Quality Assurance at the University of Chile Universidad de Chile

Institutional capacity building and curriculum renewal Some of the main tools Competency-based curricula A common credits system Quality assurance Universidad de Chile

Quality Regulation and Self-regulation Objectives To facilitate self knowledge To promote continuous improvement To honor public faith Universidad de Chile

Quality regulation through Accreditation in Chile The objects of Accreditation Accreditation of professional careers and undergraduate studies (CNAP, 1999) Accreditation of graduate studies (CONAP, 1999/Previous work since the ´70) Accreditation of the institutions (CNAP, 2004) Universidad de Chile

Institutional Accreditation “The Institutional Accreditation process defined by CNAP is oriented mainly towards the assessment, promotion and public guarantee of the self- regulation processes of the higher education institutions in detemined areas” (CNAP, “Guía para la evaluación, 18/06/2003) Universidad de Chile

Quality Assurance at the U. of Chile Some mechanisms Formal processes and regulations High Selectivity of Students Regarding the Academic staff: - High selectivity - Academic career (qualification and evaluation) Institutional analysis Self-Assessment Universidad de Chile

Why quality self-regulation? An ethical reason A rule for good performance A reason related to communication and accountability Practical reasons Universidad de Chile

Somethig to do with Ethics and good performance To honor public faith is to first honor one´s own work Any university should be interested in its quality whether there were or not external accreditations. Quality is not something you care about for somebody else`s sake Good performance due to external control lasts the same than the control Accrediting agencies declare to have difficulties to respond to present demands Universidad de Chile

What should be demonstrated for the sake of accountability? That there exists a quality assurance system, with established mechanisms That the system does function That the system does function reasonably well That the system has incorporated its own meta- evaluations and improvement tools Universidad de Chile

Self-Assessment An institutional organization for internal improvement Quality dimensions and criteria A Self-Assessment proceeding A Self-Assessment Committee Universidad de Chile

Quality dimensions and criteria I. Mission and institutional responsibility II. Organizational and administrative structure III. Academic and non academic staff IV.Students and learning process V.Research and/or artistic and cultural production VI.Educational resources, infrastructure and finance VII. Community involvement Universidad de Chile

Self-Assessment and Accreditation Self-Assessment for Accreditation Self-Assessment Self-Assessment for the sake of internal improvement Accreditation Accreditation and improv. plan Peers Review Self-Assessment Eval. judgement and Improv. plan Universidad de Chile

The Self-Assessment Committee 1 president, 4 members of the academic staff and 3 members of the directive staff, who only have an advising role. President The Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs Members of the academic staff 4 members selected as primus inter pares on the basis of their qualifications, experience and academic prestige Members of the Directive staff The Vice-Rector of Ec. Affairs and Inst. Management, the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of Graduate Studies Universidad de Chile

Present situation Self-Evaluation for internal improvement purposes In process: 13 out of the 14 faculties 3 out of the 4 Institutes Self-Evaluation for Accreditation purposes The institution: Accreditation in all areas and for the maximum period of time (7 years) Professional careers: 7 accred. and 14 in process Doctor`s degrees – 30 programs accred. and 5 in process Magisters´degrees – 48 programs accred. and 40 in process Universidad de Chile

The strategic plan Quality assurance through Self-Assessment General objective To consolidate the installation of a quality assurance system through Self- Assessment and to promote its permanent development. Specific objectives 1.Mainstreaming and institutionalization 2.Performance agreements for improvement plans 3.Very effective follow-ups 4.Increasing participation 5.Self-Assessment within a framework of institutional learning (the University as a learning organization) 6.Strengthening the interrelations with the national and international Higher Education community for the sake of Quality Assurance Universidad de Chile