How do the Mission and Role of Professionally Oriented HEIs impact internal QA proceedings? Mindaugas Misiūnas, EURASHE Seminar on Quality Assurance Nicosia, 27 September 2012
The Structure of the Workshop The Mission and Role of professional HEIs/UAS. Internal QA systems and ESG. UASnet Eduprof project on developing applied research indicators. Internal QA system at Kauno kolegija/kaunas University of Applied Sciences. 2
EURASHE holds the view that all professionally oriented institutions of higher education have a threefold mission: teaching, research and services to the community. PHEIs are responsive to wider needs of society through the diversity of they mission. 3
Mission and specific role of the professionally oriented PHEIs/UAS Professionally oriented higher education institutions within the Bologna process, deliver graduates competences specifically tailored to the requirements of the labour market needs. The specific role of professional HEIs is that they should widening mission and should be involved in applied research, innovation, impact-driven (and market-oriented) knowledge creation and knowledge transfer, in close cooperation with stakeholders at regional level. 4
Levels of degrees of professionally oriented HEI/UAS: some examples Denmark bachelor Estonia bachelor, master Finland bachelor, master Ireland bachelor, master and Phd Lithuanian bachelor The Netherlands bachelor, master Portugal bachelor, master Slovenia - bachelor (short cycle) 5
Doing more with less??? Governments are paying increasing attention for greater efficiency on the HE and better value for individuals or society and stimulating the higher education institution to create and implement the internal quality assurance system. Now biggest PHE institutions management challenge is how to mobilize resources and navigate through the economic reality and not to lose educational quality at the same time to be dynamic, competitive, attractive. 6
Internal quality assurance in higher education institution The responsibility of the HEI s to choose a model that fits their requirements. It s very important a diversity in quality assurance models. Professionally oriented HEI should constantly update his quality assurance system in order to respond to the demands of the labour market and to the needs of society. Each area of activity in the mission on higher education institution, such as study program, applied research, resources etc., needs an appropriate evaluation. It should be integrated into quality assurance system. 7
Designing of the quality assurance system Higher education institution can design the quality assurance system in three ways by grounding its choice with the following actions: creating a totally new, original model of quality assurance system. adapting the already existing system (TQM, EFQM, ISO, etc.). designing a system by integrating the already existing models or their particular structural parts with the original structural components and principles of quality assurance system. 8
But Quality assurance systems should follow the Standards and Guideline for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area. 9
European Standards and Guidelines for internal quality assurance within higher education institutions Policy and procedures for quality assurance Approval, monitoring and periodic review of programs and awards Assessment of students Quality assurance of teaching staff Learning resources and student support Information systems Public information 10
How to enhance quality and evaluate applied research activities? 11
Partners of the UASnet on the Eduprof project 1. Finland 2. Ireland 3. France 4. Denmark 5. Estonia 6. Flanders 7. Lithuania 8. Portugal 9. Netherlands 10. Switzerland 12
The EDUPROF project: developing indicators of applied research, 2011 Questions that arise are: How to ensure good system of quality assurance for applied research? How to adjust the qualities of staff members in relation to applied research? How to translate research findings into educational programmes; How to form good regional networks? How to finance the research activities? How to strengthening the position and image of research at UAS; Producing guiding information for UAS and the sector; 13
What problems we identify? Unclear boundaries between applied research at UAS and classical University. Applied research effectiveness often is evaluated according to evaluation criteria designed for classical universities. Disbalance between lecturers FTE spent on research and teaching; UAS aren t involved into international (Framework ) and often national (social funding for research and development) programs. Weak collaboration with SMEs and low institutional income from Applied Research activities; Orientation to quantity, not quality ( the more articles lecturer publishes the better he/she is ). Student s projects still lack orientation on applied research activities.
