Wo-ba Liberal Arts and Sciences Amsterdam University College

Transcription

1 Wo-ba Liberal Arts and Sciences Amsterdam University College 10 August 2008 Initial accreditation Panel report

2 Table of contents 1 Executive summary 3 2 Introduction The procedure Panel report 8 3 Description of the programme Overview Profile of the institution Profile of the programme 9 4 Assessments per theme and per standard Aims and objectives of the programme Curriculum Staff Facilities and counselling Internal quality Assurance system Conditions for continuity 35 5 Overview of the recommendations 37 Annex 1: Composition of the panel 38 Annex 2: Programme of site-visit 6 th June Annex 3: Overview of the documents inspected 42 Annex 4: Overview comparing the Dublin Descriptors to AUC's leaning outcomes 43 Annex 5: Letter to AUC 45 Annex 6: Degree profiles and requirements 47 pagina 2

3 1 Executive summary In November 2006 the Executive Boards of the VU University Amsterdam (VU) and the University of Amsterdam (UvA) took an initial decision to work jointly towards establishing a university college. In December 2007 they made the definitive decision to found Amsterdam University College (AUC) as a joint initiative. By establishing AUC, the UvA and VU aim to create a high quality (honours and broad (interdisciplinary) liberal arts and sciences Bachelor programme, taught in English, with a strong emphasis on developing academic skills, on science-related subjects, and with a high international profile. Liberal Arts&Sciences is a 3 year English-language interdisciplinary bachelor programme in sciences, humanities en social sciences. The programme consists of Academic Core courses, Big Questions, Major courses and Electives. Students can also choose to do a minor. After completing the programme students are awarded a BSc or a BA degree. Both universities will opt to award a Joint Degree as soon as this becomes a legal possibility in the Netherlands. The intended learning outcomes meet the requirements as they were set by professional colleagues. The applicant has not only looked at national descriptions of these requirements, but has also studied international benchmark institutions. As a result of this the applicant has come up with its own specific set of requirements, with emphasis on some major developments in the field. By formulating some so called Unique Selling Points the applicant has made clear in which way this new programme will distinguish itself from other existing Liberal Arts programmes. The learning outcomes of the programme correspond with the Dublin Descriptors, as can be seen in one of the appendices of the programme document. The process of curriculum development for AUC, including the definition of learning outcomes, was undertaken by a Curriculum Committee comprising high-level academics (full professors) from a broad range of disciplines. At the site-visit the panel had some doubts with regard to the number of master programmes in which the students would be able to enter after finishing the programme, but after receiving additional information from the applicant the panel is convinced that there will be enough possibilities for students to continue their studies in a master programme of one of the constituent universities. The panel judges theme 1 (aims and objectives) as satisfactory. The programme offers a strong interaction between education and research. Not only has a lot of attention been paid to the development of research skills and knowledge in the programme (especially in the academic core), the teachers are also required to be active in the field of research and contribute to the development of their field. In this way research becomes integrated in the curriculum in a rather natural way. The panel is of the opinion that the research part of the curriculum is built up in an adequate way, which enables students to do their own research project toward the end of the programme. For each module of the programme the applicant has formulated learning outcomes. These have been derived from the general aims of the programme. The relationship between the different courses and these general aims has been made clear in a table in the programme document. The panel recommends that the applicant works out this table in more detail. pagina 3

4 The educational concept of the programme can be described in terms of four main characteristics: inquiry- and project-based learning, the important role of tutoring, the residential character and internationalisation. The panel is of the opinion that these characteristics suit the liberal arts programme very well. The educational concept involves working in groups, together with other students; this will have a positive effect on the community feeling of both students and teachers. This feeling is enhanced by the constant involvement of the tutors, who monitor the progression of the students in the programme and help them make choices, which match the students' interests and abilities. Assessments will be matched to the content and character of and the methods used in the courses. However, the panel has noticed that this has not been worked out yet for all courses in the course manual. A format for the development of course manuals was provided in which these aspects are included. The panel is confident that all courses will be worked out adequately. The panel is also positive about the first draft of the Academic Standards and Procedures (OER), which was provided in the additional information which was sent to the panel after the site-visit. Although this has not been worked out in detail the panel is confident that this will all be ready before the programme starts. The panel has some doubts about the practical organization of the programme. The programme consists of several major elements which can be recognised in different parts of the programme (vertical coherence). The tutoring system has to ensure that there are enough connections between the different parts (horizontal coherence). The additional information, which was provided about the governance and management structure gives the impression that there will be different ways to enhance the coherence in the individual programmes of the students, but the panel thinks that a lot of work still has to be done in this respect and therefore judged that the practical organization of the individual study programmes could be an impediment to study progress. The panel therefore judged the standard workload as unsatisfactory The panel however trusts the applicant has in general taken adequate measures for students with deficiencies and has spread courses evenly across the programme. The panel is positive about the tutoring system and the periodic monitoring of students. The entry requirements as they have been formulated in the additional information suit the programme very well. The panel appreciates the fact that the applicant has made some changes in order to make the requirements less strict than they were in the initially. The panel is positive about the fact that a combination of methods is used to assess whether the programme suits a student and vice versa. As the panel is positive about most standards of theme 2, the theme as a whole (Curriculum) was judged satisfactory by the panel. The panel has also taken into consideration the applicants reaction to the intended decision by NVAO. In this reaction the applicant recognized the problems brought forward by the panel and assured the panel that these issues would be dealt with in an adequate way by AUC. The criteria which will be applied to the recruitment of the teaching staff and the C.V.'s of the current staff show that all teaching staff in the programme will have experience in (interdisciplinary) research and should be able to incorporate recent developments in their activities. The panel appreciates the fact that both universities have agreed on a teacher : student ratio of 1:15., which is better than usual in university programmes. As the programme is connected to two universities the panel has confidence that there will be enough teachers with the required qualifications. Theme 3 (staff) was judged satisfactory. pagina 4

5 The panel is convinced that the facilities will be adequate for the programme, not only in the temporary location, but especially in the Science Park which is being built at the moment. On request of the panel the applicant described the tutoring system in great detail in the additional documentation which was provided after the site-visit. The panel is positive about the tutoring system and feels confident that this will help the students find their way in the programme. AUC has different facilities which will ensure good communication between staff and students. The panel trusts the facilities, counselling and information supply are adequate and has judged theme 4 (facilities and counselling) satisfactory. Although the quality assurance system has not yet been worked out in detail the panel is confident that AUC will have an adequate quality assurance system, keeping in mind the long-term experience of both universities with internal quality control. In the additional information responsibilities with regard to different quality aspects have been worked out. From the application it becomes clear that staff, students, alumni and the relevant professional field will be actively involved in the internal quality assurance system. The panel judges theme 5 (Quality assurance system) as satisfactory. The panel is of the opinion the applicant has taken sufficient measures to ensure that students can complete the whole programme. At the site-visit the panel discussed this issue with the two Chairmen of both constituent universities, who assured the panel that each student which starts the programme will be enabled to finish it. The budgetary information shows that there are sufficient financial guarantees for the programme to be realised and the Chairmen of the universities have confirmed that they will cover for initial financial losses in the start-up phase. Theme 6 (conditions for continuity) is judged as satisfactory. In summary, given these considerations, the panel advises the NVAO to take a positive decision regarding the quality of the proposed programme. Signed at The Hague, On behalf of the Initial Accreditation panel convened to assess the Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences of the Amsterdam University College Prof. Dr. Hans Adriaansens (Chair) Drs. Tineke Kleene (Secretary) pagina 5

6 2 Introduction 2.1The procedure NVAO received a request for an initial accreditation procedure including programme documents regarding a new programme, Bachelor in Liberal Arts. The request was received from the Executive Board of the Amsterdam University College on 28 April 2008 and accompanied by programme documents. An initial accreditation procedure is required when a recognised institution wants to offer a programme and award a recognised bachelor or master s degree. To a certain extent, initial accreditation demands a different approach to the accreditation procedure for programmes already being offered. Initial accreditation is in fact an ex ante assessment of a programme, and a programme becomes subject to the normal accreditation procedures once initial accreditation has been granted. NVAO convened a panel of experts. The panel consisted of: Prof. Dr Hans Adriaansens, chair, Dean of Roosevelt Academy, Middelburg (the Netherlands) Prof. Dr. Lon Kaufman, Vice-Provost for Undergraduate Affairs and Dean of the Honors College at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prof. Dr. Hans Vliegenthart, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Dept. of Bio- Organic Chemistry, Utrecht University, Thr Netherlands Drs. Tineke Kleene, Educationalist (the Netherlands), acted as secretary Dr. Stephan van Galen represented NVAO during the procedure. This composition reflects the expertise deemed necessary by NVAO. (Annex 1: Composition of the panel) All panel members signed a statement of independence and confidentiality. The panel has based its assessment on the standards and criteria described in the Initial Accreditation Framework of the NVAO of 14 February 2003 (further indicated as "framework"). The panel has prepared itself for the site-visit using the documents (the programme documents), which had been sent to NVAO by the applicant. Due to the international composition of the panel and the busy diaries of its members it was impossible for the panel members to have a preliminary meeting to discuss the application before the actual sitevisit. This was compensated for by the fact that on the day before the site-visit the panel allocated ample time to discuss the application and to formulate the questions to be addressed during the various rounds of interviews. Before this meeting the first impressions of the panel members to the application were shared by . Also, some questions were sent to the applicant before the-site-visit and most of them had already been answered before the preliminary meeting of the panel. The preliminary meeting was organised at 5 th June 2008 in Amsterdam. During this meeting the panel was able to exchange their first impressions of the application and to formulate the questions to be addressed during the various rounds of interviews during the site-visit the next day. The panel also discussed the pagina 6

7 answers which were given to the questions which had been sent to the applicant. These answers also generated some additional questions to be asked. The site-visit took place on 6 th June 2008 at Amsterdam. Annex 2 of this recommendation provides the programme of the site-visit. During the interviews the panel obtained more detailed information on, amongst others, the questions they had prepared beforehand. Immediately after the site-visit the panel (in a closed meeting) formulated its preliminary assessments per theme and standard. These were based on the findings of the site-visit, and building on the assessment of the programme documents. At the closed meeting the panel was not able to give final judgements on all standards and criteria of the Initial Accreditation Framework. The general opinion of the panel about the application was positive, but some important detailed information was lacking. This lacking information mainly concerned the fact that many compromises had been made between the many parties involved in order to develop the programme. In some respects these compromises had led to unclear decisions regarding the content of the programme, the tutoring, etc. Therefore the panel decided to send a letter to AUC with some additional questions. In the letter the following subjects were addressed: The fact that students follow 6 courses per semester (5 ECTS each), while at the same time the applicant aims for students and teachers to bond The fact that students (according to the first application) would only get a BSc, while certain programmes actually lead to a BA The entry requirements: N&T or N&G profile and medium score of 7.5 Role of the "big questions" in the first semester The tutoring system Protocol for writing course manuals The coordinating role of the Heads of Studies The Regulations for testing and examinations The governance structure At 10 th July the panel received additional information from the applicant in which all abovementioned issues were addressed. The document was considered as additional to the original application document, specifically to section 3.6.2, 3.7 and 7, while it replaces sections 2.4, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.5. The additional information consisted of the following chapters: Curriculum Degree profiles and requirements Admission Other academic issues Governance and management The additional information contained the following annexes: a. Adjusted version of the course catalogue b. Academic standards and procedures c. Overview of articulation to (Doorstroom) masters d. Teachers' Manual for Course Design and Instruction (including template for course manuals) The final panel discussion at the end of the site-visit together with the additional information provided by the applicant resulted in the final recommendation presented here. pagina 7

8 The site-visit has been a very important element in the process. The discussions with the various people involved, the presentations given by the people involved and the additional documentation, which was provided during and after the site-visit, have all contributed a great deal to the judgements given by the panel members. The panel appreciated the hospitality it received and the openness of the talks with all concerned. 2.2Panel report The first chapter of this report is the executive summary, while the current (second) chapter is the introduction. The third chapter gives a description of the programme including its position within the Amsterdam University College. The panel presents its assessments in the fourth chapter. The programme is assessed by examining the themes and standards in the Initial Accreditation Framework. For each standard the panel presents an outline of its findings, considerations and conclusion. The outline of the findings are the objective facts as found by the panel in the programme documents, in the additional documents and during the site-visit. The panel s considerations are the panel s subjective evaluations regarding these findings and the importance of each. The considerations presented by the panel logically lead to a concluding assessment. The panel concludes the report with a table containing an overview of its assessments per theme and per standard. pagina 8

9 3 Description of the programme 3.1 Overview Country: The Netherlands Institution: Amsterdam University College Programme: Liberal Arts and Sciences Specialisations: See under fields of studies Level: Bachelor Orientation: WO/Academic Degree: BSc (Bachelor of Science) and BA (Bachelor of Arts). In Annex 6 of this document the different degree profiles and requirements are presented Note from the programme document: The programme will opt to award a Joint Degree as soon as this becomes a legal possibility Location(s): Amsterdam Mode of study: Fulltime Field of studies: Science, Social sciences and Humanities 3.2 Profile of the institution In November 2006 the Executive Boards of the VU University Amsterdam (VU) and the University of Amsterdam (UvA) took an initial decision to work jointly towards establishing a University College. In December 2007 they made the definitive decision to found Amsterdam University College (AUC) as a joint initiative. The Amsterdam brand is an important international attractive force. With its two universities, the Amsterdam Science Park and hosting many headquarters of international enterprises and organisations, Amsterdam profiles itself as a global knowledge hub. In addition, the city is an internationally renowned cultural centre and an important focus for the creative industries. An international university college that integrates these aspects of knowledge, culture and creativity into its own profile and attracts an internationally diverse population of talented and motivated students with broad social interests will strengthen this image. 3.3 Profile of the programme By establishing AUC, the UvA and VU aim to create a high quality (honours) and broad (interdisciplinary) liberal arts and sciences Bachelor programme, taught in English, with a strong emphasis on developing academic skills, and with a high international profile. According to the programme document the Amsterdam universities decided to take the initiative to develop the programme in response to: The globalisation of our society and the need, in a globally competitive environment, to nurture talent, develop it and attract it internationally. The need for more differentiation in Dutch higher education; i.e. create more avenues for excellence, and meet the demand for study programmes that are intellectually challenging and call for broad academic, cultural and social interests. pagina 9

10 The need to increase the number of students who major in science and science-related fields; experience has shown that an interdisciplinary programme can have a positive influence (for instance the beta-gamma Bachelor programme at UvA). Developments in Dutch secondary education, such as the increasing number of VWO schools that offer bilingual education (TTO) and/or internationally oriented education (IGO), including the International Baccalaureate. The presence of international companies and institutions and therefore an important expatriate community and international knowledge workers. The multicultural character of Amsterdam and the desirability of making this diversity explicit in an academic context. The Amsterdam universities share the conviction that AUC will have a positive effect on the quality of the regular study programmes. AUC will provide room for developing good practices and innovative approaches to undergraduate education that will be shared widely across both institutions. It will develop teaching practices focused on excellence, diversity, internationalisation and interdisciplinarity, and as such furnish opportunities for academic staff to develop advanced teaching practice. As AUC will draw extensively on UvA and VU staff, it will be able to build bridges and create an institution-wide impact, serving as a model and internal quality label. In this way AUC will play an inspirational and motivational role within the academic community to the benefit of the largest number of students possible. While AUC will benefit from the reputation and richness of intellectual resources that the two founding universities can offer, as a joint initiative it will equally enhance the mutual cooperation between them. It will therefore be established as an interuniversity institute. According to the programme document the Liberal Arts Programme of the Amsterdam University College will be characterised by the following features: A broad liberal arts and sciences programme at Bachelor level, offering breadth and depth of learning by focusing on far-reaching themes and real-world problems in science and society, thus crossing the boundaries between the natural sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. Aiming high at academic excellence, with an honours degree programme, selection of students and high calibre staff. An international and intercultural focus, reflected in a diverse and international student and staff body, an international curriculum and classroom setting, training in intercultural competences, with English as the language of teaching and learning and requirements for second language acquisition. An engaging academic and social context, supported by small class size (low ratio of students to staff), an attractive and modern residential college setting, and state-of-theart facilities. Reaching out to the community, through off-campus community engagement and incompany internships. Students graduating from AUC will receive a Bachelor of Science (BSc) or a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. The AUC curriculum is an Honours degree programme. The Honours classification will only be awarded to those students who pass their degree with a final GPA above a certain level (at least 3.00). The Honours classification will therefore clearly demonstrate the high level of achievement of AUC graduates. A New Programme for the Netherlands pagina 10

11 There are several accredited liberal arts and sciences Bachelor programmes in the Netherlands, such as those of Utrecht University and Maastricht University. The AUC programme shares a number of basic principles with these programmes, inherent in the liberal arts and sciences concept. However, according to the programme document the AUC initiative has the following "unique selling points": A joint initiative of two major research universities with outstanding international reputations, located in a world city. Liberal arts and sciences education for the 21st century: a broad interdisciplinary approach, creating new pathways across the traditional dividing lines between liberal arts and sciences and the professional fields. Opportunities for students to focus on science and science-related majors in a liberal education context. Focus on connecting diversity with excellence in an international and intercultural context. The unique qualities of the city of Amsterdam. A New Programme for the Institution The proposed programme is new to the institution. In fact, the institution exists because of the new programme. pagina 11

12 4 Assessments per theme and per standard In this chapter the panel assesses the programme according to the six themes and nineteen standards from the Accreditation Framework. 4.1 Aims and objectives of the programme According to the programme document liberal education is traditionally undertaken in a spirit of free inquiry in order to heighten students awareness of the human and natural world they inhabit and to support their personal development. It provides students with a broad academic orientation, an independent critical way of thinking and writing, and in-depth learning as a basis for further specialisation at graduate level. In particular, it aims to make students more reflective about their beliefs and choices, more self conscious and critical of their presuppositions and motivations; better able to make complex connections across disciplines, cultures and institutions; more creative in their problem-solving; more perceptive of the world around them; and more able to inform themselves about the issues that arise in their lives, personally, professionally and socially, and to transform such knowledge into practical and ethical action. Helping students master the arts of inquiry, analysis and communication is considered to be the signature strength of a liberal education. Liberal arts and sciences graduates can be expected to: Demonstrate interdisciplinary skills, i.e. they can o Evaluate which disciplines are involved in the solution of complex issues o Assess which research methods are most suitable in a particular situation o Integrate the contents and research methods from disciplines relevant to the course o Defend a well-considered viewpoint covering the relevant disciplines; Know about and understand the most prominent theories and methodological foundations of the chosen field of study; Have fundamental experience with the methodology used by researchers in the chosen field of study; Know which phenomena are being studied in the different disciplines and which research methods and theories are used; Possess social and communication skills enabling them to work in a team; Rapidly learn the specialist vocabulary required for a new discipline and be able to translate scientific terminology for laypersons; Possess general mental and reasoning skills that enable them to participate in scientific and public debates; Express themselves well verbally and in writing at an academic level; Work independently and purposefully, critically assess their own actions and be able to set goals and take decisions; Demonstrate the ability to reflect in ethical and social terms on their own position in society and chosen career. In addition, the purpose of the AUC curriculum will be more generally to train students to become multilingual, informed and engaged global citizens, with well-developed intercultural pagina 12

