Standards and Guidelines Standards and Guidelines for External Quality Assurancefor External Quality Assurance

19 May 2009

Axel Aerden

International Policy Advisor

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OverviewOverview

1. Terminology

2. Principles regarding Standards & Guidelines

3. Standards & Guidelines regarding institutions

4. Institutional assessment report

5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes

6. Programme assessment report

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1. Terminology1. Terminology

- Standards?- A published and accepted descriptor defined by an

authority in order to evaluate a certain aspect of an entity (here: theme/programme/institution)

- Guidelines?- “A line by which one is guided”- A means of determining how a standard can be

achieved, interpreted and/or evaluated

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2. Principles regarding Standards & Guidelines2. Principles regarding Standards & Guidelines

- Context- HE system- Position HE in society

- Stakeholders- Define & identify stakeholders

- Institutional autonomy- Tempered by recognition – responsibilities

- Appropriate and necessary burden- Achieve objectives- Fitness for purpose

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2. Principles regarding Standards & Guidelines2. Principles regarding Standards & Guidelines

- Generic standards≠ Narrow, prescriptive and highly formulated

Broad acceptance

- Focus- What should be done?

≠ How they should be achieved Do not dictate practice

- Focus on education- Academic standards ≠ Research - Professional orientation ≠ Service to society

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3. Standards & Guidelines regarding institutions3. Standards & Guidelines regarding institutions

- The institutional framework- Legal preconditions- Organisational structure- Financial safeguards- Liability insurance- …

- The quality of education- Internal quality assurance system

- Staff

- Programmes (“audit trails”)Measures for improvementInvolvement of staff, students, alumni, stakeholders

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3. Standards & Guidelines regarding institutions3. Standards & Guidelines regarding institutions

- The academic framework- Academic regulations- Staff

- Quality

- Quantity

- Facilities- Degree awarding

QA: “Licensing” assessment / Audits- Recognition / license has a certain validity

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4. Institutional assessment report4. Institutional assessment report

- Identify the institution- Legal basis- Organisational structure (shareholders/ownership)

- Substantiate per standard and overall report- Objective findings- Subjective evaluations

- Publish- Publication of result (decisions – reports)

- Register assessed institutions- Public register of assessed (recognised) institutions

- Positive listing vs. blacklisting

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5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes

- What do you want to know?How are you going to find out what you want to

know?

- Ask questions regarding programmes- Which programme is it?- What does the programme intend to achieve? - Will the programme achieve its intentions?- How does the programme monitor its achievements?- Does the programme achieve its intentions?- ...

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5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes

- Which programme is it?- Level - Discipline- Orientation- ...

- What does the programme intend to achieve?Are the intended learning outcomes in line with what

is (inter)nationally expected/accepted? - Level (e.g. Master)- Discipline

- Benchmarking

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5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes

- Will the programme achieve its intentions? Can students achieve the intended learning

outcomes (or objectives) of the programme given the following elements:

- Curriculum- Design

- Correspondence with intended learning outcomes

- Workload- Facilities / Services- Staff

- Quantity / Quality

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5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes

- How does the programme monitor its achievements?

- Student assessments- Internal quality assurance- Progress / Graduation statistics

- Does the programme achieve its intentions?Are the intended learning outcomes achieved by the

students?- Student work (papers, dissertations, theses)

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5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes5. Standards & Guidelines regarding programmes

- What does the programme intend to achieve?- Input elements (less popular)

- Academic framework- Facilities

- Staff

- Class observations

- ...

- Output elements (increasingly popular)- Intended learning outcomes

- Curriculum design

- Achievement of graduates (learning outcomes)- Student work, papers, seminars

- ...

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6. Programme assessment report6. Programme assessment report

- Identify the programme- Institution, level, discipline, ..., learning outcomes

- Substantiate per standard and overall report- Objective findings- Subjective evaluations

- Publish- Publication of result (decisions – reports)

- Register assessed programmes- Public register of assessed (recognised)

programmes- Positive listing vs. blacklisting

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QUESTIONS ?

More information:http://www.nvao.net

http://www.qrossroads.eua.aerden@nvao.net

Standards and Guidelines for External Quality Assurance