Technical & Vocational Training Corporation
ACCET
December 13, 2017
VIA EMAIL ([email protected]) ([email protected])
Eng. Saad Al Hudaib Accreditation Manager Dr. Khalid A. Alothman General Administration of Quality and Support Technical & Vocational Training Corporation Al Murabba Quarter, Al-Washam Street intersection with King Fahd Road P.O. Box 7823 Riyadh 11472 Saudi Arabia Re: Institutional Show Cause Continued; Interim Report Reviewed; Interim Report Required ACCET ID #1322
Dear Eng. Saad and Dr. Khalid, At its December 2017 meeting, the Accrediting Commission of the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET) reviewed the institution’s interim report submitted in response to the August 25, 2017 Commission Action letter, which resulted from the Quality Assurance Visit (QAV) that was conducted at your institution by ACCET from May 16 – 18, 2017, and the institution’s response to that report, dated July 27, 2017. The Commission's August 2017 action directed the institution to submit an interim report to include the following three items: 1) Because bachelor’s degree programs are outside the scope of ACCET’s institutional accreditation recognized by the U. S. Department of Education, and therefore cannot be offered by ACCET accredited members, TVTC was advised that this out of scope program issue must be resolved on or before the submission of its interim report; 2) The unapproved mobile telephone program could not be offered until it received ACCET approval in accordance with ACCET Document 25 - Policy for New, Revised, and Existing Programs/Courses; and 3) A narrative report addressing the below-benchmark completion and placement rates for a variety of programs, to include: a) updated operational plans for improving those rates within a designated timeframe, b) updated policies regarding collecting placement verification, responsible parties, and timeframes, c) updated graduate attestation forms to reflect revised ACCET policies, and d) updated Document 28.1s – Completion and Placement Statistics for calendar year 2016 and YTD 2017 (January – May) for a list of specified programs and campuses. At its December 2017 meeting, the Commission voted to continue the Institutional Show Cause directive due to the continued offering of the out of scope bachelor degree programs. Upon review
Technical & Vocational Training Corporation December 13, 2017 Page 2 of 5 of the institution’s interim report, received October 27, 2017, the Commission determined that only item #2 above was satisfactorily addressed and directed the institution to submit an interim report to include the following two items: 1. In its response, the institution recapped its previous position on the bachelor’s degree programs, including that they are: a) separate and independent from the Diploma programs, b) require trainees to re-apply after graduation from the other units, c) are only available to selected applicants, and d) that the program is aligned with the Saudi national qualifications framework. Further, the response stated that: “Finally, and more importantly, Bachelor programs fulfil the TVTC’s mission with regard to the Saudi government vision 2030 to meet the continuous demands of the labor market, both publicly and privately, and provide the Saudi workforce with the best trained professionals, armed them with best knowledge and skills necessary for the development of the country. It is also essential to let you know that government’s plan is convert all technical colleges under the TVTC into University for Technical & Vocational Education, named after King Salman, which will include all the bachelor programs offered at TVTC, according to the National Transformation Program 2020.” However, the Commission reminds TVTC that bachelor’s degree programs are outside the scope of ACCET’s institutional accreditation as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and therefore cannot be offered by ACCET accredited members, as was reiterated to the institution in a follow-up phone call with ACCET staff, conducted on August 21, 2017. Therefore, the institution must provide documentation that the out of scope bachelor’s degree programs have been either discontinued or categorically re-organized under a TVTC four-year degree granting campus which does not fall under one of the 35 ACCET accredited men’s vocational schools. Please be advised that failure to adequately respond to the Commission’s directive will result in a withdrawal of accreditation for the TVTC Main campus and all 35 men’s vocational school locations, with such action scheduled to be taken at the April 2018 meeting. 2. In its response, the institution submitted a Corrective Action Plan relative to ACCET Document 28.1 – Completion and Placement Statistics. However, the plan lacked a detailed analysis of the low completion and placement rates, either institution wide or on a campus by campus basis. The proposed time-lines don’t always include dates and names or titles of those responsible for implementation. Further, while the Commission Action letter of August 25, 2017 requested updated Document 28.1s – Completion and Placement Statistics for calendar year 2016 and YTD 2017 (January – May) for each of a large number of programs and locations, the institution’s updated Document 28.1s were highly inconsistent, with large swaths of data missing, either from calendar years 2016, 2017, or both. Finally, the response stated that: “Some of the TVTC colleges could not fill the update
