Quality Assurance Unit

Deputy Director's Welcome Note

NUC mandated universities to create a quality assurance unit to ensure that the national and international standards are met in every aspect of the university. Ahmadu Bello University underscores the importance of quality assurance in all its activities. In line with the directive of NUC, the University Management at its 154th regular meeting held on Monday 11th August, 2014 approved the creation of the Quality Assurance Unit in the Directorate of Academic Planning and Monitoring to cater for all issues related to quality assurance for academic programmes and support services in the University. The University recognises the need for a policy document to guide its operations. Therefore, the Ahmadu Bello University Policy on Quality Assurance was developed to provides a framework to ensure that the aims and objectives of academic programmes, research conduct and collaborative/community services are optimally achieved, in line with the Vision, Mission and strategic objectives of the University.

Vision

The Vision of the University is ‘To be a world-class University comparable to any other, engaged in imparting contemporary knowledge, using high-quality facilities and multi-disciplinary approaches, to men and women of all races as well as generating new ideas and intellectual practices relevant to the needs of its immediate community, Nigeria and the world at large’.

Mision

The Mission of the University is ‘To advance the frontiers of learning and break new grounds, through teaching, research and the dissemination of knowledge of the highest quality; to establish and foster national and international integration, development and the promotion of African traditions and cultures; to produce high level human power and enhance capacity-building through retraining, in order to meet the needs and challenges of the catchment area, Nigeria and the rest of the world’.

Values

In achieving the Vision and Mission, the University considers as fundamental the values of quality, excellence, integrity, accountability, diversity, equity, service, partnership, and entrepreneurialism. These core values have ensured that the University enjoys tremendous goodwill nationally and internationally. Specifically, the University’s values encompass:

1. Quality Academic and Research Programmes based upon International Standards


2. Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Learning and Research


3. Quality and Variety of Learning and Research Facilities


4. Cosmopolitan Staff and Students Composition


5. Dynamic and Collaborative Leadership and Management


6. Reputation for Institutional Discipline and Harmony


7. Conducive and Secured Physical and Social Landscape


8. Atmosphere of Academic Freedom


9. Gender Sensitivity


10. Quality and Variety of Sports and Recreational Activities


11. Robust Linkages with Reputable International Institutions


12. Strong Relationship with the Alumni


13. Excellent Community Service

Objectives

The Ahmadu Bello University Policy on Quality Assurance seeks to strengthen effectiveness of the academic programmes as enshrined in the University’s Vision and Mission. The policy addresses all areas of the University activities focusing on enhancing students learning experience to guaranty competence and excellence.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Provide a framework that guides implementation of internal quality assurance procedures and practices consistent with global best practices.


2. Enable the University to assure itself and its stakeholders that its operations are guided by a desire to maintain high quality academic standards and its operations and services are of the highest quality.


3. Ensure that graduates acquire relevant knowledge and skills through quality academic programmes with rich curricula that shall be updated at least every five years.


4. Facilitate the development of a culture of continuous quality improvement to achieve excellence in all University operations.


We welcome suggestions on how to make the quality assurance mechanism in the University more effective.

Mandate of the unit

The mandates of the Unit include capacity building on teaching and learning, monitoring of teaching, learning and examinations conduct, support for provision of teaching and learning facilities, coordination of accreditation of academic programmes, assessment of proposed new academic programmes, coordination of curriculum development & re-design and ensuring the implementation of seven (7) internal quality standards of both academic programmes and support services in the University as follow:

Standard 1: Procedures for Quality Assurance

The University has procedures for the assurance of the quality and standards of its programmes and awards. It is also committed to the development of a culture which recognises the importance of quality, and quality assurance, in its work. To achieve this, the University has a strategy for the continuous enhancement of quality.


Standard 2: Approval, Monitoring and Periodic Review of Programmes

The University has formal mechanisms for the approval, periodic review and monitoring of its programmes and awards.


Standard 3: Quality and Assessment of Students

Students are admitted, taught and assessed using published criteria, regulations and procedures which are applied in a fair, consistent and trackable manner.


Standard 4: Quality Assurance of Human Resources

The University ensures that all staff are qualified and competent. The staff should be available to those undertaking internal and external reviews.


Standard 5: Quality of Teaching and Research

The University ensures that effective teaching and research are delivered in fulfilling its mandate and in accordance with the philosophy and objectives of its programmes.


Standard 6: Quality of Facilities, Learning Resources and Students’ Support

The University ensures that the resources available for the support of student learning are fairly adequate and appropriate for each programme offered.


Standard 7: Academic Calendar & Public Information

The University prepares and publishes a calendar for each academic year. It also regularly publishes up-to-date information about the programmes and awards it offer.

Others are quality of research, community service/engagement, collaborations and partnerships as well as the procedures for reporting grievances, the roles of different stakeholders in quality assurance and guidelines on equality of opportunities.



Achievements

1. Over the years, the Unit has enhanced monitoring activities for teaching and learning, organized training on Effective Teaching & Learning, Curriculum Development and Review and had successfully coordinated accreditation of academic programmes by both the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Professional Bodies and the academic programmes had obtained Full Accreditation Status. In addition, the Unit had developed Quality Assurance Policy to guide the Quality Assurance Operations in the University.


2. The Quality Assurance Unit is responsible for overseeing its implementation and have undertaken both written and in person awareness raising and training with staff across the university. An appropriate structure of Quality Assurance Committees at each level from department and faculty to central committees has been developed to support the implementation of the policy.


3. The University has a Learning and Teaching Policy which was approved in 2021. It has a strong emphasis on approaches to blended and distance learning and more general use of ICT in learning as well as traditional face to face teaching. The University is closely involved in the UNESCO-ICHEI in providing strategic guidance and support for the development of the International Institute of online education (IIOE) and digital transformation of higher education and is striving to upskill staff in order to capitalise on the use of technology in teaching and learning.


4. The University’s Quality Assurance Policy sets out some details about the application process and the academic requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions, staff recruitment, and promotion. The University Training Committee continuously reviews in-house training provision, which is quality assured by the Directorate of Academic Planning and Monitoring. Conference, Internal training for staff includes ICT skills courses, use of online platforms, data collection and analysis. Internal annual monitoring is included as a formal process in the quality assurance policy.


5. The University’s Quality Assurance Policy has a brief section on the external evaluation of programmes which states that responsibility rests with the NUC and respective professional bodies or associations. The NUC accreditation reports had positive outcomes and again identified a number of weaknesses to be addressed. Similarly, an accreditation report by a professional body was positive, with some concerns identified.