13 competences, able to read intelligently, think critically and write effectively on the processes shaping our world Discipline specific requirements (standard 1.1) The intended learning outcomes of the programme correspond with the requirements set by professional colleagues, both nationally and internationally and the relevant domain concerned (subject/discipline and/or professional practice). Findings In the programme document 2 major developments with respect to the role that liberal arts education can play in the 21 st century are discussed. Based on these developments the AUC curriculum will place particular emphasis on: Interdisciplinarity Scientific reasoning, and (the role of) science and technology Global knowledge, international and intercultural competence Civic knowledge and community engagement Inquiry- and project-based learning (see section 3.6) According to the programme document these elements form the main principles and elements of AUC s curriculum and will shape a learning experience that aims to achieve learning outcomes that are in line with the domain-specific requirements for the liberal arts and sciences, i.e. as defined by the QANU Review Committee for Liberal Arts and Sciences (2007) (shown in appendix 1a of the application), and by national and international benchmark institutions in the domain of liberal arts and sciences (shown in appendix 1b.2 of the application). For this purpose the applicant compared the AUC learning outcomes with those formulated by University College Utrecht and the UvA s beta-gamma Bachelor (national programmes accredited within the liberal arts and sciences framework), and at the international level with the Essential Learning Outcomes for undergraduate liberal education as formulated by the Association for American Colleges and Universities (2007), and by the University of Melbourne that decided recently, to introduce a broad and interdisciplinary approach to undergraduate education (University of Melbourne, 2006). In Appendix 1 of the programme document the learning outcomes are matched to the domain-specific reference framework for liberal arts and sciences as specified by the QANU Review Committee Liberal Arts & Sciences in This appendix is added to this report in Annex 4 Considerations The "Domain specific reference framework for liberal arts & sciences" (QANU, 2006) has been taken as a starting point for the learning outcomes of AUC. Both are presented in appendix 1 of the programme document. The applicant has also looked at other existing Liberal Arts programmes, which have served as a kind of benchmark for the new programme. The panel trusts that the applicant has done some good research in the field of Liberal Arts as becomes clear from the Quantitative Market Survey, which was added to the programme document as an annex. By formulating the so called Unique Selling Points (see introduction of this chapter) the applicant has made clear in which way this new programme will distinguish itself from other existing Liberal Arts programmes. The applicant also shows clearly in which way the AUC learning outcomes meet the general QANU framework. The panel is of the opinion that the aims and objectives, which have been formulated meet the requirements which generally apply to a programme in this field of studies. pagina 13

14 Conclusion The panel assesses Standard 1.1 Domain-specific Requirements as 'satisfactory Bachelor (standard 1.2) The intended learning outcomes of the programme correspond with the general, internationally accepted descriptions of a Bachelor qualification. Findings In Appendix 1 of the programme document the learning outcomes are matched to the Dublin Descriptors. This appendix is added to this report in Annex 4 Considerations The panel has the opinion that the description in annex 4 shows clearly that the aims and objectives of the programme correspond with general, internationally accepted description of a Bachelor's qualification (in this case the so called Dublin descriptors) and therefore judges this standard an "satisfactory". Conclusion The panel assesses Standard 1.2 Bachelors degree as 'satisfactory Academic orientation (standard 1.3) The intended learning outcomes of the programme correspond with the following descriptions of an Academic Bachelor: The intended learning outcomes are derived from requirements set by the scientific discipline, the international scientific practice and, for programmes to which this applies, the practice in the relevant professional field An academic bachelor has the qualifications that allow access to at least one further programme on academic master's level (WO-master) and the option to enter the labour market Findings The intended learning outcomes as described in the previous section were derived from requirements set by the academic disciplines, international academic practice and practice in the relevant professional fields. To this end, the process of curriculum development for AUC, including the definition of learning outcomes, was undertaken by a Curriculum Committee comprising high-level academics (full professors) from a broad range of disciplines. In appendix 4 of the programme document the names of the members of the AUC Curriculum Committee are included. According to the programme document their international standing and prominence in research related to their discipline is the best guarantee for a programme that will meet international academic practice both in terms of its contents and overall level. This was confirmed by benchmarking against international standards relevant for the field. Also, careful consultation with the directors of graduate programmes is ongoing to ensure that AUC graduates will qualify to enter postgraduate programmes at academic Master level (WO Master). pagina 14

