This section of the guidance toolkit will help you understand the credit systems and qualification frameworks currently in use or in development for the higher education systems in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
The majority of universities in the region use either the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) or the American-style credit system in which 6 ECTS are approximately equivalent to 3 credit hours.
In Jordan, there is no national credit system; the American credit system is used, or institutionally-specific credit systems. The University of Jordan uses a credit system in which 1 UJ credit is equal to 2 ECTS at undergraduate degree level.
There is no standardised national credit system in Lebanon due to the dual French- and US-style of education systems used in-country.
In practice, universities in Lebanon use the American credit system (1 credit is equal to 15 hours of study) and the European credit system – ECTS (1 ECTS is equal to 25-30 hours of study). As an example, the Lebanese University (public university) uses the European system.
For conversion of credits, Lebanon uses a 1:2 ratio, which means that 1 ECTS is equivalent to 2 American credits. They take into consideration the thesis of the student and other factors.
Most Syrian universities use the credit-hour system during their academic years. Study plan credit hours differ from each other depending on the course and duration of the programme of studies. As an example, the Arab International University adapts this system. A credit hour is made up of one theoretical hour or two practical hours a week and is planned for one academic semester (first semester 18 weeks, second semester 19 weeks). Credit hours can be theoretical or practical or both.
Quality Assurance in Syria
The MoHE is responsible for quality assurance at tertiary level within the national educational remit. In 2005 a number of resolutions were issued in order to establish quality assurance centres sitting within each public university. Such resolutions allowed staff to be trained in quality assurance methodologies and to develop programmes for implementation. The Technical committee…
Quality Assurance in Lebanon
Lebanon does not have a national quality assurance process; thus, it is up to universities to establish their own internal QA processes[1] as per law 285/2014. This internal QA will allow universities to have themselves ready to be quality assured by external evaluators, or eventually by the national quality assurance agency, when this will eventually…
Quality Assurance in Jordan
Quality assurance is carried out by the aforementioned AQACHEI.[1] The vision of the commission is to “elevate Higher Education Institutions to global competitiveness.”[2] Monitoring of programmes occurs twice per year and is done internally by the specific university’s quality department, which also conducts student satisfaction surveys. The QA unit looks into the course content and…