Oman Accreditation Council Report of an Audit of Dhofar...

Oman Accreditation Council

Report of an Audit of

Dhofar University

March 2010

HEI Quality Audit Report Dhofar University

© Oman Accreditation Council

Audit Report Number 005

© 2010 Oman Accreditation Council

P.O. Box 1255

P.C. 133

Al-Khuwair

Sultanate of Oman

Ph +968 2461 4361/2

Fax +968 2461 4364

http://www.oac.gov.om

Dhofar University HEI Quality Audit Report

Page 1 of 49 © Oman Accreditation Council

CO�TE�TS

Overview of the Quality Audit Process..................................................................................................... 4

How to Read This Report........................................................................................................................... 5

Conclusions.................................................................................................................................................. 6

Executive Summary of Findings ............................................................................................................. 6

Summary of Commendations .................................................................................................................. 7

Summary of Affirmations........................................................................................................................ 8

Summary of Recommendations............................................................................................................... 9

1 Governance and Management............................................................................................................ 11

1.1 Mission, Vision and Values ........................................................................................................ 11

1.2 Governance................................................................................................................................. 11

1.3 Management ............................................................................................................................... 12

1.4 Institutional Affiliations for Programs and Quality Assurance................................................... 13

1.5 Strategic Plan.............................................................................................................................. 13

1.6 Operational Planning.................................................................................................................. 14

1.7 Financial Management ............................................................................................................... 14

1.8 Risk Management....................................................................................................................... 14

1.9 Policy Management.................................................................................................................... 15

1.10 Entity and Activity Review Systems .......................................................................................... 15

1.11 Student Grievance Processes...................................................................................................... 16

1.12 Health and Safety ....................................................................................................................... 16

1.13 Oversight of Associated Entities (e.g. owned companies) ......................................................... 16

2 Student Learning by Coursework Programs.................................................................................... 17

2.1 Graduate Attributes and Student Learning Objectives ............................................................... 17

2.2 Curriculum ................................................................................................................................. 17

2.3 Student Entry Standards ............................................................................................................. 19

2.4 Foundation Program................................................................................................................... 20

2.5 Teaching Quality ........................................................................................................................ 20

2.6 Plagiarism................................................................................................................................... 20

2.7 Student Placements..................................................................................................................... 21

2.8 Assessment Methods, Standards and Moderation ...................................................................... 21

2.9 Academic Security and Invigilation ........................................................................................... 22

2.10 Student Retention and Progression............................................................................................. 23

2.11 Graduate Destinations and Employability.................................................................................. 23

3 Student Learning by Research Programs ......................................................................................... 24

4 Staff Research and Consultancy ........................................................................................................ 25

4.1 Research Planning & Management ............................................................................................ 25

4.2 Research Performance................................................................................................................ 25

4.3 Research Funding Schemes........................................................................................................ 26

4.4 Consultancy Activities................................................................................................................ 26

4.5 Ethics and Biosafety................................................................................................................... 26

4.6 Intellectual Property ................................................................................................................... 26

4.7 Professional Development for Research .................................................................................... 26

4.8 Research Commercialization...................................................................................................... 27


© Oman Accreditation Council Page 2 of 49

4.9 Research – Teaching Nexus........................................................................................................ 27

5 Industry and Community Engagement ............................................................................................. 28

5.1 Industry and Community Engagement Planning & Management .............................................. 28

5.2 Relationships with Industry and Employers ............................................................................... 28

5.3 Relationships with Professions................................................................................................... 28

5.4 Relationships with Other Education Providers........................................................................... 29

5.5 Relationships with Alumni ......................................................................................................... 29

5.6 Relationships with the Community at Large .............................................................................. 29

6 Academic Support Services................................................................................................................. 30

6.1 Academic Support Services Planning & Management............................................................... 30

6.2 Registry (Enrolment and Student Records) ................................................................................ 30

6.3 Library ........................................................................................................................................ 31

6.4 Information and Learning Technology Services......................................................................... 31

6.5 Academic Advising .................................................................................................................... 31

6.6 Student Learning Support ........................................................................................................... 32

6.7 Teaching Resources .................................................................................................................... 32

7 Students and Student Support Services............................................................................................. 34

7.1 Students and Student Support Services Planning & Management ............................................. 34

7.2 Student Profile ............................................................................................................................ 34

7.3 Student Satisfaction and Climate................................................................................................ 34

7.4 Student Behaviour ...................................................................................................................... 35

7.5 Career and Employment Services............................................................................................... 35

7.6 Student Finances......................................................................................................................... 36

7.7 Accommodation, Catering and Transport................................................................................... 36

7.8 Medical and Counseling Facilities ............................................................................................. 36

7.9 International Student Services .................................................................................................... 36

7.10 Social and Recreational Services and Facilities ......................................................................... 37

8 Staff and Staff Support Services......................................................................................................... 38

8.1 Human Resources Planning & Management.............................................................................. 38

8.2 Staff Profile................................................................................................................................. 38

8.3 Recruitment and Selection.......................................................................................................... 38

8.4 Induction..................................................................................................................................... 39

8.5 Professional Development.......................................................................................................... 39

8.6 Performance Planning and Review............................................................................................. 39

8.7 Promotion and Other Incentives ................................................................................................. 40

8.8 Severance.................................................................................................................................... 40

8.9 Staff Organizational Climate and Retention ............................................................................... 40

8.10 Omanisation................................................................................................................................ 40

9 General Support Services and Facilities............................................................................................ 41

9.1 General Support Services and Facilities Planning and Management ......................................... 41

9.2 Public Relations and Marketing ................................................................................................. 41

9.3 Communication Services............................................................................................................ 42

9.4 Facilities Management................................................................................................................ 42

Appendix A. Audit Panel ...................................................................................................................... 44



Appendix B. Abbreviations, Acronyms and Terms............................................................................ 45



OVERVIEW OF THE QUALITY AUDIT PROCESS

This Quality Audit Report (the ‘Report’) documents the findings of a quality audit by the Oman

Accreditation Council (OAC) of Dhofar University (DU). It comments on DU’s mission and vision, and

the appropriateness and effectiveness of its systems for achieving that mission and vision. Quality Audit

is the first stage in Oman’s institutional accreditation process. It is designed to provide a level of

assurance to the public about the quality of DU’s activities, and constructive feedback to DU to assist

with its ongoing improvement efforts.

The Quality Audit commenced with DU undertaking a self study of its mission, vision and systems. The

results were summarized in their Quality Audit Portfolio (the ‘Portfolio’). This document was submitted

to the OAC by the due date of 28 December 2008.

The OAC appointed an external Audit Panel (the ‘Panel’), comprising suitably qualified and experienced

local and international reviewers, to conduct the quality audit. For membership of the Panel see

Appendix A. The Panel met (international members via telephone conference) on 3 March 2009 to

consider DU’s Portfolio. Following this, the Audit Panel Chairperson and Executive Officer undertook a

planning visit on behalf of the Panel to DU on 25 March 2009 to clarify certain matters, request additional

information and make arrangements for the Panel’s audit visit.

Prior to the audit visit, the Panel invited submissions from the public about the quality of DU’s activities.

No submissions were received.

The audit visit took place over 12 – 14 April 2009. During this time, the Panel spoke with approximately

125 people, including governing authorities, staff, students and external stakeholders. They also visited a

selection of campus venues and examined requested additional materials.

No information provided after 14 April (being the last day of the audit visit) was taken into consideration

for the purposes of this audit, other than the pre-existing items specifically requested by the Panel in

advance.

The Report contains a summary of the Panel’s findings, together with formal commendations where good

practices have been confirmed, affirmations where DU’s ongoing quality improvement efforts merit

support, and recommendations where there are significant opportunities or improvement not yet being

adequately addressed. The Report aims to provide a balanced set of observations, but does not comment

on every system in place at DU.

The Panel’s audit activities and preparation of this Report were governed by regulations set by the OAC

Board. This Report was approved for release by the OAC Board on 6 March 2010.

The OAC was established by Royal Decree No. 74/2001. Among its responsibilities is the external

review of higher education providers (HEIs) in the Sultanate of Oman. For further information, visit the

OAC website (http://www.oac.gov.om). Full details of the quality audit process are available in OAC’s

HEI Quality Audit Manual (available from http://www.oac.gov.om/qa/HEI/).



HOW TO READ THIS REPORT

Each OAC Audit Report is written primarily for the institution being audited. The Report is specifically

designed to provide feedback to help that institution better understand its own strengths and opportunities

for improvement. The feedback is structured according to nine broad areas of activity and presented as

formal Commendations, Affirmations and Recommendations, or as informal suggestions, each

accompanied with explanatory paragraphs. It is expected that the institution will act upon this feedback

as part of its continuous efforts to provide the best possible education to students.

The Report is made public because it also may be of interest to students and potential students, their

families, employers, Government, other higher education institutions in Oman and abroad, and other

audiences. Students, in particular, may find this Report interesting because it provides some independent

comment on the learning environment at this institution (particularly sections 2, 6 and 7). However,

prospective students should still undertake their own investigations when deciding which higher

education institution will best serve their particular learning needs.

Quality Audit is the first stage in Oman’s two-stage process for institutional accreditation. Its focus is

formative (developmental) rather than summative. In other words, although the audit addresses nine

areas of activity which are common to all institutions, it does not measure the institution against

externally set standards of performance in those nine areas. Instead, it considers how well the institution

is attending to those areas in accordance with its own Mission and Vision and in the context of relevant

legal regulations. Therefore, Quality Audit recognises that each institution has a unique purpose and

profile; it does not directly compare one institution with all the other institutions in Oman.

For these reasons, a Quality Audit does not result in a pass or fail; nor does it provide any sort of grade or

score. It should also be noted that the precise number of Commendations, Affirmations and

Recommendations that an institution receives in its Audit Report is not as important as the substance of

those conclusions. For example, some Recommendations may focus on critical issues such as assessment

of student learning, whereas others may focus on issues such as the maintenance of teaching equipment in

classrooms which, while important, is clearly less critical. Therefore, it is neither significant nor

appropriate to compare the Audit Reports of different HEIs solely on the numbers of Commendations,

Affirmations and Recommendations.

The second stage in the institutional accreditation process is Standards Assessment. This stage, which

will take place within four years of the Quality Audit, does provide a summative assessment against

external standards in the same nine areas of activity. It should be noted that Oman also operates a system

of accreditation/recognition for academic programs, separately from the institutional accreditation

process. For more information on Oman’s System of Quality Assurance in Higher Education please visit

www.oac.gov.om.

This Report contains a number of references to source evidence examined by the Audit Panel. These

references are for the HEI’s benefit in further addressing the issues raised. In most cases this evidence is

not in the public domain.



CO�CLUSIO�S

This section summarises the main findings and lists the commendations, affirmations and

recommendations. They are listed in the order in which they appear in the Report, and are not prioritised.

It should be noted that other favourable comments and suggestions for improvement are mentioned

throughout the text of the Report.

Executive Summary of Findings

Dhofar University (DU) was established as a private university in 2004 and commenced its operations on

the premises of the National College for Science and Technology, which was then officially incorporated

into DU in Salalah in the Dhofar region of Oman. The building of a new purpose-built campus is

currently in progress. As a private HEI, DU is expected to have an overseas affiliate to support its

activities. DU has an affiliation agreement with the American University of Beirut (AUB) which is valid

until June 2010.

DU comprises three Colleges: College of Arts and Applied Sciences (CAAS); College of Commerce and

Business Administration (CCBA) and College of Engineering (CE). The Colleges offer 25 academic

programs in different fields of specialization (Portfolio, p.8) representing 17 diploma programs, 20

bachelor degree programs and one master’s degree program. DU enrolled over 2100 students in the academic year 2008/2009.

DU, with the support of AUB, tasked the Quality Assurance Board (QAB) of the University with

spearheading the Quality Audit self-study that led to the preparation of the Portfolio examined by the

Audit Panel. The Panel noted that considerable time and effort on the part of faculty and staff had gone

into understanding and applying the principles of the ADRI approach (see Appendix B) in each of the areas in the scope of the audit and was impressed with the overall quality of the Portfolio.

The affiliation agreement with AUB has provided a strong starting point for DU during its establishment

phase, with respect to strategic planning, academic administrative, financial management and ensuring

that seconded senior staff have clear roles and responsibilities. However, in light of the proposed changes

to the current affiliation agreement with AUB proposed for 2010, DU needs to develop a management

plan which considers all strategic and operational risks associated with this transitional phase. The

University has formulated a wide-reaching Strategic Plan and now needs to develop operational plans to

support its implementation. DU also needs to consider its current approach to data management and

collection in order to inform progress and support continuous improvement more effectively. The Panel

also concluded that the University urgently needs to review its management of health and safety on the

existing campus.