15 AUC graduates are eligible for access to Master programmes at the VU and UvA, provided that they fulfil the formal admission requirements of these programmes, i.e. as set by research Masters or stemming from the formal requirements of programmes preparing for regulated professions (e.g. medicine), for which a bridging programme may be required. Examples of graduate programmes that could be indicated as doorstroommasters under current law, i.e. accepting AUC graduates without supplementary courses, are listed in appendix 3 of the additional information, which was provided on 11 th July. This list will be further developed in the coming period. AUC will provide intensive advice to its students during the course of their undergraduate studies, guiding their choices in the AUC curriculum (or in exceptional cases outside of it) in order to enhance their chances to qualify for entrance to Master programmes with particular requirements (see above). To this end, AUC will regularly consult with the graduate schools of VU and UvA. It will also actively track the success of its graduates in their further academic careers, both within and beyond the UvA and VU. In order to support AUC graduates who wish to enter the labour market immediately, and/or to more generally orient themselves during their undergraduate phase on the world of work, consultation with employers (both in corporate and public sectors) by the applicant has taken place. Considerations As already has become clear from the previous sections the aims and objectives of the programme generally meet the standards of the Liberal Arts field. The panel appreciates the fact that the applicant has introduced some unique, special focuses, which distinguishes it from other programmes in the field. The panel has a strong belief that students who graduate will be well prepared for a variety of disciplines and that they will be able to enter into many different master's programmes. Students who have completed their studies have different possibilities to continue their studies in a Master's programme of both universities involved (VU and UvA). At the site-visit the panel suggested that the two constituent universities have a more lenient policy in place for allowing AUC graduates to enter VU and UVA Master programmes. As can be seen in the "findings" above the applicant has reacted positively to this suggestion. The panel appreciates this and considers the admission requirements to be more adequate now. In general the panel has positive opinion about the possibilities for students after finishing the bachelor programme, in a master programme as well as on the labour market. Therefore, the standard is judged "satisfactory" Conclusion The panel assesses Standard 1.3 Academic orientation as satisfactory Summary of the judgements of Theme 1 Goals and Objectives of the programme As all standards of theme 1 (goals and objectives of the programme) were judged "satisfactory" the theme as a whole is judged "satisfactory" as well. pagina 15

16 4.2 Curriculum The AUC curriculum will adopt an interdisciplinary and thematic approach, by drawing from and integrating insights from two or more academic disciplines in order to develop a greater understanding of problems that are too complex or wide-ranging to be dealt with by using the knowledge and methodology of just one discipline. According to the programme document the interdisciplinary approach also requires a solid grounding in the separate disciplines, as a substantial depth of knowledge is required for successful interdisciplinary debate (and is also necessary in order to obtain admission to graduate programmes). In the AUC curriculum this discipline-based knowledge will mostly be acquired through the major courses in the second and third year. The integration of disciplinary perspectives will be an important aspect of the AUC courses, especially in the second and third year, The general requirements to be met by the students are as follows: Students complete 180 ecp in six semesters, divided over 90 ecp for their major, 60 ecp for Academic Core courses, and 30 ecp for electives that may be combined into a minor. Students complete the requirements for a major: 90 ecp including 11 major courses of 6 ecp, two theme courses of 6 ecp, and a capstone of 12 ecp. Students complete at least one course listed as a Humanities course, one course listed as a Social Sciences course and one course listed as a Sciences course. Students complete the required Academic Core courses (60 ecp in total) as specified per major. Students complete an internship and/or a community project. Students take ten courses in their first year. The AUC curriculum is structured in such a way that students start their first semester with an orientation on big questions. AUC has decided to offer two (instead of the original five) Big Questions courses: Big Questions in Science and Big Questions in Society Students choose one Big Questions course in the first semester and a second one in the second semester. They may also wish to take the Big Books course later in their curriculum (as an elective). No particular prerequisites are set for any of these courses. At the end of the first semester students will choose an interdisciplinary theme as the first part of their major, covering topics that are too broad and complex to be dealt with by a single discipline. AUC offers six introductory theme courses. The two Big Questions and the introductory theme course that students take in their first year will help them to orient themselves actively on their choice of major and their further choices in the curriculum. Students are also required to take a number of Academic Core courses in their first year, to ensure that they acquire the academic skills necessary to complete other courses successfully. Having fulfilled these requirements, students are free to take either 100-level course in one of the disciplines or Academic Core courses to bring the number of courses in their first year up to ten. Students take 90 ecp in their major and 60 ecp in the Academic Core, and therefore may choose 30 ecp as electives. Students can choose their electives from a wide array of pagina 16

