External quality assurance vis-à-vis internal quality assurance

Axel Aerden

17 April 2012

NVAO?

• Set up in the framework of the Bologna Process• Bi-national organisation• Established by treaty

• Safeguards for independence • procedures, methodologies, decision-making

• Publicly funded• Pre-funded by the Netherlands & Flanders (60/40)• HEIs pay for procedures

• Accountable • Committee of ministers• Respective parliaments

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European Association of HEIs (EURASHE)

European Student Union (ESU)

European University Association (EUA)

“Master”2nd cycle

90-120 ECTS

Bachelor

1st cycle

180-240 ECTSAssociate

Degree+/- 120 ECTS

“Ph.D.”

3rd cycle

European HE Quality Assurance Landscape

Qualifications Framework for EHEA

European Standards & Guidelines for QA

European QA Register

Level descriptors AD, Ba., Ma. & Dr.

Peer review of QA Agency

European Association for QA in HE (ENQA)

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European Credit Transfer System

From internal to external quality assurance

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Accreditation

External quality assurance

Internal quality assurance

From internal to external quality assurance

• Internal QA assurance• To achieve academic excellence (“improve”)

• quality of teaching, learning, research and scholarship

• To demonstrate achieved academic quality (“proof”)• To keep at the level of achieved quality

• External QA assurance• To contribute to the enhancement of quality• To provide third-party information about quality• To support transparency

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Internal quality assurance system

Externalquality

assurance system

Assessment frameworks

From internal to external quality assurance

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Institutional level

Institutional audit

Programmelevel

Programme accreditation

Self-evaluation report

Self-evaluation report

NVAO’s general principles

• Open and inclusive approach• One framework for all assessments in a given type of

procedures• E.g. one assessment framework for all types of initial

accreditation

• Fit for purpose (~appropriate burden)

• Respect for institutional autonomy • Internal quality assurance system• Assessment in line with institutional choices on the

basis of the relevant framework• Programme level• Institutional level

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NVAO’s framework principles

• Generic, descriptive standards≠ Narrow, prescriptive and highly formulated

Broad acceptance

• Focus on what should be done (~fitness of purpose)

≠ How they should be achievedDo not dictate practice

• Focus on teaching & learning (~education)

• Incl. academic standards ≠ Research

• Incl. professional orientation ≠ Service to society

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The self-evaluation report (NL)

• Central documentation for External QA• Self-contained document – relatively brief• Basic information

• Institution / programme details

• Presents perspective shared by (internal) stakeholders• Addresses each standard in relevant framework

• rationale, practice, ambition

• Provide insight into strengths & weaknesses• Maximising strengths?• Converting weaknesses into strengths?

• Mandatory annexes

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Assessment system

Internal QA

Self-eval report

External QA

Panel report

a.aerden@nvao.net - @AAerden

www.nvao.net - www.qrossroads.eu

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION