A Model of Quality Assurance A Case Study: UCC Dr. Norma Ryan Director of Quality Promotion UCC.

A Model of Quality A Model of Quality Assurance Assurance

A Case Study: UCCA Case Study: UCC

Dr. Norma RyanDr. Norma Ryan

Director of Quality PromotionDirector of Quality Promotion

UCCUCC

30 October 200630 October 2006 Quality Promotion Unit, UCCQuality Promotion Unit, UCC 22

UCCUCC

A University located in the South A University located in the South of Ireland, with 16,000+ students, of Ireland, with 16,000+ students, and the highest annual research and the highest annual research income of all the Irish Universitiesincome of all the Irish Universities

Has a particular focus on Has a particular focus on delivering 4delivering 4thth level Ireland level Ireland (graduate studies) and lifelong (graduate studies) and lifelong learninglearning


UCC MissionUCC Mission

University College Cork is committed to University College Cork is committed to fostering a community of scholarship that fostering a community of scholarship that values independence of thought and values independence of thought and critical enquiry, and enables students and critical enquiry, and enables students and staff to fulfill their full potential. In an staff to fulfill their full potential. In an environment of excellence in teaching, environment of excellence in teaching, learning and research, the University’s learning and research, the University’s central roles are to create, preserve and central roles are to create, preserve and communicate knowledge, and to enhance communicate knowledge, and to enhance intellectual, cultural, social and economic intellectual, cultural, social and economic life locally, nationally and internationally. life locally, nationally and internationally.


Strategic Framework Strategic Framework 2006 - 20112006 - 2011 Focus on graduate studiesFocus on graduate studies Focus on quality of undergraduate Focus on quality of undergraduate

and graduate programmes, and on and graduate programmes, and on student support servicesstudent support services

Focus on increasing development Focus on increasing development of international research capabilityof international research capability

Aims to increase student numbers Aims to increase student numbers to 20,000 by 2010to 20,000 by 2010


NAIRTLNAIRTL

Has just been awarded a grant of Has just been awarded a grant of €6million to establish the National €6million to establish the National A Academy for the Integration of A Academy for the Integration of Research and Teaching and Research and Teaching and Learning - NAIRTLLearning - NAIRTL


Universities Act 1997Universities Act 1997

Legislation that established all Legislation that established all Irish Universities as independent Irish Universities as independent autonomous institutionsautonomous institutions

Requires all Irish Universities to Requires all Irish Universities to put in place quality assurance put in place quality assurance proceduresprocedures


Section 35: QASection 35: QA

To promote the improvement of To promote the improvement of the quality of education of the quality of education of students and all related activitiesstudents and all related activities

Responsibility for process rests Responsibility for process rests with the Universitywith the University


National AgendaNational Agenda

In 2003 IUA published:In 2003 IUA published:A Framework for Quality in Irish A Framework for Quality in Irish

UniversitiesUniversities Sets out a framework for QI/QA Sets out a framework for QI/QA

and was agreed to by all Irish and was agreed to by all Irish UniversitiesUniversities

Is compatible with the European Is compatible with the European Standards and Guidelines that Standards and Guidelines that have been developed have been developed


IUQBIUQB Irish Universities Quality Irish Universities Quality BoardBoard

Independent body established by Independent body established by Irish Universities in 2003Irish Universities in 2003

Purpose:Purpose: to assist the to assist the Universities in the quality agenda Universities in the quality agenda and to conduct reviews of the and to conduct reviews of the effectiveness of the QI/QA reviews effectiveness of the QI/QA reviews on behalf of the Universities.on behalf of the Universities.


UCC actionUCC action

The Governing Body appointed The Governing Body appointed members to a Quality Promotion members to a Quality Promotion Committee in 1998Committee in 1998

Governing Body established the Governing Body established the Quality Promotion Unit in 1999Quality Promotion Unit in 1999


Quality Promotion Quality Promotion Committee Committee Committee of Governing Body Committee of Governing Body

with executive authoritywith executive authority Chaired by President of UCCChaired by President of UCC Has representatives ofHas representatives of

– Academic StaffAcademic Staff– Administrative and Support StaffAdministrative and Support Staff– Governing Body external membersGoverning Body external members– StudentsStudents


Quality Promotion UnitQuality Promotion Unit

Facilitates the implementation of Facilitates the implementation of Quality Improvement/Quality Quality Improvement/Quality Assurance (QI/QA) procedures in Assurance (QI/QA) procedures in UCCUCC

Assists in the Follow-Up Assists in the Follow-Up procedures following a QI/QA procedures following a QI/QA review of a unitreview of a unit


UCC Strategy for QAUCC Strategy for QA

To review/evaluate all To review/evaluate all departments/academic support departments/academic support units/academic programmes over units/academic programmes over a 6 year perioda 6 year period

To involve students, employers, To involve students, employers, past graduates, staffpast graduates, staff


MethodologyMethodology

Self-assessmentSelf-assessment– Include use of questionnairesInclude use of questionnaires

Peer review Peer review institutional/national/internationalinstitutional/national/international

