Program Design and Learning Outcomes in Libyan Higher Education Accreditation Standards: Critical Quality Assurance Review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.67140/mapan.v2i2.20

Keywords:

accreditation, learning outcomes, program design, quality assurance

Abstract

This study critically examines program design and learning outcomes in the Libyan Institutional Accreditation Standards for Higher Education Institutions (4th ed., 2023). Using qualitative document analysis, it analyses accreditation indicators related to curriculum planning, learning outcomes, teaching, assessment, quality assurance, and continuous improvement. The findings show that the framework provides a comprehensive basis for academic program quality through its emphasis on strategic planning, governance, stakeholder participation, evidence-based decision-making, and quality culture. It also supports alignment between institutional goals and educational activities. However, the standards offer limited explicit guidance on learning outcome formulation, curriculum mapping, competency-based assessment, graduate employability, and digital competencies. Compared with Outcome-Based Education and international qualification frameworks, the standards emphasize institutional processes more than direct evidence of student achievement. The study concludes that while the framework is valuable for improving higher education quality in Libya, its effectiveness depends on stronger implementation of learning outcomes, assessment practices, and graduate competency measurement.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdulghani, N. (2026). The Qur’an as a Source of Learning in Islamic Religious Education: A Qualitative Study. Ar-Raudhah: Journal of Islamic Religious Education, 2(1), 1-15.

Abrahem, M. &Baroud, N. (2025). Exploring Cultural, Political, and Socioeconomic Influences On Collective Psychological Resilience In Libya. JurnalIlmuPsikologi Dan Kesehatan (SIKONTAN), 3(4), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.47353/sikontan.v3i4.2784

Abrahem, M., Atia, A., Hasan, L., Elhaj, K., Alatrish, E., Alrumayh, S., & Omar, Z. (2025). Lexical, syntactic, and terminological errors in Arabic-English legal translation among undergraduate students. Asshika: Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 94–108. https://doi.org/10.65190/asshika.v2i2.470

Allen, M. J. (2003). Assessing academic programs in higher education. John Wiley & Sons.

Alriteemi, A., kasheem, M., Yahya, N., Abdullah, M., Alsaeh, F., &Abrahem, M. (2026). Systemic Barriers to Total Quality Management in Libyan Higher Education under Conditions of Institutional Instability. MAPAN: ManajemenPendidikan Dan Analisis, 2(1), 1-20. https://cabiskarya.com/mapan/article/view/44

Alsaeh, F., Alriteemi, A., Kasheem, M., Shalghoum, N., Yahya, N., Hmuma, M., Masuwd, M., &Alouzi, K. (2026). Sustainable education practices and their impact on student learning outcomes in Libyan higher education. Cigarskruie: Journal of Educational and Islamic Research, 3(2), 203–301. https://doi.org/10.65190/cigarskruie.v3i2.473

Alsunousi, Z. (2025). An Investigation into the Factors Affecting Oral English Proficiency: A Case Study of Fifth-Semester Students at Faculty of Languages and Translation, Misurata, Libya. African Journal of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(4), 317–321. https://doi.org/10.65418/ajashss.v4i4.1601

Bahri, S., &Albshkar, H. (2026). Digital Informal Learning Environments (DILEs): New Frontiers in Arabic Language Pedagogy and Cultural Fluency . Arabica Edu: Journal of Arabic Language, 1(1), 12–24. https://cendikianusantara.com/index.php/Arabica/article/view/2

Barkah, S., Masoud, M., Aladi, S., Ayad, N., Alrumayh, S., Albshkar, H., &Masuwd, M. (2026). Integrating Turath and Modern Knowledge in Islamic Higher Education. Khalifa: Journal of Islamic Education, 10(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.24036/kjie.v10i1.448

Baroud, N. (2026). Curriculum–Industry Alignment in Applied Chemistry: A CIPP Mixed-Methods Evaluation at the University of Zawia. Al Kautsar: Knowledge Advancements in Teaching Strategies and Research, 4(2), 67–80. https://doi.org/10.64093/al-kautsar.v4i2.885

Barrie, S. C. (2006). Understanding what we mean by the generic attributes of graduates. Higher education, 51(2), 215-241. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-004-6384-7

Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher education, 32(3), 347-364. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00138871

Boud, D., &Falchikov, N. (2006). Aligning assessment with long‐term learning. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(4), 399–413. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602930600679050

Carless, D. (2015). Exploring learning-oriented assessment processes. Higher Education, 69(6), 963-976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9816-z

Firdaus, R., Sunarno, Fahmi, A., Fadhillah, &Masuwd, M. (2025). Improving the Quality of Education Through Quality of Service and Education Costs. Nidhomul Haq :JurnalManajemenPendidikan Islam, 9(3), 756–768. https://doi.org/10.31538/ndhq.v9i3.63

Harden, R. M. (2002). Learning outcomes and instructional objectives: is there a difference? Medical Teacher, 24(2), 151–155. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159022020687

Harvey, L. (2004). The power of accreditation: views of academics1 . Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 26(2), 207–223. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080042000218267

Harvey, L., & Green, D. (1993). Defining Quality. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 18(1), 9–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/0260293930180102

Hasan, L., Omar, Z., Elhaj, K., Atia, A., Alatrish, E., Alsaeh, F., &Elbi, M. (2025). Lecturers’ Perceptions of Integrating Islamic Environmental Ethics into Sustainability Education. Cigarskruie: Journal of Educational and Islamic Research, 3(1), 160-178. https://doi.org/10.65190/cigarskruie.v3i1.466

Hmouma, M. (2025). Exploring Libyan EFL Undergraduates’ Attitudes Towards AI-Driven English Learning Applications. University of Zawia Journal of Educational and Psychological Sciences, 13(2). Retrieved from https://journals.zu.edu.ly/index.php/UZJEPS/article/view/1064

Jafarov, S. (2024). Accreditation and quality assurance in World-Leading universities. International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 7(12), 9357-9365.

