Transcript Slide 1

University of Zagreb, June,
2014
Main challenges and trends in Quality
Assurance:
the example of Croatia
Prof Blaženka Divjak
Vice-rector for students and study programmes
Content
•
•
•
•
•
Existing Practices
Main challenges – 5 of them
Case study
Conclusion
Discussion
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
2
If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob
them of tomorrow. - John Dewey
Current situation: Problems/challengies in higher
education that are not addressed on system level
Challenge 1: How to link them with
QAS on university and national level?
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
3
Croatia HE– today
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
7 public universities - bigger universities - decentralized
Research-oriented – aspiration for all universities
University- public responsibility ?
Under financed - result of financial crises & lack of understanding of
key role of research and higher education as investment
Low graduation rates
Bigger proportion of students in social and humanistic science, instead
of STEM
Agency for science and higher education (AZVO) – member of ENQA –
work with full capacity 
– Meeting standards (student: teacher ratio) for economics and
business studies
Two partial program agreements with universities
New technologies in teaching and learning: e-learning, MOOCS
– Quality assurance for e-learning?
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
– Accreditation and reccognition of MOOCS
4
University of Zagreb – teaching and learning
 Low graduation rate
 Gradation rate Bachelor/Integrated: 60%
 Graduation rate Master: 80%
 The lowest for part-time students and in natural sciences and some
technical fields
 Support for underrepresented/underperforming groups of
students
 Unbalance in favour of social and humanistic sciences –
bust STEM
 Better use of students evaluations of teachers and study
programmes
 Better use of learning
outcomes
B. Divjak,
University of Zagreb
5
Follow up
• National Agency – reports on structural problems to the
Ministry and government
• Program agreements between the government and
universities
– Overall program agreements based on findings
– Follow up of indicators and results
• Obligation for HEIs and the government
• Holistic approach
• Public and political recognition of role and potential of
higher education and research
• Accreditation and recognition of online programs, LLP
and MOOCS
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
– European/global project
6
If past and the present quarrels, the future will be lost. – Winston
Churchill
Current situation: Strategies usually in place on a
university level, emerging national strategies
Challenge 2: How to make strategies
work?
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
7
New strategy for 2014-2020 (vision: 2025)
• No national strategy on HE – draft discussed
• University of Zagreb
•
•
•
•
– Strategy for teaching and learning
– Strategy for student support
– Strategy for quality assurance system
– Strategy for research
– Strategy of internationalization
Action planes, responsibilities, recourses, risks, milestones…
Strategies widely known and accepted
Reports on regular bases to the Parliament, Senate, publically
available
Follow and assure quality of the results not just quantity
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
8
Firstly we need facts, and then you can do whatever you want
with them.
First of all you need facts, then they can be misinterpret. Mark
Twain
Current situation: Documents and procedures in place
but coordination of decentralizes structure hinder
positive results
Challenge 3: How to use it in
decision making?
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
9
Usual structure of QAS at universities in
Croatia
• Statute of the University – Committee for QA
– Office for QA – logistics & support
– Daily guidance and management – vice-rector
• On faculty level – faculty/academy committee for QA
– Coordination through the Office, regular meetings , reports etc.
• Students participate in all committees, but external members rarly
• Main QA procedures harmonised through all faculties
• Other procedures “fit to purpose” on particular faculty
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
10
Positive vs negative aspects
decetralization
• Challenging harmonization
• Fit to the overall mission
horizontally and vertically
and organizational
• Sharing responsibility –
structure
not always clear
• Doesn’t require vast
• Committee for QA mainly
resources
focus on quality of
• Give opportunity to take
teaching and learning into account specifics of
difficulty to cover all aspect
different faculties –
• Time consuming
innovative approaches
(meetings!) and slow
• Flexibility, dialog and
process (patience )
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
11
coordination
Evaluations in Croatian HEIs
External
Internal
• Periodic review of QA –
every 2 years
• Approval of new study
programmes and changes in
existing study
• Students evaluation of
teachers and study
programmes
• Recognition of ECTS credits
for extracurricular activities
• Promotion of professors –
confirmation
• …
• National agency AZVO
– Audit of QAS
– Re-accreditation of study
– Thematic evaluations
• EUA IEP
• Other: ASIIN..
