Building Quality Assurance Systems in Higher Education

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Building Quality Assurance Systems in Higher
Education

• Jenni Soronen
• Planning and development Services

2

• Background
• Building Quality Assurance System in University
  of Oulu

3
European development

• Building the European Higher Education Area
  (EHEA)
• Competition in the global market
• Higher education should be transparent and
  credible internationally
• Student and labour mobility
• Quality assurance is one of the key development
  areas in efforts to construct EHEA
• European standards and guidelines for quality
  assurance

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The Finnish model

• Universities and universities of applied science
  develop QA systems covering all their operations
• Each institution determines independently the
  objectives, organisation, principles, methods and
  development of its own system
• QA Systems are evaluated regularly by Finnish
  Higher Education Evaluation Council (see audit
  manual in English http//www.kka.fi/pdf/julkaisut
  /KKA_406.pdf)

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The quality assurance systems should

• meet the quality assurance criteria of the
  European Higher Education Area,
• be part of the operational steering and
  management system,
• cover the entire operation of the higher
  education institution,
• be interrelated as part of the normal operations
  of the higher education institution,
• be continuous,
• be documented,
• enable the participation of all members of the
  higher education community in quality work. The
  higher education institutions have the principle
  responsibility for the development and quality of
  the education they provide.

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The goal of the audits

• To evaluate how well the QA system works as a
  tool for quality management and enhancement
• Audit looks at the qualitative aims institution
  has set and the processes and methods it uses to
  manage and enhance the quality of education and
  other activities
• The aim is to determine if the QA system
  functions as intended, provides information
  needed to improve operations and leads to
  effective improvement measures

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Auditing targets

• Definition and documentation of objectives,
  procedures, actors and responsibilities of the QA
  system
• 2) Comprehensiveness of quality assurance
• a) Degree education
• b) Research/RD
• c) Interaction with and impact on society, and
  contribution to regional development
• d) Support and other services (such as library
  and information services, career and recruitment
  services, and international services)
• e) Staff recruitment and development

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• 3) Interface between the quality assurance system
  and management/steering
• 4) Participation of staff, students and external
  stakeholders in quality assurance
• 5) Relevance of, and access to, quality assurance
  information
• within the HEI
• for external stakeholders
• 6) Monitoring, evaluation and continuous
  development of the QA system
• 7) Overall structure and internal coherence of
  the QA system

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Audit process

• 1. The HEI registers for an audit.
• 2. An audit agreement is signed between the HEI
  and Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council.
• 3. The HEI collects the audit data and other
  material.
• 4. A meeting is arranged to prepare an audit
  visit.
• 5. The audit group visits the HEI.
• 6. An audit report is prepared.
• 7. The results are published, followed by a
  feedback meeting.

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Building Quality Assurance System in University
of Oulu
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Background

• QA system in teaching was developed in 1994
• There are many projects aiming for developing
  operations (Development projects in support
  services, management system and human recourses
  development)
• International research assessment in 2007 (see
  more http//ntsat.oulu.fi/rae2007/s/timetable.htm
  l)
• Quality assurance benchmarking project with the
  Universities of Jyväskylä and Tampere
• Quality work steering group was founded in 2006

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The basic principles of QA system

• Collaboration / cooperation
• The QA system is based on and evolved as a
  conscious and systematic collaboration of the
  scientific community members in all operations
• The QA system requires defining individuals and
  organs responsible for QA work, as well as the
  collaboration between them
• 2. Enhancement-led evaluation
• 3. Sharing best practices

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Evaluations

• 3. External evaluations
• For example international evaluations

2. Internal evaluation at university level

• 1. Self-Assessment
• in departments
• Annual documentation
• Reporting at intervals of three years

• Performance negotiations between university
  administration
• and Faculties
• Selecting and awarding quality units
• Internal audits

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OBJECTIVES OF QUALITY ASSURANCE
RESULTS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE
Research More innovative and significant
Ensuring and developing activities of the
academic community on its own terms
Learning deeper and more cumulative
COOPERATION/COLLABORATION
University will reach its objectives and quality
standards
Services respond better to the needs and
interests of university and its operational
environment
ENHANCEMENT-LED EVALUATION
Preconditions for innovative activities prevail
Support services support core operations as well
as possible
SHARING BEST PRACTICES
Staff and students develop university activities
together
All operations are managed so that university
will achieve its objectives and quality standards
Best practices are developed and used
Best practices are shared and spread better