Topic: Quality Assurance at POLIS University, “Strategic Support on Strengthening the Quality Assurance Structures at the Private Higher Education Institutions in Albania” Project number: 561510-EPP-1-2015-1-AT-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP Topic: Quality Assurance at POLIS University, Quality Assurance at the Master level, PhD level and joint programs Date: 01.12.2017

U_POLIS Organizational Structure

Internal Quality Assurance System The quality assurance has been an important aspect of the institution’s activity since its establishment (2006). POLIS intends to create a strong quality culture among its own community, hence the designated unit (IQAU) is strongly supported and provided full autonomy. The unit has continuously expanded its scope and currently it covers not only the teaching process but also research and the administrative functions. POLIS has consistently received positive feedback from various quality controls and accreditation processes nationally and internationally, but being self-critic is a core principle in the institutional approach, hence the recommendations of IQAU are a valuable input in revising the organization of the institutional structure or the academic programs with the ultimate aim of achieving POLIS objective: to provide excellence in teaching and meet the highest academic standards.

Internal Quality Assurance System IQAU has a consolidated methodology for the evaluation of the teaching process that consists in the combination of 5 different information sources whose opinion is gathered through evaluation forms (questionnaires): students’ evaluation (50%) peer evaluation (35%) supervisor’s evaluation (15%) self evaluation students’ evaluation for administrative units Recently specific attention is being paid to develop a set of indicators that assess the quality of the research in institutional and individual level, as well as come up with an effective way to evaluate the professional practices.

Studying Programs

Masters’ studies Professional Master Master of Science Professional Master in Parametric Design with three profiles; Professional Master in Territorial Development Policies with three profiles; Professional Master in Business Administration with three profiles; Master of Science Master of Science in Applied Design; Master of Science in Civil Engineering with two profiles; Master of Science in Urban Environmental Management;

Professional Masters All professional master programs at POLIS University offered as joint programs, in collaboration with: IHS / Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Holland. IPAG Business School, Paris, France. These programs consist of 90 ECTS and their normal duration of studies is 2 academic years. Master of Science consist of 120 ECTS. Part time for PM and full time for MSc.

Quality at Masters Studies Joint Board (twice meeting in academic year); (regulation, objectives and organization) Recruitment of academic staff (80 % of them are coming from partner institutions); Organization of program during weekends (PM); Graduation of students and their evaluation by external professor from partner institution; Accreditation process done by Albanian authorities and respective authorities of partners;

Quality at Master Studies Evaluation of teaching process Students for teaching process; Self-evaluation process; Evaluation from Evaluation of staff by respective authorities of university (annex contract) Annex contract include three section: Teaching engagement Research engagement Administrative engagement

Quality of Master Programs Mobility of students (international partners + key action 1 projects) IHS – Erasmus University, Holland (usually for three months) IPAG – Business School, France (usually at least three months) Minho Portugal, Ferrara Italy, Molise Italy, Lawrence Technological Detroit USA,

Quality of Master Programs Engagement of students to the institutional workshops; Engagement of students to the conferences organized by institution; Engagement of students to the concrete projects realize by institution. Employment of Students (98 %, until 2015-2016)

Thank you..