QUALITY ASSURANCE Case Study: FinnishRussian CrossBorder University

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QUALITY ASSURANCECase Study Finnish-Russian
Cross-Border University
Liisa Tahvanainen

• CBU
• The Finnish-Russian
• Cross-Border University Institute
• University of Joensuu

Developing quality assurance of higher education
curriculum planning in Finland and
Russia University of Turku, Finland 26.
27.11.2007
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The Finnish-RussianCross-Border UniversityCBU

• Two countries
• Nine universities
• Six study fields

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What is the CBU?

• Consortium of five Finnish and four Russian
  universities
• Expertise across the border
• Jointly developed Masters degree programmes in
  six study fields
• Educational cooperation and joint efforts on
  worldwide marketing of the joint educational
  products
• Coordinated by the CBU Development Unit, located
  at the Finnish-Russian Cross-Border University
  Institute at the University of Joensuu

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The CBU Partners

• Partners in Finland
• University of Helsinki
• University of Joensuu
• University of Kuopio
• Lappeenranta University of Technology
• University of Tampere

• Partners in Russia
• St. Petersburg State University
• St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University
• Petrozavodsk State University
• European University at St. Petersburg

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WE STARTED 2004 - WHAT ARE WE TODAY?

• Consortium of 9 higher education institutions
• Masters programmes in 6 study fields with joint
  curriculas
• Programmes awarding one national diploma or
  double diplomas 80 students from 10 different
  countries started in CBU 2007
• Signed MoU in 2006
• Programme specific agreements under signing
  process
• Joint study guide published, www-pages, marketing
  started
• CBU QAS started
• CBU seminars Quality Assurance in Joint
  International Education From Theory to
  Practice 7-8 November 2007 in St. Petersburg
  State Polytechnical University

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WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE?

• Masters programmes in new fields of science
• Doctoral programmes
• More partners
• Award double and joint degrees
• Strong cooperation with working life
• International quality audit
• Seminars and publications
• Internationally well known and attractive

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Our Motivation to Develop Joint Programmes

• visibility in international educational markets
• attractiveness to foreign and national applicants
• well motivated and well succeeding students
• combining our educational resources
• incorporating complementary teaching expertise in
  core areas
• expert exchange between CBU partner universities
• research co-operation between the partner
  universities

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THE MISSION OF THE CBU
TENTATIVE

• to develop joint Finnish-Russian Masters Degree
  Programmes to the international markets through
  increasing and deepening the educational
  co-operation between Finnish and Russian
  universities
• implementing the Bologna process and promote the
  European Higher Education Area (EHEA) process in
  Finland and in Russia.
• The CBU education is of high quality and
  internationally relevant and competitive with
  focus on global and local applications.
• produce graduates with high-quality special
  proficiency and skills for acting across national
  boundaries in international and intercultural
  environment and specifically in European Russian
  relationships in the working and business life.

TENTATIVE
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THE OBJECTIVE OF THE CBU
TENTATIVE

• To provide CBU graduates with wide range of high
  quality, internationally attractive and relevant
  Masters Degree Programmes on several disciplines
  in English.
• Another aim is to promote educational
  co-operation between Finland and Russia, the
  cultural and national equality, language
  plurality and gender equality.
• Furthermore, the objective is to reflect the CBU
  values of interdisciplinarity, partnership and
  transparency in education and co-operation.
• An additional aim is to increase the mutual
  understanding between all groups of people and
  enhance the build-up of individual networks of
  future experts by the students in their own field
  of expertise

TENTATIVE
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CBU VISION
TENTATIVE

• IN THE COMING NEXT YEARS
• The CBU Quality assurance system is in use in
  each CBU Masters Programme. Most of the
  Programmes are awarding double degrees. The
  Programmes are running with full capacity of at
  least 20 students per Programme. The choice of
  courses in English in each university is rapidly
  increasing. Marketing is global and efficient,
  the number of applicants meeting the admission
  criteria is at least double compared to the
  intake.
• IN 2015 THE CBU
• CBU Master Programmes are widely recognized and
  known of high quality and competitive programmes
  in Europe and globally. Motivated students from
  all over the world are applying for the
  programmes. CBU has enlargened to 10 relevant
  masters programmes with new partner universities
  and associated institutions. CBU Doctoral
  programmes are running, supported by the CBU
  Finnish-Russian research co-operation.
• CBU brand is well-known and CBU programmes have
  an international quality label. CBU programmes
  are in close co-operation with business and
  industry. The educational choices by students are
  aligned with market needs and employees with CBU
  degree that is highly valued in the labour market.

