1. The reform of external quality assurance in Slovenia
Seminar for quality assurance agencies: evaluating programmes within institutional evaluations
20 – 21 October 2017
University of Dubrovnik, Ćira Carića 4, Dubrovnik, Croatia
The reform of external quality assurance in Slovenia
Klemen Šubic

2. The reform of external quality assurance in Slovenia
Amendments to the HEA (December 2016)
Transition to institutional evaluation/re-accreditation
European approach and internationalisation

3. Reasons for amending legislation:
first cycle of re-accreditation procedures of study programmes has bein finished,
introduction of practice - preparation of action plans in line with the recommendations of expert groups,
overloading institutions with procedures (instant preparation of HEI for the re-accreditation of study programmes),
participation of the Agency in the training of internal auditors (helping strenghtening internal QA at HEIs),
combined procedures – repeating findings,
short site-visits (approx. 1-2 days),
validation of accreditation: 7 years

4. The reform of external quality assurance in Slovenia
Basic facts:
915 Accredited study programmes
47 independent HEIs
6 universities (UL-26 members, UM-18, UP-8, UNG-7, NU-3, UNM-5)
1 international association of universities – EMUNI
Before the reform:
Validation of accreditation is 7 years
Validation of re-accreditation 7 years/3 years or less (in case of detected irregularities)
Extraordinary evaluation of HEI and study programme
Cross-border education/TNE
Re-accreditation of universities and independent HEI

5. The reform of external quality assurance in Slovenia
New HEA
Accreditation:
Initial and Re-accreditation of HEIs only (longer and more thorough procedures), validation 5 years,
the accreditations of study programmes, joint study programmes of Slovenian higher education institutions and study programmes for upgrading; validation of accreditation: unlimited
accreditation of transformations/changes of HEIs:
transformation to another type of higher education institution (from College to Faculty) – shorter procedure;
merger by acquisition, merger by the formation of a new entity or division of higher education institutions;
changing the location in Slovenia

6. Criteria for assessment
ACCREDITATION OR EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION
INITIAL ACCREDITATION
1. operation of the higher education institution
2. human resources
3. material conditions
RE-ACCREDITATION WITH A REGULAR OR EXTRAORDINARY EVALUATION
operation of the higher education institution
human resources
students
material conditions
internal QA and improvement, changes, update and implementation of study programmes

7. Criteria for assessment
ACCREDITATION OR EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF A STUDY PROGRAMME
ACCREDITATION
1. composition and content of a study programme
2. concept of the implementation of a study programme
EXTRAORDINARY EVALUATION OR EVALUATION OF A SAMPLE OF STUDY PROGRAMMES
internal QA and improvement of study programmes
changes and update of a study programme
implementation of a study programme

8. Changes of HEI Merger by acquisition:
Upon merger by acquisition, all accredited study programmes of the acquired higher education institution shall be transferred to the acquiring higher education institution. The accreditation of the latter shall remain valid for the period, determined in its last accreditation.
Merger by formation:
Upon merger by formation of a new entity from existing higher education institutions, all their accredited study programmes shall be transferred to a higher education institution which shall be formed by the merger.
Divison of a HEI:
Upon the division of a higher education institution to more higher education institutions, its accredited higher education institutions shall be transferred to the higher education institutions formed by the division.
Merger by acquisition, merger by formation of a new entity or a division of higher education institutions shall be processed in accordance with the criteria for re-accreditation of a higher education institution.

