Amoud University, Borama

A Vehicle for Peace and Development

Rationalization of Undergraduate
Academic Programmes:
Programmes Action Plan

Prepared by
Office of Academic Affairs

November 2020

i
Copyright @ 2020
Amoud University – Borama, Somaliland
www.amouduniversity.org

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or

transmitted in any form or by any means without permission of Office of the
Vice President, Academic Affairs, Amoud University.

ii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................ III
LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... IV
LIST OF ACRONYMS ............................................................................................ V
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. VI
RATIONALIZATION OF ACADEMIC UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS .... 1
1.1 Background and Purpose of the Curriculum Rationalization ................... 1
1.1.1 Background of the Curriculum Rationalization ...................................... 1
1.1.2 Purpose and Objectives of the Curriculum Plan ..................................... 3
2.0 Academic Programs in the University ......................................................... 3
2.1 General Academic Issues in the University................................................. 4
2.1.1 University Catalogue ................................................................................. 4
Action Plan 1 ............................................................................................................ 4
2.1.2 Written Academic Programmes ................................................................ 4
Action Plan 2 ............................................................................................................ 5
2.1.3 Course Description ..................................................................................... 5
Action Plan 3 ............................................................................................................ 5
2.1.4 Use of Credit Units ..................................................................................... 5
Action Plan 4 ............................................................................................................ 6
2.1.5 Minimum Standards .................................................................................. 6
Action Plan 5 ............................................................................................................ 7
2.1.6 Policies ......................................................................................................... 7
Action Plan 6 ............................................................................................................ 7
2.1.7 Implementation of the Rationalized Curriculum .................................... 8
Action Plan 7 ............................................................................................................ 8
2.1.8 Curriculum Implementation Scope .......................................................... 8
2.2 Issues Localized in Specific Academic Units .............................................. 9
2.2.1 Faculty of Science and Faculty of Arts ..................................................... 9
Action Plan 8 ............................................................................................................ 9
2.2.2 Faculty of Education Programmes’ Structure and Quality .................... 9
Action Plan 9 .......................................................................................................... 12
2.3 University Accreditation ............................................................................. 12
Action Plan 10 ........................................................................................................ 12
2.4 Summary of Action Plans ........................................................................... 12
3.0 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 17
4.0 Adoption ....................................................................................................... 17

iii
 LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Recent Infrastructural Developments...................................................... 2
Table 2: Summary of Action Plans ....................................................................... 13

iv
 LIST OF ACRONYMS
CH - Contact Hours
CHE - Somaliland Commission for Higher Education
EFA - Education for All
FH - Field Hours
LH - Lecture Hours
MDGs - Millennium Development Goals
PH - Practical Hours
SDGs - Sustainable Development Goals
SH - Student Hours
TH - Tutorial Hours
UNESCO - United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organization
VP, AA - Vice President, Academic Affairs

v
 INTRODUCTION
This is a ten (10) points action plan for rationalization of undergraduate
academic programmes in Amoud University. The paper is authored by the
Office of Academic Affairs. In developing this “Points of Action” paper, the
Office of Academic Affairs carried out a factual assessment and analysis of the
current status of academic programmes in the university. Office of Academic
Affairs weighed the current status of the university academic programmes
vis-a-vis where the university aspires to be in the near future. Where the
university should be is already defined by existing international standards,
but more contextually by the 35 minimum standards published by the CHE in
2018. These aspirations are further refined by Amoud University’s vision,
mission, philosophy and goals. These existing boundaries formed the criteria
for most, if not all, of the action plans suggested in this paper.

This paper is divided in to two parts: Part I provides a summarized history of

the millstones the university has made since 1998. Part II presents a
summarized assessment and analyses of the current status of academic
programmes in the university, and the current status of academic
programmes in specific academic units. For each issue identified, an action
plan is provided under the section labeled “Action Plan”. An action plan
indicates the minimum improvement that must be made in order to redress
the specific issue(s) of concern and put the University in the path towards full
realization of its local, national and international goals and aspirations.

This, seventeen (17) pages ten (10) points of action paper cannot include
detailed descriptions of all that need to be done under each point of action.
Such details will be [provided in the implementation plans for each action
plan. Further, it cannot, and indeed, it does not include all the issues that have
been determined to be acted upon for the demands of the CHE, and for
university education in general, to be met. The paper focuses only on selected
points of action that must be addressed as matters of priority. There are
several issues that are competing for attention, but these first 10 have been
selected based on relevance, importance and urgency. These are the issues,
that in the view of the academic affairs division, should be addressed at least,
by the end of 2023-2024 academic year.

