QAA signs contract with the British Council in Tunisia

On Friday 4 December at 9am GMT/10am Tunis time, the British Council will host a launch event in recognition of a new contract between QAA and the British Council in Tunisia. The contract, signed earlier this week, is for a pilot project for QAA to support capacity building and the development of higher education approaches to quality assurance through collaboration with universities and quality agencies in Tunisia. The project will run between 4 December 2020 and 31 March 2021. 

Bob Ness, Director of the British Council Tunisia, is leading the launch.

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Her Excellency Olfa Ben Ouda, and Her Majesty’s British Ambassador to Tunisia, Edward Oakden, will be in attendance. QAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Douglas Blackstock, and Dr Alison Felce will be speaking. 

QAA Chief Executive Officer, Douglas Blackstock said: 'The contract between the British Council and QAA is reflective of the positive nature of our long-standing relationship with the Tunisian higher education sector and presents a real opportunity for all parties to learn, and to improve the way we approach higher education in Tunisia and beyond.'

Director of the British Council Tunisia, Bob Ness said: 'This initiative is one of the outcomes of the UK/Tunisia Higher Education Commission which was established two years ago with the aim of increasing exchange between our two HE systems and addressing the relatively limited number of partnerships that currently exist. We have a lot to share, and the UK experience of quality assurance is a very good place to start.'

QAA is on the Tunisia-UK Higher Education and Scientific Research Commission, which specialises in governance of scientific research, mobility of students, researchers, faculty members, employability and innovation, and governance of higher education. The next meeting of the Commission will be on 11 December, and will take place online this year. The Commission includes representatives of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Tunisia, British and Tunisian Universities, the National Agency for Evaluation, Quality Assurance and Accreditation, IEAQA, Tunisia, Universities UK International, the British Council and the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education.