turkey networking david cairns qaa

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Quality Assurance in higher education: UK & European experiences: 

Quality Assurance in higher education: UK & European experiences David Cairns Development and Enhancement Group QAA d.cairns@qaa.ac.uk www.qaa.ac.uk

Outline: 

Outline HE in the UK since the 1980s Quality Assurance in Europe: the purposes The UK quality assurance experience: Purposes Devolution and diversity External reference points - criteria The QA trajectory Lessons learnt The European dimension: the longer term The European dimension: the pre-requisites Two immediate objectives for Europe

In the UK the purposes of quality assurance are: 

In the UK the purposes of quality assurance are Security of academic standards of qualifications Enhancement/improvement of students’ learning opportunities and experience Accountability Information

The UK quality assurance experience: devolution diversityand common features: 

The UK quality assurance experience: devolution diversity and common features Devolution since 1997 Four different HE systems England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Differing national arrangements for HE quality assurance England and Northern Ireland; Wales; Scotland ( Enhancement-led Quality Framework); Diverse institutional types

Common features of the three national quality assurance arrangements: 

Common features of the three national quality assurance arrangements the ‘Academic Infrastructure’ published information about quality and standards in individual institutions (‘Teaching Quality Information’ - TQI) student surveys Regular institutional-level reviews

Differences....: 

Differences.... England and Northern Ireland (140 HEIs): Institutional Audit HE in Further Education reviews Major Reviews of English healthcare HE No national credit system (yet) Scotland (20 HEIs): Enhancement-Led Institutional Review (ELIR) Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Student Participation in Quality Scotland (‘SPARQS’) Enhancement themes Wales (13 HEIs): Institutional review Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW)

Common reference points in UK quality assurance : 

Common reference points in UK quality assurance The ‘Academic Infrastructure’ Two HE qualifications frameworks (England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland Subject benchmark statements Programme specifications Code of practice for quality assurance Advice not regulations but use is reviewed by QAA

Quality assurance in the UK: the progression: 

Quality assurance in the UK: the progression From inspections of programmes and subjects to reviews and audits at institutional level From external prescription to encouraging internal rigour From approving processes to confirming outcomes From the implicit to the explicit From accepting 'assurances' to verifiying information From accountability towards enhancement From suspicion towards trust

What the UK has learnt about quality assurance:: 

What the UK has learnt about quality assurance: Only the providers can assure the quality of provision Purpose should determine process Evolve, don’t repeat Move from the specific to the generic 'Standards' and 'quality' are not the same thing Quality assurance is expensive It is not the answer to all problems

European quality assurance dimension: the purposes: 

European quality assurance dimension: the purposes Accountability? Academic standards? Enhancement? Information? Control? Standardisation?

European quality assurance:the longer term: 

European quality assurance: the longer term Common concepts Common language Shared understandings and values A European HE 'quality culture'? ..... Qualifications recognition Comparable academic standards Useful information for stakeholders Improved academic professionalism Better higher education

Useful links : 

Useful links Recent speech by Commissioner Figel http://europa.eu.int/comm/commission_barroso/figel/speeches/docs/06_04_03_Oxford_en.pdf OECD paper -- The Economics of Knowledge http://www.lisboncouncil.net/files/download/Policy_Brief_Economics_of_Knowledge_FINAL.pdf Bologna-Berlin-Bergen site http://www.dfes.gov.uk/bologna/ European Network for Quality Assurance (ENQA) http://www.enqa.eu/ http://www.enqa.eu/files/ENQA%20Bergen%20Report.pdf

More useful links: 

More useful links Source material for the Academic infrastructure http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/default.asp Scotland's student website: Student Participation in Quality Scotland (SPARQS) http://www.sparqs.org.uk/

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