Quality Procedures - Visions for the Future

(QP Project 2011) Interim reportJosep Grifoll

ENQA GA. Bucharest, October 2011

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Introduction

The project Group: Achim Hopbach (GAC – ENQA) Helka Kekäläinen (FINHEEC -ENQA) Christina Rozsnyai (HAC - CEENQA) Todor Shopov (NEAA – CEENQA Nathalie Lugano (ENQA Secretariat) Secretary Josep Grifoll (AQU Catalunya – ENQA) Chair

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Introduction

Background: ENQA surveys on Quality Procedures (2002 & 2008)

Survey aimed to collect features of good practices within the priorities formulated by ENQA (following the Ministerial meetings)

The data collected is the result of a self-assessment of agencies., but it does not give a comprehensive picture of current and future practices.

The respondents were strongly encouraged to complete the survey in consultation with members of the agency and stakeholders

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Participation in the survey

Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, The Netherlands,Flanders, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Armenia, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Russia,Spain

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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ENQA Priorities

QA and enhancement mechanisms QA and learning outcomes QA and public information on HE Excellence in Higher Education (2)

QA and employability QF and QA QA of transnational programmes LLL and QA (2)

QA and online education

(1) Inspired on the ENQA Position Paper – Leuven Ministerial Meeting 2009(2) Agencies were questioned on their interpretation of excellence in HE and

LLL

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Questions on ENQA Priorities:

Which areas do you consider as a priority in your agency?

Which areas does your agency cover?

Considering the list of priorities, in which area are you currently most effective and successful?

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Identification of priorities in Group 1

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Priorities and activities performed in Group 1

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Priorities and remarkable QA developments (Group 1)

QA and enhancement:

Promoting effectiveness of HEI’s internal QA systems (subsidiarity)Identification of benchmarks (establishing enhancement tracks)Dissemination of good practices (publicity of the enhancement)Consolidating cyclical procedures with an annual monitoring. (measuring)

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Priorities and remarkable QA developments (Group 1)

QA and learning outcomes :

Definition of LO and validation of intended LO (integrated work)QA providing food for Qualifications Frameworks developments QA ensuring that learners as a group may achieve the learning outcomesMeasuring individual achievement of learning outcomes

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Priorities and QA developments (Group 1)

QA and public information on HE:

Development of data bases and catalogues of reviews available on QA agencies’ websitesAccessible summariesintroduction of scales to rank the results of external QAPublication of follow up reportsInformation about the national HE system and the links with QA systems

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Identification of priorities in Group 2

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Group 2: Emerging strategies

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Priorities and QA developments (Group 2)

Excellence in HE:

Different meansEnsuring the threshold level of quality in institutions and programmes.Different ways of highlighting excellence: “worthy of recognition”, “best practice”…Classification of the programmes (systemic approach).Distinction of special features Excellence and funding consequences (different possibilities)

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Priorities and QA developments (Group 2)

QA and employability

Cooperation with HEI in developing employability frameworks in HE Local employability expectations as a criterion for ex-ante

evaluations and follow-ups Representatives from employers and trade unions gain presence in

the QA Boards

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Priorities and QA developments (Group 2)

QF and QA

Use and consolidation of national QF as tools and criteria for external QA procedures .The work of HEI’S in the definition of new programmes in combination with the external QA represent an opportunity to consolidate national QF.

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Group 3: External QA in other type of HE

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Identification of priorities in Group 3

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Prospective procedures

Distribution of current relevant practices Identification of good practices Introduction of major changes Proposed areas for improvement and

development

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Current relevant practices for agencies

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

Q culture developmentSystem-wide analysisEvaluation of teachers…

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QA agencies were asked to report 1 good practice: 11 agencies answer that question

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Tendencies: does your agency plan to introduce major changes in the future? 14 agencies say yes.

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Areas with major need for improvement?

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Conclusions before the ENQA GA

Diversity in developing solutions and strategies Importance of enhancement (time to measure its

impact) Trend of increased focus on institutional QA Agencies are open to involve stakeholders for

different purposes Agencies’ scope of activity has broadened (border

between traditional QA agencies and other actors is not sharp anymore)

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Some challenges:

Since enhancement and consultancy are very important… where do you draw the line between consultancy and accountability processes?

The development of an international recognition of QA.

The development of international benchmarks for QA (LO) at programme level.

The use of a common language on QA for international stakeholders?

Hard data and soft data, and the construction of indicators and judgements about the quality of HE?

QPP interim report to the ENQA GA Bucharest, October 2011

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Quality Procedures - Visions for the Future

(QP Project 2011) Interim reportJosep Grifoll

ENQA GA. Bucharest, October 2011

Thank you very much for your attention!

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