Transcript ODESSA – NOVEMBER 2010 The role of leadership in internal quality assurance.

ODESSA – NOVEMBER 2010
The role of leadership in
internal quality assurance
Questions to leadership
Who is responsible for quality in your
institution?
Does your institution have in place an
internal quality assurance procedure?
Is it widespread inside the institution?
Does it have consequences?
Is it permanent and improvement oriented?
Questions to leadership
Do you know the ESG for internal
quality assurance?
If yes, what are you doing to apply
them in your institution?
ESG for internal QA
Policy and procedures for quality
assurance:
Institutions should have a policy and associated
procedures for the assurance of the quality and
standards of their programmes and awards. They
should also commit themselves explicitly to the
development of a culture which recognises the
importance of quality, and quality assurance, in their
work. To achieve this, institutions should develop and
implement a strategy for the continuous enhancement
of quality. The strategy, policy and procedures should
have a formal status and be publicly available. They
should also include a role for students and other
stakeholders.
ESG for internal QA
Approval, monitoring and
periodic review of programmes
and awards:
Institutions should have formal
mechanisms for the approval, periodic
review and monitoring of their
programmes and awards.
ESG for internal QA
Assessment of students:
Students should be assessed
using published criteria,
regulations and procedures which
are applied consistently.
ESG for internal QA
Quality assurance of teaching
staff:
Institutions should have ways of
satisfying themselves that staff
involved with the teaching of students
are qualified and competent to do so.
They should be available to those
undertaking external reviews, and
commented upon in reports.
ESG for internal QA
Learning resources and student
support:
Institutions should ensure that the
resources available for the support of
student learning are adequate and
appropriate for each programme
offered.
ESG for internal QA
Information systems:
Institutions should ensure that they
collect, analyse and use relevant
information for the effective
management of their programmes of
study and other activities.
ESG for internal QA
Public information:
Institutions should regularly publish up
to date, impartial and objective
information, both quantitative and
qualitative, about the programmes and
awards they are offering.
Questions to leadership and
institutions (EUA)
● What is the institution trying to do?
● How is the institution trying to do it?
● How does the institution know it
works?
● How does the institution change in
order to improve?
Leadership needs support
The ESG for internal QA as well as, in
another form, the answer to the EUA
questions need involvement of all parts
of the institution (this has also to do
with governance).
→ QUALITY CULTURE
Key principles for a quality
culture
Primary responsibility for quality
assurance lies with universities
themselves.
The role of external quality is to review these
internal processes while respecting and
promoting the primary responsibility of HEIs in
designing them.
Key principles for a quality
culture
Institutional quality management requires a
comprehensive, all-encompassing
approach.
This covers all activities of a university: research,
teaching and learning, service to society and support
services. Quality management should be derived from
the mission statement and strategic goals of each
institution and constitutes a fundamental part of an
overarching institutional quality culture that aims at
continuous enhancement of the quality.
Key principles for a quality
culture
Quality is contextual.
This is important in order to take account of and further
promote the diversity of the sector, both the diversity of
institutional missions and profiles, as well as of national
contexts and traditions, including national quality
assurance procedures. There is no one-dimensional
definition of quality for the purposes of quality
assurance. Defining quality must take into account the
specific institution and the national context. Equally,
quality assurance processes should be flexible and
adaptable so as not to stifle diversity, innovative
teaching practices and creative research.
Key principles for a quality
culture
The ultimate goal of all quality assurance – both
internal and external - is to enhance quality thus
promoting trust among stakeholders.
Regardless of how quality is defined, the ultimate aim of
all quality assurance processes – whether they are
internal or external and related to research, teaching
and learning or other activities – should always be to
enhance quality levels through a considered
examination of processes and their outcomes and by
maintaining a balance between accountability and
improvement.
Key success factors for a
quality culture
Promote shared values and attitudes about
quality (i.e. quality culture) rather than
regarding it as simply a managerial process and
ensure that the internal evaluation processes
develop professional attitudes and competence,
thus fostering creativity and innovation.
Key success factors for a
quality culture
Be fit for their purposes.
While there is no single way to set up these
processes, the cycles and scope of internal
evaluations should be linked in a pragmatic and
cost-effective way and attention should be paid
to the global picture that emerges through the
internal evaluation of the different activities.
Key success factors for a
quality culture
The role of leadership consists in
communicating the need for these processes,
framing them in consultation with the
university community – students, academic
and support staff – and using their results in the
strategic cycle.
Key success factors for a
quality culture
Ensure central institutional data
collection and analysis to measure
institutional performance of all activities.
Key success factors for a
quality culture
Ensure an appropriate leadership and
staffing of a quality unit in order to avoid
over-bureaucratisation
Essential
• Strategy (strategic plan)
Essential
• Strategy (strategic plan)
• Involvement of all parts
Essential
• Strategy (strategic plan)
• Involvement of all parts
• Improvement oriented
Essential
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Strategy (strategic plan)
Involvement of all parts
Improvement oriented
Consequences
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Strategy (strategic plan)
Involvement of all parts
Improvement oriented
Consequences
Information (internal and external)
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Strategy (strategic plan)
Involvement of all parts
Improvement oriented
Consequences
Information (internal and external)
Capacity to change
Thank you