Quality Development and Quality Management of University Lifelong Learning in Austria at a Glance

1
Quality Development and Quality Management of
University Lifelong Learning in Austria at a
Glance

• Andrea Waxenegger
• University of Graz
• UaLL Annual Conference
• Monday, 17 March 2008
• York, UK

www.uni-graz.at/zfw
2

• Speaker
• Present position Director of the Center for
  Continuing Education (since June 2000)
• University education Educational Sciences/Adult
  Education working since 1989 in the field of
  University Continuing Education in research
  development, management, organisational
  development, consulting, project management and
  various functions
• Since 1996 Member of the founding group and,
  currently, Member of the Steering Committee of
  AUCEN Austrian University Continuing Education
  and Staff Development Network www.aucen.ac.at
• Since May 2004 Member of the Steering Committee
  and Secretary General of EUCEN European
  University Continuing Education Network
  www.eucen.org
• Since 2004 Member of the Steering Committee and
  Managing Director of the Association for the
  Promotion of Lifelong Learning (in cooperation
  with the University of Graz)
• Local project manager in several EU-Projects and
  coordinator of the EU-Project ADD LIFE Adding
  Quality to Life through inter-generational
  learning via universities
• Member and Coordinator of the Austrian Expert
  Group in Learning in Later Life (in cooperation
  with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social
  Affairs and Consumer Protection)

3

• Involvement in EQUIPE Plus
• 1999 - 2000 EQUAL - Educational Quality in
  University Adult Learning (Handbook)
• 2002 - 2005 EQUIPE - European Quality in
  Individualised Pathways in Education tools, case
  studies, EQUIPE Quality Learning Tool (Handbook
  as innovative toolkit for quality in ULLL
  published on the internet)
• 2005 - 2008 EQUIPE Plus - European Quality in
  Individualised Pathways in Education plus main
  activity is the valorisation of the products of
  EQUIPE through the national networks
• Selection of tasks for the University of Graz in
  cooperation with AUCEN
• Workshop at national level with experts (8 May
  2006)
• Workshop to offer hands-on experience of one of
  the EQUIPE tools (22 September 2006)
• Production of a National Quality Report in year 2
• Dissemination at institutional and national level
• Presentations at national level abroad Italy
  2007, UK 2008
• Translation of an article on Quality Management
  (2008)

4
Overview 1. A short introduction to University
Lifelong Learning in Austria 2. An overview of
Quality Development and Quality Management of
University Lifelong Learning at institutional and
national level 3. Current discussions and trends
5

• 1. A short introduction to University Lifelong
  Learning in Austria
• 21 state universities, Danube University of Krems
  University for Continuing Education
• Universities of Applied Sciences and Private
  universities
• Austrian Universities Act (2002, fully
  implemented on 1 January 2004)
• Austrian Universities are required by law to
  include Continuing Education in their performance
  objectives continuing education, particularly
  post-graduate training.
• The Austrian Universities Act 2002 explicitly
  allows in order to provide financial and
  organisational support cooperation with other
  legal entities.
• UCE provision is not part of the regular
  under/graduate degree programmes of the
  universities.

6

• 1. A short introduction to University Lifelong
  Learning in Austria cont.
• Institutional autonomy ? diversity of strategies
  and approaches of Austrian Universities for
  University Lifelong Learning ? developmental
  plans
• What is University Lifelong Learning, what is
  University Continuing Education?
• Organisation and delivery there is not one model
  for organisation and delivery there are central
  administrative units, assistants to Vice-Rectors,
  Centres for Continuing Education, Associations in
  cooperation with a university, companies
  parallel to UCE provided by faculties/institutes
  or even outsourced staff development
• Formats from public lectures addressing a wide
  audience to short courses and diploma courses up
  to specialised Masters programmes lasting
  several semesters
• Key target groups the post-25 group, in addition
  to the classic programmes offered to the 18 to
  25-year-olds continuing professional development
  and continuing education at an advanced level
  general interest courses at university level for
  public access, any and all ages

7

• 1. A short introduction to University Lifelong
  Learning in Austria cont.
• Certificates from confirmation of
  participation/certificate of attendance?
  university certificates ? Masters degrees
• Academic titles The curriculum may specify
  masters titles in normal international use for
  the respective subject to be awarded to the
  graduates of such courses, if the admission
  requirements, scope and standards are comparable
  to those of like masters programmes in other
  countries. Benchmarking!
• In the event that subsection 1 does not apply,
  the curriculum may stipulate that the title
  Akademische or Akademischer academically
  accredited, followed by a suffix indicating the
  contents of the course in question, is to be
  awarded to persons successfully completing the
  course in question, provided that it qualifies
  for at least 60 ECTS credits points. (ECTS work
  load of one year full-time is 1500 hours 60
  ECTS)
• Money from no fees to cost-covering fees

8
The University of Graz as an example Strategy
The university as a partner in learning for
students of any and all ages. Starting point
June 2000 - leitungsunterstützende Stabsstelle
(assistant to Rector/Vice-Rector) Autumn 2002
Center for Continuing Education Autumn 2004
Association for the Promotion of Lifelong
Learning Summer 2006 UNI for LIFE Ltd.
Continuing Professional Development for Business
and Industry, for graduates/post-graduates, for
the University and Center for Continuing
Education Public Access, academic learning,
Learning in Later Life Parallel to UCE in
faculties/institutes or outsourced, staff
development
9

• 2. Overview of Quality Development and Quality
  Management at institutional level
• Basic principle Quality approach, procedures,
  evaluation, involvement of stakeholders, etc. are
  mainly the responsibility of the academic
  director/s and if applicable academic board
  for the programme
• Additional for Diploma Courses/Master Programmes,
  established by the Senate and prepared by the
  Commissions for University Curricula in UCE ex
  ante - Peer Review (international experts),
  statements of several internal departments final
  decision of the University Senate
• Other Courses the responsibility of the academic
  director or the director of the unit responsible
  for the provision based on internal regulations
• Important a lively quality culture

10
2. Overview of Quality Development and Quality
Management at national level Summary Austrian
Public Universities are not obliged to seek
external accreditation at national level for
their continuing education programmes. Some
programmes may seek external accreditation at
international level provided by Accreditation
Agencies or professional associations. University
Organisation and Studies Act 2002 (implemented
2004) - Evaluation and quality assurance 14.
(1) The universities shall develop their own
quality management systems in order to assure
quality and the attainment of their performance
objectives. (2) The subject of an evaluation is
the universitys duties and the entire spectrum
of its services. (3) Evaluations shall be
conducted in accordance with subject based
international evaluation standards. The areas of
university services to be evaluated shall, in the
case of evaluations relating to single
universities, be established by the respective
performance agreement. (4) The universities
shall carry out internal evaluations on an
ongoing basis, in accordance with their statutes.
11
2. Overview of Quality Development and Quality
Management at national level - cont. University
Organisation and Studies Act 2002 (implemented
2004) - Evaluation and quality assurance
(continued) (5) External evaluations shall
take place 1. at the instigation of the
university council or rectorate of the university
in question or the Minister where they relate to
individual universities 2. at the instigation
of the university councils or rectorates of the
universities in question or the Minister where
more than one university is concerned. 6) The
universities concerned and their governing bodies
shall be obliged to provide the necessary data
and information for evaluations, and to
co-operate. (7) The performance of university
professors, lecturers, and other research, art
and teaching staff shall be regularly evaluated,
at least once every five years. The detailed
arrangements shall be established by university
statutes. (8) The consequences of all
evaluations shall be for the decision of the
governing bodies of the universities. (9)
Performance agreements shall include arrangements
for student evaluation of teaching. (10) The
cost of evaluations ordered by the Minister shall
be borne by the Federal Government.
12

• The Role of AUCEN
• What is AUCEN Austrian University Continuing
  Education and Staff Development Network?
• Founded in 1996 as informal network registered
  as formal Association in autumn 2005 potential
  members are all Austrian public universities.
  Each university nominates and delegates
  representatives for university continuing
  education and university staff development.
• Main tasks
• Exchange of experience of staff involved in both
  fields - Professionalisation
• Link to Austrian Rectors Conference
• Link to European and international developments
  link to EUCEN European University Continuing
  Education Network
• Role in Quality Development and Quality
  Management
• Work on the advancement and assurance of quality
  criteria in both subject areas

13

• 3. Current discussions and trends at national
  level
• Ongoing discussion on universities role in
  Continuing Education and Professional Development
  
• Discussion on accreditation (international
  standards, consumer protection, unfair
  competition between private and public
  universities )
• Discussion on role of the Austrian Accreditation
  Council the Accreditation Council is a state
  authority which assesses the quality of private
  universities (10 at the moment) through
  accreditation. Council Members eight members, 4
  of them appointed by the federal government 4
  are nominated by the Austrian University
  Chancellors Committee. (www.akkreditierungsrat.at
  /)
• Discussion on role of the Austrian Agency for
  Quality Assurance AQA (www.aqa.ac.at) it is an
  independent body (an association) for quality
  assurance and evaluation in higher education
  supports higher education institutions (public
  and private universities, universities of applied
  sciences) on issues of quality assurance,
  develops standards and co-ordinates independent
  evaluations.
• Stronger role of international accreditation
  agencies

14

• 3. Current discussions and trends at national
  level - cont.
• European development A coherent LLL strategy for
  Austria, Bologna Process, ECTS, European
  Qualifications Framework National
  Qualifications Framework, Learning Outcomes, etc.
• Strategic level New Target Groups What is a
  University? Regional Resource Centre?,
  International Centre of Excellence in Research?
• Institutionalisation Diversity of providers at
  institutional level, centralisation of services,
  organisational development
• Quality Development and Quality Management,
  accreditation

15

• 3. Current discussions and trends at national
  level - cont.
• What is the quality of a learning process at
  university level? to offer participation in
  university learning processes, i.e.
  research-based, State-of-the-Art critical and
  reflective approach and to take into
  consideration the experience and knowledge being
  brought into the process by participants from
  their work
• Continuing professional development of staff in
  UCE need for researchers/teachers who are
  capable of bringing this experience into
  university teaching and learning processes
• Learning of individuals or for organisational
  change? It is often not enough to qualify one
  participant without thinking about the transfer
  of knowledge into the organisation he or she is
  part of.

16
Further Information and Contact EQUIPE Plus
www.equipeplus.org Dr. Andrea Waxenegger Center
for Continuing Education at the University of
Graz andrea.waxenegger_at_uni-graz.at www.uni-graz.at
/zfw EUCEN www.eucen.org AUCEN
www.aucen.ac.at ADD LIFE ADDing quality to
LIFE through inter-generational learning via
universities - Grundtvig 1, http//add-life.uni-gr
az.at