On-going quality improvementOn-going quality improvement


Self Assessment Self Assessment ReportReport Report to provide succinct, Report to provide succinct,

comprehensive statement of unit comprehensive statement of unit activities activities

Core of the Report is a self-critical Core of the Report is a self-critical analysis of the unit, including how analysis of the unit, including how the unit sees itself contributing to the unit sees itself contributing to the Mission and Goals and the Mission and Goals and Objectives of the UniversityObjectives of the University


Self AssessmentSelf Assessment

Must include assessment of Must include assessment of – Staff profileStaff profile– TeachingTeaching– ResearchResearch– Support services, including facilities Support services, including facilities – Contribution to societyContribution to society


Self Reflection Self Reflection

S - StrengthsS - Strengths W - WeaknessesW - Weaknesses O - OpportunitiesO - Opportunities T – Threats/ChallengesT – Threats/Challenges Benchmarking (aspirational)Benchmarking (aspirational) Will suggest and emphasise Will suggest and emphasise

appropriate improvements/changesappropriate improvements/changes


Supporting Supporting DocumentationDocumentation Agreement reached with Review Agreement reached with Review

Group and Director of Quality as Group and Director of Quality as to what exactly is required in to what exactly is required in each individual caseeach individual case

Factual details are given in Factual details are given in appendicesappendices


Evaluation of TeachingEvaluation of Teaching

Evaluation by studentsEvaluation by students QuestionnairesQuestionnaires Focus groupsFocus groups Views of external stakeholdersViews of external stakeholders Teaching portfoliosTeaching portfolios Peer reviewPeer review


Evaluation of ResearchEvaluation of Research

Peer reviewed publicationsPeer reviewed publications Books/chapters in booksBooks/chapters in books Supervision of graduate studentsSupervision of graduate students Research grant incomeResearch grant income Other scholarly activityOther scholarly activity


Evaluation of Self-Assessment Evaluation of Self-Assessment ReportReport

Site Visit to meet with staff and Site Visit to meet with staff and students and other stakeholdersstudents and other stakeholders

Report on findingsReport on findings Recommendations for Recommendations for

change/improvementchange/improvement

ReviewReview


What happens report?What happens report?

Report is considered byReport is considered by– Staff of DepartmentStaff of Department– Quality Promotion Committee of Quality Promotion Committee of

Governing BodyGoverning Body– Budget decision makers in UCCBudget decision makers in UCC– Governing BodyGoverning Body


Recommendations in Recommendations in reportreport Discussed with Dean of Discussed with Dean of

Faculty/Vice-President and the Faculty/Vice-President and the Director of QualityDirector of Quality

A Quality Improvement Plan is A Quality Improvement Plan is agreed upon and acted upon by agreed upon and acted upon by unit in first instanceunit in first instance


Publication of ReportPublication of Report

Review Report is published on Review Report is published on University web site.University web site.

Annual Report of Quality Annual Report of Quality Promotion Committee to Promotion Committee to Governing Body also published.Governing Body also published.


Follow-upFollow-up

Unit submits a report on actions Unit submits a report on actions taken and outcomes within 18 taken and outcomes within 18 months of completion of the months of completion of the review to the Quality Promotion review to the Quality Promotion CommitteeCommittee

Report on progress is considered Report on progress is considered by Governing Body and published.by Governing Body and published.


Review of QI/QA Review of QI/QA processprocess A major review of the process in A major review of the process in

UCC and the other Irish Universities UCC and the other Irish Universities was conducted in 2005 by the EUA. was conducted in 2005 by the EUA. The review was commissioned by The review was commissioned by the IUQB and the HEA on behalf of the IUQB and the HEA on behalf of the Universities. The Report the Universities. The Report endorsed and commended the endorsed and commended the quality processes in place.quality processes in place.


Major SuccessesMajor Successes

Acceptance of quality review process Acceptance of quality review process and recognition of its benefitsand recognition of its benefits

Self-reflection processSelf-reflection process Quality culture embedded in Quality culture embedded in

departments and unitsdepartments and units Follow-up procedures ensuring Follow-up procedures ensuring

implementation of recommendations implementation of recommendations for improvement for improvement


ChallengesChallenges

Acceptance of benefits of second Acceptance of benefits of second cyclecycle

To reduce the workload for To reduce the workload for departments/programme boards departments/programme boards of study in gathering dataof study in gathering data

To ensure University acts on To ensure University acts on recommendations requiring recommendations requiring resourcesresources


Future ActivitiesFuture Activities

Development of thematic Development of thematic reviews, e.g. of total research reviews, e.g. of total research activity of Universityactivity of University

Complete second cycle of quality Complete second cycle of quality reviewsreviews

Development of Information Development of Information Systems providing dataSystems providing data


Web sitesWeb sites

http://www.ucc.ie/qualityhttp://www.ucc.ie/quality

http://www.iuqb.iehttp://www.iuqb.ie

A Model of Quality Assurance A Case Study: UCC Dr. Norma Ryan Director of Quality Promotion UCC.

Documents

quality agenda

quality of undergraduate

quality of education

ucc12 quality promotion

model of quality assurance

university slide

learning nairtl slide

lifelong learning slide