Quality Assurance in European Higher Education.

Quality Assurance in European Higher EducationBologna Promoters Presentation Material(to be adapted as needed)

*Quality assurance why?From Industry to a Knowledge SocietyFunctions of QAInstitutional QAExternal QADeveloping a QA ProcessPolicy ContextEuropean Standards and GuidelinesPotential OutcomesTools for SuccessProjects and initiatives in European QAContent of the Presentation

*A tool for addressing the complexities of European higher educationA relative concept, based on institutional mission and goalsClosely related to questions of ideology and power (who defines quality in which way, accountability aspects etc.)In the best interest of students, employers and society in general, who should also be involved in the QA processA dynamic, ongoing processPotentially a bureaucratic burden, to be kept to a minimumOrientation towards the futureWhat is QA?

*Fitness for purposeCompliance (zero error or deviation)Satisfaction of students and parentsExcellenceValue for moneyTransformation (process of changing the student)Enhancement (process of changing the university)Control (punitive/rewarding process of QA)Public information, reassurance, confidenceRankingAccountabilityInternational acceptabilityResource allocationWhy QA? A Multitude of Purposes

*Short History of QA in European Higher Education

Pre-1980s: Teaching, learning, research and services are hardly measures or assessed in formal processes. Quality notion in HE based on reputation of individual professors and departments of universities.Post-1980s: International discussions affirming the importance of safeguarding quality of higher education: UNESCO, OECD, INQAAHEBased on similar principles, many unique national and institutional QA approaches were developed.

General: Quality in HE and Research has always been an issue.

*Peer approval and national authorities felt to no longer be enough to assure quality of growing mass education.Led to formalised processes for assessing the quality of higher education, particularly the teaching and learning aspects.First quality assurance concepts were borrowed from industrial production processes, focusing on assessment of products, measurable outcomes by employing bottom-line standards.HE institutions develop QA processes and enhance awareness for the need of more institutionalised ways of quality assessment

But: QA processes not fully geared towardsspecific nature & mission of HE institutions (social interaction in learning and research, resulting not necessarily in products or a clear-cut assessable outcomes) social and economic change (increasingly knowledge-based)From product assessment

*Good QA of higher education needs to consider not only outcomes but also the context and the interaction of players

Specifically relationships between: The mission goals of the university; Researcher, teachers, students and administrative staff;The framework of the conditions set by the university environment in its unique political, social and economic situation.Quality assurance as a joint shared effort of all members of the institution = Quality Culture to institutional Quality Culture in a Knowledge-based Society

*A shared culture that values quality, not only managerial processes.Not just a task of the QA specialist or the QA unit, but the collective attitude directing the actions of all stakeholders.Includes internal reviews that are coherent with its own mission, objectives, and academic and organisational values.An important aspect of maintaining a balance between autonomy and uniqueness with accountability.Quality Culture

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QA has two main functions:

Quality enhancement: the maintenance and continual enhancement of teaching, learning and research, and of the entire institutional framework Internal QA..with regards to the outside world External QA

Accountability: the demonstration of quality to external stakeholders (governments, students, parents, employers, society) for different reasons, including legal requirements and promotion of the university. External QAFunctions of QA

*Internal: What: review processes and implementation of new strategies fit to the mission goals, profile and context of a university Why:for the enhancement of the overall performance of the institution and all its parts and elements, and the promotion of creativity and innovationHow:activated by a dynamic quality culture shared values and attitudes, staff identification with the university as a community of learning, etc.External:What: either voluntary or compulsory review/evaluation/audit by an external QA review bodyWhy:accountability and validation, and trust building between the institution and the outside worldHow:often motivated by laws or requirements of funding agenciesAspects of Institutional QA

*Output: Examine the outcomes of the institutions activities: teaching, research, goal achievement etc. Associated with excellence, fitness-for-purpose, effectiveness.Input:Tallying of factors like equipment, staffing, funding etc. Needs to be related to output.Process:The activities that lead to the desired outcomes, such as governance structures, decision-making processes or administrative procedures.

Developing a QA process

In order to achieve a sensible concept of quality, a QA process may need to consider all three aspectsQuality Perspectives: A QA process can focus on

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*Developing a QA Process contd

Selecting an approach:

Accreditation Evaluation Audit Review Benchmarking AssessmentSelecting a focus:

Institutional Programme Smaller units like research, services, faculty Process, i.e. the institutional QA system itself A combination of the aboveAccreditation and Evaluation are the most commonly used methods for external QA at the level of institutions and programmes.

