EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation Report

Transcription

1 European Association for Public Administration Accreditation 1 September 2009 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation Report Tallinn University of Technology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Public Administration, Bachelor in Public Administration, Master in Public Administration, Master in Public Management (distant learning programme) Evaluation Report with respect to the request for accreditation of June 2, In consideration of the Self-Evaluation Report of the above programme of December 1, 2008, the Site Visit Report of June 18, 2009 of the EAPAA Site Visit Team for this programme, and the response of the programme of August 21, 2009 to the draft of the Site Visit Report, the EAPAA Accreditation Committee, at its meeting of September 1 in St. Julian, Malta, has evaluated this programme against the EAPAA Accreditation Criteria (Version 6, September 2006). 1. Accreditation Criteria 2. Applicability/Eligibility 2.1 Domain All three programmes clearly are in the public administration domain. All three programmes provide professional academic level education leading to a formal degree. The programmes prepare practitioners for academic level roles in the public sector. 2.2 Geography Estonia is member of the European Council as well as of the European Union. 2.3 Programme longevity 2.4 Programme variants and locations 3 Category of accreditation In 2002 the Bachelor in PA and the Master in PA and PM curricula received full national accreditation. Since then, the three curricula have implemented significant reforms. These reforms were initiated in the context of the Bologna process and the main changes include: adoption of the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) (the current 1 credit point (CP) = 1.5 ECTS CP) ; transfer to module-based curricula; refocusing the learning outcomes of all curricula, modules and courses. The BA in PA programme has stationary and distance learning variants. The distance learning programme is comparable with the stationary one with all relevant parts and examined syllabi of the courses. Students of the distance learning version meet the same standards as those in the stationary programme. The MA in PA programme has only a stationary version and the MA in PM programme has only a distance learning version. BA in Public Administration: first cycle, bachelor programme MA in Public Administration: second cycle, master programme

2 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation report pg Standards 4.1 Domain of public administration MA in Public Management: second cycle, master programme The three programmes provide a broad general curriculum in Public Administration with a focus on governance. The BA in PA programme, after completing the curriculum, enables students to know the basic principles of social life, the functions of the political system, especially of public administration within it, its role in social life and its theoretical and practical foundations; to be able to conduct basic research in public administration; to have practical experience of working in the public sector; to be ready to work as junior officials in (local) government institutions; to be ready to continue their studies in master's programme in public administration. The programme has two specialisations: public administration, and local self-government. The MA in PA programme after the completing the curriculum enables students: To acquire systematic skills and knowledge in the field of public administration; To be able to link a theoretical knowledge of public administration with everyday practice and analyze, generalize and evaluate the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of public administration processes; To be able to comprehend different international administrative practices, their contextual specificities and their relevance for Estonian public administration; To understand the principles of conducting a scientific survey or analysis and be able to plan carrying-out such a survey. The programme has two specialisations: public administration, and technology governance The MA in PM programme, after completing the curriculum, enables students: to know the principles of public administration and, in the context of multi-level governance, and to identify the location and institutions responsible for solving specific public problems; to understand the development, structure and functioning of the Estonian administrative system; to identify and locate the international scientific literature needed for solving specific practical problems; to understand the principles of conducting a scientific survey or analysis and be able to plan carrying out one. to analyse the performance of administrative processes and address specific management issues with solutions that draw on international knowledge and experience on public management (major I); to understand the main sources of threats both on national and international level, understand the dynamics of crises and propose solutions for both risk management and crisis management (major II). The programme has two majors: public management, and crisis management.

3 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation report pg Mission of the programme 4.3 Level 4.4 Practise and internships Conclusion: The three programmes contain all the major areas of Public Administration. Each of them has various specialisations and each of them has a strong quality orientation and they meet the international academic standards and they based on the understanding of democratic values. The three programmes are definitely within the field of Public Administration defined by the EAPAA standards. They embrace governance and all major aspects of public management and public policy The mission statement is jointly relevant to the three programmes. The main components are as follows: to prepare highly qualified specialists in the field of Public Administration for the Estonian (but also for international administration and for NGOs) junior, senior and top civil service depending on the level of the curriculum; prepare public managers with strategic management as well as policymaking skills in order to be able to manage public and nongovernmental organisations; prepare students capable of identifying and formulating independently speciality-related problems, developing viable research strategies, and reaching scientifically proved conclusions using appropriate research methods; prepare students with the ability to independently carry out policy research and analysis at an NGO, international or governmental agency; contribute to the development of lifelong learning in Estonia by offering public administration and public management education to individuals who work in the field of public management or whose job requires a good understanding of administrative systems and their functioning, but whose previous studies have been carried out previously or in another subject area; prepare highly qualified academics and lecturers in the field of Public Administration with special emphasis on the Foundations of Public Administration, Public Management and Policy, Local Government, and Technology Governance. Conclusion: The mission statement is relevant not only to the Estonian but also to the European Union public administration and higher education requirements. The mission statement provides proper guidance for the objectives of public administration and public management programmes, for curriculum development, for the education and research activities of the faculty members and for the performance appraisal of students. The mission statement is the subject of an ongoing process of adaptation to the changing economic, political and social requirements. The final qualifications of the three programmes meet the international requirements of a European bachelor and master degree programme. IPA is an institutional member of the several consortia and international institutions. Bilateral and multilateral contacts have been developed in the education of the three programmes with several renowned European universities. A systematic approach is implemented in practice-oriented skills development. All three programmes require practical experience through

