1. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Quality Assurance in Higher Education Institutions BRIEFING OF EXTERNAL EXPERTS … based on ENQA methodology HQA - 2014

2. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr GREECE: Economic Profile GGDP shrunk by 27%, from €233bn in 2008, to €185bn today DDisposable INCOME dropped by almost 50% UUNEMPLOYMENT: climbed from 8% in 2008 to 27% (twice as much among the young) PPUBLIC DEBT rose to €320bn (177% of GDP) The European crisis has hit Greece severely:

3. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr HIGHER EDUCATION NNumber of HEIs reduced by 15% (in 2012) TTeaching staff reduced by 25% from 2008 OOne recruitment for every five retirements: (Rule 1 to 5) HHEIs are under-staffed and under-financed 8850 recently elected teaching staff cannot start work. and are seeking jobs elsewhere (Existing teaching staff= 11,000) EExisting organisation and support mechanisms are unable to catch up with a rapidly changing situation

4. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency HQA’s strategic goal is to design and implement Quality Assurance on the whole of HE in Greece Is an Independent Public Organisation, established in 2005 HQA MISSION To support HEI:s in their effort to improve the quality of their services and inform the State, Academic Institutions and the Public with regard to international practices and trends regarding Quality Assurance

5. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr 5 Goals of the Evaluation Process 1.Initiate Uniform approach for recording, understanding and assessing HE Institutions 2.Take measures to ensure, validate and improve the quality of work performed in HE Institutions 3.Establish QUALITY CULTURE in Higher Education

6. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Greek HE Institutions: 2012 22 Universities 8 in the Athens Metropolitan Area 2 New, established after 2000 16 Technological Educational Institutes (TEI) 2 in the Athens Metropolitan Area ΤΕΙ: upgraded to University level in 2001

7. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Greek HE Institutions Development No of Depts: 533 439

8. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr 8 ΗΕ OVERVIEW: Achieve more with Less?  All Greek HE Institutions are Public  Financing: mainly from State Funds & Research income  State Support is shrinking by 25% pa  1 to 5 rule also applies to Support and Admin staff. Schemes for further reduction of human resources  Bureaucracy still Rules Ok!

9. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr The Evaluation process 1.Internal Evaluation of each Department (annual) 2.External Evaluation of each Department (4-yr cycle) with focus on academic performance 3.Evaluation of Institutions, with focus on effectiveness of management 4.Accreditation … (pending)

10. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr 1.Curriculum of all Study Programmes 2.Teaching quality 3.Research activity 4.Supporting Services External Report Structure 5.Collaboration with social, cultural and production organisations 6.Strategic Planning The external Report concentrates on the following aspects: … and examines the level and quality of:

11. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Significance of External Evaluation 1.Findings reveal valuable improvement points 2.Report publicity promotes constructive competition among Academic Units and informs interested parties 3.External Evaluation proposals alone, suffice to motivate towards quality improvement 4.Implementation of Evaluation suggestions will be investigated at the accreditation phase. 5.External Evaluation is a pre-requisite for the continuation of support by European Research Grants (ESPA)

12. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Benchmarks External experts use their experience in the formulation of recommendations

13. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Major Challenges  Possible negative attitude of both academics and students, inspired by: - Ignorance and misconception - Lack of confidence - Suspiciousness  The Monster of Bureaucracy

14. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr  The team of experts is expected to deliver their draft report (in Greek or English) before leaving Greece  The draft is sent to the evaluated Department for possible comments which are assessed by the evaluation team before they submit their final report.  Reimbursement of any outstanding expenses is paid to the members of the External Committee after delivery of the draft report. Please send your receipts & invoices by registered post. Deliverable & Reimbursement of Expenses

15. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Legislation (Conflict of Interest) Τα μέλη της Επιτροπής Εξωτερικής Αξιολόγησης δεν πρέπει να ανήκουν ή να έχουν οποιαδήποτε εκπαιδευτική, ερευνητική ή υπηρεσιακή σχέση με το ίδρυμα ανώτατης εκπαίδευσης, στο οποίο ανήκει η ακαδημαϊκή μονάδα που αξιολογείται, ή να είχαν κατά την τελευταία πενταετία μια τέτοια σχέση. Νόμος για την Παιδεία 4009 /2011 Ο ορισμός των μελών γίνεται με απόφαση της Ολομέλειας της ΑΔΙΠ Ν. 3966/2011, άρθρο 59

16. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Appendix … End of Briefing

17. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Study Programmes Checklist ✓ Does Curriculum meet the Department’s objectives and needs of the society ✓ Organisation of educational process ✓ Examination System ✓ Support by suitable Infrastructure ✓ Relation to internationally accepted benchmarks and learning requirements

18. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Teaching Checklist ✓ Organisation and Implementation of Teaching Tasks ✓ Effectiveness of teaching Staff ✓ Study material, Infrastructure and Support ✓ Staff/Student Ratios and Quality of Interaction ✓ Quality of Teaching Outcomes ✓ Link of teaching with Research ✓ Mobility of academic Staff and Students

19. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Research Checklist ✓ Originality and Efficiency of Research ✓ Research Projects and Partnerships ✓ Research Publications, Citations, etc. ✓ Distinctions, Patents and Awards ✓ Participation of Students ✓ Quality of Research Infrastructure

20. HQA HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE & ACCREDITATION AGENCY www.hqa.gr Services and Infrastructure ✓ Effectiveness of Administrative Support ✓ Services provided to Students ✓ Infrastructure ✓ Cooperation with other educational and research institutions in Greece and abroad