In case you have not done yet, consider shifting 'fully' from inputs-based to outcomes-based higher education. You might be interested to read the following article:

Article A Paradigm Shift to Outcomes-Based Higher Education: Policie...

Dear Wesam;

I think you have the answer to this question in your own hands.  I suggest that you conduct a self-study of your country's higher education system.  This can be accomplished by collecting (historical) data about number of institutions, their locations, disciplines offered, number of students, number of graduates, and their work placements.  You also need to involve employers and other private and public constituencies, in order to detect if the competencies of your graduates match their expectations.  Ask your own graduates whether they think they achieved the desired skills to perform in their jobs, and what changes they would recommend if they were to start school all over again.  

Also, conduct a comparative study of different programs in other countries.  But beware: Quality in education is "pertinence to context".  You should not assume that what is good in other countries has to be imported to yours acritically.  It would be an error to copy the plans of study of Western universities.  It is certainly important to know what they are teaching, and to update your own plans, but you have to keep in mind that the changes that you need must be coherent with the needs of your country.  That is why I think that the answer lies in yourselves.

Take a look at Daniel Stufflebeam's CIPP model: Context, Inputs, Process, and Products.  It will give you a framework to start your own self-assessment.

Best regards,

Edgar Salgado

1. Be very expansive in hiring Assistant professors

2. spend a lot of time and energy on promotion to Associate Professor with tenure. For now, publication must be in a respected international journal. The number of first rate papers should vary by field. E.g. in economics, 7 sounds good.  Unless the person has a speech impediment, it is impossible to find a good researcher who is not a good teacher and the converse is true.

3. after fields take root then allow domestic publications to count.

The most important part of a university is the professoriate and all else should be in there service. They must love Libya above all and love their field of study

Buildings and furniture do not matter.  Chairman Mau had a mobile university during the great march and it produced jiants of science and technology

 Thank you all for your kind feedback. I am really happy with your contribution specially it comes from different prospectives

Mohamed's point about professors being the most important part of a university is a key to keep in mind with any reform. Although students have different learning styles, especially in different cultures, it is challenging to reject the hypothesis that bright, creative, and active professors enhance student learning.  

In other words, generally:

Better professors+Better Connections (w/student interest & learning)=Better Education

Very good points...

But, Do you think that we have missed the foundation.

1- The administration: In Libya, People do not follow up the system that has been made by the ministry. No training being offered to the admin employee. There are no IT systems that help in management, operations and monitoring and evaluation.

2-  I have been working in the Uni for more than 12 years, No performance appraisal has been made.

3- The top management lack of planning and M&E skills.

4- Top management are busy with every day issues and do not plan and put any scenarios.

5- The budget are central and distributed to food and stationary and other things. Very very few that goes to research and teaching.

6- The faculties has no plans, they do not have a budget...

So, Let me ask the question again: 

What are the most important issues that we need to focus on in the next 5 years to improve our education system?

Waiting for your contribution

Hello, Wesam.  In light of what you mention in your last post, I think, besides conducting a self-assessment of your university, the next step would be to get some training in strategic planning.  The university has to come up with a set of goals to achieve in the following years, with the participation of all interest groups (faculty, students, administrative staff, authorities, and even employers and graduates).  Having an institutional strategic plan is key to then start working on working plans for each academic unit (departments).  Some of the main areas that those plans must include are: 

Establishing expectations for faculty profiles (academic degrees, teaching experience, professional experience, research, and service)

A faculty development plan: incentives, motivation (for research), publications, training in university teaching, attendance to professional and academic meetings, etc.  This plan has to be backed up with an appropriate budget.  

A plan for academic unit development: establishing ties with other institutions, both national and international.  Internationalization is key.

Maketing and student development: Goals for attracting new students, a plan for retaining students and prevent drop-outs, positioning the university in academic and professional forums, etc.

Technology: Acquisition and use of information systems that produce valid and reliable information for decision-making.  Information that does not lead to making strategic decisions is of little value.  Systems have to be reliable, and generate meaningful reports, tailored to the needs of your institution.  Technology issues have to do also with the integration of IT in teaching and learning: support for face-to-face classes, and also the possibility of e-learning (distance education programs).

Policies and procedures for ensuring that all plans of study are up to date with the state of the art of the disciplines and the needs of the labor market of your country.  This will need a comprehensive work of self-assessment of academic programs.

Good luck,

Edgar Salgado

In Libya there is so much room for improvement as much there are obstacles and impediments.

Most are beyond the university Jurisdiction. These are more to do with environment especially political and administrative.

Diagnosing (survey and studding) the situation is step one. Some things to look at and see how they can be solved! 

Here are some important (random) issues that come to mind:

1) Very serious issue of general apathy when it comes to learning and sense of disappointment in many students

2) Lack of equal opportunities and rules and regulation to fight abuse when it come to work after graduation.

3) Lack of accountability and follow ups on all levels from administrators to faculty to students.

4) Abuse of free education through poor application of rules and regulations.

5) Lack of basic student support from labs to libraries and studding facilities and transportation ... etc

6) Very poor administration

7) Lack of financial support or abuse of financial support.

8) Presence of very unregulated or controlled private sector.

9) Poor and extremely in efficient support for faculty (Salaries, Conferences etc)

10) (add to that the current liquidity and crime that is going on)

the list go on and on but  I stop at 10

Each of the above and many others points need serious addressing.

It would be nice to establish some research group and task force to study these issues.

Best Regards

Mohamed Elhadi

Thank you Mohamed....

Thank you Edgar Salgado ....

I can see that you have very good experience and logical thinking and steps...

Thank you very much for sharing your valuable experience with us...

Very good suggestions have been given  by the scholars above. In nutshell, I suggest development of strategic goals & objectives followed by the NQF for the country. The NQF and the strategic goals may later be translated into Program Learning Outcomes as well as Course Learning Outcomes to meet the required targets.

Thank you all for your contripution...

Is this will still be ghe same even during crisis...

Where we have lake of skills and resourses..?

You are welcome Dear.

In the crisis, needs for Strategic planing and setting goals become even more important. In such circumstances we set short term goals and objectives with long term impact to get the results within short time.

First, identify crisis as an opportunity and spread this view through and across the system

Secondly, engage willing participants in identifying innovative idea to address the change brought about by the crisis

Thirdly, establish a communication tree that feeds these ideas up and down the trunk

Fourthly, identify and support  those ideas and plans that  have the greatest opportunity for linkages that fuels the overall focus of the organization. Simultaneously, create funding pools to encourage risk taking and when those ideas bear fruit, increase funding and celebrate their success

Fifth, set up monitoring milestones to celebrate achievements and to identify existing opportunities

Sixth , establish a theme that identifies who you are and seek buy in for its support. Focus your attention on internal marketing and then external marketing of your brand

Seventh, avoid reacting negatively to ideas that may bomb and spend time on helping the staff to understand why they did not achieve their intended goal

Eight, avoid the rush to create all kinds of sorting committees. Focus on results and identifying willing talent. Use the naysayers as guides and learn from them. Don't dismiss them but don't let them hold others hostage

Ninth create and work toward a culture of inclusivity and not exclusivity

Tenth and most important, engage the students in the creation of a new teaching and learning paradigm that focuses on student access, success, and achievement

I hope this helps

Sincerely,

Dr. Edward J. Valeau

President /superintendent  Emeritus

Co-Editor of several books on International Eduction

510-566-3426

 Hello. I agree with the above mentioned suggestions. strategic planning is important along with increasing the publications per year. In addition, in service training for the staff is essential and more important creating teams that can work to achieve the short term goals.