TEMPUS UM_JEP Development of Quality Assurance System in Higher Education - QUASYS Promotion of Quality Assurance System at the University of Osijek presented by Prof. Dr. Žaneta Ugarčić-Hardi Zagreb, May, 28-29, 2004

Problems defined: Gap between employers’ needs and knowledge and skills of students (graduates) Obsolete Curriculum High drop-out rate Low motivation level of students

Quality Assurance System 2 aspects: Academic quality: quality of teaching and learning and quality of curriculum Quality of infrastructure: facilities, equipment

Key Elements: - to assure standards of achievement - to assure quality of teaching - to assure quality of management

Internal Evaluation Internal evaluation focuses on: Aims, structure and content of study programs Conditions in which teaching and learning processes are carried out Organization of study programs

QA System focuses on: Promotion of quality culture Systematic approach to quality assessment Coherent and transparent system structure Focus on student needs Commitment to quality improvement Confidence building Efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability

What is evaluated? Priorities:  Teaching and learning process (courses and programmes, structure and content, aims and objectives, up-to-datedness, learning materials, outcomes, gained skills and competencies)  Staff (staff development, staff initiatives)  Infrastructure (learning environment, access to equipment, libraries)  Student counselling, support services

Activities at the University of Osijek Analysis of current situation in respect of QA principles Guidelines for reform of university studies through:  Curriculum changes  Improvement of quality of studies  Lowering of the average period of studying  Repositioning of HE services in community  Intensification of international cooperation  Improvement of organizational culture

Project on quality assessment “How I See My Studies” and analysis of collected data Intensification of cooperation with the Students’ Conference Organization of seminars and lectures on QA issues as a follow-up of the QUASYS project

Project “How I See My Studies” realized in cooperation with the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb aims to get information:  on students’ opinion on the quality of studies and facilities  on the quality of teaching  on the application of the best practices to teaching and organization  on the level of information that reach students  on the level of student influence in the process of change  on the quality of communication among students, teaching staff and administrative staff

Quality of students and their performance Quality of students on admission  Marks on admission  Social origin of students  Admission rates  Enrolment rates

Student performance  Retention rate in the first year  Measures for integration and supervision of new students  Graduation rate  Average time to graduation  Rate of transfer to employment after graduation

Some suggestions as a follow-up of the project Board for Quality Assurance of Croatian Higher Education System Preparation of documents and guidelines for self-evaluation at the university level Organization of courses for non-academic staff Improvement of communicational culture Research into efficacy of study units through data processing and analysis