Kasheem, M., Yahya, N., Shalghoum, N., ...&Alrumayh, S. (2025). Artificial Intelligence in Academic Research: Adoption, Opportunities, and Barriers among Faculty in Libya Higher Education. Multidisciplinary Journal of Thought and Research, 1(3), 109-127.

Kayyali, M. (2024). Exploring Accreditation Standards and Processes. In: Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-66623-0_1

Kebudayaan, K. P. &. (2021). Panduan Akreditasi Jurnal Ilmiah Nasional. https://arjuna.kemdikbud.go.id/

Knight, P. T. (2001). Complexity and Curriculum: A process approach to curriculum-making. Teaching in Higher Education, 6(3), 369–381. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510120061223

Krwad, S., Alsunousi, Z., Bin Sasi, H., Alkhaldi, R., Baayo, S., Abusha’ala, A., Ayad, N., &Alfallah, B. (2026). Balancing global English and local Islamic identity in EFL teaching practices in Libyan university higher education. Cigarskruie: Journal of Educational and Islamic Research, 3(2), 328–345. https://doi.org/10.65190/cigarskruie.v3i2.479

Masuwd, M. A. . (2024). Islamic Pluralism and Küng’s Global Ethical Discourse: Toward a “Global-Maqāṣid” Centered Paradigm. Ittesaal – Journal of Connecting Discourses, 1(2), 41-63. https://doi.org/10.64984/ijcd.1.2.2024.03

National Center for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Educational and Training Institutions (NCQAAETI). (2023). Institutional accreditation standards for higher education institutions (4th ed.).

Novrizal, N., & Muhammad, R. R. (2025). Design curriculum based on Outcome Based Education (OBE): Preparing work ready graduates. Edukasiana: Journal of Islamic Education, 4(1), 374-384.

Omran, S., Alouzi, K., Alshineeti, A., Alatrish, E., Alfallah, B., Abouzied, A., &Elbi, M. (2025). From Awareness to Practice: EFL Teachers’ Engagement with SDG 4 (Quality Education) in University Classroom Instruction. English Focus: Journal of English Language Education, 9(1), 97-123.https://doi.org/10.24905/efj.v9i1.213

Pallawagau, B., Masuwd, M., Alsayd, A. D., Albshkar, H. A., &Alzletni, N. S. (2025). Nasruddin Umar's love curriculum and its relation to Arabic language teaching: Socio-linguistic and semantic studies / منهجالحبعندنصرالدينعمروعلاقتهبتعليماللغةالعربية: دراساتاجتماعيةلغويةودلالية. IjazArabi Journal of Arabic Learning, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.18860/ijazarabi.v8i2.32264

Samsuddin, S., Abdurrahman, A., Jabar, A., Nurwahida, N., &Masuwd, M. (2026). Integrating Digital Pedagogy and TQM in Islamic Religious Education: A Mixed-Methods Study in Indonesian Madrasahs to Enhance Teacher Competence and Learning Quality. IJCRE-International Journal of Culture, Religion, and Education, 2(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.52640/xnd0t525

Sasi, H. B., Alsunousi, Z., Krwad, S., Alkhaldi, R., Baayo, S., &Abusha’ala, A. (2026). Challenges of Meaning Transfer in English–Arabic and Arabic–English Translation. Asshika: Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 3(2), 91-105. https://doi.org/10.65190/asshika.v3i2.478

Sasi, H. E. E. B. (2026). Investigating EFL University Students' Attitudes and Perceptions toward Task-Based Learning in English Syntax: A Case Study of the Faculty of Languages and Translation. Atafani Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(3), 1-12. https://journal.alqudsuni.edu.ly/index.php/kds/article/view/78

Shalghoum, N., Yahya, N., Abdullah, M., Masuwd, M., Kasheem, M., Alrumayh, S., Aryanti, Y., &Rosyadi, N. (2025). Integrating Maqasid al-Shariah into Higher Education: Enhancing the Role of Faculty in Achieving the SDGs. International Journal of Islamic Studies Higher Education, 4(2), 153–173. https://doi.org/10.24036/insight.v4i2.231

Stensaker, B. (2008). Outcomes of Quality Assurance: A Discussion of Knowledge, Methodology and Validity. Quality in Higher Education, 14(1), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538320802011532

Sursock, A. (2015). Trends 2015: Learning and teaching in European universities. European University Association.

Tam, M. (2001). Measuring quality and performance in higher education. Quality in higher Education, 7(1), 47-54. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538320120045076

Downloads

Published

2026-08-17

How to Cite

Almaloul, Aimen, Zaynab Alsunousi, Hanan Bin Sasi, and Abdusalam Benarose. 2026. “Program Design and Learning Outcomes in Libyan Higher Education Accreditation Standards: Critical Quality Assurance Review”. MAPAN: Manajemen Pendidikan Dan Analisis 2 (2): 180-202. https://doi.org/10.67140/mapan.v2i2.20.