Technical & Vocational Training Corporation December 13, 2017 Page 3 of 5
requirements of this report which needed more time, due to the new launch of RAYAT (a new electronic administration system that has been implemented lately). Some of the admins at some particular colleges need more time to get used to the new system and use its all features.” Therefore, TVTC is directed to provide: o Detailed action plans to address the below-benchmark completion and placement rates for the programs noted in the August 25, 2017 action letter. This plan should describe any mitigating circumstances that the institution can support as pertinent to the programs offered which do not meet the minimum benchmarks and must include an update on the operational plan for improving those rates within a designated timeframe. o Updated ACCET Document 28.1s – Completion and Placement Statistics for (1) calendar year 2016 and (2) YTD 2017 (January 1 – October 31), to include the attached Document 28.2 – On-Site Sampling Verification Forms (OSVF) and supporting documentation for all newly reported placements and waivers for the following: •
Abha College of Technology - Almoazafeen Campus, Abha (Auxiliary Classroom): a) 133 - Engines and Vehicles b) 120 - Civil Engineering Technology c) 104 - Electrical Machines and Equipment
•
Abha College of Technology, Abha (Branch): a) 106 - Industrial Electronics and Control b) 124 - Marketing c) 110 - Software
•
Al-Quwaiyah College of Technology, Al Quoaiyah (Branch): a) 126 - Accounting
•
Bisha College of Technology, Bisha (Branch): a) 125 - Office Management b) 106 - Industrial Electronics and Control c) 133 - Engines and Vehicles d) 111 - Technical Support e) 126 - Accounting
•
Buraidah College of Technology for Food & Environment, Buraidah (Branch): a) 137 - Food Safety
•
Buraidah College of Technology, Buraidah (Branch):
Technical & Vocational Training Corporation December 13, 2017 Page 4 of 5
a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j)
110 - Software 124 - Marketing 118 - Refrigeration and Air Conditioning 106 - Industrial Electronics and Control 133 - Engines and Vehicles 108 - Networking Technology 111 - Technical Support 125 - Office Management 113 - Biomedical Equipment Technology 101 - Production Technology
•
Makkah Al Mokarama College of Technology, Makkah Al Mokarama (Branch): a) 124 - Marketing b) 133 - Engines and Vehicles
•
Qatif College of Technology, Al Qateef (Branch): a) 125 - Office Management b) 126 - Accounting
•
Riyadh College of Technology, Riyadh (Branch): a) 118 - Refrigeration and Air Conditioning b) 137 - Food Safety c) 121 - Surveying Technology d) 126 – Accounting e) 124 – Marketing f) 133 - Engines and Vehicles g) 114 - Chemical Laboratories h) 138 - Environment Protection i) 113 - Biomedical Equipment Technology j) 122 - Architectural Engineering Technology k) 115 - Chemical Production l) 103 - Electrical Power m) 101 - Production Technology n) 106 - Industrial Electronics and Control o) 125 - Office Management p) 111 - Technical Support q) 120 - Civil Engineering Technology
•
Riyadh College of Telecom & Information, Riyadh (Branch): a) 108 - Networking Technology b) 109 - Computer Networks Management c) 132 - Telecommunications Technology
The institution must clearly identify changes made since its previous interim report and accurately label the current Document 28.1s for each program.
Technical & Vocational Training Corporation December 13, 2017 Page 5 of 5
A copy of this report, including the attached interim report cover sheet, must be emailed to [email protected] for receipt at the ACCET office no later than March 2, 2018. As a reminder, please be advised that late submission and receipt of documents and reports are subject to significant late fees in accordance with Commission policy. These fees are outlined in ACCET Document 10, which can be found at www.accet.org. Further, while under a Show Cause directive, the institution is restricted from making any substantive changes including, but not limited to, new programs, major program revisions, new branch campuses or other new sites, or relocations out of the general market area. Your demonstrated capabilities and commitment in support of the institution’s accredited status are essential to a favorable outcome in this process. It is noted that failure to respond to the Commission’s directive will result in a withdrawal of accreditation. Should you have any questions or need further assistance regarding this letter, please contact the ACCET office at your earliest opportunity. Sincerely.
