoid delays in response when several parties are included in the approval process. c. All concerned staff must present the approval status in writing (and dated) and forward it to the immediate concerned party as prescribed in the underlying procedures. Staff is not allowed to by-pass immediate parties during the notification of the approval status to end parties. This is to avoid miscommunication and unprofessional practice. d. The official process of transferring information to the College Deanship or College Academic Board, should be via the Head of Section, through to the Head of Department, Assistant Deans, and finally to the Dean and/or CAB. For QA related matters, the official means of information transfer initiates at the Section QA Officer, the Department QA Officer, the QAC Chair, and finally to the Dean. e. All staffs are advised to adhere to the above mentioned, unless temporary or exceptional duties are otherwise prescribed to specific staff by the Head of Departments, Assistant Deans or Dean, which necessitate other means of information transfer.
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HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE
Internal Audit Policy
Policy No. Date Effective Approval Authorities Contact
010 Unit of Origin QAC 24/06/2013 Policy Owner HCT CAB Policy Author(s) PMS Committee PMS Chairperson: Samira Said Al Esry, Room CE109, Engineering Department, internal extension 5240,
[email protected]
This work is copyrighted. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. Duplication of this work or parts of it is only permitted under the written permission of the Higher College of Technology. Violations fall under the Prosecution Act of the Oman Copyright Law.
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Version Control Table Version
Author
0.1 0.2 0.3
QAC-PMS QAC-PMS QAC-PMS
Date (dd/mm/yyyy) 13/04/2012 24/12/2012 24/06/2013
Summary of Changes First draft Second Draft Final review by CAB
Approval Authorities Signature/Date:
Disclaimer: In the case of discrepancies between the College Bylaws and this policy, the College Bylaws will be abided by and will supersede the conflicting policy statement. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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Table of Contents 1.
Purpose……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..147
2.
Scope…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………147
3.
Definitions………………………………………………………………………………………………………….147
4.
Policy Statement…………………………………………………………………………………………………149
5.
Responsibilities and Stakeholders……………………………………………………………………….150
6.
Related Policies and References…………………………………………………………………………..150
7.
Supporting Procedures……………………………………………………………………………………….150
7.1.
Procedure for Internal Quality Audits (College-Level)..................................................... 150
7.2. Procedure for Internal Quality Audits (Department/Unit-Level) ....................................... 151
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1. Purpose The activities and operations of the College are reviewed, monitored and evaluated through internal auditing. The purpose of the Internal Audit is as follows: a. Conduct an objective examination of evidence and provide an independent assessment on the Activities and Operations (academic activities, risk management, control and governance processes) of the college. Examples may include staff recruitment, admission and staff appraisal. b. Contribute to the improvement of activities and operations of the college using a systematic and disciplined approach
2. Scope a. Internal audit will be conducted based on the college bylaws, Ministry of Manpower (MoMP) decrees, Quality Assurance Manual, long term and short term plans, approved national standards, standards provided by the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA) and any other approved document defining the institution’s standard operational systems and College and Departmental Council decisions. b. This policy provides members of College QA Committee(CQAC) and department/unit QA Committee(DQAC) with guidance, tools and information in a more detailed and specified procedure(s) for the purposes of: i. ii. iii.
Planning and conducting the college internal audit activity Planning and Conducting internal audit within the department (self-assessment exercise) Reporting on internal auditing assurance activities.
c. This policy entitles the members of department/units QAC to use the information provided here in this policy to fulfill the specific task that they have been given. However, if any internal auditor comes across situations where they believe that the guidance given in this policy is not in accordance with what they believe to be the most effective approach, they should consult with more senior member or the CQAC Chairperson. d. This policy is applicable to all the Departments and unit.
3.
Definitions
a. Internal Quality Audit (IQA) is an objective examination of evidence for the purpose of providing an independent assessment on the activities and operations of the college/each department/Unit. There are two ways of doing it. i. College audits. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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It is done by the College Quality Assurance Committee (CQAC) members annually. College Audits refer to audits conducted to review and evaluate all Departments/Units’ compliance to the policies, regulations and procedures, activities assigned through the College SP and other key documents such as National Standards, College Bylaws, MoMP Decrees etc. that governs the day to day functioning the College. This is the College’s approach to improve its performance in all areas. ii.