17 courses (major courses, theme courses, Academic Core courses, etc.), provided that they fulfil the prerequisites of these courses. Elective courses can be combined into a minor, but this is not obligatory. If students choose to take a minor, it must meet the following requirements: A minor should be taken in a field other than the major. A minor consists of five related courses (30 ecp in total). At least two of the courses included in the minor must be at 300 level. A request for a minor with a detailed course proposal must be submitted to the Board of Studies before the beginning of the fifth semester. The major is structured as follows. A major consists of 90 ecp, including 11 major courses of 6 ecp, two theme courses of 6 ecp, and a capstone of 12 ecp. Students take a major in either the Humanities, the Social Sciences or the Sciences. The choice of major implies requirements for a certain set of Academic Core courses. Theme courses are distinguished into introductory (100 level) and advanced (300 level) theme courses. Students must complete at least one of the introductory theme courses in their first year and one of the advanced theme courses as part of their major. In principle, students take the advanced course for the same theme for which they took the introductory course in their first year. Students are guided to take a concentration (i.e. a minimum number of courses to be taken, their level and spread over disciplines) within their major ensuring sufficient disciplinary depth and cohesion in their choice of courses. A request for a major with a detailed course proposal must be submitted to the Board of Studies before the beginning of the third semester. The major (90 ECTS) consists of a coherent set of courses, introduced by a thematic course. The theme introduces students to interdisciplinary issues and research questions. The major can be considered as a semi-individual study path. As part of their major, students are also required to complete a capstone project (a 12 ECTS Bachelor thesis connected to a research project, in which an internship can also play a role) in which the skills and knowledge that the students have acquired are integrated. According to the programme document in the major, a balance will be achieved between interdisciplinary breadth and depth of knowledge. Students are required to choose one of six interdisciplinary themes as an interdisciplinary framework for their major: Cities and Cultures Social Systems Energy, Climate and Sustainability Life, Evolution, Universe Health and Well-being Information, Communication, Cognition These themes cover topics that require an interdisciplinary approach because they are too broad and complex to be dealt with by a single discipline. pagina 17

18 4.2.1 Requirements for academic orientation (standard 2.1) The proposed curriculum meets the following criteria for an academic orientation. The students develop their knowledge through the interaction between education and research within the relevant disciplines The curriculum corresponds with current developments in the relevant discipline(s) by verifiable links with current scientific theories The programme ensures the development of competences in the field of research Where appropriate, the curriculum has verifiable links with the current relevant professional practice. Findings According to the programme document the role of research in the curriculum is central. Students should not just be consumers of prior knowledge, but be interested in the process of creating new knowledge. Participation in research will be a requirement for all the students of AUC, in the various disciplines, and in connection with the interdisciplinary research that is currently being undertaken at VU and UvA. The learning process will be supported by an interdisciplinary and thematic approach which addresses the big questions for science and society, through the application of knowledge, skills and responsibilities to complex real-life problems in both local and global settings, and by engaging with diverse communities. This will be practised extensively across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, and supported by work in small groups, projects, interactive formats and intensive tutoring. Courses in the Academic Core will provide students with basic research skills and methods and an orientation on the way questions and problems are defined and approached in different disciplines. In the first year students take an introductory course in one of six interdisciplinary themes as part of their major (discussed in section of the application). This course introduces them to the current developments and research issues that are relevant to that theme. In the second year students take advanced courses on this theme, where they explore cutting edge developments together with researchers. Research pagina 18

19 projects will be undertaken throughout the curriculum, enabling the application of acquired skills as well as accommodating students individual interests and opportunities to construct their individual graduate profiles. In the third year students will deepen their research interest in a particular area through a personal research project undertaken in the context of their capstone experience. This can be combined with an internship. The capstone results in a Bachelor thesis in which the students not only report their findings and ideas, but also their further questions and interests as a guide for possible further study and research at graduate level. The panel asked the applicant whether there is a central role for research in each course of in the curriculum as a whole. The answer to this question is as follows: Research in the curriculum is implemented in the following way: The Academic Core courses teach students important basic research skills. The Big Questions courses and the introductory courses to a theme introduce students to the current developments in research that are relevant to that theme. In the third year students take advanced courses on the theme, where they explore cutting edge developments together with researchers. In the courses that students take as part of their major, students refine their research skills. Students are required to do at least one small research project at 100-level, 200-level and 300-level, as part of one of their courses. Students deepen their research interest in a particular area through a personal research project undertaken in the context of their capstone experience. In their research projects students will have access to research environments, including labs, and continual guidance of staff members. Considerations The panel considers that students will have enough opportunities in the programme to learn about and practice research. The panel trusts that the programme provides enough background to gain knowledge and experience in the first two years for the students to be able to carry out their own research project in the third year. As the teachers that will provide the education, are (and will) all be involved in current research projects there will be a strong connection to current developments in the programme. The panel holds the view that the teachers can be expected to be capable of bringing current developments into the programme, wherever this is possible. The set-up of the programme leaves enough room for this. Conclusion The panel assesses Standard 2.1 Requirements for academic orientation as 'satisfactory Correspondence between the aims and objectives and the curriculum (standard 2.2) The intended curriculum, the educational concept, the study methods and the learning assessments reflect the intended learning outcomes. The intended learning outcomes have been adequately transferred into the educational goals of (parts of) the intended curriculum. Findings pagina 19