The coursework programs delivered at DU are based on those delivered at AUB. DU has identified key

graduate attributes and needs to continue to monitor employers’ satisfaction with their graduates. DU is

working on developing a common template for its syllabi which will be used throughout the University.

DU is aware of the challenges in relation to student entry standards and is developing mechanisms to

address these issues. The DU Foundation Program is being revised in line with Oman’s Academic

Standards for Foundation Programs, covering English language, Maths, IT and Study Skills. In order to

support its ongoing commitment to teaching quality, DU has established a Centre for Teaching and

Learning which the Panel found to have had a positive impact on good teaching practice. DU needs to

work on ensuring that its assessment instruments align with the course learning outcomes and that it

develops policies and procedures to handle academic security throughout the University.

DU has developed a strategic goal for research in alignment with Oman’s national research strategy. The

University Research Board (URB) plays a key role in promoting and facilitating research throughout the



Colleges. However, DU needs to develop a specific Strategic Plan for research with clear targets in order

to ensure it meets the expectations of its institutional classification as a ‘university’. DU has developed a

number of mechanisms to provide funding for research which, although in their early stages, have been

shown to have a positive impact on research output. DU needs to monitor its policies and procedures for

handling intellectual property and the implications of research commercialization as activity in this area

increases. As the research culture develops at DU, the research-teaching nexus needs to be considered.

The importance of enhancing relations with the community has been identified as one of DU’s strategic

goals. The establishment of the Continuing Education Center, the focus on the proactive role of the

Office of Information and Public Relations and the establishment of the industry Advisory Board will

support DU’s intentions. However, these initiatives need to be considered within an overall strategic plan

for the area of industry and community engagement. DU recognizes the importance of maintaining a

link with its alumni and has plans to develop an alumni association and improve its alumni data collection

and analysis. DU has made a real effort to build good relations with the local community and is

commended for this.

DU has established a number of units which are responsible for the planning and management of

academic support services. The University has implemented a computerized student information system

(SIS) to oversee the admissions process and the monitoring of student performance. In terms of teaching

and learning resources, DU has upgraded its library provision and has plans to improve its information

technology learning services. DU’s new campus promises to provide improved teaching resources; in the

meantime, the University needs to upgrade its current laboratory facilities in order to support its

programs’ learning outcomes.

The Panel found that DU needs to adopt a more systematic approach to collecting student feedback in

response to all areas of its activities and ensure that students are informed of the actions taken as a result

of their feedback. DU’s career and employment services have been shown to provide an effective

springboard for students seeking employment, and a closer alignment with local industry will support

developments in this area in the future. DU runs a number of social and recreational activities for the

student body; these activities will be enhanced once DU moves to the new campus and its purpose-built

recreational facilities.

Dhofar University recognizes the importance of attracting and retaining highly qualified faculty. In order

to support this strategic goal, DU needs to develop and implement a strategic human resources plan for

the whole university. This plan needs to consider recruitment, succession planning, performance

management, promotion and the potential Omanisation of senior staffing positions in the future. Overall,

staff satisfaction levels indicate that DU is making efforts to retain staff and create a positive working

environment.

Dhofar University has established a number of systems in order to meet the strategic objective of

improving the quality of its services and facilities. The current campus provides a number of challenges

in terms of health and safety, teaching accommodation and laboratory provision which are recognized by

DU. The new campus, which is currently under construction, will have a potentially significant impact on

DU’s achievement of strategic objectives and activities in the future.

It is acknowledged that some time has passed since the Audit visit in April 2009. The University may

have already responded to several of the Recommendations and Affirmations listed below.

Summary of Commendations

A formal Commendation recognises an instance of good practice.

1. The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for setting up a successful

affiliation with the American University of Beirut which has provided a solid foundation for

its quality assurance activities. ......................................................................................................... 13



2. The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for the establishment of the

Centre for Teaching and Learning and its positive implementation................................................. 20

3. The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for supporting faculty to

achieve research outcomes in line with its Strategic Plan through the provision of a variety of

funding mechanisms. ........................................................................................................................ 26

4. The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for its initial efforts and

success in building a strong foundation of community relations through multiple projects at

different levels, and with a good range of targeted audiences aimed at serving the community

at large. ............................................................................................................................................. 29

5. The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for establishing a well

regarded peer assisted learning system to support students and improve their academic

performance. ..................................................................................................................................... 32

6. The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for its comprehensive and

well-received staff induction process. .............................................................................................. 39

Summary of Affirmations

A formal Affirmation recognizes an instance in which DU accurately identified a significant opportunity

for improvement and has demonstrated appropriate commitment to addressing the matter.

1. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts to run campaigns to

heighten awareness of its mission, mission statements and core values across the University

community. ....................................................................................................................................... 11

2. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts to develop operational

plans linked to its Strategic Plan with key performance indicators and communicate these

effectively to all faculty and staff. .................................................................................................... 14

3. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts to create an Advisory

Board in order to involve external stakeholders in the curriculum development and review

processes........................................................................................................................................... 18

4. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s proposal to develop an

appropriate standard template for course syllabi to be used university-wide................................... 19

5. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts towards ensuring that

entry standards to the academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate level are

appropriate and rigorously applied, particularly with regard to English language levels................. 19

6. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts to align its

Foundation program with Oman’s National General Foundation Program Standards..................... 20

7. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts to implement a

consistent approach to effectively deal with plagiarism and to support students in developing

academic integrity............................................................................................................................. 21

8. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts to maximize the

extent and benefits of the student placement system........................................................................ 21

9. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s plans to strengthen the

monitoring of student progression and completion rates and to use this information to

identify and support ‘at risk’ students. ............................................................................................. 23



10. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts to strengthen its

association with its alumni through improved data collection and the establishment of an

alumni organization.......................................................................................................................... 29

11. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s plans to improve and

upgrade its information and learning technology services to support its strategic goals. ................ 31

12. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts in building a new

campus to support its mission and vision. ........................................................................................ 41

13. The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s plan to establish a

preventative maintenance system throughout the campus. .............................................................. 43

Summary of Recommendations

A Recommendation draws attention to a significant opportunity for improvement that DU has either not

yet accurately identified or to which it is not yet adequately attending.

1. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that, in light of the proposed changes to the

nature of the affiliation agreement with the American University of Beirut in 2010, Dhofar

University urgently develop a comprehensive management plan which considers all strategic

and operational risks associated with this transition. ....................................................................... 12

2. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop a clear

approach to strategic risk management, articulate any major strategic risks facing the

institution and devise potential strategies to deal with these............................................................ 15

3. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University establish a formal,

consistent process for policy development and management which is well disseminated to all

faculty and staff. ............................................................................................................................... 15

4. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop a rigorous

data collection, management and analysis system for reviewing entities and activities,

informing progress and continuous improvement. ........................................................................... 16

5. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop a robust

institutional student grievance policy and procedure which is well communicated to all staff

and students and consistently implemented and reviewed. .............................................................. 16

6. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that, as a matter of urgency, Dhofar

University review its management of health and safety on the existing campus to ensure

operation of an effective system with clear policies and procedures and attributed roles and

responsibilities.................................................................................................................................. 16

7. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University ensures that its

graduate attributes are embedded throughout the curricula and that these are clearly

communicated to all staff and students. ........................................................................................... 17

8. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University ensure that student

exit qualifications are awarded at the highest level of study to avoid multiple certification. .......... 18

9. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University establish robust

university-wide systems to ensure that learning assessment instruments clearly align with

student learning outcomes and that appropriately benchmarked academic standards are

protected. .......................................................................................................................................... 22

10. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop policies and

procedures to manage integrity in assessment security, invigilation, marking and moderation. ..... 23



11. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop a specific

Strategic Plan for research, with clear key performance indicators, linked to resources for the

provision of adequate research facilities........................................................................................... 25

12. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University, in line with the

expectations of its institutional classification, ensure effective integration of research and

teaching in all program areas............................................................................................................ 27

13. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop a strategic

and operational plan for its industry and community engagement with defined KPIs and

specific targets to drive the initiatives and measure progress and growth in related activities

over time. .......................................................................................................................................... 28

14. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University establish a clear

recording system for key academic advising activities. ................................................................... 32

15. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University ensure that all

laboratories effectively support student learning, course and program objectives. .......................... 33

16. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University ensure that student

feedback is systematically collected, addressed and students are informed of the actions

taken. ................................................................................................................................................ 35

17. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University establish a university-

wide system for the documentation of cases of alleged student misconduct in order to

monitor and review the effectiveness of its approach in this area. ................................................... 35

18. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop and

implement processes to capture employment market needs and incorporate their findings into

planning career services for students................................................................................................ 36

19. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop and

implement a strategic human resources plan for the whole university which covers

recruitment, succession planning, performance management for all staff, professional

development, promotion and severance. .......................................................................................... 38

20. The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University develop a University-

wide communications strategy and infrastructure to manage information services for

academic and administrative purposes effectively. .......................................................................... 42



1 GOVER�A�CE A�D MA�AGEME�T

Dhofar University (DU) was established as a private university in 2004 and commenced its

operations on the premises of the National College for Science and Technology, which was then

officially incorporated into DU in Salalah in the Dhofar region of Oman (Portfolio, p.10). DU

has an affiliation agreement with the American University of Beirut (AUB) which is valid until

June 2010. This affiliation has provided a strong starting point for DU during its establishment

phase, with respect to strategic planning, academic administrative, financial management and

ensuring that seconded senior staff have clear roles and responsibilities. However, in light of the

proposed changes to the current affiliation agreement with AUB proposed for 2010, DU needs to

develop a management plan which considers all strategic and operational risks associated with

this transitional phase. The University has formulated a wide-reaching Strategic Plan and now

needs to develop operational plans to support its implementation. DU also needs to consider its

current approach to data management and collection in order to inform progress and support

continuous improvement more effectively. The Panel also concluded that the University urgently

needs to review its management of the health and safety of the existing campus.

1.1 Mission, Vision and Values

Dhofar University states in its Vision that it “aspires to occupy a recognized position among the

institutions of quality higher education” (Portfolio, p.10). Its mission is to:

“achieve excellence in teaching, research and community service, in an open

learning environment conducive to creativity and innovation and to the

acquisition of cutting edge professional knowledge.” (Portfolio, p.10).

This is further articulated through its core values of Academic Excellence, Individual

Responsibility, Lifelong Learning, Quality and Continuous Improvement. DU notes the

assistance of AUB in the development of these statements. The Panel formed the view that while

these statements were congruent and appropriate for a teaching and research university, DU, as a

young university, has a considerable journey ahead. The Panel agrees with DU that there is a

need to heighten awareness of its mission and vision statements and core values across the

University community, and strongly support its plans to develop campaigns to achieve this. The

Panel is of the view that DU has established the foundations necessary to achieve its vision over

time.

Affirmation 1

The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts to

run campaigns to heighten awareness of its mission, mission statements and

core values across the University community.

1.2 Governance

DU has been established as a private University through the establishment of the Dhofar

University Company (DU Company). The University is subject to the provisions of the Omani

Private Universities Law and the articles and associations of the DU Company (Portfolio, p.10).

The Company is governed by a Board of Directors (BoD) and is listed on the Muscat Securities

Market (MSM). The Portfolio indicates (p.10) that the BoD coordinates all the University’s

activities with the Board of Trustees (BoT), many of whom are also Directors.

The BoD reviews the effectiveness of the internal auditing system, has budget and financial

responsibilities, and provides a link between the financial planning and execution stages. A new

BoD was elected at the general assembly of 2007. Initially the BoT had three committees, the



Executive committee, the Academic Affairs committee, and the Financial and Building

committee. Their tasks and responsibilities were clearly articulated (Portfolio p.12). Through

restructuring, only the Executive committee now exists with a wider, less clearly articulated

remit. This structure may provide opportunity for more efficient follow up of BoT decisions, but

there remains a risk of overlapping responsibilities between the BoD and BoT.

The Portfolio notes that after a period of 15 years the DU Company will be dissolved with all its

assets reverting to DU. The Board of Trustees will become the highest governing body of the

University. Whilst this corporate approach to establishment of a University in the Dhofar region

has provided a strong foundation for a regional university, the relationship between the BoT and

the BoD is deeply intertwined, despite DU’s strong view presented in the Portfolio and during

interviews that the responsibilities of both bodies were clearly distinguished. DU needs to review

the terms of reference for the BoT and BoD to ensure that their roles and responsibilities are clear

and distinct.

1.3 Management

The University’s academic and administrative activities are managed through the coordinated

efforts of the BoD, the BoT, the University Council (UC) and the Vice Chancellor (VC).

