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INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE MECHANISMS

IN HIGHER EDUCATION

International seminarQuality assurance in Higher Education

University of Ss. Cyril & Methodius SkopjeREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Prof. d-r Violeta Cepujnoska, Vice Rector

Chisinau 21-22 May 2003

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THESES

I. THE UNIVERSITY “Ss.CYRIL and METHODIUS”and BOLOGNA DECLARATION

ABOUT UNIVERSITY “SS CYRIL AND METHODIUS”-SKOPJE

Basic information About the strategyBologna Declaration - a starting point

II. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND THE ROLE OF MANAGEMENT

QUALITY ASSURANCE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL

Starting pointQuality assurance by evaluation and accreditationInfrastructure for the high education Quality assurance in the Republic of Macedonia

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THESES

QUALITY ASSURANCE ON A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTIONQuality assurance systemQuality definitionQuality designQuality accomplishment

PARTICIPATION OF THE STUDENTS AT EVALUATION THE EDUCATION PROCESS

Student questioniares

CORRECTIONS (TAKING MEASURES FOR CORRECTION)

The obligations of Management in the Quality assurance)

THE ROLE OF THE MANAGEMENT IN THE QUALITY ASSURANCE

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THESES

SWOT ANALYSE FOR A CURRENT SITUATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT

III . APPENDICES–DOCUMENTS

I. Guidelines for quality assurance and assessment of higher education institutions and of the academic staff in the Republic of Macedonia

II. Guidelines for evaluation procedure at the level of faculty/high-education institutions/ research institutes

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF

THE QUALITY CULTURE

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ABOUT UNIVERSITY”SS CYRIL AND METHODIUS”-SKOPJE

The University “Ss.Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje represents the highest teaching-educational, scientific-researching and cultural institution in the Republic of Macedonia.

The basic foundations of the university have been established in 1946,1947 and 1949 by forming the Faculty of Philosophy, Faculty of Philology, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Faculty of Architecture and the Faculty of Civil-Engeneering and Construction.

Today, the University consists of 22 faculties and 11 scientific institutes. There are 1348 persons employed at the University as academic staff, 996 experts associates, 316 scientific researchers, 36 897 students and 893 administrative-technical personnel.

Basic information and characteristics about the University

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ABOUT UNIVERSITY”SS CYRIL AND METHODIUS”-SKOPJE

The mission of the university is: “integration in the family of the European universities”

The strategy of the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” represents a framework with defined which show how should the mission be accomplished.

About the University mission and strategy

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BOLOGNA DECLARATION A STARTING POINT OF UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT

Universities’ autonomy Quality Assurance Compatibility of the studying programs European credit transfer system Arranging of the levels of education Diploma supplement

The Bologna declaration is promoting the:

For the studying efficiency to be increased To assure students’ and academic staff mobility To improve the quality of the teaching educational process The students to be involved as active subjects in the curriculum quality

assurance To increase the possibility for employment of the graduated personnel on

the European market of high educated personnel To establish a contest at home and abroad

As a result of these academic activities it is expected:

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QUALITY ASSURANCE

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL

Law on High Education of the R of Macedonia enacted in August 2000,

The quality assurance in the high educational institutions and of the studying programs by evaluation and accreditation has been introduced as a new approach in the education, with an aim for the quality to be improved.

Starting point

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QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL

“University Ss. Ciryl and Methodius on European roud” is published in May 2001 and consists important documents for European Higher Education: Bologna, 1988- Magna carta of the European Universities Conventions on the recognition of the Qualifications in the Higher Education in

the Region of Europe, Lisabon, 1997 European Higher Education area, Bologna, 1999 The Salzburg Declaration for Social and civil Duties of the Universities,

Salzburg, 2001 Conventions of the European Higher Education, Salamanka, 2001 Extracts from ESIB

The project “Evaluation of the High Educational institutions in the Republic of Macedonia”, financed by the Ministry of education and science and the Open Society Institute (within the period from 22/11/2001 until 22/11/2002)

Five scientific workshops have been organized for about 200 participants-members of the self-evaluation committees with an aim to explain the instructions and to make them convenient for a practical use.

Starting point

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QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL

Quality assurance by evaluation and accreditation

President of the RepublicGovernment of the Republic of Macedonia

Ministry of Education and science

External evaluation report Accreditation

External evaluation report

OAÆ

Self-evaluation report

S e l f e v a l u a t ionHigh educational institutions

Universities/faculties/high vocational schools/institutes

financing

Schedule of the Quality assurancein the high education with evaluation and accreditation

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QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE HIGH EDUCATION QUALITY ASSURANCE IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Two Governments organs have been formed on a national level:

Accreditation Board andHigh Education Quality Evaluation Agency

The High Education Evaluation Agency is responsible for the quality evaluation on a national level. Since 13 of October 2001, this Agency has become a member of the Quality Assurance Agencies Network in the High education in the countries of the Central and Eastern Europe.

The Agency has:

Book  for regulations for its working and Professional code

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QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

Quality assurance system

Q = F 9 M factors

Man (Academic staff, Students)

Materials

Mashines-Equipment

Management

Methods

Measuring

Motivation

Money

Markets

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QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

The Management is the most responsible for building Quality system:

In that system, it should be clearly defined:

In creating the quality assurance system there are several steps:

Defined the mechanisms, processes and procedures and the documentsOrganized all the resources: academic personnel, students, equipment and spaceCreated instruments for a quality control.

Who is doing?What is he/she doing?How is he/she doing that?To whom is he/she responsible for that?

1. Quality definition (what is a quality?)

2. Quality planning (designing - documents)

3. Providing conditions for realization of the defined quality

4. Quality control (self evaluation and external evaluation)

5. Taking measures for correction of the defects

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QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

Act Plan

DoCheckInternal controlSelf-Evaluation

The quality assurance system is following the DEMING’s circle of quality: PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT

“As long as the circle is rolling,

the quality is providing.

Once the circle is interupted

The quality fails.” (Deming)

Internal Evaluation

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Quality definition

The staff, especially the academic one Students Management Educational and researching methods The content of the studying programs Educational and researching equipment Teaching aids (literature etc) Motivation Money, as a means for working and development The Market

The quality of the high educational institutions is a very complex category and depends upon several factors:

The elections are made according to a certain procedure – by application of unique criteria for election of titles.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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The unique criteria are defined on a level of an Inter university conference as a “minimal quality threshold “.

N u m b e r o f th e a c a d e m ic s ta ff

lo w M id d leM in im a ltre sh o ld

Q u a lityle v e l

H ig h

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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The minimal quality threshold on a national level is defined by many qualitative and quantitative indicators. Here we will emphasize only some of them which are more characteristic:

Statute Book of rules for the conditions and the criteria for enrolment at graduate studies Book of rules for unique basics for organizing of post-graduate and doctorate

studies Book of rules for unique basics of credit system, transfer from one into another

studying program and the transfer from one into another institution within the University

Book of rules for the unique studying regulations Unique criteria for election in academic, teaching, teaching-experts and

associate titles Book of rules in academic, teaching, teaching-experts and associate titles Book of rules of the students attorney

Based upon the defined quality at any factor, documents have been elaborated in accordance with our abilities and conditions.The following documents have been elaborated at the level of the university:

Quality design (plan)

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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not enough funds for equipment, literature lower passing grades of the students at their enrolment in the next coming

semester not enough engagement of the academic staff in the transfer of the

knowledge’s and the control of the knowledge’s

The Faculty management is bound to provide all the necessary conditions and factors for quality assurance. But, the quality accomplishment usually lags behind what has been planned. The reasons for that are in several factors as for example:

Quality accomplishment (realization)

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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Self-evaluation as a first step in the evaluation process consists of three objectives:

brief and relevant overview of the teaching process, having in consideration the impact of the research work on the teaching process;

analysis of the positive and negative elements of the higher education institutions (by means of SWOT analysis);

provision of basis which will serve as an external evaluation tool for the Agency for Evaluation of Higher Education in Republic of Macedonia.

Self-evaluation objectives:

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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organization of activities of the Commission for evaluation at the University/faculty;

self-evaluation procedure; members of the Self-evaluation Commission; the rights and obligations of the performers of self-evaluation; directions for preparations of self-evaluation report; regulations for approval of self-evaluation report; issuing of the report.

