Centre for Quality Assurance and Management (CEQUAM) Overview

Quality Assurance in Higher Education is becoming more and more pivotal in its academic and administrative domain. Massification, globalization and internationalization have necessitated the creation and recognition of Quality Assurance systems to enhance both academic and administrative processes in Higher Education Institutions. Concepts such as standards, recognition, accreditation, fitness for and of purpose, value for money, relevance etc., have become key in the operations of Quality Assurance Centres of Universities. These Centres for Quality Assurance, the world over, have become instrumental in designing and implementing new Quality Assurance mechanisms and systems in order to ensure that students receive high quality and relevant education, and that the academic qualifications are widely recognized. Such recognition is seen to be essential not only by national governments and employers but also by other universities and employers on a global scale. It is against this background that on 1 January 2010, the University of Namibia established the Centre for Quality Assurance and Management (CEQUAM).

CEQUAM aims at developing the University’s capabilities in the area of Quality Assurance in order to improve and update academic and managerial activities. It is also responsible for administering and facilitating the operationalization of UNAM’s Quality Assurance and Enhancement Policy and Procedures.

Quality Assurance activities at UNAM are regulated by its own Quality Assurance Policy as well as the National Quality Assurance System for Higher Education under the auspices of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and some provisions of the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) statute.