Connexion 
LAOS - Assessor training workshop for programme assessment at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, National University of Laos
First Ever Assessor Training via Online Facilitation
The 3.5-day Assessor Training Workshop for Programme Assessment (Online) was held from 2 - 5 June 2020 and was jointly organised and hosted by Project LAO/031 - Support Programme for Legal Teaching and Training and to the Promotion of the Rule of Law Concept in Lao and the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP), National University of Laos (NUoL). This forms part of the objective to uplift the quality of legal education in Lao PDR to ASEAN standards, based on the Quality Assurance Framework of the AUN-QA Network.
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the workshop was held at Donnokkhoum Campus with strict observation of social distancing and wearing of personal protective equipment (such as face shields and face masks) coupled with online facilitation platform. The workshop was presented by Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, International Curriculum Development Specialist and Dr. Nguyen Thi My Ngoc, Regional Curriculum Development and Quality Specialist with Dr. Thanongsack Duangdala as the interpreter. It is the first ever assessor training held via online facilitation.
Online Facilitation with Social Distancing Measures
The Workshop Facilitators
Experiential Assessor Training
To equip participants with the strategic competencies to carry out quality assessment of study programmes based on the AUN-QA programme framework, the training workshop was designed to give the participants a hands-on experience following the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, with the key areas of training focusing on strategic competencies in desktop assessment, interviewing techniques, document reviews, and assessment report writing.
Participant Presenting and Sharing the Desktop Assessment
Stakeholder’s Interview - Role Play
The expected learning outcomes of the workshop encompassed:
- the principles of quality assessment;
- distinguishing between rules-based and principles-based quality assessment;
- demonstrating the competences to carry out the PDCA approach to study programme assessment; formulating questions;
- conducting desktop assessment for a study programme;
- conducting site assessment including stakeholders’ interviews, site tour and documentation review; and
- writing quality assessment feedback and report.
The workshop was graced and opened by the Vice Dean, Assoc. Prof. Bounthieng Phommachanh, with the active participation of 30 participants and 11 observers including the Dean, Vice-Deans, heads and faculty members and staff of administrative offices from the FLP and NUOL.
Group Photo
Recommendations for Further Improvements
During the workshop, some key issues were raised by the participants and the project experts, including the need to review and update the current vision and mission of the faculty to keep in alignment with NUoL and with the future timeframe beyond 2020. The elements of the vision, mission and educational philosophy are to be better aligned to the expected learning outcomes (ELOs) of the study programme. The definition of the category of knowledge, application, and skills for the ELOs need to be made clearer to ensure that there is no overlap and ambiguity between them. Besides, the faculty needs to have a policy to determine full-time equivalent (FTE) of academic staff so that the manpower resources needed for each study programme can be accurately accounted for. Tracer studies for graduates and benchmarking of outputs (pass rates, drop-out rates, employability, average time to graduate, research, stakeholder’s satisfaction) within and outside FLP need to be carried out in seeking best practices for continuous improvement.
On the final day of the training, the workshop ended with an encouraging closing speech by the Dean of FLP, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Viengvilay Thiengchanxay, after the presentation of certificates.
Building a Pool of Internal Quality Assessors
With the completion of the assessor training, FLP and NUoL have nurtured a pool of internal quality assessors to carry out self-assessment of their study programmes within the university and faculty. This capacity development exercise strengthens and enhances the capability of FLP and NUOL in quality assurance.
Dean of the FLP, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Viengvilay Thiengchanxay