TENTATIVE
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The Finnish-Russian Cross-Border University
Consortium
6 CBU Masters courses
The steps of interconnectedness and partnership
between the consortium universities
RESPECT
CONFIDENCE
UNDERSTANDING
KNOWLEDGE
INFORMATION
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The Development Process of joint degree programmes
The steps of developing successful joint
cross-border degree programmes
AWARDING THE DOUBLE/ JOINT DIPLOMAS
Joint implementation of the programme
Formulating the curriculum for the joint Degree
programme
Formulating the sub- competences of the
consortium
Formulating the core competences of the
consortium
Formulating the areas of competency in each
partner university
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The CBU Studies

• Prerequisite a Bachelors degree (or equivalent)
  
• in a related field and good skills in English
• Extent of the CBU studies is
• 2 years/ 120 ECTS
• Language of instruction is English
• Includes mobility

• When graduating students will be awarded at least
  
• one national diploma students meeting the
  national requirements in both countries may be
  awarded two national degrees
• a CBU Certificate and a Diploma Supplement

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CBU CURRICULUMA GENERAL STRUCTURE

• 120 ECTS final combination of courses is
  individually designed in PSP
• CBU Compulsory courses, jointly produced
• Home University Compulsory courses
• Elective courses from CBU partner universities
• Special courses, given by experts, jointly or by
  one partner produced, available for all the CBU
  students
• Science project and / or Internship (preferably
  across the border)
• Masters Thesis, in cooperation with
  companies/organizations, supervised by two
  universities
• Min. 3 months period of cross-border mobility in
  a CBU partner university
• Versatile teachning methods Face-to-face and
  distance education, seminars, projects

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The CBU Masters Programmes

• Business and Administration
• Forestry and Environmental Engineering
• History
• International Relations
• Information Technology
• Public Health

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CBU Business and Administration

• Coordinated by the Lappeenranta University of
  Technology
• Partner
• St. Petersburg State
• University School of
• Management
• Double-degree programme

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CBU Forestry andEnvironmental Engineering

• Coordinated by the University of Joensuu
• Partners
• University of Helsinki
• Lappeenranta University of Technology
• St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University
• Petrozavodsk State University

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CBU History

• Coordinated by the University of Helsinki
• Partners
• University of Joensuu
• Petrozavodsk State University
• European University at St. Petersburg

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CBU International Relations

• Coordinated by the University of Tampere
• Partners
• St. Petersburg State University
• St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University
• Petrozavodsk State University
• Double-degree programme

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CBU Information Technology

• Coordinated by the Lappeenranta University of
  Technology
• Partners
• University of Helsinki
• University of Joensuu
• University of Kuopio
• St. Petersburg State University
• St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University
• Petrozavodsk State University

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CBU Public Health

• Coordinated by the University of Kuopio
• Partners
• St. Petersburg State University
• Petrozavodsk State University

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What the students might expect from cross-border
education?

• THE STUDENTS EXPECT TO GAIN SKILLS AND
  COMPETENCES SUCH AS
• (The CBU Learning Outcomes)
• Subject specific expertise and to have the
  learning skills to allow them to continue in
  third cycle studies
• Research skills and creativity
• Capacity for analyses and synthesis
• Ability to integrate knowledge and handle
  complexity
• Capacity for applying their knowledge and
  understanding in practice, in new and unfamiliar
  environments
• Capacity for applying their knowledge and
  understanding in international and multicultural
  environment
• Internationalization that advances succeeding in
  business life
• Problem solving and decision making in
  international environment
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary and
  international team and context
• Appreciation of diversity and multiculturality
• Understanding of social and ethical
  responsibilities
• Concern for quality

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Other expectations of the students

• 2) to be provided services such as
• well arranged, effective and competent teaching
• versatile teaching methods
• good supportive services (ICT, library,
  language...)
• well organised guidance and tutoring
• possibility of giving feedback and participating
  in developing of teaching
• 3) to have a choice of studies to be aligned with
  needs of labour markets
• 4) to get a national or double or joint diploma
  and Diploma Supplement to prove the specific
  nature of the CBU masters degree programme when
  applying for the working life or third cycle
  studies.
• 5) to build up individual international network
  of future experts in their field of expertise

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Prerequisites for a Successful Joint
International Programme