4 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation report pg. 4 internships (6 weeks at each level of studies) at different public sector organisations. All three programmes include a module of thesis work. The main aim of the bachelor's thesis is to teach students to research a contemporary problem in public administration. General objectives of the MA in PA Master thesis module are to get students acquainted with the implementation of public policies and overall work organization in public sector organizations, to supplement students` knowledge through practical experience by working in public, private, non-governmental or international organizations, and to utilize students` theoretical knowledge and skills acquired in university to solve real-life problems. The objectives of the Master Thesis module of the MA in PM are to give students the experience of conducting an individual research project and a deeper understanding of one public management or crisis management topic. Research problem is selected according to the specialization. IPA is very well known and appreciated in the Estonian society and especially in the public sector Curriculum Content Core components Other Components The mission statement of the three programmes is implemented through a direct linkage to six values, such as scientific method, international cooperation, practice orientation, diversity, interdisciplinarity and interactivity. IPA is home to six chairs (Governance; Public Management and Policy; Regional Development; Innovation Policy and Technology Governance; Philosophy; Psychology) which ensures that IPA studies and research are interdisciplinary. Faculty members come from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds including Public Administration, Political Science, Sociology, European Studies, Economics, Law, Philosophy, History, Classical Philology, Geography, Psychology, and Social Work. The institute is in many respect the path-leading institution as regards the core of its teaching (being the only institution in Estonia offering traditional PA education at all 3 levels of higher education) and research. IPA has taken the approach of defining its unique niche in the Estonian Public Administration landscape and not duplicating other programmes. Thus, it has strongly pressed forward the development of the clear and relatively unique specialisations of Technology Governance, Crisis Management and Local Government. Interdisciplinarity among social sciences is limited at TUT. The classes in economics and psychology can easily be accessed, but limited opportunities exist in the case of other social science fields such as law, political science and sociology. There is an insufficient number of subjects focusing on policy analysis and public policy in the current curricula. The strengths and the weaknesses of the programmes are clearly defined and an action plan is accepted by IPA for strengthening the values and for minimising the weaknesses of the programmes. The three programmes have a well-balanced structure regarding the proportion of different types of courses and specialisations. In the BA programme there are 14 CP for specialisation and 6 for electives. In the MA programme there are 22 CP for specialisation and 5 for electives. In the PM programme there are 12 CP for specialisation and 6 for electives.

5 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation report pg Structure and didactics of the programme Intake Length Results On all levels of programme, teaching is a combination of traditional lectures and interactive teaching methods. On the BA level, lectures are linked with seminars and site visits, On the MA level, (especially in MA in PM which is targeted at practising civil servants) the importance of group discussions and case studies starts to grow due to the smaller number of students. In addition to traditional note-taking and discussion of the presented material by IPA s own staff, high-ranked practitioners are often asked to give guest lectures or even entire courses in order to facilitate discussion and explore the boundaries between theory and practice. Larger lectures are often coupled with seminars which are run in several small groups in parallel. Since one of the essential aims of IPA is to train students in writing and communication skills, preparing analytical and other research papers has become an integral part of the programme curricula. Outside the classroom, students must review material presented in lectures as well as gain additional knowledge by reading assigned works at regular intervals. In seminars, in addition to open or group discussions on reading material, the students may also be required to present individual commentaries, resumes of their research projects, practical tasks, or other assignments. Case study analysis concentrating on current PA issues in Estonia and elsewhere are frequently used. All students are involved in compulsory research activity by preparing their BA and MA theses. Students are encouraged to research the topics they are interested in. The traditional type of learning is greatly assisted by the development of e- learning and digital learning technologies. Students also receive credit for internships, depending on the length and type of work completed. Site visits offer excellent opportunities for establishing good contacts with institutions so that later, the students can do their compulsory practical training there or even find employment. The intake for the BA programme is conform the Estonian requirements. For the MA programme a finished BA is necessary. The programme supposes this is a BA in PA, but this is not the case in many occasions. Some students come directly from a BA programme, others have worked several years (growing numbers). This means that they may possess sufficient analytical skills for independent studies, but they tend to need at least some time to catch up or recollect the basics of PA before they can be fully taught PA at the level compatible with an MA degree. The length of the three programmes meets the Bologna criteria. The BA in PA programme a three year programme with 180 ECTS, both MA programmes are two year programmes with 120 ECTS. The main results are as follows: A constantly widening international and domestic network that is gradually growing more research-oriented, Positive feedback on the programme from alumni, Active student participation in the Curriculum Council, Wide practical experience of the academic staff, Active participation of the faculty in public policy networks. The distance-learning format of the MA in PM programme constitutes both a strength and a weakness at the same time. It makes it possible to obtain a Master s degree while also working full-time. But it also means that the

