Press Release
The 2012
Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN) Conference
and Annual
General Meeting
APSARA Authority
Complex, Siem Reap
29 February – 2
March 2012
From 29 February
to 2 March 2012, in collaboration with the Cambodian Higher Education Association
(CHEA), the Accreditation Committee of Cambodia (ACC) and the Asia-Pacific
Quality Network (APQN) successfully hosted the 2012 APQN Conference and the Annual
General Meeting (AGM) under the theme “External Quality Assurance in the
Asia-Pacific: What has changed over a decade?” The event was presided over by
H.E. Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in charge of the Office of the
Council of Ministers, and Chairman of the ACC, with 317 national and
international participants from 73 international and 50 national higher
education and quality assurance agencies and institutions of 33 countries,
including Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok,
attending the Conference.
The 2012 APQN
Conference focused primarily upon reflecting on expectations and achievements
of quality assurance in higher education, highlighting the current challenges
and issues of quality assurance in higher education. Participants shared a
regional vision and good practices in quality assurance of higher education and
quality assurance institutions and agencies, and initiated the enhancement of
regional cooperation among quality assurance institutions and agencies. Furthermore
participants actively exchanged views, ideas, experiences, and observations
related to past, current and future quality assurance in higher education of
their respective institutions and agencies. This event also promoted and
developed new friendship and cooperation among participants, as well as
demonstrated new sources of knowledge and guidance on quality matters.
To have in-depth
discussions on what has changed over the
past decade with respect to external quality assurance through quality
culture and cross-border higher education, the Conference contained various parallel
sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and keynote lectures—all of which
focused on sharing experiences and good practices in quality assurance in
higher educational institutions and agencies of the participating countries in
the Asia-Pacific.
It
is important to note from the Conference that the Internal Quality Assurance
(IQA) and External Quality Assurance (EQA) are the two sides of the same coin, promoting
good practices in the maintenance and improvement of quality in higher
education. The key players of IQA and EQA are Higher Education Institutions
(HEIs) and organizations outside the HEIs, respectively.
Higher education
is considered as an engine towards a knowledge-based economy. Over the past
decade, quality assurance in the Asia-Pacific has significantly improved upon
undergoing a massive expansion of higher education; developing the emergence of
cross border education; increasing mobility of students, academic staff, and
educational programs; and promoting outcome-based learning models.
Not
only did the 33 countries benefit from the Conference, but also Cambodia has gained
fruitful knowledge and experience regarding the best practices of quality
assurance. As the
President of APQN, Dr. Antony Stella, mentioned in her closing remarks, “This Conference highlighted good practices
in quality assurance and useful information on aspects such as quality
assurance of transnational education, vocational education, and quality
qualifications framework.”
Being honoured to host
the Conference in Siem Reap—the historical and cultural city, Cambodia has an ample
opportunity to further advance its academic quality, demonstrate accountability,
encourage purposeful and needed improvements, employ appropriate and fair
procedures in decision-making and continually reassess quality practices. It is
interesting that the event has also helped promoting tourism activities in
Cambodia and in Siem Reap in particular as many participants have expressed
their eagerness to come back to learn more about Cambodia’s culture and
heritage.