Four DLSU undergraduate programs undergo AUN assessment

The Mathematics Program during the November 11 session with AUN representatives at the Henry Sy, Sr. Hall.

Four DLSU undergraduate programs, namely the Civil Engineering, International Studies, Mathematics, and Statistics programs, were recently evaluated as the ASEAN University Network (AUN) conducted its 22^nd AUN Actual Quality Assessment (AUN-QA) at Programme Level last November 11-13.

A delegation composed of eight assessors from Universities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, 24 observers from various ASEAN countries, and the AUN Secretariat visited the University to rate the said programs if they had met or surpassed the standards set forth by the AUN.

The AUN originally started as an idea of establishing an ASEAN University. However, plans fell through when too many problems arose regarding its funding and possible location. It was instead decided that a network of universities be created, which led to the association’s creation in 1994.

It was not until 1998 that the AUN-QA was created as a means of evaluating universities with the goal of attaining a higher quality of education for its constituent members. The University first participated in the AUN-QA last 2008 where two degree programs were assessed.

The entire process of assessment utilizes a check and balance system to ensure that the quality of the degree program is maintained or improved. A self-assessment is first conducted by the administrators and faculty involved in the program by following the criteria set forth by the AUN-QA.

A peer assessment is then conducted when a team of assessors and observers from the AUN visit the University to perform a direct review and confirm the evidences stated in the self-assessment. During the peer assessment, the assessors would interview administrators, faculty, students, graduates of the degree program as well as employers, and conduct observations of lecture and laboratory classes.

Afterwards, the team completes an assessment report to be submitted to the AUN. The AUN then evaluates the report and gives their decision along with the assessment report to the University involved.

The assessment employs 15 criteria, which include student assessment, quality of the academic staff, expected learning outcomes, and the feedback from stakeholders. The criteria are then rated based on various indicators and are scored in a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being “absolutely inadequate” and 7 being “excellent”.

Dr. Wyona Patalinghug, Director of the International Quality Assurance Office, believes that the assessment done by AUN ensures that the programs offered by the Universities are improving and are at par with other ASEAN schools.

“You look for improvement… Why? Because we belong to AUN. Aside from improving our programs, we also want our programs recognized,” she explains.

She furthers that the assessment also allows for a smoother coordination if students opt to take courses abroad or if students are interested in studying here. This means that courses taken here will be credited in another university and vice versa if the program involved has already undergone assessment.

“Some of their faculty can go here. Some of their students can go here. Filipino students can go in another country. And then, this mutual recognition of our programs makes it easy for students to transfer credits,” she explains. She also adds that this effort in increasing student mobility is also in accordance to the integration goals of ASEAN 2015.

She contends, however, that the rating of a program is not the real goal of having assessment, but rather it is to be aware of what aspects are strong and what are in need of improvement. “The rating is just to say ‘You have met the criteria’ or ‘You have exceeded the requirements’… It’s not about the grade,” she argues.

Past assessments

The University previously had eight degree programs undergo assessment, with most programs receiving ratings ranging from “better than adequate” and “adequate as expected” to “best in class”. The first batch included the Economics and Chemical Engineering programs in 2008, then the Psychology, Literature, and Chemistry Programs in 2010, and the Physics, Software Technology, and Applied Corporate Management program in 2011.

Patalinghug says that the preliminary results have already been presented by the assessors on the last day of the AUN-QA, which identified the strengths and areas of improvement for each degree program. She adds that the ratings of each program have yet to be released and will be presented to the University within the next two months.