The AfriQ’Units project consortium, under the coordination of the University of Alicante, had produced a Guide for the Promotion of the Quality Culture in East African Universities.

This guide was one of the most important deliverables of the project and its main objective was to increase awareness of internal Quality Culture amongst East African Universities. It was designed to be a practical tool for East African Universities that are looking for a comprehensive methodology on how to implement a Quality Culture. Consequently, not only the AfriQ’Units partners could use this tool but also other East African Universities could applied the recommended tools at their home institutions.

• The Guide comprised the following main sections:
• The situation of Quality Assurance in East African universities
• The institutional Assessment Model adapted to the reality and context of EAUs
• The assessment of University services following the EFQM Excellence Model
• Recommendation for the implementation of a sustainable Quality Assurance Culture in EAUs
• The Quality Strategic Plan
• A glossary of quality assurance related terms.

The Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and the Association of African Universities (AAU), played an important role during the dissemination of this project deliverable. Their involvement accelerated the process of sharing good practices in implementing Quality Culture and networking the East African region, enhancing its contribution to national and regional policies and implementation plans for Quality Assurance in African HE.

In total 1000 hard copies and 1000 CDs had been distributed amongst all project partners and associates. Each partner, following their dissemination strategy distributed the guide to other nearest interested parties as well as to other related institutions.

This Guide, as well as the other project activities, had resulted in the enhancement of the HEIs' capacity to integrate quality processes into a broader context of quality management and development through assessment of the HEI’s performance.

The AfriQ’Units project consortium is grateful to Dr. Achim Hopbach, President of the ENQA Board, for all his efforts and support offered during the completion of all project activities, and is willing to offer a special recognition through this article. Dr. Achim Hopbach is also the Managing Director of GAC, German Accreditation Council based in Bonn, Germany.

A pdf version of this guide can be downloadable by clicking in the present link.