Brief Introduction and History

AsTEN stands for Association of Southeast Asian Teacher Education Network. AsTEN aims to establish a common network of cooperation among teacher education institutions in ASEAN and beyond that will provide a venue for discussion and exchange on relevant issues and problems as well as work out strategic actions and policy recommendations along current education reforms; and to advance teacher education research, teaching, and service capacity of member institutions by cultivating regional cooperation and liaison with other regional and international organizations espousing similar aspirations. AsTEN also aims to promote information/knowledge dissemination and exchange through cross-national and international collaborative study and research among teacher education institutions; and to develop broader understanding of the history, culture, values, and traditions of the ASEAN countries as expressed in their teacher education and basic education programs and practices. The association is also expected to forge cooperation and solidarity among scholars, academicians, and researchers in the region and throughout the world; and to enrich the professional human resources of teacher education in the region including explorations of innovations and sharing of best practices in teacher education. For more information on AsTEN, see www.asten1.org

At the meeting at NIE Singapore, 27 February 2018, it was underlined that UPI was given the mandate to prepare various documents and efforts towards the establishment of an institution for teacher education accreditation in ASEAN. Indeed, we believe that quality assurance is an ongoing process involving important elements that are directed to achieve the specified quality standards. Quality elements include quality objectives, quality standards, quality management and organization, quality control and evaluation. These elements are closely interrelated, forming a Quality Assurance System, to be subsequently executed by the Quality Assurance Agency. To follow up the tasks assigned by AsTEN, the Rector of UPI, through a university regulation, has established an agency, called AsTEN Teacher Education Quality Assurance Agency (ATQA).

Why ATQA

It is deemed necessary to actualize the role of teacher education institutions in ASEAN countries in preparing professional teachers. Indonesian University of Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), as a member of the Association of Southeast Asia Teacher Education Networks (ASTEN) has been given the responsibility for developing the Teacher Education Qualification Framework for ASEAN, consisting of Teacher Education Standards, Assessment Instruments and Teacher Education Quality Assurance System for teacher education institutions in ASEAN countries. The assignments from ASTEN above have been completed by the team of Indonesia University of Education, and all the documents developed by the team have already been accepted and endorsed at the ASEAN Teacher Education Network (ASTEN) Board of Trustees meeting in Vietnam in 2019. To implement the quality assurance system, it is necessary to establish an agency whose responsibility is to plan, set up, and carry out the ASEAN Teacher Education Quality Assurance mechanism. Rector of UPI, with endorsement given by the University Academic Senate, has established the ASEAN Teacher Education Quality Assurance Agency, abbreviated into ATQA, the Indonesian translation of which is Badan Penjaminan Mutu Pendidikan Guru ASEAN.

ATQA Functions

1. Developing a basic strategy for improving ASEAN teacher education standards;
2. Developing general guidelines for developing approaches to achieving agreed-upon education standards;
3. Developing guidelines for evaluating ASEAN teacher education programs;
4. Organizing the Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs and/or Institutions in ASEAN countries as a follow-up to applying the standards and instruments for teacher education assessment that have been approved and established by AsTEN.

ATQA’s objectives

1. To Improve the quality of ASEAN teacher education programs; and
2. To build and strengthen cooperation among teacher education institutions in ASEAN in improving the quality of ASEAN teacher education programs.

ATQA in the Indonesian Context

ATQA is in nature a non-structural entity and directly under the auspices of the Rector of Indonesia University of Education. In an effort to achieve the objectives of ATQA, the agency is directed to build networks and collaborations with quality assurance agencies and with relevant institutions at the international, national, provincial, and institutional levels.

ATQA with ASTEN

Rector of the Indonesia University of Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), is a member of the ASTEN Board of Trustees, the highest constituent within ASTEN organization. ASTEN has entrusted UPI, as a member of ASTEN, with the responsibility for developing the Teacher Education Qualification Framework, which covers Teacher Education Standards, Assessment Instrument and the Education Quality Assurance System, all the documents of which have been completed by the UPI team, and approved by the ASTEN Board of Trustees.

Structure of ATQA Network

ATQA Accreditation

ATQA accreditation is aimed at improving the quality of teacher education programs based on agreed-upon standards and at building cooperation in advancing teacher education programs, as well as in facing future challenges as anticipated by teacher education institutions in the region. For this, ATQA develops major strategies to ensure that teacher education in the region reaches agreed standards at the maximum level of achievement, guidelines for establishing and implementing an appropriate approach to meet agreed teacher education standards, and general guidelines for evaluating teacher education programs from each ASEAN country as a basis for advancing the development of teacher education programs in these countries.

Quality Assurance Agency (ATQA) is an agency officially created by AsTEN through the coordination with Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. The primary function of ATQA is to undertake the accreditation of Teacher Education programs of Teacher education institutions in ASEAN Countries particularly of AsTEN member countries. Detailed organizational structure, goals and functions are stated in the ATQA constitutions which should be endorsed by the Board meeting of AsTEN

Requirements

1. Teacher education Institutions applying for the accreditation should be legally recognized by the appropriate authority of the country concerned. The institutions should be accredited be the national accreditation agency of the country
2. The program to be accredited should have had accreditation certificate of the appropriate national accreditation agency of the country.

Accreditation Mechanism

Cost

Upon your request we will provide you with an individual cost calculation and all relevant information on the procedure. The costs for an international procedure depend on the kind and number of programmes to be accredited. Factors which affect the costs are thus the number of panel members and the number of days for the site visit.

ATQA Assessment

The process of TE quality assessment follows the stages of ATQ Assurance Mechanism (See Book of ATQA)

1. Clarification
2. Verification
3. Validation
4. Evaluation

ATQA Assessor

ATQA establishes a Board of Experts and Assessors (BEAS) who serve as panel of AsTEN assessors during the implementation of ATQ assessment. Under the auspices of the Board of AsTEN Representatives, the ATQA Secretariat will invite or request the ATQA member universities to nominate their qualified experts and be considered for appointment to either the member of BEAS or AsTEN assessors. The greatly qualified candidates are requested to submit curriculum vitae recommended by two referees. In selecting the AsTEN assessor, consideration is given to the assessor’s competence and personal attributes on top of his/her education and experience as international assessor.

How to request/Apply for ATQA Assessment

The minimum requirements of an AsTEN assessor to be appointed to the member of BEAS are his/her:

1. education from a recognized university education;
2. at least 5-year experience in quality assurance or quality assessment in educational, professional or governmental setting; and knowledge and
3. understanding on teacher education.