OIC ROUNDTABLE ADOPTS KUALA LUMPUR DECLARATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- The members of the roundtable meeting of
the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) have adopted the Kuala Lumpur
Declaration on the establishment of the Association of Quality Assurance
Agencies of Countries of the Islamic World.

The association, responsible for higher education quality among the
countries in the Islamic World, was adopted at the conclusion of a three-day
meeting hosted by Malaysia which began on Nov 13.

Fourty-five delegates from 28 countries attended the meeting under the theme
of "Information Sharing Towards Capacity Building Initiatives".

The objectives of the association, among others, are to explore different
needs for quality assurance capacity-building programmes of relevant agencies in
the Islamic World, to develop and implement capacity-building programmes, and to
promote collaboration and exchanges of best practices, experiences and expertise
among quality assurance agencies in Islamic countries.

According to a statement issued by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)
here today, the meeting also agreed that an interim secretariat be established
in the agency.

It added that MQA chief executive officer Dr Syed Ahmad Hussein was
chosen as chairman of the protem committee comprising representatives from Saudi
Arabia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Syria and Turkey, and his deputy, Prof
Zita Mohd Fahmi, as the secretary.

-- BERNAMA