Statements Regarding SSAPI Panel at SKIMA 2023
I want to express my sincere gratitude for organizing the insightful Panel Session on Accreditation and Internationalization at South Asian HEIs (SSAPI) as a part of the international conference SKIMA 2023. It was enriching to hear firsthand experiences and existing practices from representatives at Bhutanese, Maldivian, Nepalese, and Sri Lankan universities. The panel further broadened our perspective by including credit transfer and accreditation insights from Bremen and Evora universities. Undoubtedly, course accreditation is crucial for maintaining quality and standardizing academic degrees. Yet, credit transfer across universities with diverse regional, cultural, and academic structures remains a significant challenge. The panel highlighted commendable efforts made by European and Asian universities to bridge this gap, demonstrating progress with much more to achieve. I value the opportunity to learn from the panel's diverse perspectives and contribute my own experiences to the discussion.
As a part of SKIMA conference 2023, I was in fact delighted with participation as a panelist in the SSAPI workshop on "Accreditation of Programs and Internationalization Experiences in South Asian Higher Educational Institutes" where we, representatives of South Asian HEIs together with European participants, discussed issues and challenges of south Asian HEIs in getting accredited their academic programs from European accreditation bodies. In the workshop European participants showed their willingness to support Asian HEIs and tried to clarify any kind of confusion or misunderstandings. The participants from Asian HEIs also actively participated in the workshop and put their views openly as to how to be benefitted from collaboration with other HEIs - not only in regional level but also in multi-regional aspects. In short, the workshop was structured towards the theme and very useful especially to the south Asian HEIs. I must thank to the organizers of the workshop for their initiative to bring the issues in limelight.
I came across with the team of this project titled “Strategic Support for Accreditation of Programs and Internationalization at South Asian Higher Education Institutes” in SKIMA 2023, which actually impressed me. The dedication of the team to enhance the academic landscape in South Asia through strategic support and internationalization initiatives is both commendable and visionary. The project's focus on accreditation reflects a commitment to elevating the quality of education, ensuring that South Asian higher education institutes meet global standards. The strategic approach underscores the importance of fostering international collaborations and positioning South Asian institutions on the global stage. It's evident that the project is not only impactful but also lays the groundwork for a more interconnected and globally competitive higher education sector in the region. Although implementation of accreditation systems in South Asian countries is not an easy task due to several handles, but from experience while working as a team member in different accreditation bodies (Washington Accord, Seol Accord, and ABET), I noticed that the quality of the education system can be improved much. Kudos to the team members for tireless efforts and the positive impact this project will bring in the near future in the educational system of South Asian universities. If you want any feedback or some information about the accreditation systems working in Pakistan particularly, please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to help. Currently I am the team lead of ABET accreditation in my department, so if any feedback is needed, I will surely provide.
