The objectives of the workpackage were twofold: updating the first draft of the Lebanese Qualifications Framework (LQF), as defined in the European Training Foundation project, and defining descriptive indicators based on those suggested in the previous TLQAA project. These indicators were highly useful for evaluation processes and for strategic planning at both the institutional and sector levels.
The partners compared some of the existing programmes against the drafted LQF developed in the ETF project. These experiments allowed the project partners to test the LQF tools and to adjust the descriptors, where necessary, in order to better fit sector needs. This also provided an opportunity to obtain input from the labour market regarding the tool. A document describing the updated LQF and the programmes reviewed was produced and made available for discussion during the roundtable.
The Lebanese higher education system lacked a formal process for collecting descriptive indicators on the performance of individual institutions and their programmes. These descriptive indicators provided important reference points for both institutional and programmatic evaluation. Their definition, format, specification of collection channels, frequency of collection, and privacy were challenging issues that required consensus. The TLQAA project had proposed a set of such indicators. Building on those indicators, the present workpackage aimed to finalize the set of descriptive indicators while taking into account the diversity of Lebanese higher education and the constraints faced by different institutions. It also proposed possible formats, channels, and frequencies for collecting those indicators. Ensuring the security and privacy of such information was a key concern that was taken into consideration.