21st AUN-QA Workshop for Accomplishing Programme Assessment

The 21st AUN-QA Workshop for Accomplishing Programme Assessment was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 12 to 15 December 2017.

The 31/2-day workshop aims to introduce the AUN-QA framework and enhance quality assurance practices based on the 3rd version of the AUN-QA framework at programme level. The content of the workshop encompasses:

• Quality assurance in higher education
• AUN-QA framework and criteria at programme level
• AUN-QA quality assessment process
• PDCA Approach to self-assessment
• Self-assessment report (SAR) writing
• Change Management

The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, AUN-QA Expert together with Prof. Arnulfo P. Azcarraga from De La Salle University. The workshop was attended by 34 participants from 24 universities in Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.

ASEAN Young QA Officers Network Forum 2017

The ASEAN Young Quality Assurance Officers Network Forum 2017 was held on 7 December 2017 in Manila, the Philippines. The objectives of the forum are to appreciate different quality assurance systems or frameworks in ASEAN, understand ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework (AQRF) and ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework (AQAF) and their implications in ASEAN higher education, and strengthen the solidarity and networking of young QA officers in ASEAN.

Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, AUN-QA expert was invited to facilitate the session on "Internal Quality Assurance" together with Dr. Freddy Coignoul, Honorary Vice-Rector of University of Liege, Belgium.

EU-SHARE National Quality Assurance Workshop in the Philippines

The EU-SHARE National Workshop on the "Potential Impact of Regional Quality Assurance Standards on Higher Education in the Philippines" was held on 6 December 2017 in Manila, the Philippines. The objectives of the workshop are to raise the awareness on the state of development of the regional QA framework (AQAF) among the higher education community and to discuss the relevance and impact of the regional framework on national regulations and practices.

Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, AUN-QA expert was invited to facilitate the session on "IQA Training" together with Dr. Freddy Coignoul, Honorary Vice-Rector of University of Liege, Belgium.

EU-SHARE Seminar for Assessors of Pilot Assessment of HEIs

The preparatory seminar for assessors for the pilot assessment exercises of HEIs was held on 4 and 5 December 2017 in Manila, the Philippines. The seminar was attended by 16 assessors and 10 other experts and guests from both Europe and ASEAN. The aims of the seminar are to familiarise the assessors with the assessment criteria and guidelines, appreciate the ASEAN higher education landscape and current developments, and roles and responsibilities of an assessor including interviewing techniques, SAR analysis and report writing.

Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, AUN-QA expert was invited to facilitate the session on "How to Carry Out Interviews Effectively" together with Dr. Jacques Lanares, Former Rector of University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

16th Happiness DNA Public Workshop

The 16th Happiness DNA public workshop was held on 23 & 24 November 2017. The workshop was facilitated by Chief Happiness Coach, Mr Johnson Ong Chee Bin of Living Better in collaboration with ASK Training Pte Ltd. The participants were treated to a recipe of happiness covering the 8 dimensions of happiness DNA namely; Financial Happiness, Health Happiness, Career Happiness, Social Happiness, Environmental Happiness, Mental Happiness, Emotional Happiness and Spiritual Happiness.

Below are what some participants said about the workshop:

"Very encouraging and had enjoyed the 2-day course".

"How to embrace happiness no matter how small the act is ".

"Fun, driven and motivated".

"Understanding ourselves and the areas we can improve".

"Understand the facts of happiness".

96th AUN-QA Programme Assessment at De La Salle University

The 96th AUN-QA Programme Assessment at De La Salle University, Manila  was held from 20 to 22 November 2017 in Manila, the Philippines. Three study programmes were assessed by AUN-QA Network and the assessment of the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering was led by Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin (AUN-QA Expert, Singapore) with Dr. Vong Deuan Osay from the National University of Laos, Lao PDR. 

6th Assessor Training Workshop for AUN-QA Programme Assessment

The 6th Assessor Training Workshop for AUN-QA Programme Assessment was jointly organised by AUN-QA Network and De La Salle University, Manila from 16 to 22 November 2017 in Manila, the Philippines. The workshop was uniquely designed to give a "hyper-real" experience by incorporating both "simulated assessment environment" in the classroom and "live assessment" observation of the 96th AUN-QA Assessment at De La Salle University.

