Relationship between external and internal quality assurance A

Relationship between external and internal quality assurance A university point of view Dr. Cis Van Den Bogaert University of Antwerp Bari, 17 April 2012

1 Antwerp Belgium’s 2 nd city, Flanders’ largest city economical and cultural centre major port, industry, commerce, diamonds, fashion, Rubens … University of Antwerp

University of Antwerp • Founded in 2003 (merger), roots in 1852 • Antwerp University Association: 1 University + 4 University Colleges • Medium sized: ± 15. 000 students • Publicly funded • Autonomous education and research policy • Active pluralism • Excellence in research • Research-based education: bachelor, master, Ph. D 2

3 3 7 (9) faculties Humanities and Social Sciences Applied Economics Literature, Languages, History and Philosophy Life Sciences Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences Medicine and Health Sciences Natural, Engineering and Design Sciences Applied Engineering Design Sciences Law Political and Social Sciences + autonomous institutions: - Education and Teacher Training - Development Policy - Sustainable Development

Educational organization Discipline / Degree programme Education Committee / Course leader Cell for Innovation and Quality Assurance of Education (CIKO) Advice Faculty Board / Dean Education Council Policy development Institution University Board / Rector Decision

Flanders’ structure of higher education 1 ECTS credit = 25 -30 hours workload 60 ECTS credits = 1 academic year Academic Ph. D Professional Advanced Master (minimum 60) Advanced Bachelor Master (minimum 60 credits) (min. 60 credits, mostly 120 credits) Professional Bachelor Academic Bachelor (180 credits) University College University Secondary school

The Netherlands/ Flanders: Accreditation Organization QA Agency Institution External Quality Assessment Internal evaluation Degree Programme Visitation Guide Self-evaluation Report Visitation Report Assessment Framework Visitation Committee Accreditation Decision Accreditation Report Accreditation NVAO

The 8 -year QA cycle Implementation of the new curriculum Curriculum review Accreditation 2 Self-reflection & selfevaluation report 8 Visitation internal quality assurance 4 6 external quality assurance

Follow up internal/external QA Education committee takes/plans actions Follow up report to Faculty Board/QA-cell Follow up report to Education Council Reading group of peers Feedback Visitation report

New Accreditation System (NAS - Flanders) I. Institutional Review 1. 2. 3. 4. Vision strategic policy, planning, goals Realization actions, procedures, instruments Check internal quality assessment, feedback Improvement actions for improvement II. Assessment of degree programmes 1. Intended learning outcomes 2. Teaching – learning process 3. Assessment and achieved learning outcomes

10 Relationship i. QA - NAS How do we … ✔ ✔ ✔ • cope with NAS? • prepare for NAS? • use NAS to improve our i. QA?

11 Our strategic roadmap 1. Translate our educational vision into clear, achievable goals and make sure that our faculties support these goals 2. Define, conduct and assess universitywide and “faculty-deep” actions to achieve these goals

12 1. Educational vision: goals 1. 2. 3. 4. Nexus teaching – research Competence-based education Student-centred learning Internationalization 2 -page policy document “Vision on education: realization”

13 2. Actions: university-wide & faculty-deep 4 • • goals: Nexus Competences Student-centred International 7 • • action lines: Nexus Learning outcomes Alignment Master’s thesis Feedback groups Assessment policy Course information

14 Our way to make our actions successful 1. Bring faculties together, let them show their good practices • Yearly Policy Days • Faculty DUOs 2. Make documenting feasible and visible • Digital programme portfolio 3. Invest in innovative development in the faculties, in line with our goals and actions • 2012 -13: Assessment Policy

15 15 15 1. Faculty DUOs Humanities and Social Sciences Applied Economics Literature, Languages, History and Philosophy Law Political and Social Sciences Life Sciences Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences Medicine and Health Sciences Natural, Engineering and Design Sciences Applied Engineering Design Sciences

2. Documenting : Blackboard

17 3. Innovate: assessment policy 1. University Fund for Educational Innovation • 2012: money used for Assessment Policy – every faculty can hire project staff for one year (0. 5 fte) 2. Developing an Assessment Policy • • • University Policy Note (UPN) on assessment Faculties write their own policy notes based on the UPN Faculties design assessment tools and procedures • • benchmarking of master’s theses assessment criteria for all courses of a programme formative assessment of large groups of students …

18 Secret of success and challenge cooperation herding cats?