:: Gaza University ::

Overview

Since its establishment in Gaza City in 2007, Gaza University has been dedicated to providing academic and educational services to Palestinian youth, aiming to meet the diverse scientific and professional needs of the community. Recognizing the importance of progress and growth in a rapidly changing and multidimensional world, the university places a strong emphasis on quality as a cornerstone of its efforts. It strives to implement local and international accreditation standards to keep pace with educational policies in the era of globalization. The university also acknowledges the urgent need for continuous improvement and development in various departments, in order to identify and overcome challenges that may hinder academic and administrative advancement, and to adapt to the rapid developments occurring in higher education at the local, regional, and global levels.

To address these needs, the Planning, Development, and Quality Department was established. It serves as an essential component of the university system, coordinating planning and development efforts, ensuring the quality of academic, administrative, and technical processes, and promoting their integration.

It is a genuine response to the university's commitment to enhancing its performance at all levels, in accordance with local and international quality standards. The department employs precise measurement tools to identify strengths and work on their reinforcement and development. It also focuses on identifying weaknesses and deficiencies and working towards their improvement, in line with the university's strategic vision of achieving leadership and excellence in education and scientific research. The ultimate goal is to graduate outstanding students equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to serve and contribute to society, guided by global quality systems and contemporary requirements. The department aspires to reach a level of local, regional, and global excellence and quality that aligns with the university's aspirations.

Vision, Mission, and Goals of the Department

Vision: To be a leader and excel in implementing best practices in planning, development, and academic, administrative, and research quality standards in the university, serving the community, and elevating its status and prestige locally and internationally.

Mission:

Ensure continuous development and improvement in all academic, administrative, and research units through the implementation of an integrated system of modern quality standards, in line with the university's strategic vision and goals, to enhance its competitiveness and ensure the excellence of its graduates.

The objectives of the department can be identified as follows:

Develop the strategic plan and monitor its implementation through operational plans.
Supervise and support the various faculties of the university in obtaining academic accreditation for their programs, and review and monitor the accreditation files of the offered specializations for the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority.
Continuously develop and improve administrative work systems and procedures to ensure compliance with quality standards.
Adopt a comprehensive system for measurement, evaluation, and examinations that meets quality standards, including designing and preparing the necessary models for assessing the educational process through measuring performance indicators (faculty evaluation, course descriptions, exam templates, staff evaluation, student feedback forms, alumni tracking, etc.).
Continuously monitor and improve the university's ranking according to the requirements of locally and internationally recognized accreditation bodies to gain the trust of the community.
Conduct periodic evaluations of staff (academic and administrative).
Ensure alignment of the university's outputs with the needs of the job market.
Undertake all necessary measures to achieve the objectives and tasks of the department.

The organizational structure of the department

The organizational structure of the department can be as follows:

The establishment of the Planning, Development, and Quality Assurance Department is a priority for Gaza University to ensure the highest possible standards in the academic, research, and administrative aspects of the university, making it a distinguished institution at the Palestinian and international levels. The department reports directly to the university's presidency, and the proposed structure of the department consists of several main units as shown in the following structure:

Development and Planning Unit:

Monitor the formulation, approval, and implementation of the strategic plan by the various units of the university in line with the requirements and needs of the community and the labor market.
Contribute to guiding the deanships and departments in preparing operational plans and monitoring their implementation.
Provide proposals and consultations regarding the university's priorities to improve administrative and academic performance.
Integrate assessment and planning to enhance quality in regular administrative and academic processes.
Prepare studies and plans regarding vertical and horizontal expansion of the university in accordance with the top management's directions and strategy.
Conduct survey, exploratory, and developmental research to engage graduates and stakeholders in sustaining quality management processes and utilizing information for development.
Collect statistical data on time periods and prevailing trends, coordinate and analyze them, and present them in reports that support decision-making.
Perform any other tasks within the scope of expertise.

Administrative Quality Unit:

Contribute to developing the operational plan for various administrative units.
Provide support and advice to quality units in faculties and different departments regarding quality issues and their implementation.
Work towards obtaining certifications that support quality levels within the university, such as ISO certifications in their various degrees.
Prepare newsletters, brochures, and leaflets that can help disseminate a culture of quality within the administrative departments.
Monitor the implementation of policies, systems, instructions, recommendations, studies, and their results to achieve the university's vision, mission, and objectives.
Continuously develop a procedures manual that identifies the inputs and processes of the university to improve performance and quality control, as well as different mechanisms to align administrative and academic units with its mission.
Pay attention to beneficiary complaints and suggestions and follow them up with the relevant authorities.
Any other tasks within the scope of expertise.

Accreditation and Academic Quality Unit:

Supervise and provide support to the various colleges of the university in obtaining academic accreditation for their programs.
Manage the processes of self-assessment at the college level to meet quality requirements.
Review reports on programs, courses, and self-studies submitted by the colleges.
Provide support and consultation to departments and colleges on accreditation issues.
Conduct field visits to colleges and academic departments for review and auditing purposes related to quality assurance.
Any other tasks within the scope of expertise.

University Ranking Unit:

Monitor the requirements of local, regional, and international rankings.
Identify and prioritize rankings of interest and follow the application procedures.
Propose an action plan to develop the academic staff in research aspects to enhance the university's academic and administrative ranking.
Supervise the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of workshops related to local, regional, and international university rankings.
Any other tasks within the scope of expertise.

Measurement, Evaluation, and Examinations Unit:

Build and develop measurement and evaluation tools to determine the quality levels of performance for activities and programs at the university.
Design and prepare the necessary models and standards for evaluating the educational process by measuring performance indicators for the inputs and outputs of the educational process (faculty evaluation, course descriptions, exam templates, staff evaluation, student feedback forms, alumni tracking, etc.).
Prepare reports on monitoring evaluation processes for the outcomes of academic programs, assess and analyze them, and discuss the results with the university administration.
Measure and evaluate academic counseling services and e-learning services.
Measure and evaluate student satisfaction levels with courses and academic programs.
Measure and evaluate the outcomes of university-community partnerships.
Measure and evaluate the outcomes of training and professional development for faculty members.
Announce the performance evaluation results at the university periodically and provide feedback to academic colleges and administrative departments.
Work on promoting a culture of measurement and evaluation within the university through conducting training courses, workshops, lectures, and seminars.
Any other tasks within the scope of expertise.

Quality Teams:

Quality teams are responsible for monitoring and implementing quality standards, work procedures, and instructions within the units and colleges of the university. They consist of members from within each unit or faculty.

Administrative Tasks of the Department:

Organizing regular meetings and preparing for them.
Writing administrative reports and letters in the appropriate format and ensuring their delivery.
Organizing and archiving records related to the department (outgoing and incoming).
Receiving all correspondence addressed to the department and presenting it to the dean.
Managing day-to-day office tasks.
Ensuring the communication of department decisions and directives to the relevant units and monitoring their implementation.
Any other work tasks as required by the nature of the work assigned by the immediate supervisor, similar to the above-mentioned tasks.