6 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation report pg Quality Improvement and Innovation Programme accomplishment Curriculum Development SVT score: External Reviews 4.7 Student Assessment 4.8 Programme Jurisdiction students must be highly motivated and disciplined in order to carry out all the individual work needed for graduation. This is not always easy and, as a result, some students do not graduate, or their studies stretch over a period of more than two years. Responses on alumni questionaires indicate that the quality of teaching is improving, which is perceived as positive. Some 50% of the alumni are totally satisfied with the curricula and the organisation of studies. Up to 40% of the alumni would make minor changes to the curricula and the study process (e.g. adding more specific courses on the core areas of PA) and approximately 8-15% of the respondents see the need for bigger changes (e.g. need for better counselling). Based on the survey, 85% of the alumni either work in the field of graduation or work in an area close to the field of graduation. 90% of the alumni consider themselves competitive in the labour market. The continuous assessment of faculty members by the students is mandatory according to the statutes of the university. Also students are represented in the Faculty Council. Feedback from alumni and potential employers is received, as a rule, during seminars and informal meetings with the members of the academic staff. Every year TUT centrally organises alumni feedback questionnaires. In 2008, after a short break, IPA started to organise feedback questionnaires of its own among its alumni. There is no systematic information from the field of practice (employers). All three programmes are in a dynamic process of development. The curricula have been developed based on Estonian needs and the experience of foreign universities teaching public administration and have been constantly developed in order to respond to the needs of society and its transformation. By formal rules and procedures, there are four specific ways how the improvement of the curricula is carried out: Student feedback, alumni feedback, Curriculum committee, and the Program Director. In addition, for five years, IPA has had annual faculty and support staff seminars (usually taking place during winter break, in January), where the most important issues regarding quality enhancement and IPA developments are discussed in detail. This year a curricula development plan will take effect. In 2002, the Bachelor s and Master s curricula received full national accreditation. The review have been carried out by commissions of international evaluators, which is the standard procedure of the Estonian education and research policy. Based on this review several changes in the curricula were made, mainly to conform to the (than new) European rules for bachelors and masters. A divers set of assessment instruments is used: oral or written examination, class participation, group and individual papers, case studies, essays, reports and research papers. Also the internship is taken into account. The responsibilities with respect to the study programmes are clear and logically divided between the university council, faculty council, curriculum committee, institute, program director and academic chair. The distribution of labour among the various bodies is goal-oriented. The programme jurisdiction of the core faculty is adequate.

7 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation report pg Faculty nucleus Faculty qualifications Diversity: gender and minorities 4.10 Admission of Students It is foreseen in IPA s action plan to create an international advisory board to the institute in the course of the year The institute has 6 professors. The further academic staff (31) is selected by way of competition. Between 85% (BA) and 56% (MA) is fulltime. The average age is around 40. The three programmes are taught by well-experienced, and internationally respected teachers. Special value of the teaching process is the involvement of the Faculty in the practical development of the Estonian public administration. The proportion of international faculty members is impressive. The members of the academic staff meet the requirements of the Universities Act, the Standard of Higher Education, the Requirements for Teacher Training and the Quality Agreement. In the last four years, IPA has made great efforts to increase the number of senior and international faculty members. Half of the staff has an Ph.D. IPA s academic staff produced 2.0 scholarly articles per staff member, out of these 1.2 per staff member were international peer-reviewed articles. Presentations at international scientific conferences: 46 in The scientific output of IPA scholars has constantly risen in the last 7 years. Since 2006, IPA s research funding has strongly increased, as the IPA scholars have obtained increasing funding from EU and Estonian research funds as well as from TUT s basic financing scheme, and for the applied projects from government organisations. In recent years, IPA has aggressively pursued academic staff renewal policies, and both in senior and junior faculty, these attempts have been very successful. The ratio between women and men among IPA professional staff is50-50 and IPA currently employs faculty among a number of different ethnic groups and nationalities: Estonians, Russians, Germans, US Americans, Venezuelans and Norwegians. Substantial admission procedures are organised by IPA. The main admission criteria on the BA level are graduation exams from secondary school and interviews. In the case of distant-learning BA studies, the criteria are interviews and a test together with a short essay. This is mainly so because of the background of the applicants, who normally have completed their secondary education before the implementation of the graduation examination system (in the middle of the 1990s).In the MA programmes, the criteria are an interview and the weighted average of grades from previous studies. For years, Public Administration has been among the most popular study domains (together with the department of Economics) at TUT with the strongest competition. In addition, the admission scores calculated on the base of graduation exams have been among the highest. The competition has been one of the strongest also on the national level. There is, however, a notable gap between the BA and MA students studying full-time and those studying in distant-learning programmes where the academic level of the distance-learning students is lower. This is why the administration of the curriculum by two separate units (full-time and distantlearning) is seen as a way to respond to the specificities of the students needs on both levels. In conclusion: Admission goals, admission policy and admission standards

