Deanship of Academic Development and Quality

  On Monday, March 28, 2022, the accreditation team celebrated news of the Bachelor of Arts in English Program, one of the leading programs at King Khalid University, being awarded full accreditation for the first time by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, represented by the National Center for Academic Accreditation and Evaluation (NCAAA) for 7 years beginning in the first quarter of 2022.   The new accomplishment cements BAEP's position as a prestigious language and translation program offering an excellent quality of education centered on preparing students to be future leaders in the fields of English language studies and translation and contributing to the overall development and economic growth of the Kingdom.   "We are grateful to the entire senior leadership team of King Khalid University at the level of the president, vice president, vice rectors, and deanships. Without their support, this achievement would not be possible. We would also like to thank all internal quality consultants, whose dedication to the program and enthusiasm for its success made this possible. Finally, we thank all faculty members and staff who worked together to accomplish this feat. We strive to uphold the highest standards in teaching, learning, research, student support, curricula, learning resources and community service. This is an accomplishment for all of us," said Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation.   "I want to express my tremendous gratitude to the quality team for their tireless efforts. Working day and night, their efforts have helped us continuously improve our quality assurance system. It was not an easy task for all of us, and now it is time to celebrate," said Vice Dean for Quality and Development, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa. He then congratulated all faculty and staff and mentioned that BAEP is aligned with Vision 2030 and the Aseer Strategic Plan in that we aim to graduate students who can contribute positively to the national economy and development being witnessed on all levels all across the Kingdom, especially the Asir region. Date: 3/30/2022 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, sponsored a training seminar for the Bachelor of Arts in English program titled 'Creating and Assessing Learning Outcomes' on Saturday, February 8, 2020. The event was co-sponsored by the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality. In attendance were nearly 50 course coordinators from numerous campuses. It is worth noting that both male and female team members attended the event at Saudi German Hospital.   Dr. Abdul Wahed Al Zumor began the event by presenting on the purposes and requirements of developing course learning outcomes and the relevance of this move to the educational aspirations of the Kingdom, as stated in Vision 2030. He stressed the need to shift the focus from content-based education to outcome-based education. When comparing both forms of education, Dr. Al-Zumor explained that content-based learning is dependent mainly upon mastery of course material content. In contrast, outcomes-based education goes beyond mastery of content and into constructing knowledge and skills by the students themselves with guidance from instructors. "Outcomes-based education is part and parcel to the SAQF Level 7 Descriptors and the three domains in which they are in," he said. There was a call to action at the conclusion of his presentation to align course learning outcomes and the program learning outcomes with the SAQF framework.   Dr. Eman Alzaanin, Supervisor of the Academic Development and Quality Unit, expounded upon the fundamentals of outcomes-based education. Dr. Alzaanin emphasized the need to create an aligned curriculum where the intended learning outcomes, the learning activities and resources, and the assessment tasks and criteria are all aligned to enhance students' attainment of the intended learning outcomes at the course and programme level. She walked the participants through an exercise designed to activate the ability to spot the extent of alignment between course intended learning outcomes and written assessment tasks. "We do not want students just to learn what they think they will be tested on. By ensuring that assessment tasks mirror intended learning outcomes, the curriculum will be accurately reflected," she noted. Dr. Alzaanin also introduced a checklist to evaluate and ensure the quality of assessment in three phases: designing of the assessment, marking and verification, and review and recommendations. "This will ensure that the teaching activities of the instructor and learning activities of the student are heading in the same direction," she concluded. The end of Dr. Alzaanin's session was quite active, with a proposal put forward towards modifying the assessment structure in use.   The FLT is grateful to the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality for its co-sponsorship of the event and Quality Consultant, Dr. Ahmed Farid, for his brief explanation of benchmarking and measuring course learning outcomes along with assessments. "Thank you all for giving up part of your weekend to attend this most important event. We will begin the process of revising course learning outcomes in the near future," said Dr. Almosa.   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is dedicated to providing excellence in all aspects of its educational offerings.   Date: 2/8/2020 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  Vice Rector of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Merzin Al-Shahrani, sponsored a learning session entitled "Improving the Outcomes of the Bachelor of Arts in English Program at King Khalid University in the National Center for Assessment (QIYAS)" on Monday, November 18, 2019. The event was co-sponsored by the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality, and hosted by the Faculty of Languages & Translation's senior leadership. In attendance were nearly all faculty members at the main campus and the King Abdullah Road campus via teleconference.   Vice Rector Al-Shahrani began the event by explaining how the Ministry of Education has endeavored to improve the quality of program outcomes in all Saudi universities. Furthermore, he mentioned that educational outcomes are a key focus area of His Excellency, Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-Shaikh. The Vice Rector also noted that while institutional accreditation and university ranking are important, outcomes are paramount. The National Center for Assessment has refocused learning outcomes (LOs) under a similar model to the Bologna Process in Europe, which places all emphasis on LOs. By drawing from the Bologna Process key domain areas: Cognitive achievement (essential knowledge), behavior (skills and abilities) and affectivity (attitudes, values or beliefs), LOs will be greatly enhanced. Vice Rector Al-Shahrani then covered the main components and sub-components of the LOs that should be integral to our undergraduate program. The national standardized examination for English teachers reflects these LOs. Alumni performance on this exam is extremely important for career opportunities with the Ministry of Education. The test score parameters are:   Linguistics (15%); Applied Linguistics (12%); Translation (9%); Literature (20%); Language Skills (42%); Research Methods (2%).   Vice Rector Al-Shahrani then turned to the audience and reiterated the importance of adhering to the main components of the LOs. He stressed that our students deserve better learning outcomes that lead to enhanced employment opportunities. He then went through graphs and charts on how the 677 FLT graduates performed on the exam in the year 1440. Although the results were not as favorable as expected, there are promising indicators for potential improvement.   The Vice Rector presented a 'road map' based on teacher actions to improve test scores. Shortly thereafter, a detailed question and answer session began in which Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi expressed his concern for the results and his optimism in the plan for improvement. Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr. Yahya Asiri, and Vice Dean for Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, stated that they are also confident in the Bacehlor of Arts in English program's ability to resolve the issue, noting that sub-committees are already being formed to address each deficiency in the program.   There were many tough questions during the Q&A session. For example, the existing basis for the undergraduate program and the required LOs are set forth in the Saudi Arabia Qualifications Framework (SAQF). Vice Rector Al-Shahrani concurred, but he stated that both sets of requirements apply to the undergraduate program. The Vice Rector said that our curriculum must be modified to reflect the current requirements set forth by His Excellency, Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-Shaikh. The King Abdullah Road Campus participants made mention of the significant obstacles to overcome in making these changes.   The Bachelor of Arts in English program (BAEP) at the Faculty of Languages and Translation (FLT) is dedicated to providing excellence in all aspects of its education. BAEP, the FLT, its students, and alumni deserve national recognition for the quality of the degree program. The department is determined to reform its curriculum to ensure optimal learning outcomes and better results on standardized national exams. Date: 11/19/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages & Translation

  Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, sponsored a Self-Evaluation Scales (SES) and Self-Study Report (SSR) training workshop on Saturday, October 12, 2019. The event was co-sponsored by the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality. In attendance were the various members of the accreditation committee and the pertinent sub-committees. It is worth noting that both male and female team members attended the event at the main campus.   Head of the Academic Development and Quality Unit, Dr. Hasan Jaashan, began the event by presenting on the purposes and requirements of the SES report. "Today, I hope to clarify certain questions and to help the teams avoid the common pitfalls associated with an initial submission for accreditation," he said. Dr. Jaashan took questions from the audience and focused the group on hypothetical problems that could surface in the preparation of the SES. Program Coordinator, Dr. Fadi Al-Khasawneh, served as an additional resource during the question and answer session to help assure that everyone had a common understanding of the outstanding accreditation work.   Quality Consultant at the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Ahmad Farid, expounded upon the SES report basics covered by Dr. Jaashan. Using an overhead projector and handouts, he walked the participants through the detailed minutia of the SSR requirements. He stressed the strict evidentiary requirements set forth in the accreditation approval criteria. He noted that successful National Commission for Academic Accreditation & Assessment (NCAAA) accreditation applicants produce a detailed and lengthy trail of documents and related records. This evidence is both cumulative over a period of years and provides incontrovertible support for the statements and or conclusions proffered. He emphasized that while links to our website are very useful, these alone are insufficient proof of claims as per NCAAA regulations. The body of evidence must be both broad and deep. The support package should include material from a variety of both academic and administrative sources. Note once again that it is important to have an unbroken chain of compelling, cumulative evidence as well. Such is required for a credible application package. Although the question and answer session was generally quite favorable, there are some open questions concerning evidentiary requirements.   The FLT is grateful to the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality for its co-sponsorship of the event and Dr. Ahmed Farid's well-received workshop. "Thank you all for giving up part of your weekend to attend this most important event. We are confident that with all of your hard work, we will be granted accreditation in the near future. The entire college is anticipating the celebration that will mark the accreditation confirmation," said Dr. Almosa.   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is dedicated to providing excellence in all aspects of its educational offerings. The FLT, its students, and alumni deserve national recognition for the quality of the program. The department is determined to secure such recognition by way of NCAAA accreditation in the near future. Date: 10/13/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  On September 15, 2019, Academic Development and Quality Deanship Vice Dean, Dr. Saeed Saad Hadi, was pleased to host NCAAA Consultant, Dr. Loay Abusalah. Dean Abdullah Melhi and the faculty's Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, represented the Faculty of Languages and Translation (FLT) leadership team at the meeting. The purpose was to discuss the FLT's accreditation progress.   Over the summer, the FLT submitted the required Self-Evaluation Scales report. Dr. Abusalah expressed his great satisfaction with the department's work. He related that the next step is to submit the Self-Study Report, which demonstrates and provides the documentary support for each of the conclusions made in accordance with the criteria established under NCAAA standards. Those criteria include:   Mission and goals; Program management and quality assurance; Teaching and learning; Students; Faculty members; Learning resources, facilities, and equipment.   The Self-Study Report is based on a 3 prong general framework. First, specific policies are identified. Next, is a short synopsis explaining the implementation procedures followed in executing those policies. Finally, there is an assessment loop in which there is a thorough and frank review of the aforementioned policies and efforts and a detailed evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each item.   Dr. Abusalah expressed his confidence that the FLT would successfully complete this next milestone in the accreditation process. "I am very happy with your work. The FLT has demonstrated its capabilities and commitment. The faculty's enthusiasm is apparent in this room. Rest assured, that I wish to see the FLT accredited, and I will do everything necessary to assist the faculty throughout the process," he said.   At the closing of the meeting, Dean Al-Melhi expressed his appreciation to all the participating faculty members. He stressed the importance of obtaining accreditation as quickly as practicable. "I know I can count on all of you to work together and successfully complete the remaining steps. Having the department attain accreditation is one of the department's primary objectives for which I take personal responsibility."   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is dedicated to providing excellence in all aspects of its educational offerings. The FLT, its students, and alumni deserve national recognition for the quality of the program. The department is determined to secure such recognition by way of NCAAA accreditation in the near future. Date: 9/15/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  On May 2, 2019, Quality Consultant at the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Ahmad Farid, led a workshop at the Faculty of Languages and Translation (FLT) on NCAAA accreditation of the English language program. The first step in this process is for the department to complete a comprehensive initial self-evaluation. This analysis evaluates the current performance levels of all essential academic functions in the program. The FLT is pleased to report that the initial self-evaluation is complete.   