The EDUPROF project: feasible indicators Finance (total income; direct basic (government) funding for research; research income from competitive research funding sources; research income from working/professional fields (private and public). Lectures/researches (total (number and FTE) of academic staff; total FTE spent on research; FTE spent on teachers; total number of staff involved in both research and teaching). Publication and media appearances (total number of research publications; total number of peer-reviewed research publications; number of research publications relevant to professional fields; total number of research presentations; total number of research presentations relevant to professional fields). Artefacts and services (total number of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses as a result of research; total number of patents; total number of licenses; Start-ups/spin offs (total number of start-up firms) Awards and prizes (total number of awards and prizes won number). 15
UAS IN LITHUANIA According to the law, the UAS sector in Lithuania was established in 2000. UAS provides professional bachelor degree. No master degree study programmes. Minimum 10 procent of all the academic staff must have scientific degree. Kaunas UAS: 8000 student, 350 FTE lecturers, 45 study programs on 5 areas: technologies, biomedicine, art, social science, humanities. WWW. KAUKO.LT 16
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In Kaunas University of Applied Sciences internal quality assurance system is inseparable from the external quality assessment, covering study programmes and institutional levels.
Principles of internal QA system The primary responsibility for the quality lies with HEI community. IQA system should deliver real benefit to students, lectures and management. All members of HEI community should be involved in the IQA processes through the training, seminars, debates, self assessment, evaluation. All activities of HEI should bee integrated into IQA system. Constant development, personal accountability and responsibility. Annual qualitative and quantitative reports on HEI achievements and public presentation. 20
Internal Quality Assurance System Existing internal quality assurance system in Kaunas UAS has been functioning according to quality management model, which integrated the principles of Total Quality Management. The functioning of the model is cyclic and its implementation is realized through self-assessment and benchmarking. The purpose of the internal quality assurance system is a constant development of the UAS activity, based on the principle of the personal accountability. Special attention is given to the feedback.
Self-assessment process Self-assessment is carried out at every level: lecturer, department, faculty, service, UAS. Every year lecturers present their self -analysis to the heads of their departments, the heads of departments to the deans of the faculties and the deans of the faculties, vice-deans and heads of services to the director of the UAS. The UAS director jointly with the working groups (comprised of members of the UAS community) drafts an annual summary report of the activity analysis which is presented to the academic community and the UAS Board. This is also the director s annual activity report. Thus, on the basis of the reports of divisions, services and centers the summary of the UAS annual activities self-assessment is prepared.
Self-assessment process A very significant role within the system of quality assurance falls on a student. As self-analysis is conducted at all levels, it is necessary to identify students opinion about their teaching staff, department, faculty and overall activity quality of the UAS. Students surveys are carried out, round table discussions are organized as well as other activities.
Self-assessment process After the self-assessment has been carried out, every institution level(faculty, department) identifies strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of certain activities; priority areas of improvement as well as examples of good experience are identified; the plan for the quality improvement is designed.
Public presentation A very important component of internal quality assurance system is public presentation and evaluation of every faculty activity self-analysis where all members of the UAS community are invited and where opinion about a subdivision s progress in a particular area is expressed by the head of faculty or department. Thus, all the staff is involved in the cycle of the self-analysis process. During public presentation the staffs are invited to express their ideas and suggestions, participate in decision making, and express their own opinion This way UAS successfully implements quality culture.
Annual Report, evaluation and conclusion The rector jointly with the working groups (comprised of members of the institution community) drafts an annual summary report of the institution activity analysis (quantitative and qualitative) which is presented to the academic community and the Institution Board. This is also the personal rector s annual activity report. The Board evaluate an institutional achievements and personal rector s input and draw a conclusion about a progress and do the recommendation on future improvements. The Annual Report should be published on the institutional website. 26
Kaunas University of Applied Sciences: a link with external quality assessment External evaluation (institutional and study programs levels): dimensions, criteria, indicators Adapted Internal evaluation of Kaunas University of Applied Sciences (institutional, faculty, department, teacher levels): dimensions, criteria, indicators Facilitates the preparation for external evaluation Appears the opportunity of internal and external benchmarking Provides the directions of the performance improvement
The disadvantages of internal quality assurance system Don t used a Process Approach. Too much bureaucratic system ( spongy and slow, sometimes the system lies; not always this system creates a worth; takes time) Decision making is based on facts and analysis. After one year we will sometimes raise the same problems The feedback from social partners and graduates is episodic and single-sided. Quality assessment of teaching and learning. Cost of internal quality assurance. THE SYSTEM IS NOT ALWAYS EFFECTIVE! 28
THANK YOU! 29