8 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation report pg Supportive Services and Facilities 4.12 Student Services 4.13 Public Relations 5 Additional Criteria SVT score: NA of the three programmes are in line with the mission and programme objectives. The requirements are clear-cut. The financial resources of the programme are sufficient. TUT has a central library. It is the largest library in the Baltic States. TUTL gets a copy of the legal deposit of Estonian publications. IPA operates a small Public Administration library that mainly holds 1) materials related to courses and 2) recent theoretical literature on Public Administration. Catering, hygiene and recreation facilities are good. IPA s support staff is adequate in size, and has not changes in the last 5 years, and by now, it is highly experienced in organising and supporting both research and teaching efforts of IPA s faculty as well as outside lectures, conferences, and international meetings. The ICT equipment and information infrastructure is adequate. Several websites cater for the different target groups. The state of classrooms and equipment is generally very good. In the last five years, IPA has fully renovated all working and study rooms. The number of rooms is fully adequate for purposes of the curriculum. In conclusion: the Institute of Public Administration has modern equipment facilities. Faculty members, students and support staff are properly equipped with computers. The technical infrastructure serves the implementation of the objectives of the programmes. The Dean s Office, the Head of the Institute, the Heads of the Academic Chairs and the Advisory Centre at the Student Union assist the students when problems related to the study process need to be resolved. Since 2008, the Programme Directors are the main contacts for the students if problems occur. For every academic year, tutors are elected among senior Public Administration students, who assist first-year students on both the BA and MA levels. For all international students, the International Study Centre has been established. The Representative Organ of Students at TUT actively participates in the arrangement of the study process. Alumni are regularly involved in organised ways to support improvement of the three curricula. IPA has a series of extracurricular activities. Among others research projects focusing on problem-solving of public administration problems with the involvement of students; regular invitation of outstanding, international scholars to provide lectures and modules. Many information channels have been used in TUT and IPA. Potential students of the BA and MA programmes are basically informed through the website and general information brochure. The outstanding prestige of the programmes is based on the cooperation with Estonian stakeholders. The programmes did not ask the site visit team to judge other aspects of the programme. 2. Conclusion Tallin University of Technology, as a contemporary technical university, provides a safe yet challenging environment for IPA and its Public Administration programmes, both because of its basic quality and solidity and because of the options of cooperation it presents in the fields

9 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation report pg. 9 of technology and science. IPA is a department that, since the evaluation from 2001 and 2006, has made a massive leap forward. International publications and relations are up, as is research funding, to a very significant extent. In sum, in its main areas, including also the Local Government, Public Management and Policy, and the Foundations of PA, IPA is the outstanding department in Estonia, faculty, staff and students are highly motivated because of the upward dynamics of the department, the new challenges, and the general atmosphere of learning and policy relevance. The current construction of new and even better facilities and the general policy of IPA, especially its incentive structure and the decentralisation of its decision-making and other processes, go a long way in facilitating positive change. IPA sees the competition within the social sciences in Estonia and Europe, in PA and the social sciences in general, as a friendly one that provides one with benchmarks, yardsticks, and models for lesson-drawing, but also with challenges. Special strengths of the programmes: The number of international and non-native speaking students is relatively high. Admission requirements and regulations are clear and easy to follow. There is high competition for the study places, especially the state-funded ones, showing most explicitly the popularity of the programme and allowing to recruit excellent high school graduates. Student opinion is active and institutionalised at numerous levels, including the curriculum council. Few if any students have had difficulty finding employment after graduation. This is a sign of both the quality of the programme as well as the continuing demand for social science graduates within the society. Based on the above evaluation of the specific criteria, the EAPAA Accreditation Committee concludes that these three programmes meet the criteria for accreditation sufficiently, and so the programme can be accredited without restrictions.