…………………………
Dr. Mohamed Muse Jibril,
Vice-President, Academic Affairs
Amoud University

vi
 RATIONALIZATION OF ACADEMIC UNDERGRADUATE
PROGRAMS
1.1 Background and Purpose of the Curriculum Rationalization
1.1.1 Background of the Curriculum Rationalization
The Office of Academic Affairs is proud to be associated with Amoud
University this far. As the unit responsible for providing guidance and
direction on academic matters in the university, we take this enormous task
with the humility, sobriety and dignity, and with the seriousness that it
deserves. Amoud University has come a long way in its 20 years journey. It
has achieved a lot, and more importantly, under very difficult circumstances.
We applaud the great men and women of Somaliland who, at a time when
nobody would dare think about higher education, conceived the
inconceivable and conjured the idea that gave birth to Amoud University, and
indeed to higher education in Somaliland as a whole. Amoud University
today is a living evidence that great things often have humble beginnings, and
that a good idea will always mature no matter how long it may take. Out of
this humble idea, Somaliland now has at least 28 universities that have
graduated over 40,000 students from various faculties. The people who
conceived the idea of higher education in Somaliland have cemented their
place in the history of (higher) education in this country, and indeed, in the
history of the country as a whole.

In its relatively short (or long) history, Amoud University has achieved a lot.
With an enrolment of just 66 students in two (2) faculties (Business and
Education) and three teachers in 1998, Amoud University now has over 5000
enrolled students and over 312 teachers in 14 faculties. The university has one
college, the College of Health Sciences, and one school, the School of
Postgraduate Studies and Research. The School of Postgraduate Studies and
Research of Amoud University, established in 2012, is the first indigenous
postgraduate education centre in the country. The establishment of the school
opened room and created motivation for other universities to start
postgraduate education programmes. As a result, several universities now
offer postgraduate programmes. Moreover, all the academic staff of Amoud
University now have at least a masters degree, courtesy of the school. Since its
establishment in 1998, Amoud University has graduated 9,453: 7,054 (74.62%)
males and 2,399 (25.38%) females, with an internal efficiency of about 98.350%.
The number of academic programmes has also expanded by 1450% from just
two (2) in 1998 to at least 31 in 2020. These quantitative expansions depict the
university in a very positive light.

1
The university has also made tremendous investments and improvements on
its infrastructure. Some of the recent developments are summarized in Table
1.

Table 1
Recent Infrastructural Developments
Project Unit Date
Amoud bridge and tarmac Main campus 2020
University cafeteria Main campus 2020
University beautification Main campus 2019
Engineering building Main campus 2018
New library building Main campus 2016
Extension of the dental unit College of Health Science
Note. The university plans to renovate the Al Hayat teaching and referral
hospital, and more lecture halls in the College of Heath Sciences.

As the unit responsible for academic matters in the university, the academic
affairs division is aware that these activities and projects are part and parcel of
the university curriculum development, and have greatly facilitated teaching
and learning in the university. The academic affairs division interprets all
university activities in terms of how they promote teaching and learning in
the university. These developments and many others like them have boosted
teaching and learning activities in the university in diverse and significant
ways. Once again, the academic affairs division is grateful to all persons and
organizations whose efforts have contributed to this success.

The academic affairs, to which all university services revolve, and which all
university services must support, has made great strides especially since 2018-
2019 academic year, in developing the soft infrastructure that should guide
the university in provision of academic services in this decade and beyond. As
the university develops on all fronts, the need for written policies need not be
overstated. With the magnitude of expansions witnessed so far, there should
now exist a common reference point for interpreting the various functions
carried out by various university units. In view of this, the academic affairs
division has developed and promulgated several policies for regulating
various aspects of its academic endeavours. These include, among others,
examinations policy, quality assurance policy, research supervision policy,
academic staff policy, teaching policy, and undergraduate research manual.

The academic affairs division also mounted a University Academic Journal

and a formal publication of annual University Graduation Booklet. The
University Academic Journal and the graduation booklet were produced for
the 2018/2019 academic year. But the production of these vital documents
2
was hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the documents were not
produced for 2019-2020 academic year. The academic affairs division is
grateful for all the support it has received and that it continues to receive from
all persons, units and offices within the university. Your support has enabled
us reach this far. The academic affairs division is aware that a lot more still
needs to be done in order to put the university’s academic standing where the
university aspires to be. This is purpose of this rationalization agenda: to
isolate significant, important and urgent academic issues to be addressed as
matters of priority and propose the most efficient and cost-effective measures
for their resolution. The next section presents the general and specific
academic issues so far identified, their real and/or perceived (anticipated)
effects, and the proposed action plans and/or resolution strategies.