20 Relationship between learning outcomes and the curriculum The table below reflects the relationship between the learning outcomes and the content of the curriculum. Academic core Major Electives Academic English Maths Foreign language Philosophy of science Logic and argumentation Identity in a multicultural context Big Questions courses Introduction to theme Disciplinary courses Advanced courses in theme Community project Capstone Depth of knowledge X X X X X Understanding broader context X X X X X Breadth of knowledge X X X X X X X Academic skills X X X X X X X Interdisciplinary skills X X X X X Learning skills X X X X Communication skills X X X X X (X) X X Engagement at local and global X X (X) levels Personal and social responsibility X X X X X X In appendix 2 of the programme document the course catalogue of the new programme is enclosed. The course descriptions contain the credit points, prerequisites, objectives and a course description. Educational concepts and learning methods The first important characteristic of the curriculum is related to inquiry- and project-based learning. The AUC curriculum will offer students multiple opportunities to work, independently and collaboratively, on (research) projects that require the integration of knowledge with skills in analysis, discovery, problem solving, and communication, engaging them in active learning based on their own questions. The learning process will be supported by the interdisciplinary and thematic approach that addresses the big questions in science and society, through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to complex real-life problems in both local and global settings, and by engaging with diverse communities. This will be practised extensively, across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, and supported by work in small groups, projects, interactive formats, and intensive tutoring. The second important characteristic of the curriculum is related to the role of tutoring. It is a challenge academically and logistically to ensure depth as well as breadth in each individual student s curriculum, especially within three years. More attention will be paid to tutoring in standard 4.2 The third important characteristic of the AUC educational concept is related to its residential character. The AUC learning experience will combine study and cultural and social life in a campus setting. pagina 20

21 AUC s curricular and extra-curricular programmes will emphasise personal and social responsibility, including civic and intercultural knowledge and engagement at local and global levels. These programmes will be implemented through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges, including in-company internships and offcampus community engagement. The fourth characteristic of AUC s educational concept is internationalisation. Internationalisation is seen as an integral part of the curriculum, all facilities provided will be developed for an international public, and all AUC-related policies and strategies will have an international focus. AUC will have an internationalised curriculum in terms of its academic content, method and context. Teaching will be in English, and students will have to comply with the English language requirements. Consequently, intercultural training and international exchange (study periods and/or internships) will be an integral part of the curriculum, and the development of intercultural competences and the study of multiculturalism will be interwoven into the framework of the study programme. Together with a selected number of foreign partner universities, AUC will develop a 30 ECTS (one semester) exchange programme to be offered to the AUC students in the second semester of the second year. This exchange programme will form an integral part of the AUC curriculum. Learning assessment In assessing learning outcomes, a distinction will be made between the different types of learning outcomes, i.e. content knowledge/discipline-specific knowledge and skills, general academic skills and non-cognitive ( soft ) skills. Engagement and personal and social responsibility will be considered as an index of the nature and extent of the student s active participation in the learning process. Learning assessment will be implemented by means of tests, examinations (written/oral), papers (essays and research papers), presentations/demonstrations, debates, lab work/lab journals, and final thesis. In appendix 2 of the programme document (the course catalogue) a description of each part of the programme is given. Oversight of learning assessment will be the responsibility of the Examination Board and will be regulated by the Education and Examination Regulation (OER) and more specifically by the Rules and Regulations for Examinations. Considerations In general the panel is of the opinion there is a clear connection between the aims and objectives of the programme and the objectives in the courses, which are offered. However, the connection between the course objectives and the general aims of the programme could be made even more explicit. The panel suggests that the applicant should make a more specific matrix than the one above in which the relationship between specific courses and the general aims becomes clear. In this way the contribution of each course to the general aims of the programme will become clearer. A critical remark with regard to the connection between the general aims and the specific course objectives regards the role of the city. This is an aspect, which is mentioned as being of major importance all over the programme document, but cannot be traced in the programme very easily. The panel suggests the applicant to make this aspect more pronounced in the courses. pagina 21