The International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) Quality Assurance 2.0 Consultation Meeting was successfully held on October 28th,2021. The conference was organized by the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (Shenzhen, China) (hereinafter referred to as the "UNESCO-ICHEI").

The meeting focused on the theme of " Employing IIOE Quality Assurance 2.0: Realizing the Potential of Online Education and Blended Learning to Promote High-quality and Inclusive higher education ”. UNESCO-ICHEI discussed with IIOE partner HEIs and international experts about IIOE Quality Assurance 2.0 and reached a preliminary consensus on the updated version of IIOE Quality Assurance 2.0.

Over 80 participants from 24 partner HEIs of 21 countries in West Asia and Africa, international experts in quality assurance, and representatives from UNESCO attended the meeting. Mr. LYU Feng, Chief of IIOE Management Centre, UNESCO-ICHEI, delivered opening remarks. He introduced the overall plan of IIOE and pointed out that the meeting's main goal is to gather feedback from IIOE partner HEIs and international experts on IIOE QA 2.0, and to set ways forward.

Professor LIM Cher Ping, Chief Expert of IIOE and Chair Professor of The Education University of Hong Kong, introduced the framework, toolkit and implementation mechanism of IIOE Quality Assurance 2.0. According to Professor LIM, UNESCO-ICHEI summarized the practical experience of IIOE partner HEIs in applying IIOE Quality Assurance 1.0 based on the launch of IIOE Quality Assurance 1.0 in December 2019. He also outlined the operationalisation of IIOE QA 2.0 on institutional, programme and course levels. He then summarised feedback from IIOE partner HEIs regarding IIOE Quality Assurance 2.0, and emphasised the importance of working closely with IIOE partner HEIs. He further pointed out that IIOE QA 2.0 needs to be constantly revised according to the needs of partner HEIs, and the need for contextualisation and localization according to regional specificities.

Ms. Hassmik Tortian from the Higher Education Section at UNESCO Headquarters chaired the forum of IIOE partner HEIs. Prof. Mona Abdel-Aal Elzahry from Ain Shams University (Egypt), Prof. Mohamed Larbi SIDMOU from Cadi Ayyad University (Morocco), Prof. Ayuba Guga from Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria) and Dr. Vincent Ssembatya from Makerere University (Uganda) introduced existing QA mechanisms in their respective institutions and shared their perspectives on the value addedness of IIOE QA 2.0 to their existing mechanisms. They also shared feedback on how IIOE QA 2.0 could be further improved.

Professor LIM Cher Ping, chief expert of IIOE, highlighted three key issues in his concluding remarks, namely the customization and localization of the framework, the integration into existing frameworks at the national or institutional level, and the appropriate support and guidance to implement IIOE QA 2.0. Prof. LIM also proposed actions that could be taken by UNESCO-ICHEI and IIOE partner HEIs. First, develop different versions of IIOE QA 2.0 for different institutions according to local contexts, share promising practices and lessons learnt through pilot studies and case studies, and capacity building through professional development sessions and consultation clinics.

After the meeting, UNESCO-ICHEI will develop a final version of IIOE QA 2.0 based on feedback from partner HEIs and experts. The final version of IIOE QA 2.0 will be published at the World Higher Education Conference in 2022.

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