Currently there seems to be an effective management structure in place. The arrangement with

AUB (see section 1.4) has provided support for strategic planning and ensured that seconded senior staff have clear roles and responsibilities. Changes have been made to the management

system to include a director of Buildings and Maintenance and a director of Human Resources

(Portfolio, p.13).

The Panel was informed that the VC and all College Deans are seconded from AUB. In essence,

seconded AUB executives are responsible for much of the management of DU. There is also

dependence on AUB for the design of academic programs, the design of systems and procedures

and the monitoring of quality assurance (Portfolio, p.7). DU states that the agreement which

terminates in 2010 is premised on the belief that by this time:

“DU will have the human and physical resources, as well as academic programs,

organizational structures, rules, and regulations that will allow it to thrive as an

independent university dedicated to excellence in education”(Portfolio, p.10)

The Panel was informed that beyond 2010, the intention was that AUB would be employed as a

service provider for targeted functions, such as, for example, quality assurance. Senior seconded

staff confirmed that in 2010 they would either be employed by DU or would return to AUB.

Despite DU’s assertion that transition is expected in 2010, there appears to be little in the way of

forward planning for this significant event. There are no clear succession planning strategies in

place relating to the expiry of the affiliation agreement and any plans that might exist are not well

understood around the University. Possible risks associated with transition were not

foregrounded at any level of the University. Throughout the University, interviewees reported

being unconcerned as transition was not until 2010. The Panel developed a different sense of

urgency than that which existed within the University.

Recommendation 1

The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that, in light of the proposed

changes to the nature of the affiliation agreement with the American

University of Beirut in 2010, Dhofar University urgently develop a

comprehensive management plan which considers all strategic and

operational risks associated with this transition.



1.4 Institutional Affiliations for Programs and Quality Assurance

At the time of its establishment, DU commenced it operations on the premises of the former

National College of Science and Technology (NCST). Students enrolled at the NCST at that time

were following the program provided by Yarmouk University (YU) in Jordan and were

incorporated into DU. The YU program was phased out in 2007, prior to the quality audit.

DU’s primary institutional affiliation is with the American University of Beirut. This agreement

was established in September 2003, and it stipulates that AUB shall assist DU in the development

of its objectives, academic programs, and the administrative affairs until 2010 (aspects of this

arrangement are also described in section 1.3).

This affiliation has provided a strong starting point for DU, during its establishment phase, with

respect to both academic and administrative management. It has also provided a good foundation

for quality assurance, exemplified by specific reviews relating to library provision and finance.

AUB has provided support in the development of DU’s Strategic Plan and its mission and vision

statements; has provided academic and administrative reviewers; has seconded senior staff to the

positions of VC and College Deans; and has provided support in the recruitment of faculty and

consultants.

Commendation 1

The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for setting

up a successful affiliation with the American University of Beirut which has

provided a solid foundation for its quality assurance activities.

Although DU has stated that it plans to continue its strategic affiliation with AUB to maintain

effective management and continuous quality assurance (Portfolio, p.20), the Panel found lack of

clarity in its succession planning in relation to this (see Recommendation 1).

DU has developed initial agreements with a number of other local and international education

providers. These partnerships have the potential to enhance teaching and research resources and

capabilities as well as provide valuable interactions and important exchange programs.

1.5 Strategic Plan

DU states that its strategic goals, as developed through the strategic planning exercise during

2006 to 2008, are:

“to reach education excellence; promote research in alignment with the national

research strategy; enhance quality of services; nurture individual responsibility

and life-long learning; and enhance the relationships with the community”

(Portfolio, p.17).

The Panel found that DU had followed a systematic approach to the development of its Strategic

Plan, benefiting greatly from the strong academic and administrative support of AUB. The

strategic planning process included an extensive SWOT analysis, which involved many faculty

and staff, and the overall process appears to have been inclusive and well facilitated. The Panel

found that the Strategic Plan provided a useful starting point, but it was limited in scope and

detail The Strategic Plan was endorsed by the BoT in April 2008, but its outcomes are yet to be

evaluated. DU is in the early stages of developing College and Departmental plans which aim to

support the overall institutional goals. The Panel supports DU’s intention to develop major KPIs

and KPMs and to develop an evaluation mechanism for its Strategic Plan (see section 1.6).



1.6 Operational Planning

DU claims that “Annually academic and administrative units develop operational plans that

support DU’s priorities” (Portfolio, p.11) and DU “will develop an operational plan that is based

on the strategic plan” (Portfolio, p.20). While DU has instituted a sound strategic planning

process, an important next step is the clear development of operational plans to support these

processes occurring at the University and College level. The Panel found little understanding or

awareness of the existence of any operational plans at the department or office level but

recognizes that this is an area DU is developing. The development of a set of KPIs that support

both the University’s strategic and operational plans will be needed for DU to effectively ensure

that the strategic planning process delivers meaningful benefits. The Panel supports DU’s efforts

in this area.

Affirmation 2


develop operational plans linked to its Strategic Plan with key performance

indicators and communicate these effectively to all faculty and staff.

1.7 Financial Management

DU states that the Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor for Administrative and Financial Affairs

(AVC) and the Director of Financial Affairs are in charge of financial management (Portfolio,

p.14) and that the Department of Financial Affairs is responsible for planning, supervising, and

controlling the financial operations of the University (Portfolio, p.11). As the Dhofar University

Company (established as the company owning DU) is a publicly listed company and therefore

listed on the MSM, accounts are publicly available and audited annually. The BoD maintains

responsibility for internal and external audit functions. The BoD receives quarterly financial

reports and approves quarterly expenditure.

The budgeting process was confirmed by the Panel. Departments and areas request annual

allocations through an annual submission process. This is then examined by the AVC and UC

and amounts allocated within the existing University budget. Departmental allocations are then

expended in line with approved purposes.

While a substantial governmental allocation of funding was received, the major capital works

currently being undertaken at DU have presented financial challenges to the University which are

recognized by the senior management. Plans relating to units examined by the Panel indicate an

acknowledged critical support on AUB for financial management. DU needs to review this

dependence on AUB in light of the current agreement coming to an end in June 2010 (see

Recommendation 1).

1.8 Risk Management

DU states (Portfolio, p.15) that it has developed a common set of practices to deal with identified

potential risks. These risks have been identified as financial, environmental and competitive.

Environmental risks include floods, fires and damage to property, and are covered by insurance.

Financial risks are mitigated through monitoring of expenditure against budgeted allocations.

Mitigation of competitive risk is through improving the quality of education and services.

The Panel, however, found no evidence of systematic risk management in the University.

Interviews during the audit visit suggested that the understanding of risk across the organization

was focused on physical risk, such as occupational health and safety risks. In particular, DU

faculty and staff noted the risks associated with the current rental accommodation. While noting

the absolute requirement for minimizing risks that threaten health and safety, the Panel formed

the view that there was a need for DU to move to a more comprehensive and mature view of risk



management. DU notes as an area for improvement the need for a risk management system which

will assist in proactive identification of potential risks. This is endorsed by the Panel.

Much of the current understanding of risk identified by DU during the audit visit remained in the

environmental category. Other than the risks of competition (Portfolio, p.15), concerns over

English language competency of students and the risk of declining student numbers as admissions

criteria were tightened, there was little acknowledgement at management level of any strategic

risks, such as, for example, risks associated with the planned transfer of administrative

arrangements from AUB to DU in 2010 (see section 1.3). The Panel formed the view that an

absence of acknowledgement or consideration of any potential strategic risks associated with

such a major transition was, in itself, a significant risk to the institution.

Recommendation 2

The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University

develop a clear approach to strategic risk management, articulate any major

strategic risks facing the institution and devise potential strategies to deal

with these.

1.9 Policy Management

DU policies (bylaws) have been developed as needed (Portfolio, p.11) and these and associated

procedures are included in the faculty manuals. DU acknowledges that there is no policy register.

The University claims to have a policy management process (Portfolio, p.15), and states that it

“has established a process for periodic reviewing and managing policies and procedures to match

the developments that are taking place in the university” (Portfolio, p.21).

The Panel found that individual faculty and staff members lacked clarity on how policy

management occurs at DU, and dissemination and awareness of changes to policy do not appear

to be managed systematically. While it was noted that College Deans do informally discuss

potential changes to policy, not all discussions appear formalized prior to approval by the UC. In

contrast to DU’s stated position, the Panel concluded that at present there is no consistent

approach to policy development, dissemination, communication and review in operation.

Recommendation 3


establish a formal, consistent process for policy development and

management which is well disseminated to all faculty and staff.

1.10 Entity and Activity Review Systems

DU states that academic and administrative units submit annual reports that are integrated into the

VC’s annually report (Portfolio, p.19). Institutional awareness of entity performance occurs

through UC representation of College Deans and the AVC. The Panel confirmed that there are

review systems in place for different units and departments. However, the process is not

consistent throughout the University and as yet there is no university-wide system providing

accurate and timely performance data to decision makers. The improvements made to the library

in response to AUB’s report, provide a good example of the affiliation agreement with DU

impacting positively on quality.

DU does state its intention to develop a more efficient review system (Portfolio, p.21)

although the Panel found limited evidence of exactly how this would be put into effect, and

how, for example, such a system would allow effective monitoring through effective data

management and monitoring of outcomes.



Recommendation 4


develop a rigorous data collection, management and analysis system for

reviewing entities and activities, informing progress and continuous

improvement.

1.11 Student Grievance Processes

DU states that if a student has a grievance relating to academic grades, they have the right to

submit a petition to the course instructor; if the student is not satisfied with the instructor’s ruling

they may appeal to the department chair (Portfolio, p.16). It is also stated that if a student has a

grievance about other academic issues, they can submit a petition to the Dean of the College. The

University reports that most non-academic cases have been dealt with at “committee level” and

“only a few cases” of grade unfairness have been reported since 2004 (Portfolio, p.16).

While the Panel did view documentary evidence of grievances having been dealt with, students

did not appear to have a clear understanding of the processes available to them. While an outline

of the process relating to academic grades is given in the Student Handbook and University

Catalogue, there is no mention of grievances about other issues. As grievances are managed “in-

house” through College Deans, it is not clear to the Panel how the University would know if

student concerns were being managed fairly, and as there is inconsistency in the management of

the process in the different Colleges, this opens the potential for inequitable treatment of students’

concerns.

Recommendation 5


develop a robust institutional student grievance policy and procedure which

is well communicated to all staff and students and consistently implemented

and reviewed.

1.12 Health and Safety

DU has acknowledged significant issues arising from the use of rental facilities prior to transition

to the new campus. DU states that two fires have occurred in the current rented facilities

(Portfolio, p.18); despite this, the Panel noted locked fire escapes in buildings. During interviews

staff expressed concerns for the safety and state of the existing facilities and this was supported

by student survey results. There is acknowledgment of this as an area for improvement but future

plans appear weak (Portfolio, p.21), relying on the transition to the new campus.

The Panel found no documentation relating to the procedures and arrangements in the areas of

health, fire safety, natural disaster, and field trips referred to in the Portfolio (p.12). DU needs to

address this area as a matter of urgency.

Recommendation 6

The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that, as a matter of urgency,

Dhofar University review its management of health and safety on the

existing campus to ensure operation of an effective system with clear policies

and procedures and attributed roles and responsibilities.

1.13 Oversight of Associated Entities (e.g. owned companies)

DU has no associated entities and therefore this area was not included in the scope of this quality

audit.



2 STUDE�T LEAR�I�G BY COURSEWORK PROGRAMS

The coursework programs delivered at DU are based on those delivered at AUB. These programs

have been reviewed to ensure that the content is relevant for students in Oman through

consultation with local industries and organizations. DU has identified key graduate attributes

and needs to review these as it monitors employers’ satisfaction with their graduates. DU is

working on developing a common template for its syllabi which will be used throughout the

University. DU is aware of the challenges in relation to student entry standards and has

developed mechanisms to address these issues. The DU Foundation Program is being revised in

line with Oman’s Academic Standards for Foundation Programs, covering English language,

Maths, IT and Study Skills. In order to support its ongoing commitment to teaching quality, DU

has established a Centre for Teaching and Learning which the Panel found to have had a positive

impact on good teaching practice. DU needs to work on ensuring that its assessment instruments

align with the course learning outcomes and that it develops policies and procedures to handle

academic security throughout the University.

2.1 Graduate Attributes and Student Learning Objectives

The University has a list of five “learning outcomes” to be achieved by all DU graduates

(Portfolio, p.22). These align with the mission and core values of the University but would best

be described as graduate attributes rather than learning outcomes. They are broad qualities with

multiple components that may be difficult to assess, for example “practice tolerance, humility,

respect for differences and commitment to service” (Portfolio, p.22). This section in the Portfolio

suggests that there is confusion related to the definitions of “graduate attributes”, “Student

Learning Objectives” and “Learning Outcomes”; it would be helpful for this to be clarified within

and across the University.

