Macao Institute for Tourism Studies becomes first university to achieve global quality reaccreditation

Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) has become the first higher education institution to be reaccredited through the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), the UK’s independent quality body and a global leader in quality assurance for higher education.

IFTM has obtained global reaccreditation having successfully completed QAA’s International Quality Review (IQR) for the second time. IQR is a rigorous process which benchmarks global higher education institutions against international quality assurance standards set out in Part 1 of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).

The review took place online between 25 and 29 April 2022 and was carried out by a team of three independent reviewers appointed by QAA. The review team reconfirmed that IFTM meets all 10 of the internal quality assurance standards in the ESG.

The review team also identified a number of features of good practice including:

• the comprehensive, systematic, international consideration in programme design and development that aligns with the institution's educational philosophy and educational goals
• the efforts to achieve the internationalisation mission, which are comprehensive and actively promote student-centred learning
• the extensive opportunities and support that the students receive in practicum and internships to develop their knowledge of the industry
• the monthly meetings of the Pedagogic Council, which facilitate agile responses to student feedback on learning, teaching and assessment.

Dr Fanny Vong, President of Macao Institute for Tourism Studies said: 'Macao Institute for Tourism Studies’ long-term commitment to excellence in education is once again recognized globally. While feeling proud and excited, we are also cognizant of the need for continuous improvement. We will spare no effort to keep up to the high standards set by QAA, to whom we are deeply grateful for being a trusted and impartial partner in our journey to excellence.'

Vicki Stott, QAA’s Chief Executive said: 'This is an excellent achievement for IFTM, demonstrating its continued commitment to enhancing the quality of its students’ academic experience. Through reaccreditation, the institution can demonstrate it remains comparable with global best practice in quality and standards, providing an excellent platform for developing international partnerships.'

The IQR took place alongside a successful Institutional Accreditation (IA) which benchmarked IFTM against accreditation standards for Macao, as set by the Education and Youth Development Bureau in Macao and carried out by QAA by a combined IQR/IA review team.

QAA’s IQR accreditation applies for five years, subject to a satisfactory mid-cycle review. IFTM will be able to display QAA’s IQR Accreditation badge, demonstrating that their quality assurance processes are comparable with international best practice. IFTM is also eligible to become a QAA International Member. International Quality Review is carried out in QAA’s capacity supporting the development of higher education quality internationally, including activity to support QAA Members and collaboration with international partners.

By securing global accreditation from QAA, international institutions can clearly spotlight their quality standards around the world, and more easily start a dialogue with institutions outside their own country.   

You can read Macao Institute for Tourism Studies' full IQR report on our website. You can also find out more about the IQR process and QAA International Membership. If you are interested in your institution signing up and wish to discuss this further, contact the QAA Global team at accreditation@qaa.ac.uk