Transcript The role of Agency for Science and Higher Education

The role of Agency for
Science and Higher Education
Prof.dr.sc. Jasmina Havranek
Knowledge-based society
• innovative and competitive spirit
• scientific and technological development
Accountability of University
preparing the citizens: competitiveness,
competence, quality education, ethics,
democracy, bridging national and cultural
differences
Bologna process
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comparability
compatible education system
mobility of students and teachers
emphasis on quality assurance
Greater autonomy followed by more accountability.
Establishment of national quality assurance
systems and agencies for monitoring of quality
assurance encouraged.
Agency for Science and Higher Education - operative
since 8 March 2005
Croatian institutional framework:
National Council for Higher Education
National Council for Science
Agency for Science and Higher Education
Ministry of Science, Education and Sports
National Foundation for Science, Higher Education
and Technological Development
Need for improvement of legislation in order to clarify
competences of both the National Council for Higher
Education and the Agency for Science and Higher
Education.
Important part of the higher education reform:
• introducing robust and reliable quality assurance
(QA) mechanisms
External and internal quality assurance:
• study programs
• higher education institutions (HEIs)
• QA units at HEIs
Principles: transparency, dialogue, truth and
association.
Bologna process in Croatia
• started in 2005
• 870 study programs evaluated
• within very short time limit and with no integral QA
system at the time
Lessons learned:
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adjustment of system needed
proliferation of study programs
overlaps and parallelisms among the new programmes
no co-ordination on the Faculty and/or University level in
many cases
• actual implementation of standards and criteria needed
Perfecting the QA system
foundations
• „Standards and Guidelines for Quality
Assurance in the European Higher Education
Area“ (ESG) Bergen, May 2005; National
Council for Higher Education, 17 May 2006
• organisational and operational independence
of the body responsible for external QA on the
national level i.e. Agency for Science and
Higher Education
• Code of Ethics for the academic community,
drafted by Committee for Ethics in Science and
Higher Education
Major types of national QA scheme:
from the point of view of responsibilities and ownership,
derived from actual practice
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State owned system
Mixed (semi-state) system
Co-operative system
Laissez-faire system
The current Croatian QA system is very close to - or even
perhaps identical with - the mixed (semi-state) system.
It has been considered to move away from this model and
try to shift to model of the co-operative system.
Recommended by CARDS 2003 project Furtherance of the Agency for Science and
Higher Education in its Quality Assurance Role and the Development of a Supporting
Information System
Mixed (semi-state) system
basic characteristics
• Principle: QA belongs to everybody involved in HE, but it
is better to keep it close to the state. Quality related
decisions on HEIs and programmes are made on the
administrative level.
• National QA organisation: Semi-independent buffer body
(or bodies), with Ministry participation and/or influence.
• Consequence: Blurred boundaries of responsibility,
problems in actual operation. Danger of the emergence
of a „compliance culture“ i.e., the existence of only
formal solutions instead of substantial measures in
quality improvement.
• Complying with ESG: partial compliance
Co-operative system
basic characteristics
• Principle: QA belongs to all partners involved in HE, all
having clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Quality
related decisions on HEIs and programmes are made on
the professional / buffer level.
• National QA organisation: Independent (buffer) body
established by transparent and balanced formal
mechanisms (e.g. delegation) without Ministry /
Government selection, participation and/or influence.
• Consequence: Acceptance by HEIs and effective
operation of the system is facilitated by partnership
(involvement) and clear responsibilities.
• Complying with ESG: full compliance
Co-operative system - continued
What does European practice show
• QA in Higher Education in the last decade or so, really
became a profession
• a profession, having not only procedures, rules and
standards but quite a substantial body of theoretical and
practical knowledge, methods and skills
• not easy for otherwise excellent and highly esteemed
disciplinary experts to become and work as „quality
assurance experts“ overnight
• for expert teams involved in various evaluations in
external QA activities it is best to have both disciplinary
experts (scientists, professors, representatives of the
given profession) and QA experts (staff members of the
relevant national agencies) in the same team working
together
Internal QA systems at higher education
institutions (HEIs)
• most Croatian HEIs still at the beginning of the
process
• freedom to choose from among the various
options available for internal QA systems (ISO
standard, individual systems…)
• time and support to HEIs needed in order to
establish and operate effective internal QA
systems and mechanisms
• support by the Agency, National Foundation for
Science, CARDS 2003 project
Internal QA systems at higher education
institutions (HEIs)
- continued "Minimum" requirements
1. Each institution (faculty) should be expected to have a well defined
and clear strategy based on a SWOT analysis.
2. Based on the strategy, there should be a quality document
(handbook) presenting the
– quality goals (What?),
– quality mechanisms, procedures (How? covering all major
activities),
– roles and responsibilities in relation to QA (Who? involving
students) of the given institution (faculty).
The QA model described in the quality document should actually be
implemented.
3. Organised and regular monitoring and feedback, both internal and
external, built in the system.
4. Implementation of corrective and quality enhancement measures
according to findings of monitoring and feedback.
Role of Agency for Science and
Higher Education
• external QA of HE including the design and implementation of
methods, procedures, standards and criteria, and the actual
conduct of evaluations (evaluation/accreditation/audit)
resulting in final report and decision (accreditation or audit) on
quality of provision,
• advice to HEIs in relation to quality issues,
• providing information on the quality of HE to all the partners
and the public at large, including regular disciplinary or sector
wide analyses,
• monitoring of international developments, international
networking,
• providing expert assistance to committees working on sub-act
documents and directives for evaluation of quality of HEIs
• preparing discussion papers, proposing policy developments.
Conclusion
• Quality of higher education is the crucial
issue because it is the very heart of
academic activity.
• Verification and results shall eventually
demonstrate the readiness of academic
community to build a new society
→ society of knowledge and successful
economy
Agency for Science and Higher Education
Savska cesta 41, Zagreb
web: www.azvo.hr
tel: 01/6274-800
e-mail: [email protected]