Continual Quality Improvement Process for Undergraduate Programs

Abstract

The Outcome Based Education (OBE) practice requires that the continual quality improvement (CQI) process is implemented in order to continuously improve the quality of teaching and learning of an education program. In purpose of implementing CQI processes, the inputs from the program stakeholders consist of external assessors, industry advisory panel (IAP), students as well as accreditation panel should be considered, weighted and implemented as deemed appropriate by the department. The program external assessors’ inputs also will determine the quality of the program's curriculum and contents as benchmarked with other top international universities. Thus, this paper describes the current CQI processes and self-initiated changes exercised by the Department of Electrical, Electronic and System Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia based on the inputs from accreditation panels, industry advisory panels, external assessors and students which are gathered periodically by means of visits, meetings and discussions. The stakeholders’ and accreditation panel inputs are mainly on the aspects of teaching and learning, program objectives, program outcomes, curriculum structure, staff, student assessment, facilities and the system quality management as a whole. The department scrutinizes each input before appropriate CQI processes and changes are implemented. Evidently, the CQI and changes made by the JKEES department are not only implemented based on these inputs but some of them are self-initiated. It is highly affirmed that the continuous improvement process carried out at this department level has significantly improve students’ learning.