The Oman Quality network (OQN) was established as a mechanism for sharing ideas, strategies, research and practices related to quality assurance among higher education institutions (HEIs) in Oman. The underlying principle was engaging HEIs in Oman in collaborative quality enhancement activities. The OQ, established in 2006, has been on a five-year journey which has faced practical and cultural challenges. In 2010, the OQN invited a critical friend to advise whether or not it is moving toward the right direction and to evaluate its effectiveness. The critical friend was in form of an external evaluation, funded by the British Council, resulting in a number of thought-provoking recommendations. This paper explores the process, resulting outcomes and the implications of these for the OQN in the future. It is hoped that this paper will tell a useful story for those countries looking to improve or set up their own higher education quality enhancement networks.

The Oman Quality network (OQN) was established as a mechanism for sharing ideas, strategies, research and practices related to quality assurance among higher education institutions (HEIs) in Oman. The underlying principle was engaging HEIs in Oman in collaborative quality enhancement activities. ...