1.1.2 Purpose and Objectives of the Curriculum Plan

The purpose of this rationalization agenda is to improve the overall standing
of Amoud University through organization and reorganization of the existing
academic programmes and development of new ones in line with the
Somaliland Commission for Higher Education (CHE) requirements, pursuant
to the philosophy, vision, mission and broad objectives of the university.
Specifically, this rationalization agenda intends to:
1) Produce standard descriptions of all courses currently offered in all
undergraduate programmes in the university.
2) Design a curriculum plan based on CHE guidelines for some
undergraduate programmes currently offered in the university.
3) Write official formal programmes based on CHE guidelines for some
undergraduate programmes currently offered in the university.
4) Develop a detailed and comprehensive official university catalogue for
some undergraduate programmes currently offered in the university.
5) Mount a curriculum based on reorganization in 1 – 4 above.
6) Propose efficient and cost-effective approaches to rationalizing
particular programmes in specific academic units in the university.

2.0 Academic Programs in the University

This section is divided into two (2) parts: the first part (2.1) presents the
academic issues that cut across all facets of the university. The second part
(2.2) focuses on issues that are localized in some faculties and/or academic
programmes, but are nonetheless, significant academic matters. The academic
affairs division has now focused on curriculum reorganization, organization
and development to meet the demands of education provision for this decade
and beyond.

3
2.1 General Academic Issues in the University
The decision to organize and reorganize the university formal curriculum has
been necessitated by the following critical university wide observations:

2.1.1 University Catalogue

The university does not have a detailed and comprehensive record of its
academic programs in an official “University Catalogue”. There is no
authoritative record of programmes offered and which ones are not. Further,
there is no record of which programmes can be offered and which ones
cannot. This has:
1) Created a system where anything can go in and out of the curriculum.
2) Prevented effective monitoring, control and evaluation of academic
programs due to absence of a common reference point.
3) Led to haphazard and uncoordinated implementation of academic
programmes. An academic programme can be created and
implemented “as-is-where-is”, without due procedure yet academic
programmes are the lifeblood of the university.

Action Plan 1
1) The academic affairs division is in the process of developing a standard
University Catalogue of all academic programmes offered in the
university, to be unveiled in the next graduation ceremony. Henceforth,
records of university academic programmes in each academic unit will
exist in an official university document.
2) Only programmes listed in the catalogue or those approved by Senate to be
listed in the catalogue shall be offered beginning 2021/2022 academic year.
3) With effect from 2021/2022, students will NOT be admitted into
programmes which are NOT listed in the official University Catalogue.

2.1.2 Written Academic Programmes

There are no written programmes for some undergraduate academic
programmes offered in the university. There are only lists of course units,
which (lists) can be changed, or are changed arbitrarily without any due
process. This has;
1) Led to course units mutability as course units are easily edited,
sometimes at the discretion of the course tutor.
2) Led to course inappropriateness. The courses are a collection of units
but without a unifying principle.
3) Made it difficult to understand how the units listed for the course were
selected.
4) Made it difficult to assess the relevance course lists, or their unity in the
programme.

4
Action Plan 2
1) The academic affairs division is working with deans of faculties to formally
write all programmes currently offered in the university, according to the
standard requirement of Amoud University, for formal approval by
Senate. This exercise should be concluded by the end of the 2020/2021
academic year.
2) Only programmes that are professionally written and approved by Senate
shall admit students beginning 2021/2022 academic year.
3) With effect from 2021/2022 academic year, students will NOT be admitted
into programmes that are NOT professionally written and approved by
Senate.

2.1.3 Course Description

There are no harmonized descriptions, in some of the undergraduate
programme, of courses in terms of what exactly must be taught to students in
each course. There are only course lists. Due to absence of course descriptions;
1) Lecturers have ended up teaching what they want, and to a great
extent, what they are comfortable with. Some just follow text books or
downloaded slides without any domestication. After all, nobody knows
what should be taught in the course.
2) The same course taught to the same cohort by different lecturers has
had totally different course contents. Not to mention, the students will
get the same degree from the same programme.
3) It is not possible to regulate teaching at any stage or at any level since
there is no written instruction and guide on what content should be
taught.

Action Plan 3
1) The academic affairs division is working with the deans of faculties, and
through the deans, with all teaching staff, to develop detailed course
descriptions for all courses in all programmes offered in the university.
2) The course descriptions for Semester One (I) is over 80% complete, and
work on course descriptions for Semester Two (II) is in progress.
3) Writing of course descriptions should be completed before the beginning
of Semester Two (II), 2020/2021 academic year.
4) Beginning Semester Two (II) 2020/2021 academic year, every course listed
in the university course list shall have a complete course description and a
lecture shall, on the minimum, teach a course only as described.

