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Building a Culture of Quality: Reflections from the A4QA Good Practices Forum

We are energised following the Quality in Practice: The Academics for Quality Assurance (A4QA) Good Practices Forum, held on 22 April 2026 at the ICT Auditorium. This event was organised by the Quality Support Unit in collaboration with the Office for Professional Academic Development, and marked a defining milestone in our journey toward embedding a living culture of quality across everything we do.

As Professor Frank Bezzina, the Rector-elect, noted in his opening address: quality is not an abstract ideal but a daily practice. More importantly, this forum represents a shift from intention to tangible impact. The Academic Registrar, Dr Colin Borg, expanded on this message by reiterating that quality is a cooperative endeavour shaped collectively by academics, administrators and students, working together to strengthen the academic standards that define our institution.

Key Highlights from the Forum

• Shifting Perspectives: Dr Tess Goodliffe’s keynote reminded us that credibility lies in alignment: “saying what we do and doing what we say”. Building quality from the programme level upward creates a more authentic and sustainable approach. It was insightful to gain a glimpse into the quality assurance (QA) processes at Sohar University in Oman, a perspective that was further broadened through discussions on QA practices at UM and across the European context.

• Driving Improvement: Prof. Sandro Lanfranco shared valuable insights during the session “Beyond Compliance: Collaborative Best Practices for the Annual Programme Review”. The discussion on the Annual Programme Review (APR) challenged us to move past box-ticking and focus on meaningful improvement that balances accountability with real progress.

• Action-Oriented Dialogue: The focus groups created space for honest reflection and co-creation, proving that the best solutions emerge when diverse voices are heard. From proposing “golden rules” to discussing manageable timeframes for reviews, the focus remained on turning ideas into immediate impact.

• Digital Transformation: Prof. Joel Azzopardi demonstrated how UM is streamlining the APR through digital innovation and “Smart Quality”. Digital innovation is reshaping how we approach QA, making processes more efficient, transparent, and impactful.

This forum served as a powerful catalyst. By reflecting critically and working collaboratively, we are better positioned to meet the evolving expectations of global higher education while strengthening a shared culture of quality.

Quality is not a destination; it is an environment we actively cultivate, one grounded in integrity, reflection, and continuous improvement.