Title: Workshop Quality Assurance after Bergen Graz, 11 May 2006
1Workshop Quality Assurance after BergenGraz,
11 May 2006
- Comment Rolf Heusser
- Mobility
- Internal and External Quality Assurance
- National Qualification Frameworks
2Mobility
3Mobility Link toQuality Assurance
- Mobility key objective of Bologna process
- Bergen 2005 still challenges to overcome
- Recognition problems existing
- Recognition of foreign qualifications facilitated
by transparent QA information - Crucial role of national accreditation systems
4National Agencies for Accreditation and Quality
Assurance in Europe, 2005
5Mutual recognition of accreditation decisions
Political basis
- Bergen conference 2005
- We underline the importance of cooperation
between nationally recognised agencies with a
view to enhancing the mutual recognition of
accreditation or quality assurance decisions. - European Parliament 2005
- Hereby recommend that member states ... promote
cooperation between agencies in order to build up
mutual trust and the recognition of QA- and
accreditation assessments, thus contributing to
the recognition of qualifications for the purpose
of study or work in another country.
6Mutual recognition of accreditation decisions -
Purpose
- To increase transparency in higher education
- To remove barriers in the process of recognition
of foreign qualifications - To facilitate accreditation/recognition of joint
programmes and other forms of trans-border
education - To enhance mobility of students and academic
staff
7ECA Foundation and Aim
- Consortium of national accreditation
organisations - Established in November 2003
- 15 member organisations from 10 European
countries AT, BE, CH, DE, ES, FR, IE, NL, NO, PL - Aim mutual recognition of accreditation
decisions among participating countries until 2007
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9Internal and External Quality Assurance
10Conferences of Berlin 2003 and Bergen 2005
- Berlin ... the primary responsibility for QA
in higher education lies with each institution
and this provides the basis for real
accountability. - Bergen ... we urge the HE institutions to
continue their efforts to enhance the quality of
their activities through the systematic
introduction of internal mechanisms and their
direct correlation to external QA.
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12Institutional approachesto external QA, Europe
2005
- Country Method Start
- CH Quality Audit 2003
- UK Institutional Audit 2003
- S Quality Audit 1995
- N Quality Audit 2003
- F Institutional Evaluation 2004
- DK Institutional Audit 2004
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13Institutional assessments Strengths
- Respect of the autonomy of HEIs
- Enhancement of institutional quality mechanisms
and facilitation of the development of a quality
culture - Sustainable effects at the level of institutional
management - Resource saving method
14Quality Audits Challenge and open questions
- Challenge
- Limited information about educational provisions
- Open questions
- How to assure good quality of study programmes
during institutional assessments? - How to guarantee that institutional assessments
can be used for the purpose of transnational
recognition of qualifications? -
15National QA system Case study Switzerland
- External assessment of quality assurance systems
of Universities is mandatory - Based on national guidelines for internal
quality assurance at Swiss HEIs (compatible
with ENQA standards) - Selective programme accreditation as
supplementary tool of external QA - National QA agency was evaluated in 2006 by
international group of experts (on base of ENQA
standards) -
16National Qualification Frameworks
17National Qualification Frameworks Relevance
- Increased transparency in higher education
- Orientation for students and employers
- Improved international comparability of study
programs/qualifications
18National Qualifcation Frameworks Challenges
- Scope of NQF Higher education sector only or all
sectors of education system? - Change of paradigm from inputs to outcomes
- How to define learning outcomes/competences?
- How to measure learning outcomes/competences?
- How to link the NQF with the national
accreditation system?
19Summary and conclusions
- Bologna process advances rapidly in Europe QA
plays key role - Many challenges to overcome implementation of
ENQA standards, establishment of NQFs mutual
recognition agreements, etc. - Open questions concern HEIs as well as QAAs ?
close cooperation necessary
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21Further Information about OAQ
- Requests and information
- Rolf Heusser rolf.heusser_at_oaq.ch or info_at_oaq.ch
- Telephone 41 31 380 11 50
- Website www.oaq.ch