Actual Quality Assurance as Output of EU Projects Jan Bujnak

36 HE institutions 21 public universities 1 military and 1 policy state HE institutions, 1 medical 12 private HE institutions 21 public universities 1 military and 1 policy state HE institutions, 1 medical 12 private HE institutions

Need for quality assurance Required standard of courses and research activities Comparison of results with those achieved elsewhere Success of graduates in relevent employment Academic standards and client satisfaction External examiners vice-versa internal staff perception

Accreditation committee of the government of the Slovak Republic International comparison Common Higher EU area Common EU Research EU area Bologna process Compatibility and convergence

Globalization High degree of international competition for funds and talented individuals-brain drain, not circulation. International mobility of knowledge and resources. Institutional alliances, networking and creating critical mass, Research intensive universities. Research and innovation investments. Reduce the fragmentation of research system both terms of funding and structures. Incentive private investment in public research. Provide adequate competitive infrastructure for research.

Quality assessment Fairly small team to ensure the efficiency of work with broader view. Effect of our teaching on student understanding and collection of information about our research Decision on actions to be taken Permanent duty of each academic Self-evaluation illustrating the strength and weakness, constrainnts and opportunities External review by the Accreditation committe – description and an analysis of the unit Communication of information about itself, reflection on the further development, strategic decision-making

University and environment Close relations with society and public administration and cultural institutionsClose relations with society and public administration and cultural institutions Disseminate knowledge and respond to the needsDisseminate knowledge and respond to the needs Competitiveness of the national industryCompetitiveness of the national industry International exchange programmesInternational exchange programmes

Deviations to control in HE Increase of student numbers to satisfy the greater interest in obtaining HE, unfortunately not always in useful areas More students per teacher, suitable facilities with impact on the quality of HE New regional universities, spreading of resources, competence maintaining at international level Sciences and technology call for a centralisation rather than a decentalisation of activities

Quality of staff Appropriate personal policy –wages,sabbaticals Recruitment and development of qualified personnel Limitations: unable to compete in terms of salary with industry and private institutions, wage increaases with higher post obtained are minimal Other factors making universities attractive: laboratories, equipment, library, flexible working hours, favourable academic reputation Cost-efficient administrative support.

Quality assurance systems of new and existing courses Initial approval of new programs: consistency with the institution ´mission, check of appropriate standard, course proposal thought and adequately documented, matching legal requirements Monitoring at regular intervals: running to a proper standard, modification according to experience and critical appraisal, validation of modification

Measuring student feedback with questionnaires Collecting information necessary but not sufficient Teacher´s distrust of the relevence of such quality assessment Teacher may be replaced, students frustrated to see that the problems reappear Encourage a teacher to take a course in pedagogics, a reward to a good teacher, sabbaticals, covering of conference expences, administrative tasks, heavier load

Measuring student progress and achievement Assessment of student shoul demonstrate progress both in depth and complexity, rather complex subject Reflect the range of course aims and objectives Clustering assessment-comparative freedom but enormous pressure at the end, other extreme is very frequently carried out assessment Forms of examinations: oral presentations, open-book examination, choice of questions by students, course-work, project work, self- assessment.

Assessment of external and international co-operation Personal contacts of staff members and university representatives Relevence of university activities External contributions to the special activities Covering outside research, doctoral students, continuing education, Partners to national industry in the international efforts Scholerships to cover travel costs when working abroad

Quality aspects of research activities Teaching and research are to carry equal weight in the university system, Grant for researchs,papers and conference contribution,applied research outputs,report on the scientific activities to the scientific board meeting, Personal interview between head of units and staff members.

Self-evaluation report structure-basic data Quantitative data on academic and administrative staff over a five-year period: total number of staff, breakdown by other criteria - grade, men/women. Total number of students, the admission ratio of applicants to admitted students, ratio of admitted to enrolled students, composition of student body-number of first-year students, male/female,national/international, drop-out, average length of studies, graduate success in gaining employment in the field of study.

Self-evaluation report structures- body Organisation of the study programme : -Entrance requirements and admission criteria, -Study structures and educational requirements, -Teaching and learning methods, -Impact of research on teaching, -Assessment methods used, -Procedures of monitoring of student progress, -Student support services-advise,counseling,tutoring. -International dimension of the curriculum and its innovation. -Use of foreign literature and courses in other languges, -Exchange programmes for study abroad, -Links with industry, professional bodies and similar universities nationally and internationally.

Ranking of Higher Education Institutions Doubled their student numbers, as well as through the founding of new universities or the merging of existing smaller institutions or faculties into new universities. Universities differ in disciplinary profile, missions, and core functions, very different in size and research intensity. Three types are called university, higher education institution, and professional higher education institution and are distinguished by the level of teaching provision and the kind of research. Differentiated set of financial and other incentives to promote the quality of teaching, research.

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