Transcript Document

EUROPOS SĄJUNGA
Europos socialinis fondas
MYKOLO ROMERIO
UNIVERSITETAS
QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
WHICH MODEL AND WHY ?
D.M.REKKAS
Associate Professor
School of Pharmacy, University of Athens
HELLAS
[email protected]
CONTENTS
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What is Quality-Quality Assurance
What is missing?
The systems perspective –Quality by Design
The stakeholders
The Bologna Process and the EU vision
The ENQA-European Association for QA in HE
The role of the Universities-EUA-Key findings
The Quality Assurance Standards for HE
Do we need a model for QA?
Which Model and Why?
Conclusions
DEFINITIONS
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Quality is the totality of features and characteristics
of a product or service that bear on its ability to
satisfy given needs (ASQ)
Value to the Customers
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Quality Assurance: all those planned or systematic
actions necessary to provide adequate confidence
that a product or service will satisfy given needs
(ASQ)
Making sure that Quality is what it should be
ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING?
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How Quality can be implemented in the first place –
Quality by Design-Built in Quality
How we can assure Quality if we do not know what
and how to implement it?
Quality is a depended variable
It is there only if it is built in the provided service
Then we can assure with adequate evidence that it
is constantly satisfies given needs…
QUALITY IS A DEPENDED VARIABLE
THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AS A
SYSTEM-QUALITY BY DESIGN
What is a System ?
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A network of interdependent components that work
together to accomplish the aim of the system. The
system should have an aim.If there is no aim,there is
no system. (Deming)
Coming together of parts, interconnections and aim
…The real power lies in the way the parts come
together and are interconnected to fulfill some
purpose. (Plsek)
Set of elements stand in interrelations. (Bertanlanffy)
The whole is more than the sum of its parts.
The properties of the system are the properties of
the interrelations…
THE 3 STEPS FOR QUALITY
AND THE PDSA CYCLE
PLAN
Design
DO
Implementation
ACT
Assurance
SYSTEMS APPROACH
STUDY
THE FIRST MISTAKE
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Discussion-Standards about QA
BUT no thinking about Design and Implementation of
Quality in HE
Fast forward to the 3rd step
Without the prerequisite two steps
Danger of falling into the gap!
Why?
Policy makers may lack knowledge of Quality theory
and its tools
THE STAKEHOLDERS
(SATISFY THE NEEDS OF WHOM?)
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The students
Their parents
Employers
Governments -Regulatory bodies
Taxpayers
Other schools
Professional communities etc
WHAT DO THEY EXPECT?
(THEIR NEEDS)
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The Governments want to keep the cost low
The students want short duration/ low cost studies
and to find well paid jobs quickly
The Employers want “made to order” scientists at the
lowest possible cost but very productive
The society needs high quality services and low cost
studies
The policy makers want fast, low cost and efficient
educational processes to fill the gap with the
competition around the globe
IN SHORT
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All these needs have to be met through the
educational processes
society
students
staff
employers
THE SECOND MISTAKE
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No answers-Discussion
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No consensus
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Resistance to changes
DEFINING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
TO GET THE RIGHT ANSWERS
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Can we satisfy all these needs simultaneously ?
Is the educational process capable of meeting these
needs?
By whom and how this transformation will be carried
out?
Can the University staff lead the way?
Do we have the knowledge, the commitment and the
resources required?
Competition or Partnership?
The state is considering all stakeholders and their
needs of equal importance?
DEFINING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
TO GET THE RIGHT ANSWERS
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Guidelines and standards or policies for the
implementation of Quality?
Which needs ?
All needs of equal weight?
Which are the in depended and depended variables?
If Quality is the depended variable how will be
achieved ?
Can we manage the educational process effectively
to achieve quality? Do we own/ understand the
process?
Curricula frozen or changing to address the changing
needs?
DEFINING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
TO GET THE RIGHT ANSWERS
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Students with innovative culture or practical skills?
Preparation of students with social responsibility
(society needs first) or ready to be employed?
Staff responsive to the societal needs through the
educational and research process or staff making
papers with high impact factor?
Each staff member/University alone to survive the
competition or team work and partnership?
Discussion with all the stakeholders on common
understanding or just following orders?
Quality Standards or Quality Culture?
Both ? OK, but which comes first?
THE EU POLICY IN HE
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The Bologna Process
The ENQA-European Association for QA in HE
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3 cycles, ECTS, Diploma supplement
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Mobility
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Employability
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Student centered learning
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Life long learning
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Awareness on QA in HE
Publication of the standards & guidelines for QA in HE
(2005) as a response to the Berlin communique (2003)
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KEY FINDINGS SO FAR
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National understanding of the reforms/Support
not enough.
While 82% of the respondents have 3 cycles
“in many cases,reform in structures seems to
be taking place in advance of the reforms of
substance and content” … and without link to
the institutional strategy…
“Many institutions stated that national requirements
obliged them to introduce the first cycle”
In some cases the two systems run in parallel
Stakeholders unaware of the reforms in curricula
Societal dialogue needs to be strengthen
THEIR CAUSE…
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…” However relatively few institutions
seem to take a holistic approach to
Quality improvement”…
Source : Trends V: Universities shaping the European
Higher Education Area, EUA report to the ministers
of education conference 05/07 London
THE WISH
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“Awareness that concern for Quality
must be at the heart of the system”
UNDERSTANDING THE
RELATIONSHIP
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THE TWO MISTAKES
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THE KEY FINDINGS
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THEIR MAJOR CAUSE
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THE END OF THE TUNNEL
(if the wish comes true…)
LEARNING FROM MISTAKES
“to err is human”
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Quality First-Holistic Approach-Systems Theory
Link the Bologna targets with the stakeholders needs
through discussion
Reach consensus about their needs and their relative
importance
Check if there is a clear relationship between the
Bologna reforms and the addressed needs
Implement the reforms
Study the results – Capture the knowledge
Act on the differences (Feedback Loop- PDSA cycle)
Stabilize gain and constantly improve the system
Apply QA audits
QUALITY ASSESSMENT
Lets suppose that TQM has been successfully
implemented (1ST Step)
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We need to assess the Quality of our organization
against some kind of Standards(2ND Step)
Any already existing?