The Panel noted some reference to DU’s stated graduate attributes in relevant DU documentation,

particularly in relation to the College of Engineering, and in interviews the Panel heard some

direct and indirect reference to these attributes in relation to external stakeholder input, curricula

and assessment. It is the view of the Panel that a university-wide understanding of graduate

attributes is still in the process of being established and that processes to ensure consistent

university-wide assessment and review of graduate attributes are yet to be fully embedded.

Recommendation 7


ensures that its graduate attributes are embedded throughout the curricula

and that these are clearly communicated to all staff and students.

The Panel welcomes the initiatives taken to survey DU alumni and employers to explore the

extent to which graduates demonstrate the desired graduate attributes. The particular issues

arising from these surveys regarding lack of critical thinking and analytical skills in DU graduates

have been recognized and targeted for improvement. However, the itemized improvements

(Portfolio, p.29) are processes for additional monitoring and surveys rather than specific actions

to remedy the skills deficit; appropriate changes at course/program level are likely to be required

to address the opportunities for improvement identified.

2.2 Curriculum

The academic programs at DU have been developed by AUB experts with some local

contextualization in relation to program content and structure, informed through consultation with

local industries and organizations. This support from AUB has furnished DU with a sound

starting point for its curriculum portfolio. Annual program reviews are carried out and informed



by routine student feedback, faculty assessments, and regular involvement of visiting reviewers

from AUB. A more comprehensive review of the curriculum is planned on a five-year cycle. The

AUB experts are stated to undertake a quality assurance role which includes evaluation of the

course syllabi, examinations and course learning outcomes, as well as observing the teaching, and

interviewing students and faculty (Portfolio, p.24). The Panel believes that more rigor is required

to ensure that academic standards and required levels of student achievement at both course and

degree level are benchmarked appropriately throughout the University. The quality assurance

functions currently undertaken by AUB will need to be replaced by appropriate procedures if the

DU/AUB Agreement is not renewed in 2010 (see section 1.3).

Where lower level awards are embedded in higher level awards, for example the DU Diplomas

are subsumed within Bachelor degrees, students are currently permitted to receive both

certificates, thus counting the same credits towards more than one award. This is not common

international practice and the Panel is of the view that the University should consider ceasing to

allow course credits to be used towards more than one award. Separate awards should have

defined goals and outcomes, and a curriculum designed to meet those outcomes.

Recommendation 8


ensure that student exit qualifications are awarded at the highest level of

study to avoid multiple certification.

Admission and progression criteria for each award should also be defined and students should

only collect the higher award in their sequence of studies. The Panel found a general lack of

distinction between academic levels which needs to be addressed; this was evidenced by lack of

differentiation in admission requirements, faculty teaching assignments, and apparent lack of

distinction in the intellectual demands of the programs at Diploma, Bachelor and Masters levels.

In the Portfolio, DU describes the process of curriculum development and review for post

Foundation level courses. Course development to date has been based primarily on modifying

the structure and content of corresponding courses from AUB and other universities to suit the

local context and needs, and various review activities take place within a given academic year

leading to formalized changes in curricula. The Panel saw some good examples of relevant

course documentation and in interviews heard some examples of how faculty engage in

curriculum development and review activities. In the Panel’s view, the development of the new

undergraduate program in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Petroleum Engineering is a

good example of DU responding to the needs of the region in terms of the development of new

courses. Given the unique environment in Oman and restricted employment opportunities in the

Dhofar region, such tailoring of courses to meet employer needs would appear to be critical. The

Panel concluded that feedback and input from employers has been ad hoc and limited in scope

and that more systematic and routine input is required. The Panel acknowledges and supports

DU’s proposals to create an Advisory Board to advise the University on curriculum-related issues

(Portfolio, p.29).

Affirmation 3


create an Advisory Board in order to involve external stakeholders in the

curriculum development and review processes.

The Panel noted how updated course descriptions are presented in the annually produced DU

Catalogue which in the Panel’s view is a high quality, comprehensive document. However, DU

acknowledges the need for the development of an appropriate template for the presentation of

syllabi to be used across all colleges. The sampling of course files together with interviews

conducted with faculty and students revealed a lack of shared understanding regarding the



expected content and accessibility of the syllabi. The Panel considers that the course syllabi

should be comprehensive in content, up-to-date, accessible to all students and faculty and

produced in a consistent format agreed by the University.

Affirmation 4

The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s proposal to

develop an appropriate standard template for course syllabi to be used

university-wide.

DU states that only 73% of students agreed that they currently receive course syllabi at the

beginning of the semester (Portfolio, p.27); the Panel urges the University to ensure that course

syllabi are distributed to all registered students at the start of the course.

2.3 Student Entry Standards

Students are admitted directly to DU College diploma and degree programs or to the DU

Foundation program on the basis of their General Education Diploma and their results in DU-

administered English, Mathematics and Information Technology placement tests (Portfolio, p.24).

Required levels of achievement in these tests are approved by DU’s University Council. The

Panel was made aware of the challenge DU faces concerning the generally low academic

standards of incoming students, in particular their limited English language proficiency. In

interviews, the Panel heard examples of how this currently presents faculty with challenges in

delivering their courses. The Panel was pleased to be told details of the five-year strategy being

implemented in the Foundation program to support raising current entry standards onto academic

programs, and the Panel heard from faculty that this strategy was felt to be impacting positively.

DU states that entry to the only Masters degree being offered by DU at the time of the audit

requires, in terms of English language, a minimum level equivalent to IELTS 5.0 /TOEFL 500

(Portfolio, p.24). The Panel explored its concern that the rigor expected of a Masters program

delivered in English could not be reached with this level of preparation in the medium of

instruction. This program is in the first year of operation, and the Panel heard that the set criteria

have allowed access to this program to students who were at a lower level of English language

than was expected and that as a result there are students on this program who are effectively on

probation. The Panel was informed that English language development is being specifically

supported by DU offering an increased number of English Language electives and also that the

exit level of students would be determined by an IELTS test administered independently by the

British Council.

The Panel acknowledges that to ‘raise the criteria of admission of new students’ is a stated

‘mechanism of implementation’ for DU’s strategic goal of ‘reaching educational excellence’ and

agrees that this issue, particularly in relation to English language proficiency, is a significant

challenge for DU (Portfolio, p.30). The Panel supports DU’s current initiatives in this area but

emphasizes that the admission criteria to undergraduate and graduate programs need to be set

appropriately to facilitate student success on the programs. If the University is to fulfill its stated

goal to “make admission to the academic programs increasingly more selective” (Portfolio, p.30)

it will need to routinely evaluate the relationship between entry credentials of students and their

performance in the early semesters of their studies. This will then be of value in informing the

development of admission criteria to meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Affirmation 5

The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts

towards ensuring that entry standards to the academic programs at both

undergraduate and graduate level are appropriate and rigorously applied,

particularly with regard to English language levels.



2.4 Foundation Program

The University acknowledges the challenge faced in dealing with the English language

deficiencies of the incoming students (Portfolio, p.7). This recognition has prompted several

proposed initiatives such as strengthening the integration of English language skills into course

content by providing in-house workshops through the Centre for Teaching and Learning (see

section 2.5) and designing and implementing a summer program to enhance language skills for

current and incoming students. These efforts are likely to be supported by changes made to the

Foundation Program in line with the National ‘General Foundation Program Standards’. The

Panel saw examples of good quality documentation relating to this revised program and in

interviews heard about newly developed academic rules and regulations being implemented to

support it.

Affirmation 6


align its Foundation program with Oman’s �ational General Foundation

Program Standards.

2.5 Teaching Quality

The University states that it aims to recruit appropriately qualified and experienced faculty who

are encouraged to adopt a student-centered approach to learning (Portfolio, p.22). The Panel read

and heard in interviews about the operation of peer and student teaching evaluation systems

developed in order to support teaching quality. A number of faculty described the use of ‘course

files’ to support them in their teaching and the Panel was able to view examples of these. In

relation to the above, the Panel acknowledges some current good practice but is of the opinion

that the use of both ‘course files’ and ‘teaching portfolios’ is yet to be fully embedded university-

wide and that also, as yet, that there is limited systematic translation of feedback from the

teaching evaluation systems in place into actions targeting improvement of teaching.

In accordance with the DU Mission to develop “Excellence in Teaching”, the University has

inaugurated a Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL). It was evident to the Panel that the

agenda for this unit is active and appropriate to engage with faculty in enhancing teaching

methodologies towards a more student-centered approach with active learners. The establishment

of the CTL is in response to a priority for instructional planning and support voiced by the faculty

at DU. The Centre is led by motivated faculty and has benefited from formal liaison with the

University of Toronto, Canada, as well as with AUB. The program of workshops, teaching

evaluations and individual support is beginning to have a positive impact on the teaching

community. The CTL should now develop a process to routinely evaluate its own effectiveness.

Commendation 2

The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for the

establishment of the Centre for Teaching and Learning and its positive

implementation.

As its mission is to develop “Excellence in Teaching”, DU needs to address the challenges

presented by the current limitations of its teaching resources; particularly in terms of laboratory

provision (see section 6.7).

2.6 Plagiarism

Plagiarism is an issue for all Higher Education institutions and addressing it effectively is

fundamental to the development of high quality provision. Dhofar University has made some

progress in establishing a culture of academic integrity and cases of plagiarism are being detected



and processed. The University has a clear definition of plagiarism included within its policy

which is published in the Student Handbook. In this handbook, plagiarism is also listed as a

‘student violation’ within the University’s Code of Conduct for Students. The possible

disciplinary measures for violations are also specified. The Panel noted the Statement on

Plagiarism newly included and emphasized in the 2008-2009 DU Catalogue.

The Panel viewed documentary evidence of two formal investigations into ‘unfair means to

enhance performance’ that involved allegations of cheating in examinations but is of the view

that a robust system for consistent university–wide detection, reporting, investigation and

application of penalties (with the potential for students to appeal) for plagiarism and other forms

of ‘unfair means to enhance performance’ is yet to be established. In conjunction with this, more

work remains to be done in informing students about policy, procedures, plagiarism avoidance

strategies, and sanctions in this area; less than 40% of students reported that the plagiarism policy

was made clear to them (Portfolio, p.28). The Panel supports DU’s stated efforts to develop a

more comprehensive academic honesty policy, to help students develop skills to support

academic integrity and to support faculty in their efforts to detect plagiarism.

Affirmation 7


implement a consistent approach to effectively deal with plagiarism and to

support students in developing academic integrity.

2.7 Student Placements

The Portfolio states that DU’s programs in education, social work, business and engineering

require practical experience through internships and/or practica (Portfolio, p.23) and the Panel

heard students, faculty and external stakeholders describe in positive terms credit and non-credit

bearing internship/practicum components that take place within public and private sector host

organizations within the region and also within DU itself. The placement of students in

internships is perceived by students and faculty as a valuable experience for students which

enhances employer links with the University and employment opportunities for graduates.

A significant number of students have been placed across the three Colleges over the past four

years and systems for monitoring and reporting have been developed. Given the limited

employment opportunities in the region, this system will need to be developed to its full potential

and reviewed in terms of sustainability as the University expands its student population. The

University has planned improvements that should serve to maximize the extent and benefits of

this placement system.

Affirmation 8


maximize the extent and benefits of the student placement system.

2.8 Assessment Methods, Standards and Moderation

In terms of assessment methods, DU states that it uses a variety of assessment methods such as

examinations, assignments, research projects and oral presentations (Portfolio, p.25). The Panel

found evidence of this during the visit. DU’s attention to enhancing the diversity of assessment

strategies is important in matching the variety of learning styles of students. However, the key

matter of matching the assessment methods with course learning outcomes needs to be

developed.

It was confirmed to the Panel during interview that, as the awarding body of all DU diplomas and

degrees, DU has overall responsibility for academic standards. The responsibility for grading



student work and providing feedback to students is clearly articulated in the Faculty Manuals.

The stated practice is for the course instructor to have complete authority for assigning grades,

although an appeals process is described which may lead to involvement of the Program Chair.

AUB faculty are reported to have some oversight of assessments and examinations and tests are

lodged in the Course Files.

The Panel noted DU’s statement in the Portfolio relating to ‘class grade average’ (Portfolio, p.23)

whereby the average of all student grades in any class is normally expected to fall within a given

range (e.g. 70% to 80% for undergraduate courses). However, the Panel was not able to find

evidence of robust systems in place, either internally or directed by AUB, to ensure that

assessments actually measure stated student learning outcomes effectively. This is an area of

critical importance in relation to protecting the integrity of DU’s awards. Outcomes based

assessment relies on having clearly articulated and measurable outcomes at course and program

level, and a carefully considered assessment strategy that can measure the achievement of the

outcomes. The Panel is not persuaded that the autonomy granted to individual instructors

regarding assessment is of benefit in raising standards and ensuring consistent quality across the

University. With no evident external benchmarking of student achievement, the University’s

goal of academic excellence through continuous improvement will be difficult to evaluate and

advance.

