The University of Guyana (UG) has taken step one towards establishing its quality assurance system with the assistance of the University of the West Indies under a new phase of collaboration between the two.

A representative of that university’s quality assurance  department Jacqueline Moniquette concluded a two-day visit to UG last  Thursday. She conducted a situation analysis of the Turkeyen campus which will inform the training needs of the staff.

Following training UG staff would be able to effectively set up and run the institution’s own quality assurance unit.

The system is one that is well established at universities throughout the world and serves as a means of assurance,  particularly to stakeholders regarding the standard of  the university’s curriculum and output.

Discussions with staff, Moniquette said, would help tailor the training to meet UG’s needs and also to put that into context.

She told reporters last Thursday that in a competitive environment it was important for universities to have effective quality assurance systems.
She admitted that there were already lots of elements in the campus environment but there was need for them to be made cohesive.

Meanwhile, training for UG staff who would eventually run the quality assurance system should begin by yearend.

At the end of this training an action plan will be produced to ensure there is a working document to enable UG to put the system in place as well as indicate the amount of  resources needed to get it up and running.