2.1.4 Use of Credit Units

A credit unit is a standard measure of the weight of a course in a programme.
While a university/programme may assign a credit unit to a course based on

5
its own criteria, once assigned, it has a universal interpretation. Some
programmes have assigned credit units to courses arbitrarily. This has led to:
1) Imbalance in specific courses/programmes with respect to lecture
hours (LH), tutorial hours (TH), practical hours (PH), field hours (FH),
and student hours (SH), etc.
2) Inappropriate timetabling of courses in specific courses/programmes
with respect lecture hours, tutorial hours, practical hours, field hours,
and student hours, etc.
3) Under-coverage of the total credit hours provided for the
course/programme by the faculty. In fact, some courses can be judged
to have not been satisfactorily concluded. For example, practical
oriented programmes that;
a) Assigned 4 credit units utilized only two (2) credit units. Two (2)
credits (or 30 hours of lectures) remain uncovered in each such
course each semester, assuming that all practical credits were
earned. OR Two-thirds (2/3) credit hours (or 30 hours of
practicals) remain uncovered in each such course each semester,
assuming that all lecture credits were earned. Ideally such a
course should have six (6) contact hours per week and 90 contact
hours per semester (45 LH and 45 PH), at the minimum.
b) Assigned three (3) credit units utilized only 1.66 credit units. Such
a course should have 5 contact hours per week and 75 contact
hours per semester (30 LH and 45 PH). Therefore 1.34 credits (or
20 hours of lectures) remain uncovered in each such course each
semester.

Action Plan 4
1) The academic affairs division, working with the deans of faculties, is
developing curriculum plans based on correct interpretation of credit units
with respect to: Lecture Hours (LH, 1), Tutorial Hours (TH, 2), Practical
Hours (PH, 3), Field Hours (FH, 4), and student hours (SH, 5). This exercise
should be concluded before the next (2021) graduation ceremony.
2) With effect from 2021/2022 academic year, all academic programmes that
will admit students will be implemented in strict conformity to the
professional interpretation of credit units. This is also the requirement of
CHE, no. 26(5).

2.1.5 Minimum Standards

The Somaliland CHE, in 2018, published 35 minimum standards for all
universities in Somaliland. As the leading university in the country, and in
line with our vision “To be a centre of excellence in education and scholarship
in the Horn of Africa, and a pioneer in promoting understanding among
cultures and communities in the region”, the academic affairs division has

6
prioritized implementation of implementing these guidelines so that Amoud
University remains ahead of the pack and true to its vision. It is in the best
interest of the university to implement the 35 minimum standards set by CHE.
The academic affairs division is studying the guidelines meticulously with a
view of implementing it in whole, but in small incremental steps, taking what
must, and can be taken at each stage. Implementation of these guidelines is a
continuous process, with progress measured each day. The main issues are:
1) There were no external standard guidelines for universities in
Somaliland before 2018, but now there are.
2) Subsequent to 5 (i) above, the degree of freedom is now greatly
reduced. Amoud University, like other universities in the country, must
follow these guidelines.

Action Plan 5
The academic affairs division will carefully and keenly study the 35 CHE
minimum standards and implement them in small but significant incremental
units. This is a long term and a continuous process with heavy resource
implications. It will be taken selectively, one step at a time.

2.1.6 Policies
The academic affairs division is fully conscious of the fact that a university is
an academic institution concerned primarily with academic affairs. Whatever
else is done, and whatever else it does, is intended to support this core
function. The academic affairs division has developed and operationalized
basic policy documents to guide academic affairs in the university in this
decade and beyond. But these policies are only supporting materials to
academic programmes. On their own, they have no value. Without academic
programmes or with wrong academic programmes, they (policies) are hollow.
They are only as strong, and are only as good as the academic programmes
they are intended to regulate. The issue here is that there are no formally
written and catalogued academic programmes that the policies can operate
on.

Action Plan 6
The academic affairs division has embarked on curriculum organization,
curriculum reorganization and curriculum development. Responses to 1 – 6
above, and subject to 1 – 4 being rationalized, constitute curriculum
organization and reorganization. The action plans (1 – 4) should be concluded
by the end of this 2020-2021 academic year.

7
2.1.7 Implementation of the Rationalized Curriculum
Once action plans 1-6 are completed as required and approved by Senate, the
rationalized curriculum plan will be ready for implementation and should be
implemented beginning 2021/2022 academic year.

Action Plan 7
In implementing the rationalized curriculum plan;
1) Students currently in freshman and who will qualify to be admitted into
degree programmes in 2021/2022 academic year will be admitted under
the rationalized curriculum plan.
2) Students admitted under the rationalized curriculum shall adopt fully
descriptive registration numbers that shall indicate the faculty,
department/programme, student’s number, and cohort.
3) Students currently in year 2 (sophomore), year 3 (junior) and year 4
(senior) in this 2020/2021 academic year will continue under the
present curriculum plan uninterrupted until the last cohort exit in
2022/2023 academic year.
4) Those currently in freshman in this 2020/2021 academic year, and who
will qualify to join year 1 (sophomore) in 2021/2022 academic year, will
move to year 2 (junior) in 2022/2023 and to year 3 (senior) in 2023/2024
academic year under the rationalized curriculum.
5) By 2023/2024, all programmes in all faculties in the university will run
under the rationalized curriculum plan.

2.1.8 Curriculum Implementation Scope

1) Observations 1-6 and corresponding action plans shall be implemented in
all academic units in the university.
2) Action Plan 7, which is a cumulative response to observations 1-6, and
“Action Plans” 1 – 6, shall apply to all academic units in the university.
3) Therefore, all academic units shall be required to implement the
rationalized curriculum plan with effect from 2021-2022 academic year.
4) The curriculum implementation scope as described in 2.1.8 (1-3)
notwithstanding, academic programmes in the College of Health Sciences,
and postgraduate programmes shall not be included in the current
rationalization agenda.
a) The academic programmes in the College of Health Sciences shall be
rationalized in 2021/2022 academic year and implemented from
2022/2023 academic year.
b) The postgraduate programmes shall be rationalized in 2022/2023
academic year and implemented from 2023/2024 academic year.

8
2.2 Issues Localized in Specific Academic Units
While observations (1 – 8) and the Action Plans in 1.2.2 above refer to all
academic units in the university, the academic affairs division has also made
observations and recommendations that are localized, and apply only to some
faculties and programmes. These include:

2.2.1 Faculty of Science and Faculty of Arts

Faculty of Science and Faculty of Arts already exist in the university by proxy.
Faculty of Education has been and is still producing Science and Arts teachers.
This means that Science and Arts courses are being offered in the university,
though they are not properly recognised and are not properly housed. They
are regarded only as teaching subjects rather than as “subjects” in their own
right. This has prevented production of graduates in the fields of pure social
sciences (i.e. Bachelor of Arts) and production of graduates of pure sciences
(i.e. Bachelor of Science). This need NOT be case because pure science and
social science (Arts) subjects are already being offered in the university.

Under the current scenario,

1) The university can produce graduates of Bachelor of Science such
Bachelor of Science in (physics, or chemistry, or botany, zoology, etc.).
This is possible because the courses are already being offered in the
Faculty of Education as subjects of teaching rather than as degrees in
the own right. Science laboratories already exist for training in these
courses.
2) The university can produce graduates of Bachelor of Arts such as
Bachelor of Arts in (Islamic studies, history, geography, psychology,
sociology, etc.). This is possible because the courses are already being
offered in the Faculty of Education as subjects of teaching rather than as
degrees in the own right. The Arts programmes do not require physical
laboratories.
3) There are no additional requirements for mounting these programmes
since the requisite courses are already being offered in the Faculty of
Education.

Action Plan 8
Programmes leading to award of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science
degrees shall be mounted once the necessary details are fully worked out.

2.2.2 Faculty of Education Programmes’ Structure and Quality

Professional courses in the Faculty of Education, as currently offered, do not
reflect the contemporary demands on modern day education. There are
regional and global conventions and declarations such as those forwarded by
UNESCO, EFA, MDGs, SDGs, etc, and global, regional and local realities that

9
have shaped and continue to shape the role expectations of a modern day
teacher and consequently, nature of teacher education programme. The
education programmes as currently offered in the Faculty of Education, to a
great extent, do not reflect these realities. Specific issues are as follows:
1) Major and Minor Teaching Subjects. The Faculty of Education is still
training teachers in major and minor teaching subjects, yet it is now
clear that such a teacher is not a full teacher. A full teacher should be
qualified to teach effectively in two (2) related teaching subjects. Where
there are major and minor subjects, the teacher is designated as half (½)
teacher. Note that:
a) Employers, including public and private sectors, and international
organizations now prefer to hire one (1) teacher to teach two (2)
subjects than hire two (2) teachers to teach two (2) subjects.
b) When teachers have major and minor teaching subjects, then two (2)
teachers are required for every two (2) subjects. Under the one (1)
teacher two (2) subjects design, four (4) teachers will teach eight (8)
subjects. But the same four (4) teachers will teach only four (4)
subjects under the major/minor design.
Amoud University can make its teachers stronger, more competitive
and more popular in the market by producing teachers who can operate
competently in two (2) teaching subjects. This is the contemporary
demand on teacher education. As a result of this requirement, teaching
subject combinations such as “maths and further (or additional) maths,
or “double maths”, “botzoo” (botany and zoology), “English and
Literature” have since died because, as it turned out, teachers trained in
such subject combinations can only teach one (1) subject: mathematics,
biology, or English, etc.

2) Teaching Practice. The Faculty of Education is producing teachers

without providing adequate teaching practice. In fact, there is NO
course on teaching practice in the whole faculty programme. A
standard bachelor of education degree requires at least 12 credit units of
teaching practice. The Amoud University bachelor of education
programme does not have “a credit unit” on teaching practice.

3) Fundamental Education Courses. Some of the fundamental courses

that constitute professional education, and that ground a teacher into
the teaching profession are not included in the faculty’s programme.
For example, there are no courses in “philosophy of education, history
of education, comparative education, contemporary issues in education,
sociology of education, technology of education and subject teaching
methods” among others.

10
 A teacher who does not have an educational philosophy or the
knowledge of it, or who cannot appropriately relate the school to the
society in which it exists, or who lacks knowledge of the current issues
moulding education provision and how to deal with them, or who does
not have knowledge of the different education systems and how they
work, or who cannot place the present education provision modes in
the context of history, is surely NOT sufficiently equipped to be in the
school.

4) Diploma Programmes in the Faculty of Education are confounded, yet

they are taught and the diplomas awarded. Specific issues are:
a) Degree and diploma students learn the same courses, at the same
time, and in the same way. This implies that they are at the same
level which is NOT the case.
b) Degree and diploma courses in the Faculty of Education have the
same course codes, course description and the same credit units.
In the end, a transcript for a diploma in education and a
transcript for a degree of education are exactly the same.
c) The only difference between the degree and diploma
programmes is in the number of years taken: two (2) years for a
diploma programme and three (3) years for a degree programme.
Ideally, they should also be different in terms of course content
which must be reflected in the credit units and credit hours: 1680
credit hours for a degree programme and 960 credit hours for a
diploma programme.
d) Under the current arrangement, diploma students can obtain
degrees in exactly the same time as degree students if they
proceed to upgrade immediately after graduation. They need to
add only one (1) year. Yet they did not qualify for admission in to
degree programmes.
e) Students enrolled in diploma programmes did not qualify for
admission in to degree programmes and therefore should not
learn the same content as degree students. A diploma programme
should have the major course units as the degree programme but
at a lower level.

5) Subject Content Courses. The Faculty of Education is teaching subject

content courses which is NOT within its mandate. The science courses
should be taught in the Faculty of Science and, Arts courses in the
Faculty of Arts. Education should only teach the methodologies of those
subjects. The current arrangement makes Faculty of Education
overloaded and unnecessarily expensive.

11
Action Plan 9
The Faculty of Education and the programmes in the faculty need a major
reorganization. The Faculty of Education should embark on self-
reorganization. Specifically,
a) The major/minor teaching subject design should be discontinued and
replaced with major/major teaching subjects.
b) Students in the Faculty of Education to proceed for teaching practice at
the end of every second (junior) year of study, for a period of NOT less
than one (1) school term.
c) The programmes in the Faculty of Education should be rewritten and
reorganized to include missing professional courses such as philosophy
of education, history of education, comparative education,
contemporary issues in education, and sociology of education, etc.
d) The diploma of education programmes and courses in the Faculty of
Education should be written, and provided independent of the degree
programmes and courses.
e) The teaching of subject content courses be delegated to Faculty of
Science, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Agriculture, and other related
faculties.

2.3 University Accreditation

After twenty (20) years of existence and taking into account all that has been
achieved so far, and being cognizant of the difficult circumstances under
which the success was achieved, it is now time the university is accredited by
a reputable accreditation body or bodies. While Amoud University is duly
registered and fully recognized by local and national standards, the university
needs to aspire and make efforts to attain international accreditation(s). This
will require that small but significant and consistent progress is continuously
made towards streamlining the academic programmes and activities in line
with the local, national and international standards. By successfully
implementing the rationalized curriculum plan, which is basically the bold
moves suggested by Action Plans 1 – 9, the university shall be able to
confidently apply for and obtain accreditation by the end of 2023-2024
academic year.

Action Plan 10
The university shall apply for accreditation to reputable and recognized
regional and international accreditation bodies by the end of 2023/2024
academic year.

2.4 Summary of Action Plans

The proposed action plans are summarized in Table 2.

12
Table 2
Summary of Action Plans
Issue Issue Definition Issue Effects Action Responsibility Success Indicators Time Plan Excepted Outcomes
University There is no official i. Anything can go i. Develop a - The VP, AA A standard catalogue - End of 2020/2021 i. Effective university-
Catalogue record of University in and out of the standard responsible. approved by Senate academic year. wide monitoring
academic programs. curriculum at any University - Deans take action. and adopted by - By August 31 and control of
time. Catalogue of all University. 2021. curriculum.
ii. Prevents effective academic ii. University wide
monitoring and programmes. coordinated
control of the ii. Offer only implementation of
curriculum. programmes curriculum.
iii. Leads to listed in the iii. Improved university
haphazard and catalogue or those academic standing.
uncoordinated approved by
implementation of Senate for
curriculum. cataloguing.
Academic There is no written i. Course units i. Formal writing of - Deans responsible. Documents of written - End of 2020/2021 i. Effective faculty
Programmes record of what mutability. all academic - Programme programmes. academic year. monitoring and
constitutes an ii. Course units programmes. panels take action. - By August 31 control of
academic programme irrelevance. ii. Admission only in - QAMS oversee. 2021. curriculum.
in some academic iii. Poor programme to programmes ii. Effective faculty
units. There are only management at with written coordination and
lists of course units. the faculty. programmes implementation of
approved by curriculum.
Senate.
Course There are no written i. Lecturers can i. Describe all - Deans responsible. Documents of written - End of Semester I, i. Effective faculty
Description records of the teach whatever courses in all - Course panels course descriptions. 2020/2021. monitoring and
minimum content they want. programmes in take action. - By January 31 control of teaching.
that must be taught in ii. No course control. the university. - QAMS oversee. 2021. ii. Effective faculty
some programmes. iii. Difficulty in ii. Lectures to teach, coordination and
regulating on the minimum, implementation of
teaching. only the course as teaching.
described. iii. Easy teaching and
course control.
Credit Units Credit units assigned i. Credit hours, as i. Develop - The VP, AA i. Correctly written - End of 2020/2021 i. Internationalization
arbitrarily without large as 30 hrs, curriculum plans overall curriculum plans academic year. of the university
following its science remain uncovered based on correct responsible. for all - By August 31, curriculum.
in some programmes. in some science of credit - Deans to oversee programmes. 2021. ii. Programme
programmes. units. the faculties. ii. Teaching confidence at all
ii. Course under ii. Implement - Programme timetables that levels, inside and
coverage, with its academic panels take action. reflect correct outside the
related programmes in science of credit university.
consequences. strict conformity units.
to this science. iii. Written manuals

13
Issue Issue Definition Issue Effects Action Responsibility Success Indicators Time Plan Excepted Outcomes
for practical and
internship.
Minimum There exits external The degree of i. Meticulously - The VP, AA Number of the 35 - Long term, i. Improved standing
Standards guidelines that the freedom is now study the 35 CHE overall CHE standards continuous with the CHE.
university must greatly reduced. The standards. responsible. attained. process. ii. Improved national
follow, and external University must: ii. Implement in - QAMS take action. - Selective, one step and international
standards that the i. Follow these small, significant at a time. standing.
university must guidelines. incremental units.
attain. ii. Attain these
standards.

Policies i. Policies exits for Policies are a vacuum Organize and - The VP, AA i. Catalogue - End of 2020/2021 i. Uniform guidance
regulating in the absence of the reorganize existing overall approved by academic year. and implementation
academic requisite academic curriculum as responsible. Senate. - By August 31, of academic
programmes, but programmes. necessary and as - Deans take action. ii. Professionally 2021. programmes, and
there are no appropriate. written academic supporting
formally defined programmes. programmes in all
academic iii. Course units of the
programmes in descriptions for all university.
some courses. ii. Standardization of
programmes. iv. Curriculum plan university academic
ii. Policies have no for all programmes and
value of their programmes. practices.
own. They are v. Teaching iii. Depersonalization
only as good as timetables of university
the academic reflecting correct academic
programmes they credit units. programmes and
are intended to practices.
regulate.
Implementation Unless implemented Reduced academic i. Implement the - The VP, AA i. New registration Beginning semester I, i. Standardization of
of the professionally, the standing of the rationalized overall numbers to 2021-2022 academic university academic
Rationalized status quo remains university in the curriculum plan in responsible. students. year. programmes and
Curriculum and there are no global arena. all academic units. - Deans take action ii. Curriculum plan practices.
unique outcomes. ii. Admit students reflecting LH, TH, ii. Improved
currently in PH, FH, CH. university academic
freshman in to iii. Teaching standing with the
degree timetables CHE, Ministry of
programmes in reflecting LH, TH, Education, and
2021/2022 under PH, FH, CH. nationally.
the rationalized iv. Evidence of iii. Improved
curriculum. accumulation of university
iii. Students in year 2, credits for TH and international image
year 3 and year 4 PH, etc. and standing.
in 2020/2021

14
Issue Issue Definition Issue Effects Action Responsibility Success Indicators Time Plan Excepted Outcomes
continue under the
present curriculum
plan until they
exit.
iv. All programmes in
the university to
run under the
rationalized
curriculum from
2023/2024.
Faculties of There are faculties of i. There are no Mount programmes The VP, AA overall i. Appointment of Open i. Increased university
Science and Arts Science and Arts yet graduates of leading to award of responsible. Dean of Faculty of enrolment.
science Arts courses Bachelor of Bachelor of Arts and Arts. ii. Increased university
are being offered. Science. Bachelor of Science ii. Written prestige.
ii. There are no degrees. programmes in iii. Increased scope of
graduates of Faculty of Arts. university graduate
Bachelor of Arts. iii. Appointment of programmes.
iii. Science and Arts Dean of Faculty of iv. Professionalization
courses are Science. of Faculty of
wrongly housed. iv. Written Education.
programmes in
Faculty of Science.
Faculty of Professional courses The faculty is i. Replace - The VP, AA overall i. Written Open i. Improved quality of
Education and the entire teacher progressively losing major/minor responsible. programmes of Amoud University
Programmes’ education value to itself, the subjects design for - The Dean, faculty of major/major teacher graduates.
Structure and programme do not university and among major/major education takes teaching subjects. ii. Decongestion of
Quality reflect the the public. subjects design. action. ii. Inclusion of Faculty of
contemporary ii. Introduce teaching - QAMS oversee. teaching practice Education.
demands on modern practice at the end in the teacher iii. Improved
day education. of year 2, for a education professionalization
i. The concept of period of NOT less curriculum. of the Faculty of
major/ minor than one (1) school iii. Additional Education.
teaching subjects term. professional iv. Improved
design is obsolete. iii. Rewrite courses included enrolment in the
ii. Teachers are programmes to in the curriculum. Faculty of
produced without include the iv. Diploma Education.
adequate teaching missing programmes v. Improved
practice. professional offered university academic
iii. Some courses. independent of standing.
fundamental iv. Write and provide the degree
professional diploma programmes.
courses are programmes v. Teaching of
missing. independent of subject content
iv. Diploma degree courses delegated

15
Issue Issue Definition Issue Effects Action Responsibility Success Indicators Time Plan Excepted Outcomes
programmes are programmes and to respective
not defined. courses. faculties.
v. Faculty of v. Delegate teaching
Education is of subject content
teaching subject courses to
content courses respective
outside its faculties.
mandate.
University The University is Reduced standing of i. Eliminate all The VP, AA overall Certificates of The end of 2023/2024 i. Improved
Accreditation duly registered and the university, of known barriers to responsible. accreditation. academic year. international
fully recognized by university accreditation. QAMS take action. standing and
local and national programmes, ii. Apply for recognition.
standards, but does graduates and staff, accreditation to ii. Improved relations
not have international etc., in the reputable and with international
accreditation. international arena. recognized academe and
regional and research
international organizations.
accreditation iii. Improved students’
bodies. enrolment.

16
3.0 Conclusion
1. The academic affairs division is convinced that the proposed organization
and reorganization of the university academic programmes are not only
necessary, but are also inevitable if the university is to more effectively
perform its four-fold functions of teaching, research, publication and
community service at the local, national and in the international arena.
Even if some phases of this rationalisation agenda are delayed for valid
reasons, they will finally have to be effected because they are inevitable in
the current higher education dispensation. Therefore a calculated
incremental implementation is proposed rather than a halt.
2. This intended rationalization of academic programmes has cost
implications which cannot be avoided. For example, a practical course unit
of three (3) credit units will require five (5) credits hours per week instead
of the current three (3) hours per week. Increasing contact hours per
course by even one (1) hour will have ripple effects which can all be
counted in terms of cost. Therefore this rationalization agenda must
encompass all university units.
3. It will be very necessary and important that all persons who will be
directly involved in, and those who will be affected by this rationalization
agenda be trained prior and in the course of the rationalization agenda.

4.0 Adoption
Approved and adopted this …………... (Day) the …………. (Date) day of
…………… (Month) the ………………….. (Year).

The President, Amoud University ………….…….………....….

Vice-President, Academic Affairs ………….…….………....….

Vice-President, Administration and Finance ………….…….………....….

Chief Registrar ………….…….………....….

Director, QAMS ………….…….………....….

…………………….…….………..……………….…
This is the Seal of Amoud University

17