The OAAAQA has now completed an Institutional Standards Reassessment (ISR) of Arab Open University - Oman (AOU). This was carried out in accordance with the OAAAQA Institutional Standards Assessment Manual and its Addendum: Institutional Standards Reassessment (ISR), dated February 2018
(click here).
The institutional accreditation system in Oman consists of two stages: Institutional Quality Audit (IQA), followed by Institutional Standards Assessment (ISA). Where a Higher Education Institution (HEI) is unable to meet one or more of the applicable accreditation standards, they are obliged to undergo Institutional Standards Reassessment (ISR) a maximum of one year after the ISA. An HEI may be entitled, depending on the results of the first ISR attempt, to a second ISR attempt to meet any standards outstanding from the first ISR attempt. The second attempt at ISR occurs a maximum of one year after the first attempt.
AOU’s ISA results were approved (Original Approval) by the OAAAQA Board on 31 October 2019 and the University was Conditionally Accredited for one year. AOU submitted an ISR Application on 3 January 2022 and a Panel was formed to undertake the Reassessment process; this comprised experienced locally-based and international external reviewers
(click here). During the Visit, which took place from 17-19 May 2022. The Panel spoke with 48 people, including representatives of the governing authorities, staff, students and external stakeholders. The Panel also reviewed a range of additional materials.
The OAAAQA Board approved the resulting ISR (First Attempt) Report on 15 November 2022 and the University has received a copy of that report. This report will not be made publicly available but will be circulated as a confidential document to OAAAQA Board Members and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
The AOU ISR I resulted in an Accreditation Outcome of ‘Accredited’. AOU now joins the ranks of other HEIs already accredited by OAAAQA. You can find all accredited institutions on OAAAQA website www.oaaaqa.gov.om.