Edward Anis Aziz is a respected Commission Member of IAO – International Accreditation Organization.
We would like to share the views of Mr. Edward Aziz in a Q&A session with IAO. We are sure you will learn lot from his personal experiences.
- How do you think policies contribute towards school admission process? Can you give any suggestions for enhancement of student admission and retention in educational institutes?
The management and leaders carry the ultimate responsibility for education advancement in their school through their vision and mission. Similarly, admissions are also affected by the reputation of the institution in the community. High educational standards can be achieved by getting accreditation by local and international accreditation bodies, to be competitive in the market. Feedback by parents, graduates and students can also be an effective way to improve the enhancement of student admission and retention in educational institutes. Moreover, the teachers can also play a vital role in contributing towards the admission process by using surveys, focus group meetings, exchange feedback between teachers, students and parents which are essential for improvement environmental factors such as school location, landscape, classroom size, etc.
- How can accreditation from a renowned agency such as IAO contribute to an educational institute’s success? How can it help an institute achieve higher standards in education?
I think an accreditation agency should provide consultation in management, teaching methods and share information regarding advancement in educational standards and policies. Moreover, an institute to achieve higher educational standards must hold quarterly or annual auditing in order to maintain transparency. Accreditation by a renowned agency like IAO assists students in transferring credits to international universities worldwide and guide them through the whole transfer process. Agencies like IAO help in tailoring certain programs for teaching methods for teachers, checking the curriculum of the institution and provide some sort of communication with institutions through distance lectures.
- How do you define an effective teaching process? Do you think a healthy student-faculty relationship can contribute to an environment that is more conductive to learning?
Effective teaching includes two approaches, a teacher-centered approach, and a student-centered approach. For a teacher-centered approach, the teacher should act as a role model for the students and must have the authority to organize and provide knowledge and assessments to students. Whereas for the student-centered approach, the students play an active and participatory role in their own learning process with the teacher’s guidance, it is beneficial for the students as they work with their peers guiding each other.
- Can you please explain how a graduate from an accredited online university has improved their employment prospects?
In my opinion, an accredited online graduate gets all the required knowledge online, he needs to have some experience on the ground as well in order to apply for his dream job in future. Additionally, they can enrich their resumes by getting involved in the community events and activities of the institutes. This helps develop great leadership and ownership skills among the students and they get to make their decisions independently.
