Quality Higher Education: Here, There, Anywhere?Developing External Quality Assurance,

Conference, Rogaška Slatina, 30.11.-1.12.2007

Bogomir Mihevc:

University of Ljubljana and External QA

and External QA

CONTENT

• ACTORS, STAKEHOLDERS

• CHANGING TIMES, CHANGING TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS, QUALITY

• LONG WAY TO EXTERENAL EVALUATIONS

• EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF UL (EUA 1996, 2007)- WHY, WHO, HOW AND WHAT AFTER

• EXPERIENCES, IMPERATIVES

CONTEXT

• QUALITY ASSURANCE IS COOPERATION OF DIFFERENT ACTORS/STAKEHOLDERS

• QUALITY ASSURANCE IS A COMPLEX PROCES

• THIS PROCESS IS GOING ON IN INSTITUTIONAL, SOCIO/POLITICAL, AND GEOGRAFICAL ENVIRONMENT, CONTEXT (COUNTRY, EU, “Bolognistan”, WORLD).

• FOR ILUSTRATION OF SLOVENIAN CONTEXT (OF THIS CONFERENCE), SEE WWW.UNI-KAKOVOST.NET

DECLINING OF TRUST IN QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION in “bologna countries” , also in Slovenia

• CHANGES IN WORK, PROFESSIONS

• OPENING OF LABOUR MARKET, ALSO IN OTHER COUNTRIES, STUDY AND RESEARCH OUTSIDE COUNTRY

• EXPANSION OF NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND GRADUATES(ALL LEVELS, FULL AND “PART-TIME”)

• EXSPANSION OF (NEW) HIGH.ED. INSTITUTIONS, PROGRAMMES, SOMETIMES STIMULATED BY “WEAK” ACCREDITAION PROCEDURE

• CRITICISM ADDRESED TO THE ORGANISATION, MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE IN INSTITUTIONS (i.e. TRADITIONAL UNIVERSITIES)

• (SLOW) PROCES OF DEVELOPMENT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE (EXTERNAL EVALUATION) ON NATIONAL LEVEL

INSTRUMENTS FOR ESTABLISHING TRUST IN QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

• ACCREDITATION OF NEW INSTITUTIONS AND IN PROGRAMMES

• SELF- EVALUATION IN H.ED. INSTITUTIONS, UNIVERSITIES, FACULTIES

• EXTERNAL EVALUATIONS OF H.ED. INSTITUTIONS, UNIVERSITIES, FACULTIES

• BODDIES/AGENCIES FOR QUALITY OF H.ED. ON NATIONAL LEVEL

• COOPERATION AND MUTUAL EVALUATION OF BODDIES/AGENCIES FOR QUALITY OF H.ED ON EUROPEAN AND GLOBAL LEVEL

DEVELOPEMENT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM, SLOVENIA 1919 – 2007

1919 - 1973 Development of UL and other institutions in context of high social demand for higher education; confidence in higher ed.institutions, with occasional crtiticts of students ald political actors;

1973 Law on higher education: demand for analyses of study efficiency

1976-1990 - empirical (longitudinal) analyses of students “generation 1976” (CRU)

1993 Law on higher education: accreditation of all new study programms and h.e.institutios (schools, faculties) by Council for h.ed.

1996-2007 National commision for quality in higher ed. (NKKVŠ) stimulate self-evaluations of h.ed.institutions

1996 external evaluation of UL (CRE/EUA, follow-up 1998, second time 2007 )

1998 external evaluation of UM (CRE/EUA, second time 2004 )

1998 Phare projekt on quality of h.ed., participation of UL and UM

2000- self-evaluation reports of faculties, universities, schools (yearly), repports of NKKVŠ

2002- National program of hig.ed. RS – expansion of new institutions of h.e., also 2-year profesional schools and private institutions

2003 Quality culture project EUA – participation of UL

2004 Law on higher education: agency for h.ed. (not established !);

2005 Criteria (NKKVŠ) for monitoring, assesement and assurance of quality of h.ed. instit. and programmes

2005- further expansion of h.ed.institutions, preparing “bologna” study programs

2005-2006 preparation for external evaluations (NKKVS), discussion on agency for higher education

2006 Law on higher education: : Senat for evaluation in Council for h.ed., with Office for h.ed. in ministry ( MVZT)

2006–2007 external evaluation (NKKVS) on 4 h.ed.institutions (2 faculties of UL, 1 UM, 1 school), international accreditstion of some faculties of UL (i.e. EQUIS, EF UL, 2006)

2007 external evaluation of UL (EUA, march, july, repport oct. 2007)

evaluation of NKKVŠ pilot institutional evaluation, preparing for new external evaluations, application for ENQA , disscussions on new law on h.ed., National program for higher education

WHY UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA JOIN

CRE/EUA PROGRAM OF INSTITUTIONAL EVALUATION

In 1996:

• TO CONFIRM REPUTATION OF UL AND SLOVENIAN HIGH.EDUCATION• INITIATIVE OF MINISTRY RESP. FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

In 2007:

• STRATEGY OF THE INSTITUTION (Univ. of L.) 2006-2009 – ACCEPTED (2006) IN FIRST PHASE OF REALISATION

• CRITICISM ADDRESED TO THE INSTITUTION (Univ.of Lj.) BY THE POLITICAL ACTORS (i.e. MINISTER, MVZT)

• COMPETITION - EXPANSION, NEW INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER ED. , INTERNATIONALISATION, STUDENT EXCHANGES, LEAGUE TABLES (Shanghai, Times…)

ACTORS IN EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF UL

(CRE 1996, EUA 2007)

• RECTOR, PRORECTORS

• MEMBERS OF UNIV. DECISION MAKING BODDIES (SENAT, COMMITIES)

• CENTRAL UNIV.ADMINSTRATION

• DEANS, PRODEANS OF FACULTIES (MEMBERS OF UL)

• PROFESORS, MEMBERS OF DECISION MAKING BODDIES

• STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES (ON UNIV. AND FACULTY LEVEL)

• REPRESENTATIVES OF EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDES/USERS

• EXPERTS, MEMBERS OF EVALUATION TEAM

• EXPERTS OF CRE/ EUA

PROCES OF EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF UL

(EUA 2007)

1. THE RECTOR REQUEST TO EUA (spring 2006)

2. INSTRUCTIONS, PREPARATIONS (autom 2006)

3. SELF-EVALUATION REPORT (january 2007)

4. FIRST VISIT OF EVALUATION TEAM (feb.28 to march 2, 2007)

5. ADDITIONAL DATA, INDICATORS (may 2007)

6. SECOND VISIT OF EVALUATION TEAM (july 1 to 4, 2007)

7. PRELIMINARY (ORAL) REPORT (july 4, 2007)

8. REPORT – DRAFT (sept. 2007)

9. REPORT – FINAL (oct., 2007)

10. DISCUSSION ON REPORT (FACULTIES, UNIV. BODDIES), nov.,dec. 2007

11. CONCLUSIONS, ACTION PLAN, MEASURES (january 2008)

STRATEGIC QUESTIONS FOR (SELF)EVALUATION

OF UNIVERSITY (EUA, 2007)

1. WHAT IS THE INSTITUTION TRYING TO DO?(norms and values od universtiy

2. HOW IS THE INSTITUTION TRYING TO DO IT?(organisation and activites)

3. HOW THE INSTITUTION KNOW IT WORKS?(quality practice)

4. HOW DOES THE INSTITUTION CHANGE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE?(strategic management and the capacity for change).

5. SPECIAL FOCUS(UL 2007: research and doctoral programmes)

SOME SUGGESTIONS TO ULFROM EXTERNAL EVALUATION REPORTS

(CRE/EUA)

CRE, 1996, 1998:• INTEGRATION • MORE EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES• STRATEGIC POLICY, MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP• TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY• QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM, STUDENT EVALUATION, STAFF DEVELPMENT

EUA, 2007: • INTEGRATING THE UNIVERSITY: STRENGHETING THE DECISION MAKING BODDIES;

FINANCIAL FUND FOR COMMON INITIATIVES AND SERVICES; MERGING FACULTIES• IMPLEMENT “BOLOGNA” TO REDUCE TEACHING EX CHATEDRA,

MORE ACTIVE, INDEPENDENT STUDY, • AND HAVE MORE TIME FOR RESEARCH• INTERDISCIPLINARITY IN RESEARCH AND IN STUDY PROGRAMMES, • COOPERATION OF FACULTIES IN RESEARCH AND TEACHING• COMPREHENSIVE, SYSTEMATIC QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM• STUDENT EVALIATION: STANDARISED AND USE FOR MANAGEMENT• DEVELOPING HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER?WERE THERE ANY IMPACTS?

1996-2006: • Short and “cold” discussion on report in univ.senate• Establishment of commitie for self-evaluation and quality• Student evaluation of teaching

(standarised questionaires from 1997, renewed 2003 and 2007/2008)• Rector’s initiative for some changes in organisation of UL• Follow-up visit (1998), report with concrete suggestions (to the new rector)• Participation of UL in Phare (1998) and EUA project on quality (2003)• Strenghtenig the institution with internal regulations (2000-2007)• Strategy of UL 2006-2009

Oct-dec. 2007: • Publication of self- evalustion report and final report (www.uni-lj.si )• Discussion (univ.senate, faculties, commities)

2008 - :

THREE EXPERIENCES AND IMPERATIVES FOR SYSTEM OF QUASLITY ASSURANCE

• SELF-EVALUATIONS OF INSTITUTIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR BETER MANAGEMENT OF INSTITUTION AND A BASIS FOR EXTERNAL EVALUATION

• EXTERNAL EVALUATION CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER COMMUNICATION OF PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS AND TO THE DEVELOPEMENT OF TRUST IN QUALITY OF INSTITUTION

• INVESTING TIME, WORK AND MONEY IN EXTERNAL EVALUATION IS OF LONG-TERM IMPORTANCE FOR INSTITUTION, NATION/S

THANK YOU!

ALSO FOR YOUR QUESTIONS…

Miro.mihevc@uni-lj.si

www.uni-kakovost.net