Recommendation 9


establish robust university-wide systems to ensure that learning assessment

instruments clearly align with student learning outcomes and that

appropriately benchmarked academic standards are protected.

The claim made by the University that feedback is available to students on their examination

performance and overall grades was not confirmed during the visit. The Panel considers this

feedback to be a critical component in the learning process and one which encourages a healthy

transparency in the grading system. The Panel is of the view that DU should give further

attention to the area of feedback to students on assessments.

The Panel was pleased to note the formation of an Examination Committee for the Foundation

Program which is tasked with aligning the main assessment tools with the learning outcomes of

each level. Final exams on this program are now double marked and moderated to ensure

accuracy and fairness. The Panel was also told that DU is increasingly moving towards using

standardized tests as externally valid measures of students’ skills. These are examples of positive

measures which have the potential to be implemented across the University.

2.9 Academic Security and Invigilation

DU states that normally 60% of a total course grade should be derived from examinations

(Dhofar University Catalogue), and states in the Portfolio:

“The aim of academic security and invigilation is to ensure that student

assessment activities at DU take place in a secure environment based on strict

compliance with DU’s rules and regulations about academic honesty, integrity

and fairness” (Portfolio, p.22).

The Panel notes the use of double marking in the Foundation Program. However, the Panel was

unable to find evidence that the aim in relation to academic security and invigilation is being

consistently achieved; the autonomy of faculty in managing the examination process raises the

matter of consistent and appropriate practice. The Panel was not able to find evidence of

systematic implementation of clear policies or procedures relating to the security of examinations



during their development and prior to their administration, the invigilation of examinations or the

marking and moderation of scripts.

Recommendation 10


develop policies and procedures to manage integrity in assessment security,

invigilation, marking and moderation.

The Panel notes that DU acknowledges the physical constraints regarding suitable rooms for

examinations in the present temporary campus and claims that the new campus will have “the

physical specifications for proper invigilation in the examination halls” (Portfolio, p.31).

2.10 Student Retention and Progression

Data is recorded systematically by the University to enable it to monitor and review student

retention and progression effectively. The records to date reflect DU’s achievement of their

stated aspiration of “having around 90% of admitted students successfully complete their degree

requirements on time” (Portfolio, p.26).

However, considering the academic credentials of incoming students and the issues with English

language, it is surprising to the Panel that pass rates are so high within the academic programs. In

the absence of external benchmarking it is impossible to validate this concern. However, this is

an area DU needs to review.

The Panel supports DU’s stated intention to better monitor and support students deemed at risk

and also their plans to strengthen their monitoring of student progression and completion rates,

and carry out comparative studies to identify and explain trends.

Affirmation 9

The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s plans to

strengthen the monitoring of student progression and completion rates and

to use this information to identify and support ‘at risk’ students.

2.11 Graduate Destinations and Employability

Given the limited employment opportunities for graduates in the region, the effective operation of

the University’s careers counseling is important. It is evident to the Panel that due attention has

been given to establishing the careers support service, and that the University provides career

counseling and employment information and services to students as claimed in the Portfolio (see

section 7.5).

However, surveys and Panel interviews revealed significant disappointment on the part of

employers with the level of skills and knowledge in the graduates. The Panel found that DU has

recorded relevant data relating to postgraduate destinations and analyzed this to formulate plans

of action that have the potential to improve the employment prospects of graduates. Planned

initiatives include proposals to strengthen the careers counseling service by appointing staff;

developing record systems; conducting surveys to help define skills required in the workplace;

and seeking to maximize student participation in workshops and other events organized by the

careers service. The Panel strongly supports these plans towards improving graduate

employability. Relevant benchmarking would support DU’s initiatives in this area. DU needs to

develop a system to continue to monitor its graduate destinations and employers’ satisfaction with

its graduates. The proposed Advisory Board (see section 2.2) should be used to support developments in this area.



3 STUDE�T LEAR�I�G BY RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Dhofar University is in the beginning stages of establishing postgraduate programs. Student

research is currently occurring from time to time in senior undergraduate levels. Only a few

cases of senior students participating in research projects were reported by faculty. The Panel

encourages the University to enhance and support these learning activities and provide resources

so that the majority of senior courses can adopt them. As a University, DU is expected to offer

accredited programs up to and including Masters and/or Doctoral level (ROSQA, p.18). One

postgraduate coursework program (Master of Education) is offered and more are planned. DU

intends to include research skills in these programs but needs to ensure that this is built into its

overall research strategy.

Other than to note the potential capacity to supervise research programs (qualified faculty

actively engaged in research), the Panel did not pursue this area of the audit further.



4 STAFF RESEARCH A�D CO�SULTA�CY

DU has developed a clear strategic direction for research in alignment with Oman’s national

research strategy (Portfolio, p.17) but needs to articulate this within a coherent plan with clear

performance indicators. DU has developed a number of mechanisms to provide funding for

research which, although in its early stages, has been shown to have a positive impact on research

output. DU needs to monitor its policies and procedures for handling intellectual property and

the implications of research commercialization as activity in this area increases. As the research

culture develops at DU, the research-nexus needs to be considered in all program areas.

4.1 Research Planning & Management

The University has been established with a mission to include the achievement of research

excellence in order to achieve its vision of holding a recognized position among institutions of

quality higher education. DU has established a strategic goal “to promote research aligned with

the national research strategy” (Portfolio, p.32). As a relatively new university, DU has put in

place many of the governance structures and strategies that will assist it in achieving this goal.

The University has established a University Research Board (URB) which has as part of its role

to encourage and facilitate research across the Colleges. The URB has membership from all three

Colleges as well as the Foundation Department. The URB develops policies to be followed in

seeking grant support from external agencies such as the Research Council in Oman and has been

assigned the role of handling applications for research.

Although DU has included research in its overall Strategic Plan, there are no KPIs or KPMs in

relation to research outputs. The Panel considered DU’s Research Report 2004-2008 which listed

staff research by departments. These results are not linked to clear research targets. As a

University, DU is expected to provide adequate resources and facilities to support advanced

inquiry but staff survey results suggest that this is not the case (see section 4.2). DU needs to develop a specific Strategic Plan for research which takes these issues into account.

Recommendation 11


develop a specific Strategic Plan for research, with clear key performance

indicators, linked to resources for the provision of adequate research

facilities.

4.2 Research Performance

DU has built research activity into expectations of all College faculty. Research outcomes are

required for promotion. The research outcomes of DU are demonstrated through conference

presentations and to a lesser extent, referred journal articles. The Panel was advised that some

faculty were undertaking research in collaboration with institutions where they were previously

employed. In interviews, faculty appeared committed to research but, as often observed in a new

university, research outcomes are variable across the disciplinary areas. Strategies put in place

through the URB appear to be providing a sound basis for the further improvement of research

performance.

According to the results of faculty research questionnaire, however, a number of staff indicated

that there were insufficient research facilities and 60% of respondents either strongly disagreed or

disagreed that the environment at the University was conducive to research. The results of the

questionnaire need further analysis by DU in order to ascertain what action should be taken to

address these perceived issues.



As yet, DU does not have enrolments in degree by research programs (PhD, Masters). DU

Faculty would appear to be well-qualified to supervise and over time, the research culture and

subsequent research performance will be better sustained by the establishment of degree by

research programs in order to fulfill the expectations of its institutional classification.

4.3 Research Funding Schemes

In addition to the roles of the URB mentioned above, the URB is also responsible for the

development and administration of funding schemes for the initiation and ongoing maintenance

of research activities. DU has three internal funding sources available for researchers: “Short

Term Grants”, “Seed Money Grants” and “Research Grants”. The processes for accessing funding

were well understood and the support was well regarded by faculty. The Panel found that the

availability and use of “Research Grants” and “Seed Money Grants” were directly related to the

strategic goals of the University and were leading to improvements in research output.

Commendation 3

The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for

supporting faculty to achieve research outcomes in line with its Strategic

Plan through the provision of a variety of funding mechanisms.

4.4 Consultancy Activities

Faculty members who wish to provide consultancy services for external communities are required

to gain approval. Very few have sought this approval and DU plans to increase awareness of the

opportunity for this activity in the future. DU intends to market the expertise of its faculty to

attract consultancy projects and enhance the University service and relation with the local

industry. DU needs to look into strategies to increase consultancy activities as it may provide an

important contact mechanism with local employers and the wider community.

4.5 Ethics and Biosafety

DU maintains a policy on ethics and the faculty handbook includes information on this. The Dean

is responsible for monitoring compliance. The Panel was informed that the Research Ethics

Board (REB), when established by DU, will be responsible for the assessing the ethics and

approval of all research. The REB is mandated to approve, reject, and propose modifications to,

any proposed or ongoing research. The Panel supports DU’s initiatives in this area.

4.6 Intellectual Property

DU has a policy and procedures on intellectual property and has instigated an educative program

to ensure faculty are aware of the policy. The policy and procedures need to be centrally

monitored and reviewed on an ongoing basis.

4.7 Professional Development for Research

DU utilises funded attendance (and participation) at research conferences as the main strategy to

provide professional development for faculty undertaking (or wishing to undertake) research.

This also provides opportunities for the demonstration of research outcomes. As the research

climate at DU matures, there will be a need to find additional professional development strategies

to ensure all faculty are best prepared with the range of skills required of a researcher. This is

particularly necessary if DU is to “Foster a Productive Research Environment” as stated in its

Strategic Plan.



4.8 Research Commercialization

All commercialized research output by faculty and staff remains the property of DU. As yet,

there is no evidence of commercialization of research at DU, where research is still at an early

stage. Dhofar University is at the beginning stages of establishing research programs and

currently, it is early for any of the current research to materialize and reach the commercialization

stage. However, enhancing the research funding, research graduate degree, consultation and

having an effective policy of intellectual properties rights are necessary to pave the way for future

commercialization. A specific policy in this area will be needed as research activity increases.

4.9 Research – Teaching =exus

While noting that research and teaching go hand in hand, DU states that the incorporation of

research results into the student learning process is left to personal motivation (Portfolio, p.33).

Faculty research questionnaire data indicated that a large percentage of faculty passed the

experience and results obtained from their research to their students through their course

offerings. Following the visit, the Panel formed the view that the full extent of the research-

teaching nexus has not yet been developed nor have all disciplines become involved. This is an

area that needs to be developed at the University’s research profile grows.

Recommendation 12

The Oman Accreditation Council recommends that Dhofar University, in

line with the expectations of its institutional classification, ensure effective

integration of research and teaching in all program areas.



5 I�DUSTRY A�D COMMU�ITY E�GAGEME�T

Dhofar University has identified the importance of enhancing relations with the community as

one of its strategic goals. The establishment of the Continuing Education Center, the focus on the

proactive role of the Office of Information and Public Relations and the establishment of the

industry Advisory Board will support DU’s intentions. However, these initiatives need to be

considered within an overall Strategic Plan for the area of industry and community engagement.

DU recognizes the importance of maintaining a link with its alumni and has plans to develop an

alumni association and improve its alumni data collection and analysis. DU has made a real

effort to build good relations with the local community and should be commended for this.

5.1 Industry and Community Engagement Planning & Management

The DU Mission Statement encompasses a commitment to achieving excellence in teaching,

research and community service; one of the strategic goals is to enhance relations with the

community (Portfolio, p.17). Two particular offices have been established to contribute to this

goal: the Continuing Education Center (CEC) and the Office of Information and Public Relations

(OIPR). The initiatives to meet this institutional goal have come mainly through the introduction

of professional development courses delivered by DU’s faculty and professional staff. The

activities and associated staffing in the above offices has increased over recent years and further

expansion is planned, although no specific targets were evident to the Panel as drivers for

increased activity.

Recommendation 13


develop a strategic and operational plan for its industry and community

engagement with defined KPIs and specific targets to drive the initiatives

and measure progress and growth in related activities over time.

5.2 Relationships with Industry and Employers

The Panel supports the stated intention of DU to strengthen its links with companies and

employers. A sound start has been made to this development through approaching key local

organizations and offering a range of consultancy services. Future plans should have clearly

defined KPIs and targets associated with each initiative and details of the timing and resources

required to implement the plans. This will take time but should bring multiple benefits to DU and

the local community if well-planned.

