The University of Tripoli obtained the ISO 9001 accreditation certificate for a period of three years. It is the first university in Libya to obtain this certificate.
The university applied for accreditation five months ago. A team of the International Audit and Conformity Committee completed its visits to the various university departments. The team ensured that the required procedures were taken, according to a statement by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, on Friday.
The accreditation will enable the University of Tripoli to continuously update and develop administrative procedures. The Ministry of Higher Education expressed its hope that this accreditation will push the rest of the Libyan universities to apply for the certificate as well.
Last month, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said that “Libyan students are struggling to complete their studies due to a lack of equipment, teacher strikes, outdated curricula, and electricity cuts.” This came during a meeting between representatives from the General Union of Libyan Students and UNSMIL’s human rights team.
“In the last two years there has not been one semester in which my dental studies at the University of Misrata has not been stopped, due to issues like strikes or electricity cuts,” said Musab Gusaibat, the President of the Union.
“The government is not discussing these issues and does not have the will to improve the situation. Students should be at the center of the education system, and this is never the case in Libya.” he explained.
The Union members stressed the need for an education system that “develops students to have the right skills for business, not one where the outdated curriculum means that even those who have access to education and complete their studies do not come out with the right skills.” The students called for better coordination between Ministries of Education, Planning and Economy.
“We are learning a curriculum from 1980, in buildings that sometimes do not have bathrooms,” explained Gusaibat, “we need a government committee to work with us to update the curriculum to meet current market needs.”