The Second Annual Conference of the Scientific Society for Measurement and Evaluation of the Association of Arab Universities was held under the title "The Future of Measurement and Evaluation between Reality and Hope" on the sidelines of the 12th Ain Shams University International Congress, "Alliance and Partnerships".
In the presence of Professor Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary General of the Association of Arab Universities, Professor Mohamed Diaa Zein El Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, and Professor Mona Abdelaal Elzahry, Secretary General of the Scientific Society for Measurement and Evaluation.
Professor Amr Ezzat Salama expressed his sincere thanks to Ain Shams University for their generous hosting of the second conference on measurement and evaluation on the sidelines of the Ain Shams University Congress. He also thanked Ain Shams university for participating in all the activities of the Association of Arab Universities, including the Society for Measurement and Evaluation, and extended special thanks to Professor Mona Abdelaal Elzahry for providing all assistance to make the second conference come out in this honorable manner. After that, he explained the importance of the conference, as it sheds light on the vital topic of the future of evaluation, which constitutes an important part of education and has a significant impact on the entire educational process. He also pointed out the emergence of new challenges for universities to meet the needs of students, keep pace with the modern era and enhance innovation, which created the concept of fourth-generation universities, an important development in the field of higher education. These fourth-generation universities include the latest global systems in terms of study programs and teaching methods, providing laboratories and following up on new scientific developments in many new fields. Hence, in the context of improving quality standards, the Association of Arab Universities felt the need to control the quality of higher education in the Arab world to ensure its quality, so it established the “Quality Assurance and Accreditation Council for Arab Universities” in 2007. The Council is now holding specialized workshops in distance learning to qualify specialized educational professionals. The Council has also issued guiding manuals of the quality standards for most university specializations, in addition to the general guide for quality assurance and accreditation, which is currently being updated. The Council also issued the scientific guide for distance education standards in Arabic and English, which includes all the necessary standards to ensure the safety of this type of education.
Professor Mohamed Diaa Zein El Abedeen welcomed the distinguished attendees and stressed that this conference represents a great opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences in the field of measurement and evaluation, which is considered one of the basic pillars for developing education and achieving academic quality. Also, he underscored the need to discuss, learn, and work to enhance the concepts of alliance and partnership, which are the basis for progress and achieving common goals. He also added that developing accurate and objective measurement tools and standards can contribute to evaluating and improving the performance of academic institutions, which is what Ain Shams University seeks to achieve by adopting the best global practices and standards in this field, most notably integrating modern technology in the field of measurement and evaluation, which enhances the university's ability to provide high-quality education in line with the requirements of the modern era. Moreover, Professor Mohamed Diaa Zein El-Abedeen appreciated the pivotal role played by partnerships in promoting higher education and scientific research. Cooperation between universities and various academic institutions, as well as between universities and the public and private sectors, can open new horizons and create innovative opportunities for development and progress. Through these partnerships, we can enhance the quality of education, improve its outcomes, and achieve integration between theory and practice, which contributes to preparing a generation capable of facing the challenges of the future. In this context, the President of Ain Shams University praised the important role played by the Association of Arab Universities in enhancing cooperation and integration between higher education institutions in the Arab world, as the Association of Arab Universities represents an important entity for exchanging ideas and experiences, and unifying efforts to achieve academic and research excellence.
Professor Mona Abdelaal Elzahry welcomed the attendees on behalf of the Scientific Society for Measurement and Evaluation, and extended special thanks to Ain Shams University for hosting this conference as part of its annual international congress, as this conference comes in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the message of the Association of Arab Universities, and Egypt's Vision 2030, with the aim of enhancing the quality of education and benefiting from technological developments at the Arab, regional, and global levels. She also added that evaluation is an essential element in the educational process, not only to measure the students’ performance, but also to guide teaching and learning processes, and formulate educational policies, as the conference will review the latest developments in evaluation methodologies, and will discuss innovative methods and techniques that reshape the evaluation and testing landscape that seeks to enhance innovation in evaluation practices across the Arab world.
Furthermore, the "Accredited Evaluator" program was launched. The conference was attended by professors from Ain Shams University, Zagazig University, Zarqa University in Jordan, King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, and Baghdad University in Iraq. A discussion session was held on the role of computerized adaptive tests in formative assessments, moderated by Dr. Ansam Ali Saif, Director of the Central Unit for Measurement and Evaluation, Ain Shams University, and Rapporteur of the Scientific Society for Measurement and Evaluation.
Finally, Professor Mona Abdelaal Elzahry concluded the conference, which was rich in fruitful discussions and valuable ideas that will undoubtedly contribute to enhancing the evaluation and measurement process in our Arab educational institutions. She highlighted that during the conference, many axes were reviewed that aim to improve and develop evaluation tools and methods. The most prominent of which is the need to enhance cooperation between regional and international organizations to ensure the unification of digital evaluation standards and methods. This cooperation will contribute to the exchange of experiences and best practices, which enhances the quality of education and the effectiveness of evaluation. The conference and the launch of the Certified Evaluator program also emphasized the importance of continuous professional development for teachers.