William V. Larkin, Ed.D. Executive Director WVL/jss
Enclosures: CC:
Interim Report Cover Sheet
Mr. Herman Bounds, Chief, Accreditation Division, US ED ([email protected])
December 13, 2017
VIA EMAIL ([email protected]) ([email protected])
Eng. Saad Al Hudaib Accreditation Manager Dr. Khalid A. Alothman General Administration of Quality and Support Technical & Vocational Training Corporation Al Murabba Quarter, Al-Washam Street intersection with King Fahd Road P.O. Box 7823 Riyadh 11472 Saudi Arabia Re: Institutional Show Cause Continued; Interim Report Reviewed; Interim Report Required ACCET ID #1322
Dear Eng. Saad and Dr. Khalid, At its December 2017 meeting, the Accrediting Commission of the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET) reviewed the institution’s interim report submitted in response to the August 25, 2017 Commission Action letter, which resulted from the Quality Assurance Visit (QAV) that was conducted at your institution by ACCET from May 16 – 18, 2017, and the institution’s response to that report, dated July 27, 2017. The Commission's August 2017 action directed the institution to submit an interim report to include the following three items: 1) Because bachelor’s degree programs are outside the scope of ACCET’s institutional accreditation recognized by the U. S. Department of Education, and therefore cannot be offered by ACCET accredited members, TVTC was advised that this out of scope program issue must be resolved on or before the submission of its interim report; 2) The unapproved mobile telephone program could not be offered until it received ACCET approval in accordance with ACCET Document 25 - Policy for New, Revised, and Existing Programs/Courses; and 3) A narrative report addressing the below-benchmark completion and placement rates for a variety of programs, to include: a) updated operational plans for improving those rates within a designated timeframe, b) updated policies regarding collecting placement verification, responsible parties, and timeframes, c) updated graduate attestation forms to reflect revised ACCET policies, and d) updated Document 28.1s – Completion and Placement Statistics for calendar year 2016 and YTD 2017 (January – May) for a list of specified programs and campuses. At its December 2017 meeting, the Commission voted to continue the Institutional Show Cause directive due to the continued offering of the out of scope bachelor degree programs. Upon review
Technical & Vocational Training Corporation December 13, 2017 Page 2 of 5 of the institution’s interim report, received October 27, 2017, the Commission determined that only item #2 above was satisfactorily addressed and directed the institution to submit an interim report to include the following two items: 1. In its response, the institution recapped its previous position on the bachelor’s degree programs, including that they are: a) separate and independent from the Diploma programs, b) require trainees to re-apply after graduation from the other units, c) are only available to selected applicants, and d) that the program is aligned with the Saudi national qualifications framework. Further, the response stated that: “Finally, and more importantly, Bachelor programs fulfil the TVTC’s mission with regard to the Saudi government vision 2030 to meet the continuous demands of the labor market, both publicly and privately, and provide the Saudi workforce with the best trained professionals, armed them with best knowledge and skills necessary for the development of the country. It is also essential to let you know that government’s plan is convert all technical colleges under the TVTC into University for Technical & Vocational Education, named after King Salman, which will include all the bachelor programs offered at TVTC, according to the National Transformation Program 2020.” However, the Commission reminds TVTC that bachelor’s degree programs are outside the scope of ACCET’s institutional accreditation as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and therefore cannot be offered by ACCET accredited members, as was reiterated to the institution in a follow-up phone call with ACCET staff, conducted on August 21, 2017. Therefore, the institution must provide documentation that the out of scope bachelor’s degree programs have been either discontinued or categorically re-organized under a TVTC four-year degree granting campus which does not fall under one of the 35 ACCET accredited men’s vocational schools. Please be advised that failure to adequately respond to the Commission’s directive will result in a withdrawal of accreditation for the TVTC Main campus and all 35 men’s vocational school locations, with such action scheduled to be taken at the April 2018 meeting. 2. In its response, the institution submitted a Corrective Action Plan relative to ACCET Document 28.1 – Completion and Placement Statistics. However, the plan lacked a detailed analysis of the low completion and placement rates, either institution wide or on a campus by campus basis. The proposed time-lines don’t always include dates and names or titles of those responsible for implementation. Further, while the Commission Action letter of August 25, 2017 requested updated Document 28.1s – Completion and Placement Statistics for calendar year 2016 and YTD 2017 (January – May) for each of a large number of programs and locations, the institution’s updated Document 28.1s were highly inconsistent, with large swaths of data missing, either from calendar years 2016, 2017, or both. Finally, the response stated that: “Some of the TVTC colleges could not fill the update