9. Evaluation Extraordinary evaluation of HEI:
Regular evaluation:
after accreditation is granted
part of HEI re-accreditation process
2x site visit
after the first evaluation visit, the nominated group of experts suggest to the SQAA Council which study programmes shall be assessed on the second site-visit
SQAA Council may nominate additional (programme specific) experts in to the group of experts
Extraordinary evaluation of HEI:
conducted at any time during the accreditation;
in case of suspicion of major inconsistencies in the operation of the higher education institutions or the implementation of a study programme;

10. Evaluation of study programme
after accreditation is granted
part of HEI re-accreditation process
Evaluation of a sample of programmes:
Evaluation of a sample of study programs is set out in the Agency's annual plan, so that at least 2% of the accredited study programmes held in HEI each year, are in the sample.
Extraordinary evaluation of a study programme
SQAA Council:
determine the compliance of the implementation of the study programme;
determine partial compliance of the implementation of the study programme;
withdraw the accreditation from a study programme ;

11. quality assurance in Slovenia
The reform of external
quality assurance in Slovenia
Criteria for accreditation of the University:
At least one third of full-time teachers shall be employed at the university (for the implementation of 1 cycle university study programmes), or equivalent of 1/3 FTE teachers employed part-time;
For establishing the University the founder shall demonstrate a developed educational, scientific, professional, research or artistic activity on all three cycles of accredited study programmes in at least four scientific disciplines according to the Frascati classification and in at least five study areas according to KLASIUS classification.

12. European approach EQAR
The present European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes has been developed to ease external quality assurance of these programmes.
In particular, it will:
dismantle an important obstacle to the development of joint programmes by setting standards for these programmes that are based on the agreed tools of the EHEA, without applying additional national criteria, and
facilitate integrated approaches to quality assurance of joint programmes that genuinely reflect and mirror their joint character.

13. European approach Integrated to an limited extent since 2006
International association of Universities - EMUNI
- At the time of the establishment of an International Association of Universities, established in the Republic of Slovenia and under the law of the Republic of Slovenia, the statute or other fundamental act of this international association of universities contains everything that is required by law to regulate the establishment of the institution. The International Association of Universities referred to in this paragraph shall be entered in the register kept by the court in accordance with the regulations on the court register, on the basis of the agreement or the founding agreement and the statute or other basic act of the International Association of Universities.
The International Association of Universities referred to in the preceding paragraph is a university under this Act, regardless of the fulfillment of conditions for the establishment of a university.

14. International association of Universities - EMUNI
Notification of accredited study programme.
Conditions:
study programmes must be accredited in one of the EU Member States
are also valid if their diplomas, in the accreditation state, have the nature of a public document
give them a publicly recognized level of education and a valid title
are accredited by the national recognised/public organisation/QAA
the study programme shall have a positive oponion of at least one Slovenian HEI that carries out comparable study programme (cycle, type, scope and content)
SQAA shall publicly recognize the study programme, accredited in other countries if the conditions from the previous paragraph are fulfilled.

15. European approach International joint study programmes
Accreditation = Notification
Notification of foreign accredited international joint study program is carried out when HEI, established in the Republic of Slovenia, intends to implement joint study programme with foreign HEIs, which are accredited by the EQAR Agencies, and if accreditation of this program is carried out by one of the EQAR Agencies.
All other cases = accreditation
Exception = the exception is the duration of the accreditation process for an international joint study program (5 months after the completeness of the application)

16. Criteria for international cooperation
JOINT INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAMMES
NOTIFICATION
TNE/CROSS-BORDER EDUCATION
Publicly recognised education offered abroad:
In case, when a Slovenian provider offers an, in Slovenia accredited study program, abroad.
A matter of recognition procedures:
In case, when foreign provider offers an, abroad accredited or publicly recognized study programme in Slovenia.

17. Open questions: Accreditation of University members?
Accreditation of dislocated units/branch campuses abroad?
Status of the SQAA in the future?
The draft law on public agencies
due to the reduction of public administration
reinforcing the role of supervision
HR plan adopted by the Government
Council members are appointed by the Government
on the proposal of the Minister, Agency‘s Director is appointed by the Government
financially dependent on the Ministry

18. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Some quotes:
„Quality means doing it right, when no one is looking.“
Henry Ford
„Quality is not an act. It is a habit.“
Aristotle
„In a time of rapid change, standing still is the most dangerous course of action.“
Brian Tracy
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!