On June 21 and 22, 2020, UNIMED in collaboration with the University of Ouargla and the University of Pavia, organized a Virtual Consultative Workshop addressing Algerian universities in order to define a shared action plan, leading to a better University governance.
Around 50 people attended the event from ESAGOV partner institutions and among them representatives of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, rectors, vice-rectors, quality assurance managers and academic staff.
The main objective was to raise awareness within the Algerian university community about some challenges of the ESAGOV project in connection with the reform of the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, such as a “good governance system” and a “transparent evaluation”, to assess the way in which universities, and in general Higher Education Institutions, define objectives, implement them, manage institutions and monitor results.
During the first day, the Universities of Pavia and Ouargla presented a Report focusing on “production of action plans for the definition of an university strategic plan”, based on the results of a survey launched among Algerian universities and on the main results of the Focus groups held in Rouen in January 2020. In particular, the survey has raised key issues related to quality assurance system and evaluation (internal and external), to the participation of different stakeholders in decision-making process (steering, transversal, thematic groups), concerning the University autonomy and particularly the financial autonomy dimension.
Moreover, the ESAGOV project partner institutions involved in the survey have raised some further critical issues related to the lack of both qualitative and quantitative monitoring indicators and self-assessment.
The focus groups held in Rouen in January 2020 represented a physical platform to discuss further what has been raised in the survey and allowed the partners to collect good practices, identify tools and methods to overcome the challenges observed within the Algerian University system.
The second day of the consultative workshop held virtually, was dedicated to sharing and discussing the action plan of each university and their relevant methodology in order to define their own university strategic plan. The debate led to the drafting of a common roadmap with a shared vision of better university governance, necessary for the definition of a new concept of University, a university socially responsible, linked to its social-economic context, a more performant, accountable and participative university.
The two days virtual event was an excellent opportunity for exchanges of good practices among all partners.
All the documents of the workshop are available at the following links:
Consultative workshop on June 21 and 22, 2020