As it is or modified?
By whom and How?
QUALITY STANDARDS AND AWARDS
ISO series
 EOQ-EFQM (Europe)
 MALCOLM BALDRIGE (USA)
 DEMING PRIZE (Japan)
 PUBLICATIONS
 STATE POLICIES/INITIATIVES
EXAMPLES FROM HE INSTITUTIONS
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PROS AND CONS
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Standards provide the basis for designing,
implementing,evaluating (assessing) , specifying and
certifying a QA system. Common language for QA
disciplines. Increase awareness for Quality.
They are not product/process specific
“Least common denominator” approach
More emphasis on conformance than efficiency
Emphasis on corrective actions than long term
improvement
Possession of the certificate might matter more than
quality improvement
They are not standards for Total Quality
(R.W.Peach,The ISO 9000 Handbook)
FILLING THE GAP
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The QUALITY AWARDS
More emphasis on the Quality pillars:
(“de facto requirements”)
Leadership and full Management commitment
Innovation
Customer focus and satisfaction
Full participation and development of employees
Public responsibility
Quality by design,Prevention etc
EFQM MODEL
efqm.org
MBNQA
nist.org
SOMETHING STILL MISSING?
HOW TO MAKE THE TRANSFORMATION/CHANGE
 What about the DEMING prize
 Who is E.W.Deming (deming.org)
 An American engineer in Japan((deming.org)
 Perhaps the most highly respected author for his
work in Quality Theory and Practice
 14 points to the management
 The system of profound knowledge leading to
the learning organization
DEMING PRIZE
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The Deming Prize examination does not require applicants to
conform to a model provided by the Deming Prize Committee.
Rather, the applicants are expected to understand their current
situation establish their own themes and objectives, and
improve and transform themselves company-wide
The Deming Prize Committee views the examination
process as an opportunity for "mutual-development," rather
than "examination
Every factor such as the applicants' attitude toward
executing Total Quality Management (TQM), their
implementation status, and the resulting effects is taken
into overall consideration. In other words, the Deming Prize
Committee does not specify what issues the applicants must
address, rather the applicants themselves are responsible for
identifying and addressing such issues, thus, this process
allows quality methodologies to be further developed.
THE 14 POINTS
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Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with
the aim to become competitive and to stay in business, and to provide jobs.
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Adopt the new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. Western
management must awaken to the challenge, must learn their responsibilities,
and take on leadership for change.
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Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for
inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product in the first
place.
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End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag. Instead,
minimize total cost. Move toward a single supplier for any one item, on a longterm relationship of loyalty and trust.
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Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to
improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs.
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Institute training on the job.
THE 14 POINTS
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Institute leadership. The aim of supervision should be to help people
and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Supervision of
management is in need of overhaul, as well as supervision of
production workers.
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Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company
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Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design,
sales, and production must work as a team, to foresee problems of
production and in use that may be encountered with the product or service.
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Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the work force asking for zero
defects and new levels of productivity. Such exhortations only create
adversarial relationships, as the bulk of the causes of low quality and low
productivity belong to the system and thus lie beyond the power of the work
force.
THE 14 POINTS
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Eliminate work standards (quotas) on the factory floor. Substitute leadership.
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Eliminate management by objective. Eliminate management by numbers,
numerical goals. Substitute leadership.
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Remove barriers that rob the hourly worker of his right to pride of workmanship.
The responsibility of supervisors must be changed from sheer numbers to
quality.
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Remove barriers that rob people in management and in engineering of their right
to pride of workmanship.
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Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement.
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Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. The
transformation is everybody's job.
PROFOUND KNOWLEDGE
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The layout of profound knowledge appears in four
parts, all related to each other:
Appreciation for a system
Knowledge about variation
Theory of knowledge
Psychology
FROM HIS BOOK “OUT OF THE CRISIS” ( E.W.DEMIMG,1982)
THE PROPOSAL
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Through Deming's human approach, with the standards/awards
and other publications on Quality taking also into account , we
should create a Quality culture first based on managing the
required change where all people concerned are in the center of
our attention and second using the tools from quality literature
we should align our strategy towards serving the society needs.
The model for QA in HE lies within the above and will be easy to
agree upon a general approach for Quality assessment without
sacrificing the pursuit knowledge and the search for truth
which constitute HE intrinsic Qualities
(“Towards a general model for quality assessment in HE”, Higher
Education,1995)
THE PROPOSAL
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Insisting and/on relying on audit mechanisms
Overemphasis in inspection
“Policing-in” Quality
Failure
Today is well documented that Quality
should be built-in through the design and
redesign of core processes that underlie the
quality of products or services (Quality is a
depended variable)
Success
(“Through Deming's Eyes…cross national analysis of QA policies in
HE”,Quality in HE,1995)
INSTEAD OF CONCLUSIONS
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“What we need to do is learn to work in the
system, by which I mean that everybody,
every team, every platform, every division,
every component is there not for individual
competitive profit or recognition, but for
contribution to the system as a whole on a
win-win basis.”
“It is not enough to do your best.You must
know what to do and then do your best.”
W.E.Deming
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS