The metaassessment of IQAS Lt Col Delfim Dores

The meta-assessment of IQAS Lt. Col Delfim Dores – QEO Deputy dores. dz@iesm. pt EIQAS Enhancing Internal Quality Assurance Systems

� INTRODUCTION � IESM IQAS DESCRIPTION � SELF-ASSESSMENT � EXTERNAL-ASSESSMENT � WAY FORWARD

Mission: To provide the officers of the permanent staff of the Armed Forces (FFAA) and the National Republican Guard (GNR) with training in the scientific, doctrinal and technical fields of the military sciences required for the performance of command, management and general staff duties at the level of the Armed Forces General Staff (EMGFA), of the Armed Forces Services, of the GNR, in joint and combined forces and in international organizations. (National Law) Vision Statement: Affirming IESM for quality, as a Higher Military Studies Institution, a national and international reference, in terms of Security and Defense. (IESM Strategic Plan) Values: Military Culture, Quality, Rigor and Innovation. (IESM Strategic Plan)

Total Area: 86. 000 m 2 Perimeter: 1. 136 m Covered Area: 12. 270 m 2 Total N. of Personnel: 150

Courses: IESM provides 14 different Courses Flag Officers Course; Master Degree in Military Sciences Joint General Staff Course Field Grade Officers Course Specific Short Courses (e. g. African Studies Course) Students: The total number of Students was 492 in 2014/2015 (155 - Army, 75 - Navy, 71 – Air Force, 62 - GNR, 53 – National External Students, 14 - Sweden, 12 - Angola, 12 - Belgium, 12 – Brazil, 11 - Holland, 6 Mozambique, 3 - RCV, 2 - Spain, 2 - RSTP, 1 - Germany and 1 – Norway).

IESM IQAS Objective Quality in education and in all processes. Permanent thoroughness, always in pursuit of excellence. Competence and confidence in the education offered. Evaluation transparency and objectivity. (IESM Quality Manual)

• • DL 28/2010 Order 60/2014 IESM Strategic Plan Activities Plan Quality Manual • Quality Manual Procedures • SOPs / Dispatches by the IESM Director Forms • Forms of QRF, QCC, IPF, IAF, Course Plan, … Registers • Subject Reports, Course Director Report, … Policy Objectives and Goals Quality and Evaluation Office

� First IESM Strategic Plan IQAS oriented � First Edition of IESM Quality Plan � First Edition of IESM Quality Manual � Standard Operational Procedures reorganized � First IESM Assessment focused on Standards and Guidelines on Quality Assurance HEI � Seven Lines of Action were defined in order to comply with HEI Standards (10 standards)

� First approach to certify IQAS by 2013/14 in order to understand the process and initiate the internal changes to obtain the certification � Master Degree on Military Sciences accredited by 2012 with conditions to be implemented within 3 years � Commission for Quality Assurance and Evaluation (CQAE) nominated in order to Coordinate the Complete Self-Assessment to the Master Degree � CQAE included IESM Staff Members, Professors and Support Services Staff � Improvement measures were proposed focused on both the Programme Accreditation and the Institution Certification � Quality Manual Updated

� IESM Director has presented to the Minister of Defence the main objective of Certifying the IQAS during the 2014/2015 Inaugural Lecture � First Continued Quality Assurance Report and Table of Recommendations produced early 2015 � A 3 ES Workshop attendance � Commission for Quality Assurance and Evaluation (CQAE) nominated in order to Coordinate the Institution Self-Assessment within the certification process � CQAE included IESM Staff Members, Professors, Students and Support Services Staff � A 3 ES presentation / discussion of IQAS certifying process at IESM � Preparation and Internal meetings with all the areas to explain the objective of the A 3 ES audit

� Audit schedule (3 days) – difficulties on the programme arrangements � A 3 ES list of essential elements – long list but essential (some in paper, as reports, and others in digital format, as Course material) � Audit was performed on a goodwill environment focusing all the time on the IQAS improvement � Military particularities have been minded � High number of elements in each meeting to the avoided � IESM openness on providing both the real status of IQAS and the proposals for improvement was welcomed

� All but two of the standard requirements were assessed as “Substantial” � Definition and documentation of the institutional polity for Quality was assessed as “High Advanced” � Interinstitutional and community cooperation was assessed as “Partial” � IESM has decided to provide “Contributions to the improvement of the final Report” instead of a “Contradictory” in order to correct some minor misunderstandings and editing errors 6 Year Certification without Conditions

� Continued Improvement taking into account A 3 ES recommendations mentioned in the Assessment Report � Area considered Partial Developed are the focus of the improvement – Connection to the community (some projects are already running) � Quality Manual / Quality Plan updated � Transition to Military University Institute (Certification of all Organic Units)

DISCUSSION / QUESTIONS