Quality assurance system at the University of Warsaw against the

background of Polish rules

Part of the presentation was prepared by the Rector’s Plenipotentiary Office for Quality of Education. All pictures in the presentation belong to Promotion Office at the UW

UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW founded in 1816

The largest university in Poland

Number of employees: 5 827

of which academic staff: 3 015

Number of professors: 853

of which full professors: 441

Number of students: 63 206

of which full-time: 30 755

Doctoral students: 2 204

THE UW MISSIONTHE UW MISSION

• unity of teaching and research

• guarantee access to knowledge

• acquisition of skill

• formation of those elites who serve the imperio rationis rather than the ratione imperii.

• synthesis of universal and local values.

HEIS IN POLAND

Public Non-public Total University-type 97 11 108 Non-university-type 33 304 337 Total 130 315 445

1,953,800 students:• 1,333,000 (68,2%) at public HEI• 620,800 (31,8%) at non-public HEIs•32,700 doctoral students

35 HEIs supervised by35 HEIs supervised by:: the Minister of Health, the Minister of the Minister of Health, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the Minister of National Culture and National Heritage, the Minister of National Defence, the Minister of Home Affairs, and the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Home Affairs, and the Minister of Maritime EconomyMaritime Economy

UNIVERSITY AUTONOMY AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Autonomy in all areas of the activity of HEI: freedom of teaching,

freedom of research,

freedom of artistic creativity,

freedom in self-government and self-regulation internal governance

financial autonomy

Freedom of: conditions of admission,

number of places available for students,

study plans and curricula,

verification of knowledge and skills of students;

MINISTRY SUPERVISORY ROLE

• permission for the establishment of new HEIs and new branches of existing HEIs

• Power to close HEI and dismiss a Rector • Appoints members of the State Accreditation Committee• PProcedure for the establishment of interdisciplinary and rocedure for the establishment of interdisciplinary and

degree programmes in macro-fields of studdegree programmes in macro-fields of studyy• Regulations for 118 study programmes:

– titles– eeducational profiles of graduatesducational profiles of graduates (learning outcomes) (learning outcomes), , – curriculum contentscurriculum contents –about 30% –about 30%, , – duration of degree programmes duration of degree programmes – practical placements, practical placements, – minimum staffing requirementsminimum staffing requirements – requirements requirements for for each form of studyeach form of study

Minister sets rules and requirements for new programmes and university senates decide on programmes.

Number of academic staff holding an academic title or degree employed on a full-time basis included in a so-called „minimum staff resources”:

first cycle : 3 + 6

second cycle: 6 + 6

one academic staff member may be counted up to two fields of study, but only in one field of a second-cycle programme or a long-cycle programme;

Ratio of those staff members to students in a given field of study

Requirements for degree programmesRequirements for degree programmes

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF UW

RectorRector

Vice-rectorVice-rector Vice-rector Vice-rector Vice-rectorVice-rectorVice-rectorVice-rector

DeanDean DeanDean DeanDean

ChancellorChancellor

Central Central administrationadministration

FacultyFaculty FacultyFaculty FacultyFaculty

ACADEMIC MANAGEMENT WITHIN HEIS• Collective bodies:

– Senate is the main governing body in public HEI• representatives from the internal groups (academic

staff, non-academic staff, students, doctoral students)• Faculties, inter-faculty and university-wide

organizational units can be established or liquidated by the Senate

– Faculty councils• Single-person authorities:

– Rector, • central administration organizational unit can be

established or liquidate by the rector– Deans, – Still primus inter pares decision-making model

• Central and faculty administration• In private HEIs the governing bodies are

determined by the institution’s statutes

DUTIES OF A RECTOR TOWARDS THE MINISTER

FForwardorwarding ing resolutions of the relevant bodies resolutions of the relevant bodies concerningconcerning::

– adoption of, or amendment to, the statutesadoption of, or amendment to, the statutes;

– establishment or abolition of a degree programme;

– information on the staff resources;

– establishment of an organisational unit in another establishment of an organisational unit in another locationlocation;;

– approval fapproval fromrom the senate of the institution the senate of the institution resultresultinging in in financial commitments of the institution exceeding financial commitments of the institution exceeding certaincertain value value.

RESOURCES MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Three main sources:Three main sources: State budget subsidies: teaching, research, students State budget subsidies: teaching, research, students

supportsupport student tuition fees student tuition fees external sourcesexternal sources

A public higher education institution may charge fees for its educational services related to a.o:

the teaching of part-time students and part-time doctoral students,

the repetition of specific courses as part of full-time degree programmes and full-time doctoral programmes as a result of unsatisfactory learning achievements,

the provision of programmes in a foreign language,

RESOURCES MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The senate of a public HEI:

– adopt activity-and-finance plans;

– approve financial reports;

– lays down the rules for purchasing, selling and encumbering securities.

POLAND’S QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEMS

State Accreditation Committee (2001) sets freely accreditation standards and criteria

State accreditation of programmes:Mandatory and cyclical (6 yrs)

Covers the whole higher education system (all public and non-public HEI)

Free of charge

Involved students

Decisions (also negative) of the accreditations are published

First round accreditation: 2001-2007 (2 th. cases since 2002)

The quality of education assurance and enhancement system is built with the observance of the autonomy and specific character of the units, on the basis of their positive experience in the quality of education assurance, in the conviction that high quality is strengthened by self – evaluation, dialogue, cooperation, support and popularization of the best and most effective solutions.

The University of Warsaw Senate Resolution No.240 of 20 June 2007

Quality of education assurance at theQuality of education assurance at the

University of WarsawUniversity of Warsaw

QUALITY ASSURANCE BODIES

The University Team for Quality of Education Assurance (UTQEA)

The Faculty Team for Quality of Education Assurance (FTQEA)

Teams for Quality of Education Assurance in other organizational units of UW

Members of UTQAEMembers of UTQAE (appointed by the Rector) (appointed by the Rector) Rector’s Plenipotentiary for Quality of Education

9 academic teachers

1 representative of PhD students

2 representatives of students

UTQEA ACTIONSUTQEA ACTIONS specifying the aims and strategy of the assurance and

enhancement of education quality

procedure of quality assurance

principles of assessing students (including PhD students)

principles of the assurance of academic didactic staff quality

principles of reviewing and improving the quality of didactic resources and measures of support for students

principles of collecting, analysing and publication of the information regarding the quality of education

INTERNAL EVALUATION OF INTERNAL EVALUATION OF QUALITY QUALITY

The UTQEA prepares the forms for reports on self evaluation, gives the fixed term to do the self - assessments and the benchmarks of evaluation of quality

The teaching units prepare the reports on self – evaluation

The UTQEA prepares report on the education quality

The report of UTQEA is presented to the Rector

FACULTY TEAMS FOR QUALITY FACULTY TEAMS FOR QUALITY OF EDUCATION ASSURANCE OF EDUCATION ASSURANCE (FTQEA)(FTQEA)

acts on the level of teaching units.

assurance and enhancement of quality of education

advises the Dean

recommends towards the course of action

FTQEA includes:

chairman,

representative of the academic teachers

representative of the PhD students

representative of the students

SELF – ASSESSMENTS IN THE SELF – ASSESSMENTS IN THE TEACHING UNITSTEACHING UNITS

1. The results of student surveys on:

• the organizational side of the classes

• the clarity of requirements and objectivity of assessment

• the manner of conducting the classes

• the attitude of academic teachers towards students and their availability during duty hours

• general evaluation of the classes

Report on self – evaluation:

1. Strong and weak points of the teaching unit

2. Plans and schedule of actions on elimination of undesired phenomena and the eradication of shortcomings.

3. Plans concerning quality of education enhancement

The report on self – evaluation is submitted to the UTQEA and published on the Internet

Self – assessments in the teaching unitsSelf – assessments in the teaching units

Report on self – evaluation:

THE OFFICE FOR QUALITY OF THE OFFICE FOR QUALITY OF EDUCATIONEDUCATION

OFFICE FOR QUALITYOF EDUCATION

Section of Plenipotentiary for Quality of Education

Section for Evaluation of Quality of Education

The main task is to support and coordinate operation of the education assurance and enhancement system.

THE SECTION OF PLENIPOTENTIARY THE SECTION OF PLENIPOTENTIARY FOR QUALITY OF EDUCATIONFOR QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The main task is to support action of conceptual and organisational character; coordination of ventures aiming at the assurance and enhancement of quality of studies

The Section assists the Plenipotentiary in collecting and processing information concerning the implementation of the system as well as cooperation with the teaching units within the implementation of the system.

Cooperation:

Office for the Implementation of Bologna Process

Office of Student Affairs

Recruitment Office

University of Warsaw Office of Career Services

International Relations Office

Promotion Office

The Section of Plenipotentiary for The Section of Plenipotentiary for Quality of EducationQuality of Education

THE SECTION OF EVALUATION THE SECTION OF EVALUATION OF QUALITY OF EDUCATIONOF QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Main tasks:

Systematic research:

Conditions of education

Opinions on quality and conditions of education

Recommend actions for the improvement of the quality of education.

Opinions on quality and conditions of education

The basic conclusions concerning the quality of teaching basing on of the results of surveys among:

academic community present students research and teaching staff administrative staff

prospective students ,graduates,employers, media.

The Section of Evaluation of Quality The Section of Evaluation of Quality of Educationof Education

MISSION, PROGRAMME AND MISSION, PROGRAMME AND CURRICULUMCURRICULUM

Graduate profile and intended skills Generic vs subject specific competences Faculties roles State requirements

Programmes and Curricula Faculties and Senate State requirements

Sylabi Organisation of didactics

Rector Deans

LEARNING PROCESS AND OUTCOMES

Assessment processAssessment processGrading: 7 level scaleGrading: 7 level scaleProgress reportsProgress reportsDiploma thesis and examDiploma thesis and exam

Methods of teaching and learning Methods of teaching and learning from teacher-centered to student-centerfrom teacher-centered to student-center

Plagiarism, cheating… Plagiarism, cheating… Zero tolerance approachZero tolerance approach PLAGIAT softwarePLAGIAT software

ECTSECTS European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System -

since 1998 (mandatory from 2006) 1 ECTS = student workload of 25 – 30 h

to acquire prescribed learning outcomes

First-cycle studies – 180 – 240 ECTS

Second- cycle studies – 90 – 120 ECTS

Long-cycle studies – 270 – 360 ECTS

ECTS credits – one of the attributes of each subject

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN QA SYSTEMS & PROCESSES

formal student feedback at programme level student representation on key institutional bodies

(university senates, faculty councils etc.) students participattion in state accreditation at the

national level: as experts; by law the president of Polish Students’ Parliament is a

member of Presidium of State Accreditation Committee student involvement in validation and monitoring

processes analysis of data on student progression and

achievement tracking of student graduate careers – in some HEI’s

HUMAN RESOURCES ISSUES: UW CASE

Rector acts as employer Groups of academic teachers:

„independent” - with academic title or degree of doctor habilitated,

„other” Employment by appointment for an unspecified

period of time - only for associate or full professor Rector on motion from Dean employs and fires an

academic teacher multiple jobholding

CONDITIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT AT UW

Employment – through public contest

Professor

For the first time for 5 yrs, then tenure

Significant achievements in research and teaching

Positive opinion from 2 reviewers, faculty Council and UW Senate

Adjunct

specified period of time > 10 years + 2 years (conditionally)

Assistant

specified period of time > 8 years + 2 years (conditionally)

STAFF APPRAISAL AT UW• At least every 4 years

• Appraisal Committee for faculty and university,

• Appeal Committee

• Students’ opinion involved by questionnaires

• Affects the amount of salary, promotion and distinctions awarded

• Two subsequent negative appraisals – termination of the employment relationship

• Sharing good practice in teaching and learningSharing good practice in teaching and learning

CRITERIA OF APPRAISALNumber and quality of academic publications, Quality of teaching work; Preparation of manuals and other teaching aids; Participation in academic conferences; Participation in proceedings for the grant of academic degrees

and titles; Academic functions performed; Reviews given of academic papers Membership of editorial boardsPopularizing activities; Academic awards and distinctions; Participation in promotion of new, innovative didactic forms; Fund-raising for research from external sources.

UW management - toolsUNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF STUDIES UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF STUDIES

ADMINISTRATION (USOS)ADMINISTRATION (USOS) Since 2002

„ORACLE” Database - designed and programmed by the UW

Comprises

personal data

matriculation details

Curricula, fields of studies, specializations, subjects

Recognition of studies with credits and grades

Financial support (grants, dorms)

Directory of certificates

Payments

On-line registration

IIQAS: FACULTY LEVEL QAS: FACULTY LEVEL (FACULTY OF ECONOMIC (FACULTY OF ECONOMIC

SCIENCES)SCIENCES)Quality of Education Management Resolution of the Council of the Faculty of Economic Science of 13th Feb. 2002

The Faculty Council appoints the Committee for current management of quality of education.

Committee for Didactics is formed by the study directors and the vice-dean for students’ matters, who conducts the Committee.

The Committee formulates the comprehensive framework of learning objectives for every field of studies.

The Committee monitors over the realization of the adopted learning objectives by managing the quality of education system.

1. assessment of the study curriculum and its conformity to the graduate profile and exit qualifications (every 5 years)

2. analysis of the syllabi (every second year), 3. analysis of the students’ questioners and formulating conclusions for

teachers and deans (every year),4. evaluation of didactic performance of every teacher, lectures quality

(periodical reviews, promotions), 5. analysis of the quality of diploma thesis (evaluation by external

reviewers every three years),6. assessment of the teaching infrastructure (library, IT, classes, study

groups sizes),7. evaluation of ECTS and international, domestic and intra-university

education openness (every three years),8. evaluation of education efficiency and drop-out rates (every three

years),9. comparison of curricula and quality of education at the Faculty of

Economic Science and other, domestic and foreign departments of economic universities (every three years).

IQAS: Faculty Level IQAS: Faculty Level (Faculty of Economic Sciences)(Faculty of Economic Sciences)