Unit Audits/Departmental Audits:
It is done in each and every department/unit annually by the Departmental QA Committee members (or individuals nominated by the Head of the Department/Center). This refers to audits conducted to review and evaluate specific functions of the department/Unit assigned by the college Strategic Plan and other key documents such as National standards, college bylaws, MoMP decrees, teaching and learning processes, laboratory services, maintenance and support services, and other student services in their respective units. This is to prepare the department for the College and external audits and national accreditation. b. Lead Quality Auditor (LQA): a member of CQAC (not the CQAC Chairperson) who is appointed temporarily as LQA by the College Dean. c. The Department/Unit’s QAC members (DQAC) are responsible for conducting the Departmental Internal Audit exercise. The Department/Unit’s QA officer will be the Lead Quality Auditor unless any other member of QAC is appointed as LQA by the Department Head. The Department Quality Assurance Committee must consist of representatives from all sections within the department as deemed necessary. d. Internal Audit Teams and team leaders: The CQAC and DQAC members will be divided into smaller groups of at least 2 members to form teams. e. Risk is the possibility of an event occurring that will have an impact on the achievement of objectives. Risk is measured in terms of impact and likelihood. f.
Risk management is a process to identify, assess, manage, and control potential events or situations, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of the organization's objectives.
g. Governance is the combination of processes and structures implemented by the Management in order to inform, direct, manage and monitor the activities of the organization toward the achievement of its objectives. h. Control is any action taken by management, the board, and other parties to manage risk and increase the likelihood that established objectives and goals will be achieved. Management plans, organizes, and directs the performance of sufficient actions to provide reasonable assurance that objectives and goals will be achieved. ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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i.
4.
Non - Compliance Report documents the details of an observation/finding from objective evidence available at the time of audit. The objective evidence indicates that college policies and procedures are not being implemented.
Policy Statement a. The College Internal Quality Audit (CIQA) is conducted annually to determine whether the provisions of the College Bylaws, Quality Assurance Manual (QAM), College Strategic Plan, College Policies and Procedures are effectively implemented and maintained. It includes the following: i. Preparation of audit plan; ii. Distribution of approved audit plan to the unit heads and internal quality auditors; iii. Conduct of internal quality audit; iv. Writing of non-compliance reports and/or audit observation; v. Preparation of team audit report; vi. Presentation of audit findings to the auditees; vii. Writing of corrective and/or preventive actions by the auditees; viii. Submission of non-compliance reports and/or audit observations to the QAC Chairperson and then to the College Council for action; ix. Submission of IQA summary report to the College Council; x. Implementation of preventive and/or corrective actions by the auditees; xi. Verification of effectiveness of preventive and/or corrective actions by the auditors. b. Department internal quality audits will be scheduled by the CQAC like the College internal Audits, annually. These are to be conducted by the Department Quality Assurance Committee (DQAC) headed by the Department Quality Assurance (QA) Officer on specific functions, such as laboratory and its’ maintenance services, teaching and learning processes, examination and other student services. The audit must be conducted before the College Internal Audit which must precede the External Audit (by QAD) The DQAC is responsible for ensuring that the Department/Unit complies with all the policies and procedures, activities assigned through the Departmental Operational Plan and other standards set by the MoMP and OAAA. c. Follow-up audits are conducted and organized for both the department/unit and College audits to determine whether corrective and/or preventive actions, if any, have been complied with.
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Responsibilities and Stakeholders
5.
a. The Dean appoints the Lead Quality Auditor. b. The Chairperson of CQAC/QAC will ensure that the audits are conducted annually. c. The lead quality auditor is responsible for preparing the plan for the internal audit and distributing it to all the auditees and auditors (CQAC Members). d. The CQAC Chairperson is responsible for timely completion of and reporting to the College Council on the effectiveness and adequacy of its operations and activities through the audit findings, non-compliance reports and observations made. e. Auditors are responsible for verifying the effectiveness of corrective and/or preventive actions implemented by the auditee. f.
The auditee will make available all the required evidences and documents at the time of auditing to the College internal auditors.
g. The auditee (department/unit head) will acknowledge the Non-Compliance report (if any) presented by the internal auditor at the time of Audit. h. It is the responsibility of the Auditee to write and implement corrective/ or preventative actions within a time frame which is acceptable and approved by the auditors. The implementation of the corrective and/or preventative actions will be verified by the auditors to determine the effectiveness of such actions. i.