Guidelines for evaluation and evaluation procedure at the level of university/ faculty/high vocational school/scientific institution

Quality control – Self-evaluation and External evaluation

The guidelines foresee the following activities:

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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brief and relevant overview of the teaching process, having in consideration the impact of the research work on the teaching process;

analysis of the positive and negative elements of the higher education institutions (by means of SWOT analysis);

provision of basis which will serve as an external evaluation tool for the Agency for Evaluation of Higher Education in Republic of Macedonia.

Self-evaluation objectives

Self-evaluation as a first step in the evaluation process consists of three objectives:

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

Q

a. What are the activities of the faculty accredited for higher education?

b. In what way is the faculty performing its activity?

c. How does the faculty accredited for higher education keep track of self-evaluation?

d. What changes are undertaken in order for the faculty to improve?

Self-evaluation bases

Self-evaluation comprises of four key issues:

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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PARTICIPATION OF THE STUDENTS IN EVALUATION OF EDUCATION PROCESS

New in the high educational institutions evaluation is the involvment of the students as a partner side in the high education.

“The Students” opinion is important for the curriculum and examining quality as well as for the qualification of the teacher for a high education process in a given field.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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CORRECTIONS ( TAKING MEASURES FOR CORRECTION)

Quality improvement

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P

D

A

C

P

D

A

C

P

D

A

C

P

D

A

C

Time

Quality Level

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

Every next circle must be better quality

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THE MANAGEMENT ROLE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE

The obligations of Management in the Quality assurance

The management is the first and most responsible factor in the quality assurance because:• It defines and projects the quality in all segments of working of the institution• It provides the conditions for realization of the planned quality• Undertakes activities for correction of the defects and prevention of the defects• Introduces mechanisms for continued quality control

The management on a national level is responsible for involvement of the national high education in the European space.For that purpose it:• Follows the changes and the processes in the high education in Europe and in the

world• Provides knowledge transfer from experts through organizing seminars and scientific workshops• Provides moral, financial conditions and logistics for application of their knowledge.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A LEVEL OF AN INSTITUTION

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QC-CE MODEL IN THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Plan

Do Check

Act

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THE MANAGEMENT ROLE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE

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RECOMENDATIONS FOR QUALITY CULTURE DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Pathway of the change of the quality culture

Time

K

IAC

IRC

URC

K-knowledge IAC-Individuals’ attitude change IRC- Individuals’ relationship change URC-University relationship change

Participants

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RECOMENDATIONS FOR QUALITY CULTURE DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Team work and knowledge spreading

Knowledge for evaluation 2 experts from Macedonia 2 experts from France 1 expert from the Netherlands

Instruction manuals Total of 14 participants 12 of the universities 2 of the Ministries

Self- evaluation 200 participants of the high- educational institutions Macedonian Experience

Result

36 faculties made self-evaluation

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SWOT ANALYSIS IN RELATION TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TO QUALITY MANAGEMENT

S. Strong sides

• academic staff, well educated at home and abroad• large number of the students are ready for university studies• the content of the studying programs is globally coordinated

with the content of the European universities• readiness for acceptance of the new approaches• readiness for advanced training abroad• readiness for elaboration of teaching aids

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SWOT ANALYSIS IN RELATION TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TO QUALITY MANAGEMENT

W: weak sides

• not enough elaborated management for quality assurance (there were not undertaken strict measures for eliminating of the weak professors and the weak students)

• obsolete methods of education according to the model “ex cathedra”• insufficient equipment of the faculties for theoretical and practical

curriculum• insufficient foreign literature for learning• weak motivation of the teachers, low salaries and inadequate

conditions for working• weak motivation of the students for learning, due to the not having a

possibility for employment• very poor financing• weak scientific cooperation of the university and the faculties with

the European universities

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SWOT ANALYSIS IN RELATION TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TO QUALITY MANAGEMENT

O: Oportunities

• PHARE-TEMPUS program for development of the education (1996-2006)

• UNESCO-CEPES programme for development of strategic management, Financial management and Quality assurance and development of studying programs

• Projects for introduction of new approaches financed by the Ministry of education and science, Open Society Institute and other donators

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SWOT ANALYSIS IN RELATION TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TO QUALITY MANAGEMENT

T : Threats

• Low quality culture • Material crisis in the country, in the economy• Life Insecurity in the country