Transcript Presentation at the Afriq Units meeting

Presentation on:
Learning outcomes from the
Afriq Units Project activities
by
Edith F. Muwanga
Makerere University
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Learnt that it is important to make it known
to every individual/unit that it is their
responsibility to assure quality and that
quality assurance is a line function.
Institutions should endeavour to implant in
the minds of all stakeholders that it is
everybody’s responsibility to fully undertake
their roles i.e. top leadership, staff, students
◦ The Strategic Plan should have mechanisms that will
lead to continuous improvement and enhance
quality in teaching and research. This was the case
at the University of Alicante and Miguel Hernandiz
University.
◦ Makerere’s current Strategic Plan makes quality
assurance a cross-cutting issue in all the core
activities of the University.
◦ Institutions should also establish a code of ethics to
enhance the building of a quality culture.
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Note: Makerere had established a QA Policy and had just started on
its implementation when we started the Afriq Units Project.
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However, participation in the project has made us realize with
more clarity that :
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All Institutions should establish a Quality Assurance Policy
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That the QA Policy should include a Quality Assurance Unit.
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However the QA Unit should play a coordinational role and
should have QA experts to meaningfully coordinate with the rest
of the University to ensure im plementation the QA Policy
 QA Units should have the capacity to undertake surveys to
assess performance in teaching and research, student
performance rates, tracer studies to evaluate the effect of
programmes on the market demands etc.
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Personnel in the QA Unit should include Researchers and
Data Analysts to carry out surveys on teaching , research,
market demands, tracer studies etc .
 The results from the surveys become the basis for
improvement.
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Building a sustainable quality culture requires
the QA unit to induct Heads of Departments,
Students Leaders and Staff on their role in the
implementation of the QA Policy.
Based on the experience with Afriq Units Project
and the Carnegie Project, Makerere organized
training for Heads of Departments to induct them
into their roles including the implementation of
the Quality Assurance Policy at the Department
Level.
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Sensitization is part and parcel of QA activities. For
instance, before the evaluation of teaching by
students, both staff and students should be
informed about the objective of the exercise.
The sensitization seminars revealed that some
members of staff feared that results from the
surveys will be used against them
The students need to be motivated to participate
and to give the right information.
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Assessment of service delivery:
◦ The EFQM module is very useful in assessing the critical
aspects that affect service delivery i.e. Leadership, policy
and strategy, resources, staff, incentives, collaborations,
external
stakeholders,
staff
performance,
staff
empowerment, relationship with society and the community
– it is very comprehensive.
◦ When effectively conducted, the EFQM module has the
following benefits: Allows management and staff to
seriously reflect on the purpose and mission of the
respective units.
 The module enables a self reflection on how each category
of staff percieve and pursue their work.
 The results provide information on whether policy
development and implementation is participatory and
relevant to institution and stakeholder expectation.
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The EFQM also allows
units/Institutions to explore the
internal and external collaboration whether there is
meaningful collaboration between units and/or similar
institutions
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The qualitative information yields a lot of information
which can enrich the development of Improvement plan.
The employee satisfaction tool provides opportunity to
understand the effect of the work environment and the
effect of the relationship between supervisors and
surbordinates on performance.
The user satisfaction tool revealed a number of
weaknesses which did not require financial resources
for improvement, but the solution necessitated change
of attitude, and change in the management of process.
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The QIP tool sets the pace for quality
improvement as it allows units to reflect on the
results from the assessment tools to effectively
focus on strategies for improvement. (The tool
enables us to identify strengths, weaknesses,
stategies for improvement, timeframes & by
who.
However, the plan works very well if units and
individuals have clearly specified roles.
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The development of QIPs should include all
categories of staff to ensure ownership and
implementation. The Human Resources
Directorate have used the results to
improve performance.
Although the plan includes timeframes, it is
important to set up mechanisms to monitor
supervision of implementation of agreed set
of action.
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The EFQM module questions are technical and need to
be unpacked for easy understanding by respondents.
We actually revised the questions before we sent them
out.
Sensitization of various categories of stakeholders
expected to participate in the survey is very crucial for
effective results.
Sensitization motivates participation because among
other things it provide benefits of the exercise and
erases fears of victimisation or dismissal.
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The automatic analysis of results through the
EFQM tools provided the opportunity for
action on weaknesses as well as providing
feedback to all stakeholders
The HRD Directorate has been brought on
board and the University has promised to
institutionalize the module.
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When we visited the University of Alicante, we
observed that the University uses the LDM
machine to read information from the
Evaluation tools.
The machine can for instance read 100
completed forms (A4 size) in 5 minutes and it
is error free so there is no need for proof
reading.
The uploaded data from the forms is then
exported to another format e.g. Excel for
analysis.
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Other functions which the University can take
advantage of include:
◦ Marking of objective exam questions
◦ Processing of applications for admission
◦ Compiling population data
◦ National election data
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Prior to the visit to Alicante we, the office of the
DVC/AA had embarked on evaluation of teaching
by students; but we failed to analyse the data
Compiling the data necessitated a very big team
and analysis failed. (From just the Faculty of Social
Sciences – the 7500 forms. We were not able to
provide result.
The use of the Lactro Dara machine was seen as
possible solution to the problem.
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Have secured the Lactro Dara Machine from
a Spanish firm with the support of Afriq
Units Project.
Have designed our Evaluation of Teaching
Instrument to suit the design of the
machine and have piloted its operation with
students in the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine.
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Results:
If used properly – its is very effective; you get
results immediately and can provide feedback
and address weaknesses for improvement.
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Challenges:
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Sensitization: Must ensure thorough sensitisation
of students on the use of the instrument in order
not to lose the data.
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Production of forms:
The providers of the machine intimated that
maximum use of the machine necessitates
institutions to produce the forms locally.
Our printery was taken through a session on the
production process, the format and the texture of
the paper material
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The local production of the forms will take a while
but the process has started.
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In the mean time we will continue to work with our
colleagues in Spain to procure the forms.
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Plan :
• To continue to pilot the Lactro Dara Designed
forms on a larger scale and ensure thorough
sensitazation of students.
• To Apply the online- evaluation for the units that
have adequate computer access for students.
• Demonstration :
• My colleague Peter will demonstrate the operation
of the machine during at the end of the session.
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We are very grateful to Edulink through the
Afriq Units Project for providing the funds to
purchase the machine.
Makerere University is very grateful to the
University of Alicante for the coordination
role in the implementation of the Afriq Units
Project activities.
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We are further grateful for the opportunity to
work with our Colleagues from the University
of Mzumbe, Moi University, the Association of
African Universities and the Inter-University
Council for East Africa.
The Lessons learnt are invaluable and will go
a long way in building a quality culture at
Makerere University
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Thank
You.