The quality programme at Linköping University Håkan Hult Gdansk March 13, 2009

Linköping University Students 1300 Research students 3500 Employees 14 multidisciplinary departments 130 study programmes 600 single-subject courses Total revenue app 260 million euro

Four faculties Institute of technology Arts and sciences Health sciences Educational sciences

Fundamental principles Linköping University is a campus and programme university Multidisciplinary departments serving more than one faculty Both staff and students have a responsibility for the quality Teacher support: Centre for teaching and learning, 10 weeks education

Educational (pedagogical) standpoints Student centred education Profession rather than discipline in focus Representatives from the surrounding society take part in the decisions about the content of the study programmes Sandwich model courses (theory and practice) are important in many programmes

The Bologna process Learning outcomes Assessing every outcome Course evaluations (every course) Every programme will be evaluated every sixth year (peer review)

The PhD education The PhD students are employed at the university An individual study plan is mandatory A minimum of 2 supervisors for every student “Satisfied PhD student survey” every other year Peer review of the PhD education

Quality and strategy Quality is to fulfil the university’s strategic aims and visions The strategy map summarizes the aims Connected to the strategic aims are indicators needed for dialogues between rector and heads of departments

Action plans Action plans, measures, evaluations and quality improvement is something that is periodically recurrent The plans are a result of the dialogue between rector and the departments It must be possible to implement the plans Staff and students take an active role in the work Deadlines as well as evaluations are important

The faculties’ evaluations of the quality work every year The teachers’ competence How many students finish their studies The average study time International mobility The result of Satisfied Student Index (survey every other year) Course evaluation index (KURT) How many of the graduates have got a job

Indicators The idea behind the indictors at Linköping University is to stimulate faculties and departments to work with issues which are of importance in the national evaluations. The Linköping University solution is Balanced Score card

Balanced Scorecards Implementing Balanced Scorecards includes: 1. Translating the vision into operational goals 2. Communicating the vision and link it to individual performance 3. Business planning; index setting 4. Feedback and learning and adjusting the strategy accordingly

Example 1: Indicator for scientific publishing The strategic aim is to create and to disseminate excellent scientific results Indicator: citation index

Citation index Aim: A high index indicates high quality Definition: The average amount of citations per publication compared to the mean value for the journal Frequency: Update every year Resources: xx hours of work is needed to update this indicator every year Responsible for this process: xx Report to: Rector and the university board

Example 2: Indicators for the academic leadership The strategic aim is to develop the academic leaders Indicator: Leadership index

Leadership index Aim: A high leadership index indicates high confidence in the leadership Definition: The leadership index is a part of the Satisfied Staff Index (SSI) Frequency: SSI every other year Resources: The work is done by an external company Responsible for the process: The personnel manager

Other strategic aims at Linköping University To further develop the profile of a campus and programme university with stimulating, demanding and student centred education To improve the strategic work to “find” excellent post docs, senior lecturers and professors

The quality work at a department Work with the indicators decided by the rector Initiatives taken: quality programme for undergraduate education, quality indicators for PhD education, indicators for the working environment

The quality work from the perspective of a department Interesting and valuable initially but now of less importance Who knows best about the department: the head of the department or the rector? Broadening rectors’ concept of excellence Is quality always measurable?

Simple problem: Baking a cake The recipe is essential. No expertise is required but expertise increases success rate. A good recipe produces nearly the same cake every time. A good recipe states the quantity and nature of the parts needed, but there is room for experimentation

Complicated problem: Sending a rocket to the moon Rigid protocols are needed. Sending one rocket increases the likelihood that the next will be a success. High levels of expertise is needed. Key elements of each rocket must be identical. Certainty of outcome. Success depends on blueprint (directing development of parts and their relationship)

Complex problem: Raising a child Rigid protocols have limited value. Raising one child is no guarantee of success with the next. Expertise helps but only when balanced with responsi- veness to the particular child. Every child is unique. Uncertainty of outcome. Can't separate parts from the whole