Academic Planning & Quality Assurance Directorate
APQAD Policy
Academic Planning & Quality Assurance Directorate (APQAD) shall be committed to:
- Develop and improve the performance of MUG through the development of academic performance in the fields of education and learning, scientific research, and community service.
- Meet the requirements and needs of all stakeholders to provide educational services of high quality.
- Establish a culture of quality in all MUG staff members, and increase their efficiency through continuous training.
- Follow up and review periodically the quality objectives to ensure the continuity of the improvement and development of the quality system.
APQAD Vision
To achieve and sustain excellence at MUG and become a source of knowledge in the fields of leadership, business administration, management, and institutional research.
APQAD Mission
- To support institutional decision-making, operational, and strategic planning;
- To coordinate and support quality assessment efforts for continuous improvement, accreditation and review; and
- To conduct activities that spread the quality assurance culture and processes within MUG.
APQAD Values
APQAD values are considered the basis of all quality systems and processes that contribute to the achievement of the vision. The following are the values of APQAD:
- Responsiveness and service
- Quality data and meaningful information
- Collaboration and shared resources
- Innovation and use of technology
- Integrity and accountability
- Reflection and self-evaluation.
APQAD Functions
The APQAD may undertake several functions depending on its assigned mandate by the institution and its capacity to do so. The following may be considered:
- Review and advise management of the institution’s Strong Room benchmarks.
- Supervise the Conduct of Examinations.
- Facilitate internal capacity building for faculty and academic support staff.
- Oversee the institution’s accreditation processes and other quality-related engagements with GTEC including annual reporting.
- Facilitate the development, coordination, dissemination, and application of quality benchmarks/parameters for the various academic and administrative activities of the institution.
- Facilitate the collation and integration of feedback from stakeholders on quality-related issues in the institution on student’s assessment of lecturers.
- Facilitate inter- and intra-institutional workshops and seminars on quality-related themes for the promotion of excellent organizational culture.
- Act as a nodal agency for the coordination, documentation, and dissemination of quality-related issues.
- Develop and maintain a database of quality-related information and ensure its timely dissemination to relevant units.
- Prepare an annual quality assurance report on the institution based on the quality parameters/assessment criteria set for the institution in the year under review.
- Oversee internal and external Ranking issues for the institution and its programmes.
- Manage the institution’s affiliation with the Mentoring Institution (where applicable)
- Facilitate the development and assessment of curricula.
APQAD Objectives and Initiatives
In line with the APQAD’s vision, mission, and values of MUG, APQAD shall be responsible for the following objectives:
- Provide leadership in articulating a MUG’s Quality Assurance framework, policies, mechanisms, and processes to support MUG’s mission of achieving “excellence in teaching, learning and research”.
- Propose strategies, policies, systems, procedures, and practices for the MUG’s academic quality assurance and enhancement following the MUG vision and strategic plan.
- Develop and implement quality enhancement, assurance, and accreditation mechanisms across MUG, to achieve equivalence with international standards of quality in higher learning.
- Promote the culture of academic quality, self-assessment, and improvement within MUG by offering customized consultations and training workshops.
- Monitor, review, audit, evaluate, and continuously develop MUG’s quality assurance and enhancement strategies, frameworks, and procedures at all levels of MUG.
- Provide administrative and substantive support for quality assurance and enhancement at all levels of MUG and support the institutional and programme accreditation processes and contents, with national and international organizations and agencies.
- Work with faculty, staff, and MUG-level assessment committees to systematize assessment and related reporting to fulfill MUG expectations and accreditation requirements.
- Audit, review, evaluate and assess programmes to ensure the achievement of Programme Educational Objectives (PEO) and intended course learning outcomes (CILO).
- Improve the teaching and learning systems of the Institute in collaboration with the Academic Board.
- Foster an enriched intellectual environment by providing opportunities for more dialogue and engagement within the MUG community concerning academic quality.
- Review programme reports and other materials prepared by GTEC and
other international Accreditation Agencies.
- Participate in national and international conferences and meetings on quality assurance matters intending to contribute to improving the quality of Higher Education in Ghana.
- Research, draft and organize accreditation requirements for MUG as per local and international requirements of accreditation.
- Liaise with external quality agencies, and develop links with personnel undertaking similar roles at national and international levels.
Scope of the Quality Assurance (QA) Policy
In the education enterprise several factors, interact to determine quality. These include staff, students, academic programmes, instructional resource facilities, infrastructure, support services, and governance among others. The proper functioning of the various segments of the University would ensure optimal levels of these factors and ultimately assure quality. The QA policy should therefore be all-embracing and cover the operations of the following:
- Schools, faculty, departments, and centers
- All categories of staff members (permanent as well as temporary) who are providing service in teaching, research, administration, and support services.
- All registered students of the University
- All physical infrastructure, facilities, and learning resources
- The entire governance and institutional setup, social amenities, and information dissemination structures.
Expected Outcomes/Benefits of the Academic Planning & Quality Assurance Policy
Successful implementation of this policy is expected to result in:
- Improved performance of academic, administrative, and supporting staff
- Higher student achievement and success in learning
- Better stakeholders’ satisfaction
- Enhanced trust and society’s confidence, hence attracting internal and external support
- Improved institutional image
- Improved capacity to compete favorably with other higher educational institutions nationally and internationally
- Enhanced staff and students’ confidence level
- A highly motivated and focused approach to the execution of the Institute’s strategic thrusts.
Rev. Dr. Captain Godson Ayertei Tetteh
Ag. Director for APQAD