Technical & Vocational Training Corporation December 13, 2017 Page 3 of 5
requirements of this report which needed more time, due to the new launch of RAYAT (a new electronic administration system that has been implemented lately). Some of the admins at some particular colleges need more time to get used to the new system and use its all features.” Therefore, TVTC is directed to provide: o Detailed action plans to address the below-benchmark completion and placement rates for the programs noted in the August 25, 2017 action letter. This plan should describe any mitigating circumstances that the institution can support as pertinent to the programs offered which do not meet the minimum benchmarks and must include an update on the operational plan for improving those rates within a designated timeframe. o Updated ACCET Document 28.1s – Completion and Placement Statistics for (1) calendar year 2016 and (2) YTD 2017 (January 1 – October 31), to include the attached Document 28.2 – On-Site Sampling Verification Forms (OSVF) and supporting documentation for all newly reported placements and waivers for the following: •
Abha College of Technology - Almoazafeen Campus, Abha (Auxiliary Classroom): a) 133 - Engines and Vehicles b) 120 - Civil Engineering Technology c) 104 - Electrical Machines and Equipment
•
Abha College of Technology, Abha (Branch): a) 106 - Industrial Electronics and Control b) 124 - Marketing c) 110 - Software
•
Al-Quwaiyah College of Technology, Al Quoaiyah (Branch): a) 126 - Accounting
•
Bisha College of Technology, Bisha (Branch): a) 125 - Office Management b) 106 - Industrial Electronics and Control c) 133 - Engines and Vehicles d) 111 - Technical Support e) 126 - Accounting
•
Buraidah College of Technology for Food & Environment, Buraidah (Branch): a) 137 - Food Safety
•
Buraidah College of Technology, Buraidah (Branch):
Technical & Vocational Training Corporation December 13, 2017 Page 4 of 5
a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j)
110 - Software 124 - Marketing 118 - Refrigeration and Air Conditioning 106 - Industrial Electronics and Control 133 - Engines and Vehicles 108 - Networking Technology 111 - Technical Support 125 - Office Management 113 - Biomedical Equipment Technology 101 - Production Technology
•
Makkah Al Mokarama College of Technology, Makkah Al Mokarama (Branch): a) 124 - Marketing b) 133 - Engines and Vehicles
•
Qatif College of Technology, Al Qateef (Branch): a) 125 - Office Management b) 126 - Accounting
•
Riyadh College of Technology, Riyadh (Branch): a) 118 - Refrigeration and Air Conditioning b) 137 - Food Safety c) 121 - Surveying Technology d) 126 – Accounting e) 124 – Marketing f) 133 - Engines and Vehicles g) 114 - Chemical Laboratories h) 138 - Environment Protection i) 113 - Biomedical Equipment Technology j) 122 - Architectural Engineering Technology k) 115 - Chemical Production l) 103 - Electrical Power m) 101 - Production Technology n) 106 - Industrial Electronics and Control o) 125 - Office Management p) 111 - Technical Support q) 120 - Civil Engineering Technology
•
Riyadh College of Telecom & Information, Riyadh (Branch): a) 108 - Networking Technology b) 109 - Computer Networks Management c) 132 - Telecommunications Technology
The institution must clearly identify changes made since its previous interim report and accurately label the current Document 28.1s for each program.
Technical & Vocational Training Corporation December 13, 2017 Page 5 of 5
A copy of this report, including the attached interim report cover sheet, must be emailed to [email protected] for receipt at the ACCET office no later than March 2, 2018. As a reminder, please be advised that late submission and receipt of documents and reports are subject to significant late fees in accordance with Commission policy. These fees are outlined in ACCET Document 10, which can be found at www.accet.org. Further, while under a Show Cause directive, the institution is restricted from making any substantive changes including, but not limited to, new programs, major program revisions, new branch campuses or other new sites, or relocations out of the general market area. Your demonstrated capabilities and commitment in support of the institution’s accredited status are essential to a favorable outcome in this process. It is noted that failure to respond to the Commission’s directive will result in a withdrawal of accreditation. Should you have any questions or need further assistance regarding this letter, please contact the ACCET office at your earliest opportunity. Sincerely.
William V. Larkin, Ed.D. Executive Director WVL/jss
Enclosures: CC:
Interim Report Cover Sheet
Mr. Herman Bounds, Chief, Accreditation Division, US ED ([email protected])