• Specific for business
processes, labs etc. : ISO
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
12
Follow up
• Insist on follow up phase
• Start new cycle after thoroughal analysis of
achievements from the last evaluation
• Dissemination is important
• Good practice dissemination even more important
• But: not all recommendation from external/internal
evaluations are useful or applicable
– Crucial: choice and training of experts,
– Avoidance of conflict of interest
– Possibilities to get clarifications
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
13
The secret of a successful education is respect
towards the students - Ralph Emerson-
Current situation: Student evaluations implemented but
their influence is not fully exploited
Challenge 4: How to make avoid
overburden with little influence?
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
14
Student evaluation:
Of teachers
UniZg- 2011./2012. &
2012./2013.
Of study programs
Undergraduate
• 23 faculties
• N=3280 (54,7% F,
• 21 faculties
45,3% M)
• 6104 pairs teacherGraduate
course evaluated
• 25 faculties
• 216 009 participants
(pairs student –
• N=3160 (54,1% F,
evaluation form)
45,9% M)
- 60% female
Integrated
students
• of9Zagreb
faculties
B.
Divjak,
University
- 40% male students
• N=1117 (71,57% F,
15
Results related to the teacher’s
performance
1. Classes are held regularly and begin on time. M=4,51; sd=0,85
2. The teacher treats the students fairly and respectfully. M=4,43; sd=0,93
3. The teacher is motivated and conscientious in performing his/her tasks.
M=4,30; sd=0,97
4. .
5. .
6. .
7. .
8. .
9. Methods, examples and exercises facilitate the achievement of learning
outcomes. M=3,95; sd=1,09
10. The teacher uses various materials to raise the quality of teaching (e.g.
e-learning, pre-prepared materials). M= 3,81; sd=1,15
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
16
UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
the worst rated
TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT
24. Usefulness of lectures for understanding required contents. M=3,17;
sd=1,21
25. Practical work in laboratories (seminars) and opportunities to check
acquired knowledge and skills in practice. M=3,47; sd=0,95
35. Continuous assessment in courses during the semester. M=3,47;
sd=0,97
TREATMENT OF STUDENTS AND LEARNING SUPPORT
49. Advising/teaching students about strategies for more efficient learning.
M=2,96; sd=1,21
42. Showing understanding for students’ problems and obligations outside
the study programme. M=3,11; sd=1,26
43. Showing trust in students’ abilities and encouraging their self-confidence.
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
17
M=3,15; sd=1,22
Follow up
•
•
•
•
Centre for student counselling and support - 2013
Centre for teacher excellence -2014
They are not recognized as necessary
Teaching competences are not viewed as equally
important as research competences
• Important to strenghten interlink research and education
• Establish profession of university teacher
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
18
The purpose of education is knowledge of values, not facts. William Ralph Inge
Current situation: we used to filling in forms, but we are
focused on financial issues, laws, government bad
decision…
Challenge 5: How to make a shift to
quality culture?
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
19
Quality culture - values
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Learning
Enhancing
Authonomy
Responsibility
Network
Values
Ownership
Teamwork
Engage
Education
Values
Outreach
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
Research
20
Conclusions
• Establishing Quality assurance
enhancing Quality
culture
• Balance between keeping things simple and establishing overarching
system
• Agencies usually stick to the procedures and it helps, but also shift
focus from the essence
• Work with students, not just students organizations
• QAS scratch the surface, we are used to accommodate to every
demand
• Assure full use of follow-up activities after internal (external)
evaluations
• Still lack of essential shifts
– academic values in process of promotion of quality culture
• Strategies to reach every
single teachers, students, administrative 21
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
• Data collection and monitoring of indicators + link to decision making
THANK YOU
B. Divjak, University of Zagreb
22