• A successful high quality joint educational
  programme provides a clear added value for all
  interest groups
• The first prerequisite is that none of the
  partners could carry out these masters
  programmes alone and be better
• ?clear added value
• ?best possible partners
• fitting for this purpose
• The second prerequisite is a common language

Partners are committed And ready to invest their
efforts and resources
Cross-border joint education is an area where
everyone can gain
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CBU Masters Programs survey

• Reasons for joining the CBU
• Enhancing quality of education through joining
  forces
• Broadening the study offer and coverage of the
  disciplines
• Combining strengths and learning from the
  partners
• Internationalization
• Joining the European education system and Bologna
  process
• Increasing the recognition of the degrees (esp.
  with double/joint degrees)

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• Existing co-operation
• Need for professionals with international
  experience and expertize
• Enhancing regional development through high
  quality education
• Succeeding in international educational markets
  with intensifying competition
• Partner selection
• Complex procedure

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• QUALITY ASSURANCE IN JOINT INTERNATIONAL
  MASTERS DEGREE PROGRAMMES IN CBU

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• The quality of joint international programmes is
  formed not only of the quality of individual
  institutions and their offers, but more of the
  cooperation across institutional and national
  borders and the programmes as a whole

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Quality of a joint international programmes
includes different aspects than in individual
university level

• Quality as a partner
• Quality of the consortium
• Services in English
• Mobility
• Tutoring and PSP (as courses in a curricula can
  be taken from several universities)
• Degree awarding (as two or more universities can
  award the degree based on the same studies)

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WHAT IS QUALITY?

• Excellence
• Customer satisfaction
• To what extent the product is fulfilling the set
  requirements
• Best possible results with available resources
• Continuous improvement

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Quality?

• If you can not measure it, you can not improve
  it

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Quality Assurance System is to

• follow the fulfillment of the jointly set goals
  and values by the quality assurance system with
  indicators and surveys for customers/interest
  groups and providers
• The joint QAS is to provide an additional element
  for existing systems.
• Makes the quality visible

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QA in CBU joint programmes

• in each partner university both national level
  and/or university level quality assurance systems
  are in use and under continuous development
• A QAS under development for the CBU
• To complement local university-level QAS systems
  with CBU-specific aspects (student and teacher
  mobility jointly organized curricula and
  individual courses)
• An inventory made about current institutional
  quality in the CBU Partner Universities in autumn
  2007
• Administrative situation (esp. Bologna)
• International educational activities
• Current Quality Assurance practices in
  educational activities
• Student services

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The Quality Objectives in CBU
TENTATIVE
TENTATIVE

• The CBU is committed to follow the fulfillment of
  the goals and values of the CBU by the quality
  assurance system with indicators and surveys for
  customers and providers.
• The objective is to produce and demonstrate such
  a high quality educational products and services
  that the CBU programmes attract intelligent young
  students from all over the world to CBU
  programmes.
• CBU is highly eligible partner by international
  companies and organizations, graduates with CBU
  degrees have better employment opportunities than
  students in general in CBU partner universities .
  
• The CBU programmes are internationally recognized
  and audited.

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The main principles of the CBU QAS

• Easy to use, short, simple
• Mainly used via internet
• www-links!
• Offers help and guidance for the partner
  universities and masters programmes to maintain
  and develop the quality of joint education and
  services
• Provides common uniform procedures and methods
  for assuring the quality
• Guarantees equal opportunities for students
• Makes the quality of CBU-programmes visible
• Helps universities and Masters programmes to
  orientate to the audits
• Help the auditors work

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THE CBU QASSTEP BY STEP /DRAFT
TENTATIVE
TENTATIVE

• Defining CBU Quality Actors
• The Status of Present QA at CBU universities
• Quality of universities as CBU Partners/ Quality
  template
• Student Satisfaction/Feedback
• Teacher Satisfaction/Feedback
• Other Stakeholders feedback
• Quality reflection to the objectives, strategies,
  needs
• CBU Quality Development Action Plan
• Documentation
• Feedback and Availability of Quality Information
• Internal Quality Audit
• External Quality Audit

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EXAMPLE OF ANNUAL AND OTHER REGULAR OPERATIONS IN
CBU QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM
TENTATIVE
TENTATIVE
Report, action plan
feedback
feedback
feedback
Report, feedback

• The feedback survey for other stakeholders
  (working life) is carried out every third year
• The feedback and satisfaction survey for the CBU
  teachers is carried out every third year
• The internal audit by the end of 2009
• The external audit by the end of 2010
• The current state of Universities in CBU
  cooperation in 2007, based on the results of that
  survey the CBU matrix of quality indicators shall
  be developed to be used in annual CBU quality
  follow-up surveys

