Accreditation by the NCAAA is Pursued: Official

          forward to be an internationally- pioneer university, the King Saud University (KSU) has recently launched a development assessment program to follow up development programs on campus. Running interviews with Dr. Awad Al-Qarni, Development Assessment Program Director,  Looking forward to be an internationally- pioneer university, the King Saud University (KSU) has recently launched a development assessment program to follow up development programs on campus. Running interviews with Dr. Awad Al-Qarni, Development Assessment Program Director, and Dr. Iqbal Dandary, Vice-Director of Girl Campus, Resalah seeks to probe accreditation sought after.  

Resalah: What is development assessment scheme?

Qarni: It is a scheme between the King Saud University (KSU) and the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (NCAAA) that is beefed up by the Ministry of Higher Education. A number of academic units go thru academic accreditation process.

Resalah: What are the selected units?

Qarni: Computer science, clinical pharmacy, dentistry, chemistry, architecture and construction science, medicine and surgery, civil engineering, special education, accounting, and physical training.

Resalah: Who are the targeted persons or departments?

Qarni: All in all on campus is targeted: those who are in charge of the above-mentioned units; the KSU activities; and all community brackets. The development assessment focuses on students, personnel, and faculty members on campus, and people benefiting from the KSU off campus.

            Interviewing Dr. Iqbal Dandary, Resalah asked her the following:

Resalah: What are the objectives of the developmental review?

Dr. Dandary: It provides necessary expertise to academic institutions and programs. It assesses the quality assurance system, identifies aspects to be corrected to get the institution or program accredited. The campus has worked out plans to have quality two years ago just after the KSU sat up an assessment and development unit.  It is planning to be accredited by the NCAAA, seeking help of the KSU which provides us with external review teams who explore  the internal review process.

Resalah: How is developmental review is run?

Dr. Dandary: Major and secondary teams are made up. Representatives partake in conducting a relevant study, providing necessary information. Then performance appraisals are run; initial reports are made; final reports compiled; and delivered to campus assessment department on campus. Then, they are submitted to the NCAAA. Next, international review teams stick to rules made by the NCAAA and give recommendations helping he KSU garner the sought after accreditation.  The review team covers broad lines throughout three-to-five-day visit. It provides all necessary rooms and apparatuses for the visiting teams. The team runs interviews with students, faculty members, and officials. Finally, it runs reports showing readiness of targeted institution to get the accreditation