With regard to the development of the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, there is no

systematic input to the curriculum from employers (as noted in section 2.2). The Panel was told that departments speak to external stakeholders and found evidence to suggest some changes have

resulted from this dialogue, but this was not captured formally and routinely and is not

necessarily a consistent approach throughout DU. There is a requirement for a formal mechanism

for including the views of employers and other external stakeholders in shaping the curriculum

and future program plans. The Panel supports DU’s intention to establish an Advisory Board to

facilitate the input of external stakeholders in the curriculum development process (see section

2.2).

5.3 Relationships with Professions

With regard to its relationships with professions, DU states that its Engineering curriculum is in

line with ABET (although it has not been formally accredited) and the Computing Science



program follows the American Computing Machines Standards (ACMS) (Portfolio, p.41). The

Panel supports DU’s plans to align programs with professional body standards where appropriate.

5.4 Relationships with Other Education Providers

The DU SWOT analysis identified the need to liaise with other education providers to give

students the opportunity for exchanges and study-abroad programs to enrich their educational

experience (Portfolio, p.43). An agreement has been signed with the World Learning

Organization; this is a positive initiative in promoting international relations. Similarly the

linkage DU has with local schools is important in developing general community relations and in

encouraging student recruitment at DU. Care is needed in the selection of suitable university

linkages as these relationships may create opportunities for collaborative research, faculty

exchanges and joint programs.

5.5 Relationships with Alumni

DU maintains an alumni database and uses on-campus and off-campus activities to stay in contact

(Portfolio, p.40). The Panel was informed about the ongoing plans for an active alumni

organization with efficient data management. This initiative was welcomed by the graduates

interviewed during the audit visit and the Panel supports DU’s plans to upgrade its alumni

database, carry out surveys of the alumni viewpoints and develop a web page to improve

communications.

Affirmation 10


strengthen its association with its alumni through improved data collection

and the establishment of an alumni organization.

5.6 Relationships with the Community at Large

It appears that community relations have been taken very seriously by the University and in

accordance with the DU Mission Statement (Portfolio, p.10). The approach has been multi-

faceted and perhaps this is reasonable in the first instance. The initiatives such as access to the

library for the local community, fund raising campaigns for the hospitals, professional

development courses, Arabic language courses and locally targeted consultancy are all worthy

activities to build good relations and to serve the community.

Commendation 4

The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for its initial

efforts and success in building a strong foundation of community relations

through multiple projects at different levels, and with a good range of

targeted audiences aimed at serving the community at large.

As the University matures, this campaign will need to be more systematic and planned for

maximum effectiveness and allocation of resources. However, the need for a transition to a more

systematic approach is acknowledged by DU and the University is to be commended for its

efforts in this area.



6 ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES

Dhofar University has established a number of units which are responsible for the planning and

management of academic support services. The University has implemented a computerized

Student Information System (SIS) to oversee the admissions process and the monitoring of

student performance. This system can also be used to monitor quality improvement. DU has

developed a peer assisted learning scheme to provide support for students which has been well

received and has established a university-wide academic advising mechanism. In terms of

teaching and learning resources, DU has upgraded its library provision and has plans to improve

its information technology learning services but could further invest in this area to meet growing

research demands. DU’s new campus promises to provide improved teaching resources; in the

meantime, the University needs to upgrade its current laboratory facilities in order to support its

programs’ learning outcomes.

6.1 Academic Support Services Planning & Management

Academic Support Services at DU include Admission and Registration, Library, Information and

Library Technology Services, Academic Advising, Student Learning Support and Teaching

Resources (Portfolio, p.45). DU has chosen to establish units responsible for planning and

management of these services in conjunction with the Colleges. Each unit has a strategic plan

and provides an annual report that supports effective monitoring of performance and

identification of areas of improvement. The Panel considered a range of plans and found this

approach to planning provided a sound foundation for the academic support services throughout

the campus.

6.2 Registry (Enrolment and Student Records)

Admissions, enrolment and student records are maintained in the Office of Admission and

Registration (OAR) which has a defined mission covering the provision of quality services to

students, registration and maintaining academic records and producing statistical analyses

(Portfolio, p.44). Applications for admission are processed through the OAR, as are referral

applications from the Higher Education Admissions Center (HEAC) in Muscat. In 2005-2006 the

OAR implemented a computerized student information system (SIS).

Upon application for admission, students are graded via placement tests conducted by the

Foundation staff with support from OAR. These cover English language competency,

Mathematics and IT. The majority of applicants are admitted into the Foundation Program (see

section 2.4). The OAR also administers student grades, withdrawals, transfers between courses,

and common student statistics. Interviews confirmed that student grades were managed in a

secure manner, and survey data indicated general user satisfaction for the services provided by

OAR was strong, though fewer felt the process was efficient.

The implementation of a SIS provides DU with an opportunity to ensure student data is used in a

way that maximizes quality improvement across the institution. This aligns with DU’s wishes to

“develop a system for assessing student services by using student profile data” (Portfolio, p.59).

Moreover, such a system will also allow institutional monitoring of the consistency of entry

levels, follow up on cohorts of students’ success, and act as a communications mechanism for

students. This will assist with DU’s intention to ensure a consistent and transparent approach to

admissions standards via regulations. The Panel supports DU’s efforts in this area.



6.3 Library

DU states that the library plays an important part in achieving the institutional objectives to

“ensure students explore their capabilities and take full advantage of the educational

opportunities to develop their full intellectual potential and become life long learners” (Portfolio,

p.44). The library has an increasing collection of books and e-collections although survey results

indicate that the general satisfaction with learning resources is low. The library has recently

installed a Library Management System and Security System and provides access to computers to

allow e-collection access for users. Faculty submit their requirements to the library which then

purchases and catalogues the acquisitions for faculty and student usage. Community use is

permitted and this opportunity is utilized, although to a limited extent.

The library has undergone several reviews including a substantive review by AUB. The Panel

investigated how these had been followed through by DU and the subsequent outcomes. The

Panel found evidence to suggest that DU had positively responded to the recommendations in the

AUB report and that this has led to a demonstrable improvement in the library provision. DU

needs to continue to monitor the effectiveness of its library facilities in order to support its growth

in research activities.

6.4 Information and Learning Technology Services

DU has stated its wish to “enhance the use of modern teaching methods and the integration of

technology in teaching” (Strategic Plan, p.3) in support of pursuit of its Strategic Goal to “Reach

Education Excellence”. The department of Computer and Network systems (CNS) is responsible

for the provision of hardware and fiber optic networks, software installation, user support and

training. CNS has received assistance from AUB experts who have provided a needs analysis and

specifications for requirements. AUB also conducts periodic reviews (Portfolio, p.46). There has

been an improvement in the student per computer ratio.

Despite DU’s efforts, surveys data from both students and faculty shows a low level of

satisfaction with assistance provided in computer, engineering and science labs (Portfolio, p.49).

To achieve its strategic goal, DU’s sustained effort is clearly required in this area. The Panel

supports DU’s planned improvements which include enhancement of internet speed and capacity

and the implementation of a web-based learning infrastructure.

Affirmation 11

The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s plans to

improve and upgrade its information and learning technology services to

support its strategic goals.

6.5 Academic Advising

In the Portfolio, DU describes academic advising as an integral part of the faculty duties

(Portfolio, p.44). The role of academic advisors is detailed in the faculty manuals of each

college, most clearly in the College of Arts and Sciences faculty manual. Faculty, in their role as

academic advisors, are required to meet with their assigned advisees in order to register them on

appropriately selected courses using the SIS. The Panel considers this newly introduced role for

academic advisors to be a positive initiative. Thereafter, students are expected to register any

changes in program through their academic advisers. Changes made to programs as a result of

academic advising are entered by OAR staff. DU has identified the need to minimize the time

period when students are able to transfer between programs and to conduct workshops for staff

and students on interpretation of statistics on student records.

The wider role of academic advisors includes monitoring academic progress and counseling on

academic difficulties or problems. The Panel was able to find evidence of this part of the



academic advising process taking place but was unable to find evidence of the formal recording

of advice received by students or a system that ensures continuity of advice. The Panel is of the

view that, particularly as student numbers grow, a more robust and sustainable system of

academic advising and record keeping for students will be needed.

Recommendation 14


establish a clear recording system for key academic advising activities.

6.6 Student Learning Support

DU provides student learning support through the Centre for Teaching and Learning and through

student clubs. In addition, a peer assisted learning scheme which involves academically able

senior students tutoring less able junior students has recently been established at DU.

Academically able students are recommended by faculty to the Student Affairs Office (SAO)

which approves, appoints and reimburses these students. The Panel investigated the effectiveness

of this scheme and found students involved in both sides of the relationship to have found it very

helpful. The Panel found the scheme to be well understood amongst a range of stakeholders and

to have support from AUB. This scheme should however be kept under review to gain an

objective measure of its effectiveness and to inform its ongoing development.

Commendation 5

The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for

establishing a well regarded peer assisted learning system to support

students and improve their academic performance.

6.7 Teaching Resources

DU has a stated strategic goal of achieving “Educational Excellence”. Integral to this goal is the

transfer of operations to the new campus in 2010. DU notes that it has managed to provide

“reasonably adequate classrooms for the growing body of students, despite the disadvantages of

using rented residential buildings as a temporary campus” (Portfolio, p.47). The anticipation of

this transfer is felt across the University community. At the time of the audit, there was a general

level of concern by students and faculty and an overall acknowledgement that the resources

within the current campus are no more than adequate. For as long as the University remains in

the current accommodation, this issue poses a risk to the educational experience of the students,

and it therefore requires careful monitoring.

DU states it has “acquired the necessary labs to support teaching and research activities in

engineering and science labs” (Portfolio, p.47). However, the Panel visited a number of

Engineering and Computer laboratories and concluded that a number of these places are

inadequate to provide a suitable learning experience for the students. Equipment and space were

minimal and safety concerns were raised in some areas where, in the villa style accommodation,

poor access was apparent. The electrical wiring also appeared to be suited more to a domestic

situation. Safety notices were also minimal or absent and there was no staff member with overall

responsibility for health and safety in these areas. These conditions do not support the

institutional aspiration of excellence in teaching (see section 2.5) and every effort must be made

to speed up the move to the new campus and address the immediate safety requirements on the

existing campus (see Recommendation 6 above). The Panel was pleased to learn that the new

campus facilities will have classrooms and labs that will be a significant improvement in terms of

space and equipment.

The Panel notes that there are specialized laboratory technicians (Portfolio, p.47). However, there

is widespread dissatisfaction amongst students and faculty regarding technical support. Sufficient



technicians capable of providing support will be needed regardless of the quality of the facilities,

as they are required to effectively support student learning and the course objectives.

Recommendation 15


ensure that all laboratories effectively support student learning, course and

program objectives.



7 STUDE�TS A�D STUDE�T SUPPORT SERVICES

The provision of student support services is the responsibility of DU’s Student Affairs Office

(SAO). The SAO has developed its own mission and Strategic Plan that aligns with the

University’s strategic direction and the department is in the process of developing operational

plans. The Panel found that DU needs to adopt a more systematic approach to collecting student

feedback in response to all areas of its activities and ensure that students are informed of the

actions taken as a result of their feedback. DU’s career and employment services have been

shown to provide an effective springboard for students seeking employment, and a closer

alignment with local industry will support developments in this area in the future. DU runs a

number of social and recreational activities for the student body; these activities are expected to

be enhanced once DU moves to the new campus and has access to its purpose-built recreational

facilities.

7.1 Students and Student Support Services Planning & Management

The unit responsible for the provision of student support services is the Student Affairs Office

(SAO). The role of the SAO is clearly articulated in both the University Catalogue and the

Student Handbook. This unit has developed a mission, Strategic Plan and strategic objectives

that align with the strategic direction of the University. However, clear operational plans for

proposed developments and improvements have yet to be established. DU notes that the SAO

intends to itemize budgeting, improve documentation, provide professional development for staff

and maintain and strengthen the role of University Student Faculty Council (USFC) (Portfolio,

p.60), although these intentions lack alignment with the SAO’s Strategic Plan.

Although students are involved in the USFC, survey data indicated that generally satisfaction

with student support services was not high. The Panel formed the view that more effective

engagement of students in the development of plans and ongoing management of student support

services will assist DU in its attempts to “involve students in the decision making process at

SAO” (Portfolio, p.53). In particular, there is a need for student evaluations to be used in an

ongoing way to improve the quality of the services provided and this should be coupled with

timely feedback to students regarding changes that have been made as a result of that feedback

(see section 7.3).

7.2 Student Profile

The large majority of students at DU are Omani and are from the Dhofar region. Many are from

lower socioeconomic backgrounds (Portfolio, p.54) and have limited proficiency in English.

Across the University, and in all Colleges except CCBA, female students are in the majority.

