The management of quality in the University of Ulster

The setting of standards for teaching is identified as central to any system of quality assurance for teaching and learning. The paper describes a number of initiatives which have been taken at the University of Ulster to identify and develop quality in teaching. They include a project to identify teaching skills through consultation with expert teachers; the use of quality circles of staff and students to specify standards for teaching; the use of student feedback on teaching; the introduction of a distinguished teaching award; the assessment of teaching competence when staff are selected; the introduction of a unit-based in-service teacher training course; and the encouragement of self and peer evaluation using an appraisal schedule. Quality assurance for support services is considered and finally the University's initiatives are related to total quality management and BS 5750.     

大学内部学术质量保障体系的系统建构--以悉尼大学为例

本文对悉尼大学内部学术质量保障体系进行了系统介绍,并对其体系特色和存在的问题进行了分析,以期为我国高校内部质量保障体系的建设提供借鉴.     

Education quality assurance in the Warsaw University of Technology - prerequisites and activities already undertaken

The last few years have seen intensive time invested in the discussions concerning quality assessment and quality improvement within the Polish university sector. There is limited experience of formalized quality assessment in the higher education sector in Poland, and several pilot projects have been running that represent a first step in establishing a general methodology, rules, procedures and, finally, system. In recent years the Warsaw University of Technology has been involved in some projects, mainly under the Tempus Programme. An essential element of quality assurance and quality assessment is that of benchmarking against international best practice; then our EU partners were visited. Data on existing quality management procedures and tools were collected and compiled, creating the background for future discussions and decisions. This year we started a new project(together with the Technical University of Lodz), devoted to quality issues - and precisely to the introduction of an internal quality education system in our universities. This paper outlines the previous results, but mainly the activities that will be carried out in the next two years to achieve the project's objective - establishment of a university quality assurance unit and introduction of a quality assurance system.     

Forum Renewal of higher education in Slovenia with special attention to quality

The paper describes some historical characteristics of Slovenian higher education and the new endeavour to establish a higher education system that will be comparable with other European systems. Special attention is devoted to the care of quality in Slovenian higher education. A draft plan for introducing gradually a system of quality assurance was worked out drawing on foreign experience but adapted to national circumstances and particularities. Higher education in Slovenia comprises two universities, the University of Ljubljana and the University of Maribor, and some free-standing higher education institutions. In such a small higher education system one must introduce flexible and relatively easily feasible quality assurance mechanisms. Evaluation will be reached by research and development from the beginning. It will include development of evaluation methodology, procedures and follow-up the institutional effects of quality assurance.     

英国开放大学外部质量控制的质性研究——专业人员的视角

英国开放大学以其优异的教学质量在国际远程教育界享有很高的声望,而高质量的教学是外部质量控制与内部质量保证综合作用的结果。本文以影响英国开放大学高质量水准的外部因素为切入点,采用质性研究范式,运用半开放问题访谈法,对英国开放大学的15名专业人员进行了深度访谈,并使用质性研究工具Nvivo8.0对访谈内容进行了话语分析,从而揭示出影响和控制英国开放大学质量的外部影响因素,希望能对我国开放大学的建设具有借鉴意义。     

A New Approach to Quality Assurance for Higher Education

This article describes the Engineering Professors' Conference (EPC) approach to quality assurance for Higher Education Institutions, which is currently the only formalized alternative to British Standard 5750 'Quality Systems'. The EPC approach is based on principles of quality assurance and Total Quality Management which have been developed in industry. These ideas are briefly outlined, and an opinion expressed on the interpretation and application of BSS7S0 for HE. The EPC model is explained, illustrated with example elements taken from the EPC Specification and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. A top-down approach to the development of an institutional quality system is described, based on a quality policy statement. Areas of activity which have an important impact on the quality of education are identified, emphasising the quality assurance requirements of academic departments. Supporting and administrative quality system requirements are also described, as these also play an important role in the quality of education. Formal quality procedures and documentation in key areas are proposed.     

Quality Assurance in Open and Distance, Education： a Case Study of Kota Open University

After a brief analysis of the concept of quality in open and distance education, information technology for quality assurance and Indian initiative for quality improvement, the paper examines the quality assurance measures at Kota Open University under the following areas ： planning academic programmes ; developing academic programmes ; producing learning materials ; implementing programmes ; reviewing courses/programmes ; and ing human resources.     

大学内部质量保障体系的文化基点

大学内部质量保障体系有其文化渊源,科学合理的内部质量保障体系需要有牢固的文化根基。大学组织的特性决定了学术文化是大学文化的本质特征,大学质量文化是一个以学术文化为前提、育人文化为根本、科学文化为核心、公益文化为辅助而构成的文化体系。需要通过制度文化设计、文化取向阐释、文化内涵教育和文化行为激励等途径,重塑大学质量文化体系,夯实大学内部质量保障体系的文化基础。     

大学内部教学质量保障体系——以上海师范大学为例

高等教育大众化的发展和学生多样化的变化,使内部质量保障体系建设成为我国高等学校教学管理的当务之急。本文以上海师范大学为例,描述了高校内部教学质量保障体系的结构,分析了高校内部教学质量保障体系的功能,论证了高校内部教学质量保障体系运行的动力机制,阐明了高校内部教学质量保障体系的支持条件。     

Managing Quality Assurance in Higher Education: a Scottish Example

This article outlines the principal parameters of the quality debate in higher education and considers issues and developments from the standpoint of the different key stakeholders. The analysis will be illustrated by the experiences of the University of Strathclyde in developing transnational policies and procedures for the quality assurance of awards and programmes which it provides or validates. Internally, the University of Strathclyde operates within an ethos of academic and financial devolution to its five Faculties. Central steering has been targeted primarily at negotiating understandings and agreements and at promoting reflection, evaluation, monitoring, and the dissemination of good practice. Applying that philosophy to transnational education has presented some interesting challenges. These are discussed, including the development of agreements to guide validated arrangements and modifications to evaluation and monitoring for programmes delivered at a distance. These developments are now an integral part of the approach taken by Strathclyde to the management of quality assurance of educational programmes.     

开放大学教育质量的现实旨归

开放大学定位有别于普通高校,应树立新型的教育质量观,以特色求发展,在发展中求质量,最终以特色取胜。针对广播电视大学发展进程中影响质量的要素,提出开放大学教育质量的现实旨归,即着眼于差异化、特色化,将教育质量观落到实处,发展多元质量保障主体,建立一套适合开放大学自身特点的质量保障体系。     

高等学校院级教学质量保障体系构建的探索--以东北农业大学农学院为例

以东北农业大学农学院为例,对高等学校院级教学质量保障体系进行初步探索,分析影响教学质量保障体系的要素和关键环节,针对教学质量保障体系制定纲要、基本框架、运行流程和具体实施条件,从多个角度不断完善院级保障体系的内容和运行机制,形成院级教学质量保障体系的组织管理、监控和评价系统,并对构建后的体系进行实施和完善,旨在不断提高本科教学质量。     

英国高等教育质量保障体系研究——以约克大学为例

本文介绍并分析英国高等教育质量保证体系的历史沿革,对当前实行的QAA（The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education）的主要职责、运行模式、框架设计和质量保证进行了分析和评述,对高等学校的内部质量监控做了介绍,并着重以约克大学为例介绍了高等学校的内部质量保障的制度、机构和措施,在此基础上分析了对我国高等教育质量保证的启示。     

Quality Assurance Mechanisms and Processes in Teaching Practice: The Case of the University of Botswana

ABSTRACT

Teacher education in Botswana is offered at various higher education institutions (HEIs). Undergraduate pre-service teachers for the secondary school level are trained at the University of Botswana (UB) and the Botswana College of Agriculture, and both HEIs offer different and autonomous teacher-training programmes. The Faculty of Education at UB has its own quality assurance mechanisms for the Teaching Practice (TP) and Practicum. The purpose of the study reported on was to identify the quality assurance mechanisms and processes in place and then to establish their effectiveness. The research type adopted was the case study. Data for the study was collected through document analysis, an open-ended questionnaire and interviews with student teachers, TP coordinators and supervisors and those who have participated in moderation panels. Generally, the findings indicated that there are effective quality assurance mechanisms, structures, processes and procedures in place for the TP at UB.     

Quality assurance for distance learning: a case study at Brunel University

Brunel University currently has four distance learning MSc courses, with over 500 students registered, and one undergraduate distance learning course. Some have been running for over five years, and well‐established practices have been developed and provide a basis of support for the university. Quality assurance in the university has always been considered in three, equally important, ways: the curriculum and its assessment; the handling of coursework and assignments; and the liaison with students. The lesson we have learned is that a distance learning programme must be based on an existing full‐time MSc programme, which is the gold standard for curriculum and its assessment, and where possible, common examinations and assessment be used. This can be further assured by scrutinisation by the associated research council. This is going to become ever more important with the increasing scrutiny by overseas governments on the academic quality of distance learning courses, which seek assurance on the comparability and quality of degrees. Quality assurance for the handling of coursework and assignments must be secure and demands a high overhead of paperwork. Detailed feedback to students on their assignments is essential, but this can, at the same time, form a quality assurance check for later progression decisions. We also copy and retain approximately 10% of the assignments for the same purpose. Rapid turnaround is essential if feedback is to be timely and therefore useful, and quality checks on processing time should be standard. Quality assurance for the procedures for liaison with distance learning students are somewhat harder to measure quantitatively. The mark of good distance learning must be its tutorial support. This demands good communications. Our own course, entitled Data Communications Systems, benefits from the high proportion of use of electronic communications, namely email, which allows fast turnaround of questions, yet is not intrusive. However, it is deemed essential that hard copy of all such correspondence is kept. Migration to other Internet support services, such as the World Wide Web, videoconferencing and groupware, is inevitable.     

Why (not) assess? Views from the academic departments of Finnish universities

In Europe, national quality assurance systems of higher education have begun to be established. In Finland, this development has had the consequence of forcing universities to take notice of assessment procedures. However, little is known about the procedures taking place in individual academic departments as a result of this pan‐European trend. This article describes how academics currently comprehend quality assessment, paying particular attention to self‐evaluations and quality assurance systems. Altogether, the paper casts light on how academics are responding to the increasing university assessment activities.     

开放大学质量保证的挑战

通过逻辑思辨和文献计量的方法,指出了开放大学面临的质量问题、建设内涵、紧迫需求等隐忧,总结了质量保证存在的八个问题,大学定位、体制机制、教学过程、教学管理、核心能力、师资共享、自由学习及质量文化,并就此提出了建立有自己特色的开设大学质量保证体系。     

英国职前教师教育内部质量保障探析——以爱丁堡大学教育学院为例

为切实保障职前教师教育质量,英国采取了“内外兼修、双管齐下”的保障措施;但外部保障的最终成效取决于内部保障措施的有效落实。基于此,本文以英国第二大教育学院——爱丁堡大学教育学院为例,分析了其在职前教师教育内部保障方面所采取的四个主要有效措施：遵守上级部门颁布的相关职前教师教育规定、设置学院质量保障与提升委员会、监测课程与专业以及实施教学项目评估并有针对性地回应评估结果等。同时,本文也探讨了爱丁堡大学教育学院在职前教师教育内部质量保障上存在的两点不足：相关教师的质量意识欠缺和对师范生的评价与反馈有待加强等。最后,本文就职前教师教育质量内部保障提出三点思考。     

Quality assurance and its impact from higher education institutions’ perspectives: methodological approaches,experiences and expectations

This paper reports on methodological approaches, experiences and expectations referring to impact analysis of quality assurance from the perspective of three higher education institutions (students, teaching staff, quality managers) from Germany, Finland and Romania. The presentations of the three sample institutions focus on discussing the core characteristics of quality assurance procedures applied and their expected and observed impacts, and how intended and non-intended undesirable ones are measured. It turns out that all sample institutions have already some instruments and sub-procedures in place for impact analysis of quality assurance and all of them are striving for further improvement by applying internal and external quality assurance procedures and impact analyses. Finally, a closer look at the recently revised Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area shows that the European sample institutions are on their way towards coherent quality assurance policies, while there is also room left for further improvement and investigation (for example, in implementing systematic methodologies of impact evaluation and quality policies in general).     

The EPC Model for Quality Assurance in Higher Education

This paper describes a formalized approach to quality assurance for higher education institutions. The approach has been developed in the UK by the Engineering Professors’ Conference (EPC). The EPC approach is based on the same principles of quality assurance as ISO 9000, but also includes appropriate elements of total quality management. These concepts are briefly discussed together with an opinion on the suitability of ISO 9000 for quality assurance in higher education.

The EPC model is explained and a top-down approach to the development of an institutional quality system is described. Key areas which have an important impact on the quality of education are identified, in particular the need for a sustained and efficient quality improvement programme. The pivotal role of the academic department is identified, together with appropriate quality assurance requirements. The quality assurance requirements for supporting services and administration are also described, as these play an important role in the quality of education. Excerpts from the EPC standard and guidelines are provided, to illustrate the requirements and interpretation of the approach.