The comprehensive self-evaluation is a complex and labor-intensive effort. The FLT assembled 11 faculty teams, each of which was assigned to evaluate a mission-critical department function. A total of nearly 30 faculty members from the FLT participated. The process involves analyzing tasks and the associated sub-tasks, then measuring current performance against a variety of quantitative and qualitative standards. The teams were working on a tight schedule for this phase of the accreditation project. Also, the work had to be completed in accordance with a strict set of evaluative parameters. Every team met the challenge head-on, and delivered high-quality work on schedule.   Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, is pleased with the FLT's progress. He stated "Before the NCAAA will begin its own critical analysis of the program, certain requirements must be satisfied. The program under consideration must demonstrate that appropriate quality assurance standards are in place, and that all operations are in accordance with its institutional charter or license. The self-evaluation requires that the department support each conclusion with a coherent statistical analysis based on traceable raw data. This effort required that the teams collect, analyze, and evaluate in a short time frame. Each team had to collate quantitative data from a wide variety of sources, and collect qualitative data from the different stakeholders, including students, faculty, and members of the community." Dr. Almosa then commended the accreditation teams for their hard work and exemplary results.   Program Coordinator at the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Dr. Fadi Al-Khasawneh, expanded upon Vice Dean Almosa's introductory remarks. "The accreditation process begins with a rigorous self-evaluation of the program. The NCAAA will not start its independent review until it is satisfied that we have completed a fair, balanced, and objective internal evaluation of our program," he said. This requires that the department conduct a detailed performance analysis of operations in 11 separate areas. Dr. Al-Khasawneh also noted that each internal evaluation is subject to independent review by a duly authorized NCAAA review panel.   The accreditation process entails for additional major steps to be completed in due course: Acceptance of the application by the NCAAA, and scheduling of dates for review; Completion of a Self-Study Report for Programs (SSRP) using the criteria and processes specified by the NCAAA. This normally takes between 9-12 months. NCAAA will provide ongoing advice during this period to ensure full compliance with all requirements; Independent evaluation by the NCAAA or it delegates, including a site visit by a review panel; Decision on accreditation by the NCAAA after consideration of external review panel recommendations.   This first phase of accreditation was not easy. The teams had to complete a large amount of work in a short amount of time. Moreover, the period of performance of this phase overlapped with the end of the school year. The FLT would like to recognize the respective team leaders and members for their hard work on the project as follows:   Standard 1: Mission, Goals & Objectives Team Leader: Hassan Costello Team Members:  Saqub Aftab + Dr. Charles Forman + Dr. Michael Hadzantonis + Dr. Justin Sfariac   Standard 2: Program Administration Team Leader: Mahmudul Haque Team Member: Mohammad Adil Siddique   Standard 3: Management of Program Quality Assurance Team Leader: Abdullah Al-Rezgi Team Member: Javed Ahmad   Standard 4: Learning & Teaching Team Leader: Dr. Fadi Al-Khasawneh Team Members: Dr. Karem Abdullateef + Dr. Eyhab Abdulrazak Bader Eddin + Dr. Adel Bahameed   Standard 5: Student Administration and Support Services Team Leader: Dr. Dawood Mahdi Team Member: Dr. Omer Sultan   Standard 6: Learning Resources Team Leader: Mohsin Khan Team Member: Dr. Sayed Mohammed Bilal Kadiri   Standard 7: Facilities and Equipment Team Leader: Dr. Ahl Allah Saddiqi Team Member: Mohammed Fouad   Standard 8: Financial Planning and Management Team: Academic Development & Quality Unit   Standard 9: Faculty and Staff Employment Processes Team Leader: Abdul Rauf Khan Team Member: Fazle Malik   Standard 10: Research Team Leader: Dr. Hasan Jaashan Team Members: Dr. Abdelhamid Bessaid + Dr. Sayed Rashid + Dr. Yahya Zeghoudi   Standard 11: Institutional Relationships With the Community Team Leader: Dr. Abdul Wahed Al-Zumor Team Members: Dr. Nisar Koka + Dr. Mohammed Osman   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is dedicated to providing excellence in all aspects of its educational offerings. The FLT, its students, and alumni deserve national recognition for the quality of the program. The department is determined to secure such recognition by way of NCAAA accreditation in the near future. Date: 5/20/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation