QA in HEIs: ZIMCHE’s Perspectives Workshop on trends in HE for BUSE Administrators 8-9 April 2016 Evelyn Garwe, Deputy CEO

Issues to cover ZIMCHE’s perspectives on: ①Principles & definitions of QA ②Guidelines on institutional QA ③Institutional Self-assessment ④Indicators of QA achievement ⑤End Notes ⑥Coming soon from ZIMCHE

Principles of institutional QA HEIs have the 1 o responsibility for the quality of educational provision; (the VC, Dean, Chairperson etc. is the gatekeeper of quality) HEIs should safeguard their mandates & national interests. Address the needs & expectations of students & other stakeholders; Instil a culture of quality within HEIs;

Basic principles of institutional QA Develop & maintain efficient & effective organisational structures, systems & processes within which academic programmes are provided & supported; HEIs should be able to demonstrate their quality at home & abroad. Meets the accreditation stds of ZIMCHE (Accred is intended to strengthen & sustain the quality & integrity of HE) Accred is the act of recognising a prog/HEI that maintains min stds

Definition of QA QA is the planned & systematic means through which trainers can guarantee with confidence & certainty, that the minimum stds of scholarship, infrastructure, learning environment & resources are being met, maintained & enhanced. (QA does not happen by accident!!) QA covers all the inputs, processes, policies, & actions through which the quality of provision is developed & maintained Institutional QA refers to key principles guiding HEIs in ensuring their own institutional quality

6 Institutional QA Stakeholders’ Requirements Stakeholders’ Satisfaction Input Process Output Students Curricula Academic staff Non-teaching staff Facilities Infrastructure Teaching & Learn resources M & E instruments Feedback Teaching Learning Staff development Student support Student evaluation Course & curriculum evaluation Research Administration Skilled & employable graduates Pass rate Drop-out rate Research publications & output Contribution to community

Quality Quality is a dynamic entity which is the outcome of interacting of many factors including: Governance & leadership strategic planning & resource allocation Curriculum content, prog design & delivery quality of academics & students Infrastructure, facilities & equipment Research, consultancy & community outreach Learning environment &support services assessment procedures employability of graduates

Drivers of Institutional QA 8 International Quality Standards Regional Quality Standards Professional Bodies National Quality Standards Institutional Quality Assurance

QA should be integrated into the strategic plan Clearly define & document the institution’s goals for QA Involve leadership at all mgt levels Ensure broad & inclusive participation, with clearly defined areas of responsibility & authority. Periodically analyse & assess the degree to which the QA goals have been attained ZIMCHE guidelines for institutional QA within HEIs

Establish an effective Institutional QA Unit Document policies, procedures, regulations & criteria for QA. These should be applied consistently. Develop an institutional quality culture Institute formal mechanisms for the approval, periodic review & monitoring of study programmes. Produce an annual report on QA activities, achievements & improvement plans ZIMCHE guidelines for institutional QA within HEIs

Observe minimum stds on academic staff recruitment, tenure & promotion Avail key staff during external reviews & respond adequately & objectively to issues raised. Avail adequate & appropriate resources to support teaching & learning. Collect, analyse & use evidence for decision making. Publish up-to-date, impartial & objective information, both quantitative & qualitative, about the programmes on offer. ZIMCHE guidelines for institutional QA within HEIs

Motivation for Institutional QA Requirement of national laws & regulations (ZIMCHE Act) D etect problem areas Quality culture is important for: continuous improvement awareness of teaching process optimising resource use tool in internationalisation transparency & responsibility

13 Institutional Self Assessment Reviewing & using important quantitative & qualitative data from multiple & diverse sources for the purpose of improving student learning, evaluating whether academic & learning standards are being met.

14 Elements of Self Assessment identify the purpose & expected outcomes of the self- assessment (e.g. programme) Identify instruments, stds & criteria for evaluation Collect data Analyse, evaluate & benchmark Make evidence-based decisions regarding actions to be taken.

15 Importance of Self Assessment Encourage proactiveness Cultivate a culture of self-introspection Identify problem areas & rectify them To be current & competitive Incorporate feedback from employers & Alumni & enable timeous quality enhancement Initiate improvements to achieve academic excellence Develop & document best practices

Example of S/A of a programme 1.Is teaching well organized? 2.Are student workloads well balanced & appropriate? 3.Is the study programme coherent? 4.Is knowledge, skills & competences clearly defined? 5.Is the content & learning outcomes well defined? 6.Are students well prepared for teaching? 7.Is participation of students active enough? Questions to determine quality Ask students Ask lecturers Measure outcomes

Example of S/A of a programme Questions to determine quality 15.Quality of communication among lecturers & students? 16.What is the impact of each individual facilitator? 17.How are outcomes measured? 18.Is student marking objective & balanced? 19.What is quality of examinations & how do we prove it? 20.What are the achievements during last academic year? 21.Are students well informed about module/courses? Ask students Ask lecturers Measure outcomes

Example of S/A of a programme Questions to determine quality 15.Are stakeholders involved in programme review? 16.What is the ratio of full- time/part-time staff? 17.What are the teaching loads for each lecturer vis-à-vis other commitments? 18.Appropriateness of lecturer qualifications & credentials in relation to courses 19.Lecturer research & scholarly record Ask students Ask lecturers Measure outcomes

Indicators of QA Achievements student progression & success rates; employability of graduates; students’ satisfaction with progs; Profile & effectiveness of academic staff; profile of the student population; learning resources available; regular feedback from employers, labour market reps & other relevant orgs; others (institution’s own key performance indicators)

End Notes QA is the primary responsibility of the HEI itself, it must be internally driven & should be a need rather than an obligation. Overnight QA results not possible. There is need for patience & consistency in pursuing the QA agenda. Internal QA has to be supported & shared by everyone within the HEI.

Coming soon… ZIMCHE stds on: 1.Mission & goals 2.Planning, Resources allocation, Business plan 3.Infrustructure, IT & library resources 4.Leadership & governance 5.Research, consultancy & Extension services 6.Integrity 7.Institutional Assessment 8.Student admissions, retention & support services

ZIMCHE stds on: 9.Faculty (staffing) 10.Mode of delivery & related educational services 11.Assessment of student learning 12.Educational offerings 13.General education 14.Programme design & administration 15.Postgraduate studies 16.Accreditation of foreign qualifications

Coming soon… Harmonisation of: Credit & accumulation transfer (CATS) Minimum bodies of studies for programmes