1. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 1 Quality Assurance on the Road Finland and Austria in comparison Mag. Andrea Bernhard Institute of Educational Sciences University of Graz

2. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 2 Outline of the presentation  Development of quality in HE  Finland – Evaluation and audit  Austria – Accreditation in various ways  Comparative view  Transatlantic perspective

3. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 3 Development of quality in HE  One of the main issues throughout Europe  QA regulated in national laws  QA linked to certain standards & criteria  Outcome-orientation (results!)  Bologna Declaration in 1999

4. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 4 FINLAND Evaluation and audit (I)  1985 KOTA data base  1986 universities have to implement their own evaluation system  1996 national QAA: FINHEEC (Finnish Higher Education Council)  University Act 1998: The universities shall evaluate their education, research and artistic activities, and their effectiveness. The universitieis shall also take part in external evaluation of their activities. The universities shall publish the results obtained in the evaluation it has undertaken.  2004 new approach of audit

5. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 5 FINLAND Evaluation and audit (II)  FINHEEC an independent expert organisation that assists universities, polytechnics and the Ministry of Education consists of 12 members task of developing and organising evaluations (self-evaluation, external peer review, site-visit, published report) full member of ENQA

6. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 6 FINLAND Evaluation and audit (III)  ACADEMY of FINLAND evaluates research and develops methods for evaluation  Critical view evaluations on voluntary basis relation between FINHEEC, MoE and HEIs deal more with follow-up measures and R&D coordination and joint activities international evaluators

7. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 7 AUSTRIA Accreditation in various ways (I)  UOG 1993 first systematic and comprehensive evaluation programme 1993 establishment of Fachhochschul-sector (non-university sector, polytechnics) 1999 possibility to establish a private university both sectors: ex-ante-accreditation  UG 2002 high degree of autonomy for universities; public universities have to adopt internal and external QA

8. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 8 AUSTRIA Accreditation in various ways (II)  FHR – Fachhochschulrat responsible for QA and re-/accreditation/ evaluation of college degree programmes consists of 16 members full member of ECA and ENQA  ÖAR – Austrian Accreditation Council responsible for re-/accreditation/supervision of the private HE sector (institutional + programme) consists of 8 members full member of ECA and ENQA

9. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 9 AUSTRIA Accreditation in various ways (III)  AQA – Austrian Agency for QA assists HEIs to implement QA procedures, coordinates evaluations and elaborate QA standards full member of ENQA since June 2008  Critical view development of only one QAA? coordination between different sectors QA at public sector still lax University courses (further education)

10. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 10 Comparative view Similarities  HEIs have high degree of autonomy  Development of non-university sector quite late compared to other countries  Till 1992 no evaluation activities at the supra-institutional level  QAAs member of international agencies  National policies integrated into Bologna process

11. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 11 Comparative view Differences Austria  Policy discussion started not till the 1990s  Main focus on accreditation procedures  No student involvement in QA  No publication of expert reports Finland  Policy discussions started in the mid- 1980s  Main focus on evaluation procedures (and audit)  Student involvement at all levels of QA  Publication of all information on QA issues

12. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 12 Transatlantic perspective  UNESCO/OECD Guidelines for Quality Provision in Cross-border Higher Education (for QAAs) Include cross border provision Sustain and strenghten regional and international networks Establish links and strengthen the collaboration between the bodies of the sending/receiving country Provide accurate and easily assessible information Apply principles as f.e. CGP in the Provision of Transnational Education Reach mutual recognition agreements Consider adoption of procedures for the composition of peer review panels etc.  Transatlantic Dialogue: EUA, ACE, AUCC Meetings every two years to bring together HE leaders to discuss shared issues and concerns on both sides of the Atlantic

13. BALANCE Seminar/Graz 16 October 2008 13 Thank you for your attention! andrea.bernhard@uni-graz.at andrea.bernhard@uni-graz.at The floor is open for discussion:  Which country is more in line with the objectives of the Bologna Process?  Could mutual recognition of accreditation decisions bring a common understanding?  Future developments in Finland, Austria and at international level?!