There are few international students. Approximately 40% of students are on a MoHE

scholarship. DU was able to demonstrate to the Panel that they maintain appropriate statistics to

allow critical evaluation of their student profile.

7.3 Student Satisfaction and Climate

DU holds regular meetings between students and senior administrators to discuss student

satisfaction and surveys have been conducted to determine levels of student satisfaction

(Portfolio, p.55). DU acknowledges that to date the surveys have only been conducted on an ad

hoc basis and that feedback indicates that the level of student satisfaction at DU can be improved

substantially (Portfolio, p.59). In particular, survey results indicate that students do not feel that

their complaints are followed up and during the visit the Panel noted that the dissatisfaction felt

by students appeared widespread in this area. Students did not appear to be aware of how to

provide meaningful feedback and were not confident that their feedback would be taken into



account. DU’s strategy for improvement appears to consist of initiating annual surveys; this is a

positive step but if DU is to achieve its goal of “enhancing the quality of services” (Portfolio,

p.68) it will need to ensure that student feedback is taken into account and that actions arising

from student feedback are communicated effectively to students. DU also needs to ensure that all

students are encouraged to give feedback on all areas concerning the student community (see

section 7.7).

Recommendation 16


ensure that student feedback is systematically collected, addressed and

students are informed of the actions taken.

7.4 Student Behaviour

DU’s code of conduct for students is easily accessible to students in that it is set out clearly in the

Student Handbook and is available in English and Arabic. The Panel supports DU’s stated

intention of initiating an induction program about the student code of conduct for faculty and staff

and developing a comprehensive policy on honesty and integrity that includes the code of

conduct along with other behavior issues. Allegations of student misconduct are managed

through college based committees, but while individual cases were recorded in committee

minutes, the Panel could find no evidence of systematic record keeping of allegations and

subsequent investigations, or evidence of systems relating to monitoring and reviewing this area.

Recommendation 17


establish a university-wide system for the documentation of cases of alleged

student misconduct in order to monitor and review the effectiveness of its

approach in this area.

7.5 Career and Employment Services

DU identifies the employment of graduates in the Dhofar region as being a strategic challenge

(Portfolio, p.7) and states that to “connect students with the labor market through training and

student placement” is a strategic objective of the SAO. This is a positive objective although it is

not expressed in the SAO Strategic Plan.

The Panel investigated current practice in this area. SAO staff provide students with workshops

to assist with the writing of curriculum vitae and interview technique. Staff also visit potential

employers and seek to identify potential jobs for graduates. Placements during undergraduate

study are arranged through the relevant Colleges, particular in the areas of Commerce and in

Engineering. SAO encourages senior students to register for potential part-time work at the

University as a means of payment of fees; this also provides opportunity for workplace skills

development. Future initiatives will benefit from more systematic planning, implementation and

monitoring and will be supported by DU’s plans to reach a larger population of students with

regard to career guidance lectures and workshops, to strengthen links with employers and to

organize a yearly job fair.

Given the stated strategic challenge regarding regional employment, the Panel investigated the

link between the external labor market and the internal responsiveness of DU. There is no

systemic capture of employment market needs which could be used to determine programs

offered, employment strategies undertaken and work placements allocated. As DU expands its

student intake, and unmet demand for graduates in the region declines, it will become necessary

for DU to ensure that programs and other activities are tailored for meeting the needs of the

market if DU graduates are to continue to contribute to the region; development of a mechanism



to ensure employment market needs are incorporated into planning and services to students in a

systematic manner would address this need.

Recommendation 18


develop and implement processes to capture employment market needs and

incorporate their findings into planning career services for students.

7.6 Student Finances

Financial support is provided through deferred payment schemes managed by the Deferred Fees

Committee. Senior students can also work part-time as a means of minimizing debt. DU reports

increasing numbers of students seeking deferred payment options and plans to develop

philanthropic sponsorships for students in the future.

7.7 Accommodation, Catering and Transport

DU provides accommodation to female students who are not local residents and arranges for their

transportation to and from campus. Feedback on these services potentially arises from the

Ministry of Higher Education’s annual inspection visit or via the SAO. Accommodation and

transport services were not covered in the student surveys conducted in relation to DU’s self-

study. The Panel was told of different ways that students can give feedback or make complaints

concerning these services, but is of the view that the current arrangements do not allow for

efficient data capture (see section 7.3). The Panel noted DU’s stated plans to address dissatisfaction with catering provision expressed by students.

7.8 Medical and Counseling Facilities

DU provides a part time medical service and a counseling service. The medical service deals with

minor health problems and refers other cases as appropriate. There is a public medical centre

within easy access of the University. The student survey data indicates that there is concern with

the medical services provided and DU is encouraged to ensure student concerns are addressed

(see Recommendation 16).

Counseling services are provided through SAO. Staff also reported that individual issues were

managed by accommodation wardens, and individual faculty. Reported issues managed by

counseling staff included personal and social issues and issues affecting the student’s capacity to

study, such as time management. The Panel was told that lectures and workshops for students

had been held addressing common problem areas identified by counselors. Students’ evaluations

of services provided by counselors were not available. The Panel supports DU’s stated intention

to adopt a comprehensive record keeping system to document counseling services and to create a

follow up system for counseled cases.

7.9 International Student Services

A very small percentage of students at DU are from countries other than the Sultanate. These

students are from China, Pakistan, Jordan and Iraq (Portfolio, p.58). DU plans to increase the

number of international students and to capitalize on its intensive Arabic program, offered for the

first time in 2008-2009. Should short or long term anticipated increases in international students

come to fruition, it will be necessary for DU to formulate clear strategies for managing these

students in a way that is engaging and culturally appropriate. The model followed by DU for the

World Learning cohort of students (2008-2009) will provide a good starting point for effective

internationalization in its broader sense.



7.10 Social and Recreational Services and Facilities

Social, sporting and cultural activities at DU are managed by SAO through a Student Activities

Committee. In the Portfolio, DU highlights the SAO strategic objective to “identify and enhance

students’ talents and hobbies to enable them to demonstrate their abilities through extra-curricular

activities’ (Portfolio, p.54). Students described to the Panel their participation in community

service activities, cultural and sporting activities, and also described the annual ‘Student Cultural

Week’ in very positive terms. Survey data aligns with these views, but indicates that students

view the University’s support for sporting activities less positively. DU acknowledges that

within the current temporary campus there are no sports facilities or dedicated premises for

student activities (Portfolio, p.56). However, the Panel noted that “the need for modern social

and recreational facilities will be met once the new campus construction is completed” (Portfolio,

p.60), and during its visit to the new campus site, confirmed that there is an area designated for

this purpose.



8 STAFF A�D STAFF SUPPORT SERVICES

Dhofar University recognizes the importance of attracting and retaining highly qualified faculty.

In order to support this strategic goal, DU needs to develop and implement a strategic human

resources plan for the whole university. This plan needs to consider recruitment, succession

planning, performance management, promotion and the potential Omanisation of senior staffing

positions in the future. Overall, staff satisfaction levels indicate that DU is making efforts to

retain staff and create a positive working environment.

8.1 Human Resources Planning & Management

The importance to DU of attracting and retaining highly qualified faculty is highlighted in its

Strategic Plan and there are good mechanisms in place to address this. DU also acknowledges

that achieving this is challenge for the University (Portfolio, p.7). The Assistant to the Vice-

Chancellor for Administrative and Financial Affairs (AVC) oversees the operation of the Human

Resources department which issues employment contracts and implements the University’s

personnel bylaws; these bylaws are inclusive and comprehensive. HR planning for faculty begins

at the departmental level and ends with the VC. For senior academic positions, the UC makes

recommendations to the BoT; and for non-academic staff, the HR department coordinates with

the units concerned. Given the strategic importance of this area, the Panel believes that the

University now needs to develop a single institutional plan that includes all elements of HR

planning and management.

Recommendation 19


develop and implement a strategic human resources plan for the whole

university which covers recruitment, succession planning, performance

management for all staff, professional development, promotion and

severance.

8.2 Staff Profile

The Panel noted that staff statistics presented in the Portfolio adequately reflect the staff profile

and show diversity of ethnicities and gender balance. However, inspection of the complete list of

all staff names and positions in different University units revealed that there is an inconsistency in

faculty titles in the Colleges and units. The University plans to continue to increase the

percentage of faculty PhD holders; this aim has merit, but the Panel would add that qualifications

need to be considered in relation to the curriculum and a PhD terminal qualification may not in all

cases be the most appropriate.

8.3 Recruitment and Selection

The recruitment and selection process is well organized and based on staffing needs. Senior

academic positions like the VC and Deans are all seconded staff from AUB. Faculty recruitment

and selection follows a timed procedure which starts in November and is finalized in April. Based

on the recommendation of the recruitment committee, the College Dean and Department Chair

consult and forward their recommendations to the VC for final approval. Recruitment of non-

academic staff is an ongoing process and the VC makes the final selection based on

recommendations of the Appointment and Promotion Committee. AUB experts are consulted

whenever needed. DU stated that one of the challenges it is facing is the difficulty of attracting

and retaining qualified faculty, staff and management, in particularly Omanis. In part, this is due

to the remote location of Salalah away from major activities in the capital, Muscat, and the lack

of a quality international school for children of prospective staff. The Panel noted that the only



measure DU suggested to compete more favorably with regional and international universities is

to “plan to start the faculty recruitment process earlier in January” (Portfolio, p.66). The Panel

thinks that this issue needs to be treated in a wider perspective in order to address the challenges

that DU has identified (see Recommendation 19).

8.4 Induction

The University has induction practices in place that utilize the website, personal input from

directors, Deans and the HR department, faculty manuals and other documents. DU has

developed and implemented policies and procedures for introducing new staff to the University’s

system, working environment and living conditions in Salalah. Survey data indicates broad

satisfaction in this area and the Panel heard positive accounts of staff and faculty members’

personal experiences of induction. The Panel is of the view that the University needs to continue

to build on good practice already in place towards ensuring implementation of a consistent and

thorough process.

Commendation 6

The Oman Accreditation Council commends Dhofar University for its

comprehensive and well-received staff induction process.

8.5 Professional Development

DU has a budget for professional development activities; these activities are prioritized by the VC

(Portfolio, p.61). A professional development needs analysis for faculty has been conducted by

the CTL which has begun to conduct workshops to address identified needs (see section 2.5 and

Commendation 2). At the time of the audit, DU was conducting an exercise to determine the

professional development needs of non-academic staff. In-house development activities for

faculty have included, for example, training on academic advising and use of the SIS. DU has

also provided support for some faculty to attend national and international conferences and to

study for higher degrees. There are non-academic staff who have attended various in house

training programs, and, on a partially sponsored basis, attended certificated professional

development programs like CISCO and ICDL. Some DU staff have also received training at

AUB. The Panel believes that the inclusion of professional development within an overall

Strategic Plan for human resources, (see section 8.1 and Recommendation 19) and the subsequent

development of a clear and well communicated policy will support the University in ensuring that

its requirement for professional development is met. For DU as a relatively new university

aiming to be strong in research, opportunities for professional development in relation to

establishing active research and supervising higher degree students will need to be considered in

strategic planning in this area.

8.6 Performance Planning and Review

The University describes its performance review systems for faculty and non-academic staff in

the Portfolio (p.63). Details of these systems are documented in the University’s bylaws.

Instruments used include staff performance appraisal forms for use by supervisors of non-

academic staff; course and instructor evaluation forms for use by students; faculty evaluation by

chairperson forms; peer review forms and foundation program peer observation forms. Faculty

manuals document a grievance procedure whereby faculty can appeal their performance

evaluations. The Panel noted that only 43% of the non-academic staff surveyed agreed that they

have the opportunity to evaluate their supervisors. Information in the Portfolio (p.67) indicates

that the evaluation processes have “provided an opportunity for the academic and non-academic

staff to become aware of their strengths and weaknesses”; however, as they are documented, the

systems in place appear to relate primarily to contract renewal and promotion. The Panel noted

that there is no formal system in place for performance planning and review for the Chairpersons,



Deans and the VC. This needs to be reviewed in the context of an overall strategic human

resources plan (see Recommendation 19).

8.7 Promotion and Other Incentives

DU states that faculty promotion criteria and procedures are well defined and based mainly on

three components; teaching, research, and community service (Portfolio, p.61). For non-

academic staff, promotion is based on excellence of performance. The Panel noted that 60% of

the surveyed faculty agree that conditions of promotion are clearly stated in faculty manuals

which compared to only 33% of the non-academic staff (Portfolio, p.65). The Panel detected that

faculty members would appreciate more clarity on the relative importance of the three main

criteria relating to promotion ( Recommendation 19).

