NU School of Biotechnology Holds a Workshop about the Academic Reference Standards of Biotechnology School

As one of the accreditation requirements, NU biotechnology School formed a committee coordinated by Dr. Abdelrahim Hassan, head of Quality Assurance Unit (QAU), for creating the Academic Reference Standards (ARS) of undergraduate Biotechnology program. The committee drafted the Biotechnology School’s ARS and preparing it for approval from the National Authority of Quality Assurance and Accreditation for Education (NAQAAE). ARS is a document that states the minimum level of knowledge and skills/competencies that a graduate of a college/program must possess to ensure good practice of his/her profession.

On March 20th, 2023, the QAU held a workshop entitled "Academic Reference Standards of Biotechnology School". The workshop aimed at discussing the proposed ARS of Biotechnology School and getting feedback from all faculty members and teaching assistants of the school.

During the workshop, the definition of Academic Reference Standards was illustrated in addition to its sources and types. This brought us to the difference between ARS based on intended learning outcomes (ILOs) and ARS based on competencies. In this context, the difference between skill and competency was clearly elucidated. Furthermore, the head of QAU listed the attributes, and the generic and specialty competencies of Biotechnology graduates and explained the procedure of ARS implementation to the audience. Finally, the relationship between ARS and learning outcomes was highlighted.