The CQAC Chair will conduct a ‘spot’ Audit as and when deemed necessary.
Related Policies and References
6.
a. College ByLaws b. Data Acquisition, Disclosure and Control policy c. National standards, MoMP decrees and other key documents that govern the operations and activities of the College/Departments/Unit
7.
Supporting Procedures
7.1.
Procedure for College Internal Quality Audits (CIQA)
a. The Lead Quality Auditor (LQA) will prepare the audit plan; b. The LQA will distribute the approved audit plan to the unit heads and internal quality auditors; c. The audit teams will conduct internal quality audits according to their assigned duties. To do this, auditors will first prepare their checklist, perform document reviews, conduct ______________________ HCT Quality Assurance Manual _January 2014_v. 7.0
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interviews, visit classes, examination halls or witness any other activities conducted in the department/centre. d. The auditors will list any non-compliances found in the department or center and discuss the issues with the Head of the Department. By mutual agreement the auditors will write the non-compliance reports and/or audit observation and get the signature of the head of unit on the non-compliance report. e. The auditors will prepare the team audit report within 5 working days of completion of the audit and present it to the auditee; f. The auditees will then write the corrective and/or preventive actions. The auditors will set a time frame for corrective/preventive actions to be taken before the follow up visit to the Department/center to verify the effectiveness of the corrective/preventive actions g. Team auditors will then submit their non-compliance reports and/or audit observations to the LQA h. LQA will compile all the team audit reports (non-compliance reports and/or audit observations) and submit to CQAC chairperson within 10 working days of receiving the compiled audit report from team auditors. i.
CQAC Chairperson will then submit audit findings to the College council and auditees within 5 working days of receiving the compiled audit report from LQA.
j.
The auditee will implement the preventive and/or corrective actions within the given time frame;
k. Auditors will conduct a follow up audit to verify the effectiveness of preventive and/or corrective actions by the auditors.
7.2. Procedure for Internal Quality Audits (Department/Unit-Level) a. The departmental QA Officer will prepare the audit plan. The different audit tasks should be distributed throughout the Academic year. The audit tasks will be distributed amongst the members of DQAC and the staff members (in case of course file audits). b. The approved audit plan should be distributed to the unit heads and DQAC members. c. The QA Officer will prepare a detailed checklist and design forms, audit observation worksheets, that would cover all the operations and activities that need to be audited, list of documents to be reviewed and verified as evidence against the Operational plan and the standards approved by the MoMP.
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d. The DQAC members (auditors) will conduct of internal quality audit according to their assigned duties. To do this auditors will first prepare their checklist, do the document reviews, conduct surveys, check the coverage of results against approved standards and Operational Plan KPIs of the department/centre. e. The auditors will list any non-compliances found in the department or center and discuss the issues with the Head of the Department. f. The QA officer will then assist the Department/Center’s management (key) members to write the corrective and/or preventive actions. The auditors will set a time frame for corrective/preventive actions to be taken before the follow up visit to the Department/center to verify the effectiveness of the corrective/preventive actions g. The auditee will implement the preventive and/or corrective actions within the given time frame; h. Auditors will conduct a follow up audit to verify the effectiveness of preventive and/or corrective actions by the auditors. i.
QA officer should continuously monitor the incorporation and implementation of all the recommendations in the Approach and Deployment stages.
j.
The Departmental/Units’ QAC will audit necessary documents and conduct necessary surveys to check the coverage of results against approved standards and KPIs.
k. Department QA Officers will prepare the Self-assessment Report as per the directions received from CQAC.
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Internal Audit Process Map: Quality Management Representatives(CQAC) Audit considerations: QMS requirement OAAA standards MoMP-QAD standards Corrective actions Management decisions Results of External audits Stake holders concerns
Prepare audit schedule
Audit Team
CQAC Chairman
Top Management
Document review
Prepare audit checklist
Conduct audit
Provide feedback on audit
Devise audit plan
Assign Audit Duties
Non-compliance found?
Yes
Initiate corrective actions
No Review audit findings
Prepare audit report
Close out corrective actions
Update Recommendations for improvement
Verify close-out at follow up meeting
Management Review
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