9 November 2007
Cecilia de la RosaHead of the Internal Quality Unit
How to prepare for an external reviewHow to prepare for an external review
““Current trends in the European Quality Assurance and Current trends in the European Quality Assurance and the situation in the SEE region”the situation in the SEE region”
1. ANECA: How we are
2. ANECA. An international review
3. Discussion
Table of contentsTable of contents
1. ANECA. How we are
ANECA. How we are
Spanish Universities ActSpanish Universities Act 6/20016/2001
laid down the basis for the setting up of a national agency in order to ensure the
quality assurance of the Spanish Higher Education system
ANECAANECA
(National Agency for Quality Assessment and Acreditation of Spain)
Was set up on 19 July 2002Was set up on 19 July 2002
MissionMission
ANECA. How we are
Contributing to the quality improvement of the higher Contributing to the quality improvement of the higher
education system through the assessment, certification and education system through the assessment, certification and
accreditation of university degrees, programmes, teaching accreditation of university degrees, programmes, teaching
staff and institutions.staff and institutions.
ANECA. How we are
63 people work in ANECA63 people work in ANECA
2. ANECA. An international review
1. There was not any regulationsnot any regulations in Spain for this kind of assessment
ANECA. An international review
2. Ensure the Agency´s creditibilitycreditibility and professionalismprofessionalism
4. ShareShare good practices among agencies
5. Be a referencereference of this kind of evaluation at a European level
3. Achieve recognition of its evaluation processesevaluation processes at a national and international level
Why an international review?In order to:
Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area
Board of directors and staff
ANECA. An international review
Director´s implication
Tools
Advisory board
Main idea
Participative processParticipative process
Information Dissemination
ANECA. An international review
Appointing a person responsible for the process
Appointing a Working Group (3 people)
Setting-up a Self-evaluation Committee (12 people)
ANECA. An international review
First steps
Considering the assessment as a strategic objective
Asking the Advisory Board for recomendations about the process and the methodology
The Working group designed the project by:
• Fixing the schedule
• Studying and analysing the Standards and Guidelines
• Elaborating a self-evaluation guide to traslate the Standards and Guidelines into ANECA’s vocabulary
ANECA. An international review
Second steps
The Self-evaluation CommitteeSelf-evaluation Committee worked with the designed guide and
• Analysed the information of the guide (standards and guidelines) and possible evidence to be provided in each section
• Attended the different meetings
• Studied the first draft of the self-evaluation report
ANECA. An international review
Third steps
The Self-evaluation Committee had to:• Set up and circulate the information on time
• Collaborate in the spreading of the information to the rest of the staff
The Working group had to:• Analyse the information of the sheets handed by the Self-evaluation
Committee
• Collect the evidence and organise it
• Traslate the documentation
• Draw-up the self-evaluation report
• Prepare the site visit
Internal communication: Breakfast with ENQA, meetings, …
Parallel work
ANECA. An international review
Board of Trustees
Advisory Board
Board of Directors
Technical Committee
Evaluation Committees
ANECA staff
Self-evaluation Committee
Working group
Procedure followed during ANECA´s self-evaluationProcedure followed during ANECA´s self-evaluation
Preparation of the self-evaluation
guideSetting upof the self-evaluation
committee
Analysis of criteria and search for
information
First draft of the self-evaluation
report drawn-up
Summary of the information provided
First draft of the report is reviewed
Suggestions incorporated
Report endorsed
Review of the report proposal
Approval of final report
Second draft of the report
reviewed Suggestions incorporated
Suggestions analysed
Third draf of the report reviewed
Suggestions incorporated
Suggestions incorporated
Dates
Sep. 06
Oct. 06
Nov. & Dec. 06
Jan. 07
Mar. 07
Third draft of the report reviewed
After the self-report and before the site visit
ENQA
Appointed the panel of experts
6 international experts (professors and a student): England, France, Portugal and Belgium
ANECA
Accepted the external panel
Asked ENQA for a national expert or an expert from the south of Europe to be member of the panel
Invited the stakeholders for the interviews
Team of experts Contacted each other and ANECA
Studied the self-evaluation report
Asked ANECA for information to prepare the site visit
ANECA. An international review
ENQA ANECAExternal Panel
Procedure followed during ANECA´s external reviewProcedure followed during ANECA´s external review
Appointment the external panel
Dates
February 07
April & May 07
June 07
August 07
September 07
Send the information to ANECA Informed the Board of Trustees
Accepted the panel
Prepared the visit
Sent to ANECA the programme Prepared the visit according to the programme
Site visit of ANECA
Prepared a draft report Comment to the external report
Produced the final report
Informed the panel
Sent the report to ENQASent the report to ENQA
Analysis report
Comunicated the decision Prepared the improvement plan October 07
Site visit
The team of experts had to:
Follow the agenda
Meet all the groups
Analyse the evidence
Not to disturb the daily work of ANECA
ANECA had to:
Inform everybody about the internal and external process carried out
Follow the agenda in a very rigorous manner
ANECA. An international review
Facing the weaknesses found during the internal and external evaluation
Finding comprehensible vocabulary to everybody
Dealing with International experts
Coordination
Involvement of staff
ANECA. An international review
Challenges
Internally
Improving during and after the project
Better knowledge of the institution and its stakeholders
Working as a team
Externally
International recognition
National recognition
ANECA. An international review
What has ANECA achieved?
Conclusions
The assessment is the combination of different points of view.
Each group in ANECA (Board of Trustees, Board of Directors, Technical commission,
Adisory Board, staff, etc.) plays their role.
ANECA. An international review
1. What would you do to get the staff involved in the project?
2. How would you choose the best Self-evaluation Committee?
3. What should you take into account when adapting the Standards and Guidelines to your context?
4. Do you think an international committee should count on a national expert? (advantages and disadvantages)
5. How do you communicate the progress of the project to the staff and the stakeholders?
ANECA. An international review
How to prepare for an external review
You should…
1. Obtain self and general motivation (directors and staff)
2. Choose right people to be members of the Self-evaluation Committee – representatives of all staff
3. Make a good interpretation of the Standards and Guidelines
4. Organize evidence
5. Choose good attendants for the interviews
6. Pay attention to the internal and external communication
7. Write a clear and short self-evaluation report
8. Identify yourself with the external expert
9. Not stop during the project
10. Not focus the review in the external panel and their enquiries, take advantage of the opportunity that your institution has to improve.
ANECA. An international review
www.aneca.eswww.aneca.es
Thanks for your attentionThanks for your attention