Caution: These processes are not usually employed in their pure forms anymore, but in combination. The terms can mean different things in different places.

*Accreditation and Evaluation: Different in process and purpose

Accreditation formalised decision by an recognised authority (accreditation agency) as to whether an institution of higher education or a programme conforms to certain defined minimum standards. Predefined consequences of a formal nature: authorisation to run a programme or institution, or: no accreditation/ closureYes/No decision in some cases conditional YesEvaluation Evaluation aims at supporting the institutions or programmes efforts towards development and improvementAims at increasing strategic capacity for change and internal quality cultureFitness-for-purpose rationale Recommendations for enhancement, change, reorientation

Shared features:self-evaluation/documentation submitted by institution or programme external assessment by peers

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*Accreditation and Evaluation: Examples for mixed procedures

Increasingly, a methodological mix can be observed: A fitness-for-purpose approach would consider probably intrinsically - a minimum standard, i.e. what is appropriate of an institution of this mission and standing.a standard-based approach would have to consider fitness-for-purpose, i.e. in addition to national standards, the specific situation and mission of the institute Evaluation can be linked to a formalized decision and concrete obligations and sanctionsAccreditation can recommend improvement,

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Programmeappear as the more thorough approach, as it delivers a judgment or recommendations on the quality of the one specific programme. in practice, it implies considerable costs and workload (periodicity, preparation of self-assessment report etc.)Institutional quality may limit programme performanceBased on the ability of the institute to saveguard the quality of its partsEasier to facilitateBenefits all parts of the institutionCan not guarantee the quality of all programmes and services*Programme, institution or process?

A QA process may need to combine these approaches according to national and institutional requirementsInstitution, Process

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Internationalisation/globalisation:Increased competition, growing global higher education market, debate on trade in educational services (GATS)

Bologna Process: 46 European Countries looking for convergence through common structures and tools - focus on teaching and learning

Lisbon Strategy: 27 European Union Member States with ambitious economic and social goals focus on research and wider societal transformation process

Demand for quality enhancement, and more convergence, cooperation and exchange in QA processesPolicy context

*European Union Council Recommendation 24 September, 1998Evaluation and improvement is a good thingBologna Declaration, 1999More European cooperation in QAPrague Communiqu, 2001Quality is key to the success of the EHEABerlin Communiqu, 2003Quality moves to the top of the agendaThe responsibilities of HEIs are acknowledgedBergen Communiqu, 2005Systematic introduction of internal QA directly correlation to external QAEuropean Standards and GuidelinesLondon Communiqu, 2007Register of European Higher Education Quality Assurance Agencies Policy context: Increasing importance of QAat European level

Bologna Process Ministerial Meetings

*European Standards and Guidelines for QATo be understood as joint principles to be considered during the development of national and institutional QA procedures.

Peer revies of QA agenciesAll QA agencies must be recognised by a competent public authority in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), as well as be independent in operation and decision from third parties.

European Register of QA agencies (tbc 2007)Instrument to assure and improve quality of QA agencies, and to promote mutual trust between them, as well as provide a list of reliable agencies institutions and governments can choose from.

European Forum for QAEuropean-level discussions about QA involving all constituencies and stakeholders.

Tools for Success: Post-Bergen 2005

*Bergen 2005: European Standards and Guidelines

What they are: Generic, not specific, principles of what should be done A process-neutral source of assistance and guidanceWhat they are not: Prescriptive Detailed procedures A European quality assurance system

*London 2007: European Quality Register

Register of European and also international QA agenciesPromote the European Standards and Guidelines, in particular regarding QA agencies (peer review of agencies, impartiality etc.)Purpose: to allow stakeholders and the general public open access to objective information about trustworthy QA agencies that are working in line with the ESG.It will enhance confidence in HE in the EHEA and beyond, and facilitate the mutual recognition of QA and accreditation decisions.Voluntary, self-financing, independent and transparent.The register will be the responsibility of the main stakeholders: HEIs, students, QA agencies and social partners.

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The E4 GroupEuropean University Association (EUA)European Student Union (ESU - formerly ESIB)European University Colleges (EURASHE)European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA)

Tasked by the European Ministers to develop and implement the Register

*London 2007: Who does the Register?

*The Institutional Evaluation ProgrammeQuality Culture Project Creativity Project Transnational European Evaluation Project I and II (TEEP)Quality Procedures in European Higher EducationQuality Convergence Study ProjectEuropean Masters New Evaluation Methodolgy (EMNEM)Tuning European Higher EducationEuropean Quality LabelsE-xcellence

Projects and Initiatives in European QA

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