?
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TENTATIVE
TABLE OF THE MAIN CBU QUALITY OPERATIONS BY
ACTORS RESPONSIBLE/ INVOLVED IN IMPLEMENTATION
TENTATIVE
? Main responsibility of the activity ? Involved
in
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CBU partner institutions survey

• Degree program learning outcomes
• commonly not defined
• QAS in teaching
• Not always fully described and in use
• Commonly not audited and certified by national
  or international bodies
• Evaluation of the quality of teaching
• In Russia regularly evaluated (internal
  national)
• In Finland only occasionally evaluated so far

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• Feedback about education
• In most universities regularly collected from
  employers and other stakeholders
• Student feedback not always systematically
  collected
• Feedback is used as a developing tool and
  available for the teachers but usually not to the
  students
• Participation
• Students and teachers have an opportunity to
  participate in work of the universies
  administrative and developing bodies
• There are regular development discussions with
  the personnel in all universities

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Educational processes and resources
survey

• Language skills of the teachers in int.
  programmes is estimated to be active-proficient
• Teachers are in general offered an opportunity to
  participate in pedagogical, language and subject
  specific training
• In the universities different teaching methods
  are used
• Including distance-education, team working,
  small-group instruction
• Personal study plans are always obligatory
• MSc students / teacher 2 - 20

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Study programmes survey

• MSc-degree not yet in all universities
• Magnitude of the thesis work varies, being 30 or
  40 ECTS and the thesis is required/expected to be
  written in English
• The universities are commonly offering non-CBU
  degree or non-degree study programmes in English
  and participate in international student and
  teacher exchange programmes
• Joint evaluation and supervision (FIN-RUS) of the
  thesis is commonly aimed at

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Student support survey

• Dormitories are available for students (with one
  exception)
• Health care and library services are not always
  available in English at the universities
• The universities offer local language and
  academic English courses, which may have a fee
• In the universities there are internet
  possibilities (one univ. in dormitories with
  fee) and libraries with course materials in
  English

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Student progression survey

• Student selection and assessment criteria not
  always available in the internet and study guide
  in English
• The universities can award at minimum an official
  translation of the degree certificate in English
  (one exception) Information about a double
  degree can not always be included
• All can award a DS and an additional certificate
• Minimum requirement of studies at home university
  for awarding a double degree 50-84 ECTS,
  including thesis

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• Studies made in other partner universities are
  recognized, as far as they are from the CBU
  curricula and follow an approved personal study
  plan
• The students get a DS automatically and free of
  charge upon graduation at all universities

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CONCLUSIONS

• We want to create a very clear system for Quality
  Assurance in joint cross-border education
• Who is responsible and of what
• What shall be done and what time of the academic
  year
• Regular feedback surveys, self-evaluation
  template with common quality indicators
• How to document and publish
• Creating any study programme starts by defining
  the learning outcomes
• QAS provides a tool for continuous development of
  relevant curriculas producing competent graduates
  for working life and/or third cycle studies
• Co-operation provides clear added-value for each
  partner (and interest group)
• The main principles of the co-operation,
  responsibilities and obligations are officially
  agreed by signed agreements

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CONCLUSIONS

• The fundamental principle of the QA of joint
  education is to assure and demonstrate students,
  employees and the society of
• good quality of education offered and
• good quality of the institutions offering that
  education but also of
• concern of quality
• The value-added of the CBU QAS is expected to be
  realized in better market-value of joint
  international educational products with highly
  recognized CBU brand but also as profound mutual
  trust and respect in the consortium.
• A high-level QA would also enable the educational
  choices by students to be aligned with market
  needs.

Image
Reputation Visibility
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QA expected value-added for joint programmes

• Commitment to quality by all higher education
  institutions is essential for internationally
  successful offerings. Although the global
  educational markets are enormous, competition for
  market shares is hard and the young customers
  are quality conscious and demanding.

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Contact Information

• Finnish-Russian Cross-Border University
  Institute
• Director
• Prof. Liisa Tahvanainen
• Coordinator
• Mr Eero Forss
• Address
• University of Joensuu
• P.O. Box 111
• 80101 Joensuu
• Finland
• E-mail firstname.lastname_at_joensuu.fi
• Internet www.joensuu.fi/cbu
• Phone [phone]