The workshop aims to equip participants with the essential competences to carry out an AUN-QA programme assessment. The workshop aims to achieve the following learning outcomes:

1. Demonstrate the competences to carry out AUN-QA programme assessment 
2. Relate the quality assurance of higher education in key ASEAN member states to AUN-QA programme assessment 
3. Formulate questions for AUN-QA programme assessment 
4. Apply the PDCA approach in AUN-QA programme assessment
5. Prepare an AUN-QA programme assessment 
6. Conduct a desktop assessment for a programme; 
7. Conduct a site assessment including stakeholders’ interviews, site tour and documentation review; and 
8. Write assessment feedback, presentation and report

The workshop was attended by 30 participants from universities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet nam. The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, AUN-QA Expert together with Dr. Tan Kay Chuan from the National University of Singapore.

20th AUN-QA Workshop for Accomplishing Programme Assessment

The 20th AUN-QA Workshop for Accomplishing Programme Assessment was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 17 to 20 October 2017.

The 31/2-day workshop aims to introduce the AUN-QA framework and enhance quality assurance practices based on the 3rd version of the AUN-QA framework at programme level. The content of the workshop encompasses:

• Quality assurance in higher education 
• AUN-QA framework and criteria at programme level 
• AUN-QA quality assessment process 
• PDCA Approach to self-assessment 
• Self-assessment report (SAR) writing 
• Change Management 

The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, AUN-QA Expert together with Dr. Tan Kay Chuan from the National University of Singapore and Dr. Evangeline P. Bautista from the Ateneo de Manila University. The workshop was attended by 35 participants from 22 universities in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.

First DAAD Alumni Workshop on Governance, Internationalisation and Quality Assurance in Viet Nam

The first DAAD Alumni Workshop in Viet Nam was hosted by Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry from 12 to 14 October 2017, Thai Nguyen City, Vietnam. The theme of the workshop was "Governance, Internationalisation and Quality Assurance: Challenges and Prospects for Unversities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Speakers from Germany, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam shared their views on governance, internationalisation and quality assurance to more than 60 participants. The workshop kicked off with a plenary session by key speakers, followed by concurrent workshops on governance, internationalisation and quality assurance. It ended with a discussion on recommendations and action plans by the panelists.

Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, Founder and Principal Consultant of Education Quality International was one of the key speakers at the workshop. He also chaired the concurrent session on quality assurance. His topic at the workshop was "AUN-QA Assessment at Institutional Level".

Education 4.0 - The 4Cs Framework to Transform HEI into an Innovation Producing Ecosystem

Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, Principal Consultant of Education Quality International was invited by the University of Danang - University of Science and Technology to give a presentation on "Education 4.0 - The 4Cs Framework to Transform Higher Education Institution into an Innovation Producing Ecosystem" on 29 September 2017, Viet nam.

The half-day presentation discussed the development and challenges of Industry 4.0, the characteristics of Education 4.0, and the 4Cs Framework using the case of Singapore and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Designing and Implementing Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) Framework

The 4-day "Designing and Implementing Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) Framework at Hue University" was held on 25 to 28 September 2017 at Hue University, Viet Nam. The workshop was attended by more than 60 participants from various colleges and departments of Hue University. The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, founder and principal consultant of Education Quality International with Ms Nguyen Thi My Ngoc, Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City.

The workshop aims to achieve the following expected learning outcomes:

• Describe the characteristics of Education 4.0
• Integrate OBE framework and Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach to curriculum design, development, implementation and evaluation
• Select appropriate strategies to engage stakeholders in curriculum design
• Apply the principle of constructive alignment to align stakeholders’ needs, curriculum, learning outcomes, teaching and learning, and student assessment
• Apply revised Bloom’s Taxonomy in writing learning outcomes
• Select appropriate instructional and assessment methods to achieve learning outcomes
• Design student assessment rubrics and marking schemes to achieve learning outcomes
• Evaluate the OBE curriculum for quality enhancement
• Apply change management in implementing OBE