The quality programme at Linköping University Håkan Hult Gdansk March 13, 2009.

The quality programme at Linköping University

Håkan Hult

Gdansk March 13, 2009

Linköping University

25000 Students 1300 Research students 3500 Employees 14 multidisciplinary departments 130 study programmes 600 single-subject courses Total revenue app 260 million euro

Four faculties

Institute of technology Arts and sciences Health sciences Educational sciences

Fundamental principles

Linköping University is a campus and programme university

Multidisciplinary departments serving more than one faculty

Both staff and students have a responsibility for the quality

Teacher support: Centre for teaching and learning, 10 weeks education

Educational (pedagogical) standpoints Student centred education Profession rather than discipline in focus Representatives from the surrounding society

take part in the decisions about the content of the study programmes

Sandwich model courses (theory and practice) are important in many programmes

The Bologna process

Learning outcomes Assessing every outcome Course evaluations (every course) Every programme will be evaluated

every sixth year (peer review)

The PhD education

The PhD students are employed at the university

An individual study plan is mandatory A minimum of 2 supervisors for every

student “Satisfied PhD student survey” every

other year Peer review of the PhD education

Quality and strategy

Quality is to fulfil the university’s strategic aims and visions

The strategy map summarizes the aims Connected to the strategic aims are

indicators needed for dialogues between rector and heads of departments

Action plans

Action plans, measures, evaluations and quality improvement is something that is periodically recurrent

The plans are a result of the dialogue between rector and the departments

It must be possible to implement the plans Staff and students take an active role in the

work Deadlines as well as evaluations are

important

The faculties’ evaluations of the quality work every year The teachers’ competence How many students finish their studies The average study time International mobility The result of Satisfied Student Index (survey

every other year) Course evaluation index (KURT) How many of the graduates have got a job

Indicators

The idea behind the indictors at Linköping University is to stimulate faculties and departments to work with issues which are of importance in the national evaluations. The Linköping University solution is Balanced Score card

Balanced ScorecardsImplementing Balanced Scorecards includes:

1. Translating the vision into operational goals 2. Communicating the vision and link it to individual performance 3. Business planning; index setting 4. Feedback and learning and adjusting the strategy accordingly

Example 1: Indicator for scientific publishing The strategic aim is to create and to

disseminate excellent scientific results Indicator: citation index

Citation index

Aim: A high index indicates high quality Definition: The average amount of citations per

publication compared to the mean value for the journal

Frequency: Update every year Resources: xx hours of work is needed to update this

indicator every year Responsible for this process: xx Report to: Rector and the university board

Example 2: Indicators for the academic leadership The strategic aim is to develop the

academic leaders Indicator: Leadership index

Leadership index

Aim: A high leadership index indicates high confidence in the leadership

Definition: The leadership index is a part of the Satisfied Staff Index (SSI)

Frequency: SSI every other year Resources: The work is done by an external

company Responsible for the process: The personnel

manager

Other strategic aims at Linköping University To further develop the profile of a

campus and programme university with stimulating, demanding and student centred education

To improve the strategic work to “find” excellent post docs, senior lecturers and professors

The quality work at a department Work with the indicators decided by the

rector Initiatives taken: quality programme for

undergraduate education, quality indicators for PhD education, indicators for the working environment

The quality work from the perspective of a department Interesting and valuable initially but now

of less importance Who knows best about the department:

the head of the department or the rector?

Broadening rectors’ concept of excellence

Is quality always measurable?

Simple problem: Baking a cake

The recipe is essential. No expertise is required but expertise increases success rate. A good recipe produces nearly the same cake every time. A good recipe states the quantity and nature of the parts needed, but there is room for experimentation

Complicated problem: Sending a rocket to the moon Rigid protocols are needed. Sending

one rocket increases the likelihood that the next will be a success. High levels of expertise is needed. Key elements of each rocket must be identical. Certainty of outcome. Success depends on blueprint (directing development of parts and their relationship)

Complex problem: Raising a child

Rigid protocols have limited value. Raising one child is no guarantee of success with the next. Expertise helps but only when balanced with responsi-veness to the particular child. Every child is unique. Uncertainty of outcome. Can't separate parts from the whole