8.8 Severance

DU outlines the legal procedures and regulations regarding severance in employment contracts

and faculty manuals (Portfolio, p.61). The Panel confirmed that dismissal and severance

procedures are clearly stated in relevant University documents. The Panel supports DU’s stated

intention of extending the notice period for contract termination. As DU matures as an institution,

it will need to monitor the effectiveness of its severance procedures and regulations.

8.9 Staff Organizational Climate and Retention

The Panel acknowledges that DU has made efforts to create a positive environment to attract and

retain faculty and staff (Portfolio, p.62). This is evidenced by the apparent low turnover rate of

full time faculty. Staff survey results show general satisfaction with the clarity of terms of

employment, code of conduct, and disciplinary procedures. DU has identified the provision of

more staff social events, rewards for staff excellence and the provision of a staff common room as

actions to be taken to improve staff organizational climate and retention; these will no doubt

impact positively and support other initiatives such as the planned improvements to staff

induction and evaluation procedures.

8.10 Omanisation

DU states that it “endeavors to recruit highly qualified Omani professional academic and non-

academic staff; gives them priority in recruitment; and is committed to the professional

development of Oman qualified workforce” (Portfolio p.62). Recruitment practices have resulted

in a sustained high percentage (approximately 70%) of Omanis in non-academic positions.

However, the Panel noted that less than 10% of teaching staff are Omanis. DU states that it plans

to “pursue more aggressively the recruitment of more Omani academic staff” and “encourage

Omanis to pursue higher degrees” (Portfolio, p.67) but does not appear to have succession plans

in place that identify existing Omani staff for specific professional development and eventual

employment in senior academic positions. This is an area that DU needs to consider in its overall

strategic human resource plan (see Recommendation 19).



9 GE�ERAL SUPPORT SERVICES A�D FACILITIES

Dhofar University has established a number of systems in order to meet the strategic objective to

“enhance the quality of service” (Portfolio, p.68). The current campus provides a number of

challenges in terms of health and safety, teaching accommodation and laboratory provision which

are recognized by DU. The new campus, which is currently under construction, will have a

significant impact on DU’s general support services and facilities in the future.

Affirmation 12

The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s efforts in

building a new campus to support its mission and vision.

9.1 General Support Services and Facilities Planning and Management

DU highlights the fact that one of their strategic goals is to “enhance the quality of services” and

that their strategic plan:

“focuses on improving the quality of services and facilities throughout the

university, improving the quality of management processes, and enhancing the

leadership potential and performance of staff through staffing support and

training” (Portfolio, p.68).

DU states that the Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Financial Affairs

(AVC) supervises the general support services and has overseen, for example, the establishment

of relevant general support services departments, the development of relevant job descriptions,

the development of policies and procedures and the delivery of relevant professional development

workshops (Portfolio, p.68).

The Panel was able to meet staff and consider sample Strategic Plans from various service

departments. The Strategic Plan for the Computer and Networking Services (CNS) Center details

planned monitoring and review processes but the Panel was unable to find evidence of planning

or operation of clear departmental performance evaluation systems within other departments.

The Panel strongly supports the stated intention for DU to “design a more advanced mechanism

for receiving and dealing with complaints” (Portfolio, p.71); if the quality of services to students

is to be improved, feedback from users is critical, and sound procedures for dealing with student

complaints need to be embedded alongside formal evaluation systems. The Panel believes that the

growth and development of separate departments, as the growth and complexity of the University

increases, need to be supported by robust self and user evaluation of the service departments.

9.2 Public Relations and Marketing

In 2004, DU established an Office of Information and Public Relations (OIPR) to manage the

University’s internal and external communication services and public relations in line with the

University’s mission. The OIPR “manages public relations by providing national media with

news and information about DU, tracking all that is published in the media about DU and its

activities and publishing, organizing and participating in conferences and other events” (Portfolio,

p.69). The Panel found evidence of numerous publications in relation to this area and was also

able to view hard copies of good quality marketing materials. The OIPR also publishes DU

publications such as the annual university catalogue and student handbook, both of which the

Panel considered to be good quality documents. The Panel noted that, as a result of survey

feedback, the OIPR has recognized the need to improve its performance with respect to meeting

deadlines for publications and brochures. This is important in respect to the University Catalogue



which is a document of record and contract with the students and needs to be in place at the initial

registration to a program.

The Panel also heard during interview details of contacts that have been established by the OIPR

with various public and private organizations within the region. Activities in this area support

DU’s emphasis on “the establishment of good relations with institutions from both the public and

private sectors, national and international” (Portfolio, p.68). Examples reported to the Panel

were: the involvement of the OIPR in the feasibility study for the new Chemical Engineering

Department, liaison with the Hospital of Sultan Qaboos University, and an agreement with

Salalah Sewage Company. DU will need to assess the impact of OIPR with respect to these

initiatives as this office was still in the early stages at the time of the audit.

9.3 Communication Services

DU recognizes the importance of the IT communication services and computer networking

services in the University (Portfolio, p.68) and explained the importance of this area in relation to

its strategic plan. The Panel noted that a comprehensive review process including both internal

and external reviews led to the development of a detailed strategic plan for the CNS. The Panel

visited the communication and computer centre and reviewed the computer services offered by

the University. The Panel acknowledges that despite the geographical separation of the campus

buildings, the University and its computer service department have established a backbone LAN

to connect the different buildings. The Panel found that the main server room had effective

controlled access, the maintenance logbook was available, the main password and access to the

main server was controlled, and a wireless network was available. Computer labs are available

for the students’ general work and are used to support the teaching activities for different courses

and workshops. The library has its own computer facilities to which the students have access.

DU did not include in the Portfolio reference to other means of communicating information to

and between students and staff. The Panel established that during term-time some of the ways

that the University communicates with its students are via notice boards and through

announcements in class. While survey data indicated that students were generally happy with this

method of communication, in order to mitigate the risk to the University that students do not

receive important information, DU will need to consider a more reliable method of

communication as IT-based communication systems are embedded and as class sizes increase.

In terms of the language used for communication within the University, the Panel noted that some

documents made available to them were in Arabic (e.g. Strategic Plan for Administrative Affairs)

whilst others were in English. The Panel was informed that DU has a policy stating that all

formal communication on notice boards should be in both English and Arabic, and the Panel

noted examples of this during the audit visit. The Panel was told that other internal

communication is sometimes in English and sometimes in Arabic and the Panel understood that

this was not determined by a formal policy. DU needs to develop a University-wide

communications strategy to support its ongoing activities throughout the campus.

Recommendation 20


develop a University-wide communications strategy and infrastructure to

manage information services for academic and administrative purposes

effectively.

9.4 Facilities Management

The AVC is responsible for Facilities Management and, in terms of the management of physical

resources, key support is provided by the Buildings and Maintenance Department and their

Business Services Department (which is comprised of a Purchasing and Storage section and a



Security and General Services section). DU states that housekeeping and campus security have

been outsourced to local firms (Portfolio, pp.69-70). Maintenance of DU buildings and other

facilities is conducted on a reactive basis in response to reported needs (Portfolio, p.71); the

maintenance department provides the physical resources required and responds to the ordinary

and emergency calls reporting failure or problems with facilities. Requests are prioritized. DU

states that the maintenance staff are capable of responding to faults in a relatively short time

(Portfolio, p.71). In support of this claim the Panel was pleased to note that the department

maintains a log of reported faults and actions taken, and in this way monitors its own

performance. DU indicates in the Portfolio an intention to adopt a system of scheduled

preventative maintenance and the Panel strongly supports this. DU acknowledges that on the

current campus there are problems concerning the reliability of the power supply and the Panel

urges DU to implement its plans to address this (see Recommendation 15).

Affirmation 13

The Oman Accreditation Council supports Dhofar University’s plan to

establish a preventative maintenance system throughout the campus.



APPE�DIX A. AUDIT PA�EL

Dr Shakir Al Musili (Panel Chairperson)

Dean

Al Musana’a College of Technology

Sultanate of Oman

Ms. Susan Trevor-Roper

Former Head of Standards and Quality

International College of Engineering and Management

Sultanate of Oman

Prof. Jan Thomas

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)

Murdoch University

Australia

Prof. Ian Cumbus

Commission for Academic Accreditation

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Abu Dhabi,

UAE

Dr. Hussein A. Abdullah

Associate Director

School of Engineering

University of Guelph

Canada

Ms. Tess Goodliffe (Executive Officer)

Oman Accreditation Council



APPE�DIX B. ABBREVIATIO�S, ACRO�YMS A�D TERMS

The following abbreviations, acronyms and terms are used in this Report. As necessary, they are

explained in context. In some cases, URLs are provided to facilitate further enquiries about these

acronyms and terms.

ABET............................................. Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

ADRI ............................................. A four step, cyclical model for analysing a topic, comprising:

Approach → Deployment → Results → Improvement.

Approach ....................................... The first dimension of the ADRI cycle, which focuses on evaluating

what a HEI aims to achieve for a given topic and how it proposes to

achieve it.

AUB............................................... American University of Beirut

AVC ............................................... Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Financial

Affairs

BoD................................................ Board of Directors

BoT ................................................ Board of Trustees

CAAS............................................. College of Arts and Applied Sciences

Call Back Interview ....................... An interview conducted by the Audit Panel towards the end of the

Audit Visit for which it has invited specific people, usually at short

notice, to respond to particular issues on which the Panel will require

assistance.

CCBA ............................................ College of Commerce and Business Administration

CE .................................................. College of Engineering

CEC ............................................... Continuing Education Center

CISCO ........................................... Provider of IT networking courses

CNS ............................................... Computing and Networking Services Center

CTL................................................ Centre for Teaching and Learning

Deployment ................................... The second dimension of the ADRI cycle, which focuses on whether a

HEI’s plans for a given topic are being followed in practice, and if not,

why not.

DU ................................................. Dhofar University

DUP ............................................... Dhofar University Program

Executive Officer........................... An OAC staff member assigned to an Audit Panel to provide

professional guidance and support.

External Reviewer ......................... A Member of the OAC Register of External Reviewers; a person

approved by the OAC Board to participate as a member of the OAC’s

various external review panels.

FP................................................... Foundation Program

HEI................................................. Higher Education Institution (also known as HEP – Higher Education

Provider)

ICDL.............................................. International Computer Driving Licence

IELTS............................................. International English Language Testing System

Improvement.................................. The fourth dimension of the ADRI cycle, which focuses on how

effectively an organisation is improving its approach and deployment

for any given topic in order to achieve better results.



KPI................................................. Key Performance Indicator

KPM............................................... Key Performance Measure

LAN ............................................... Local Area Network

MoHE ............................................ Ministry of Higher Education (www.mohe.gov.om)

NCST ............................................. National College for Science and Technology

OAC Board .................................... The governing body of the Oman Accreditation Council

OAC............................................... Oman Accreditation Council (www.oac.gov.om)

OAR............................................... Office of Admission and Registration

OFI................................................. Opportunity for improvement.

OIPR .............................................. Office of Information and Public Relation

OQF ............................................... Oman Qualifications Framework.

Panel Chairperson .......................... The Chairperson of the Audit Panel.

Panel Member ................................ An OAC External Reviewer who is a member of an Audit Panel.

Portfolio ......................................... see Quality Audit Portfolio.

QAB............................................... Quality Assurance Board

Quality Assurance .......................... The combination of policies and processes for ensuring that stated

intentions are met.

Quality Audit Portfolio .................. The report produced as the result of a self study. Also forms the main

submission made to the OAC by the HEI being audited.

Quality Audit Report...................... A public report published by the OAC which presents the findings and

conclusions of the Audit Panel’s External Review of a HEI.

Quality Audit.................................. An independent evaluation of the effectiveness of the system and

processes by which a HEI sets, pursues and achieves its mission and

vision.

Quality Enhancement..................... The combination of policies and processes for improving upon

existing approach, deployment and results.

Random Interview.......................... An interview conducted in situ by individual Panel Members during

the Audit but separately from the main interview sessions.

ROSQA.......................................... Requirements of Oman’s System of Quality Assurance.

REB................................................ Research Ethics Board

Results............................................ The third dimension of the ADRI cycle, which focuses on the

evidence of the outputs and outcomes of a topic’s approach and

deployment.

SAO ............................................... Student Affairs Office

SIS.................................................. Student Information System

SWOT Analysis ............................. Analysis of an organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and

threats

System............................................ In this Report, system refers to plans, policies, processes and results

that are integrated towards the fulfilment of a common purpose.

The University ............................... For the purposes of this Report, this refers to Dhofar University

TOEFL........................................... Test of English as a Foreign Language

UC.................................................. University Council

URB ............................................... University Research Board

USFC ............................................. University Student Faculty Council



VC.................................................. Vice-Chancellor

YUP ............................................... Yarmouk University Program



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