Quality Assurance Officer

Reporting Relationship: Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE)

Expected Starting Date:For immediate hire

Job Status:Full-time

Application Deadline:The position is open until filled

About Us

Located in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and following the successful launch of The Africa Institute in 2018, Global Studies University was established in 2023 as a non-profit institution for higher education by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.Read more .

About the Position

This position reports to the Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE). The objective of the Academic Quality Assurance Officer is to support OIE's efforts in all related business and operational functions to ensure quality assurance and monitor performance at GSU. The Quality Assurance Officer will assist in monitoring progress in matters related to quality assurance and enhancement of GSU's progress in areas of teaching, research, and knowledge production, with the objective to facilitate the best learning environment for faculty and graduate students, and most importantly to ensure that the institute achieves the highest ranking possible within the global educational ranking systems. The overall charge is to provide support through the development of a mechanism for collecting data on the institute's progress. One of the main objectives of the office is to enhance the institute's ranking according to the international standards of research and teaching institutions. Through OIE and GSU processes, the QA and enhancement officer works to establish and conduct ongoing evaluations through feedback from faculty, students, and staff, leading to constant improvement and maintenance of academic standards. The goal is to demonstrate to all stakeholders the high quality of teaching, learning, research, and publishing output of its faculty and graduate students, and to make sure they meet the standards and expectations according to the best practices in global peer institutions. This will be achieved by developing risk-based institutional and subject-for-review processes.

The prospective candidate for the position should have background and long-term experience and understanding of the Academic Quality framework, including enhancement and assurance (QE&A) mechanisms; and a commitment to promoting and developing the consistency of the institute's engagement with quality processes to enhance the student learning experience and faculty research output.

Key Responsibilities

• To work on issues related to national regulation and assessment of teaching quality, student progress, and graduates' future employment
• To coordinate external reviews of academic quality and standards as assigned
• To assist in the design and implementation of a model of continuous academic review to promptly identify and address challenges to the student experience, student progress, and graduate outcomes
• To ensure that the institute meets the expectations for the UAE-CAA Higher Education
• To manage the periodic review of the academic quality and standards
• To manage the approval processes for new academic developments as assigned
• Provide academic data analysis: report grades, exam results, and attendance
• Develops accurate information and reports for OIE to provide the Office of the Chancellor and assist in maintaining standards of performance of the institute including underachieving students
• Assist with strategic planning and monitoring of performance management in sync with CAA requirements as assigned
• To work on accreditation compliance reporting and timelines
• To work on a periodical benchmarking exercise to compare GSU to similar local, regional and international peer institutions by collecting relevant external data for purposes of benchmarking different academic and administrative functions and processes
• To prepare, review and work on submission of accreditation reports and requirements to the CAA and other accreditation bodies.
• To collaborate effectively with the Student Administration team, Academic Registration Office, and with Departments and their administrators
• Perform all other functions as assigned by the Director of OIE

Required Education

• Master's degree in a relevant field

Required Work Experience

• Requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in academic affairs, preferably, within a higher education institution
• Previous experience in data management capacity within higher education
• Experience in managing and developing data systems
• Experience in producing accurate data for reporting and assessment
• Experience in university ranking systems
• Creating and maintaining data capture and data entry templates
• Strong organizational skills, coupled with the ability to take initiative and work with limited supervision
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including presentation skills, and demonstrated competency in interacting with people at all levels of the organization
• The ability to work effectively as part of a team in a multicultural environment, to handle pressure with a positive attitude, and to meet deadlines in a demanding work environment
• Ability to keep up to date on relevant policies and procedures in line with the duties identified in the job description
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, with a preference for proficiency in Arabic
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
• The ability to maintain a high level of professionalism and confidentiality

If you are interested, kindly send an email with your CV and a Cover Letter to the following email: . Please mention the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Salary and further compensation commensurate with degree and experience. Benefits package includes health insurance, housing, and transportation, children's school fees allowances subject to coordination of benefits.

The Africa Institute (GSU) is committed to fair employment practices and encourages women and men of all national, ethnic, and religious backgrounds to apply and join our expanding team. UAE nationals are encouraged to apply.

We anticipate a high number of applications and will do our best to respond to any queries. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted in the first instance.