QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Quality Assurance Strenghts at BiH Universities Monitoring Results of the Tempus Project „Strenghtening Quality Assurance at Universities in BiH“ Mag.FH Bernadette Frech Researcher & Lecturer FH JOANNEUM Department of International Magement 8020 Graz, Austria

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech „When the winds of change blow some build walls and some build windmills“ (BMBWK, 2004)

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QA in the emerging EHEA „the primary responsibility for QA lies with each institution itself and this provides the basis for real accountability of the academic system within the NQF“ Berlin Ministeral Meeting (2003) Bergen (2005) European standards and guidelines

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QA in Higher Education – A BiH Perspective

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Evaluation Objectives 1.Compliance of the results of the project “Strengthening Quality Assurance in Bosnia-Herzegovina” with output indicators defined in the JEP_19074_2004 proposal 2.Putting special emphasis on the sustainability of university quality assurance initiatives on university and faculty level after the project duration. 3.Accordance of quality assurance initiatives with the Bologna process, and more precisely with the ENQA standards for quality assurance.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Evaluation Framework nEvaluation Object Evaluation Place Interview Partners 1University of East Sarajevo Sarajevo / Rp. Srpska (24/01/2008) Prof.dr. Zoran Ljuboje (Vice-rector) Mr. Nenad Markovic (QA coordinator) 2University of Zenica (24/01/2008) Prof. dr. Darko Petkovic (Vice-rector) Mr. Ibrahim Plancic (QA coordinator) 3University of Mostar (25/01/2008) Mrs. Prof. Drazena Tomic, Phd (Vice-rector) Mr. Jadranko Batista (QA coordinator) 4University Dzemal Bijedic of Mostar (25/01/2008) Prof. dr. Fuad Catovic (Rector) Prof.dr. Ibro Popic (Vice-rector) Mr. Alim Abazonic (QA coordinator)

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Interviews based on evaluation indicators Evaluation Model Member/s board of directors QA coordinator External evaluator Lejla Sahacic SUS BiH

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Evaluation Matrix

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Evaluation Model Pillars of evaluation: Overall quality assurance system and strategy formulations at university and faculty level as well as organizational integration of the QA office; Capacity building through the provision of equipment, space and the employment of a QA expert functioning as QA coordinator on university level; Implementation of best practice seen based on seminar inputs received at the Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria and the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; Transfer of knowledge from QA coordinators to student unions, academic as well as administrative staff; Cooperation with stakeholders such as students, teaching and administrative staff, public authorities, and industry; Dissemination and valorization of project results through up-dated weblinks, brochures and open day seminars

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QAS Quality Assurance System and Organizational Integration IDIndicator QAS_1Organizational integration of QA offices QAS_2Development and integration of QA system QAS_3Responsibilities of management, faculties, staff, stakeholders Overall quality assurance system and strategy formulations at university and faculty level as well as organizational integration of the QA office

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QAS Quality Assurance System and Organizational Integration Points of strengthsPoints for future development  High QA awareness  Preparation of a sustainable QA strategy  Establishment of internal student evaluations  Highly motivated staff  Phase of change  Striking roots in formal structures and procedures as well as in people’s minds  National legislation  Integration of all measures in a holistic QA strategy.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech CB - Capacity Building IDIndicator CB_1Provision of equipment and space CB_2Employment of QA Coordinator Level of capacity building through the provision of equipment, space and the employment of a QA expert functioning as QA coordinator.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech CB - Capacity Building Points of strengthsPoints for future development  project aimed at establishing a fully equipped QA office and to employ an expert responsible for the coordination of QA activities  This capacity-building measure was fully implemented by all assessed universities.  Project objectives for capacity building are fully met.  Continuous provision of necessary resources in terms of space and time even after the project duration.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech BP – Implementation of Best Practice IDIndicator BP_1Implementation of best practices from seminar in Graz BP_2Implementation of best practice examples from seminar in Ljubljana Degree of implementation of best practice examples based on inputs received at seminars at Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria and the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech BP – Implementation of Best Practice Points of strengthsPoints for future development  The project objectives regarding the provision of best practice seminars in Graz and Ljubljana were exceeded.  Besides active participation many universities have implemented QA measures at their universities.  The project enabled the establishment of national and international networks of QA  This exceptional openness for new QA ideas and ambition for constant enhancement at BiH universities should be retained in the future.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech TK – Transfer of Knowledge IDIndicator TK_1Transfer of knowledge to students TK_2Transfer of knowledge to academic and administrative staff Extend knowledge is transferred from QA coordinators and top management to student unions, academic as well as administrative staff.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech TK – Transfer of Knowledge Points of strengthsPoints for future development  The project being in line with ENQA standards strives for constant transfer of knowledge from top management and QA coordinators to university staff and students.  Installed meeting and communication cultures, open-door policies as well as constant knowledge transfer to stakeholders at all levels underline the fulfilment of the project’s endeavour.  Structured information flows  Regular and documented form of knowledge management

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech CS – Corporation with Stakeholders IDIndicator CS_1Cooperation with students CS_2Cooperation with faculty members CS_3Cooperation with public authorities CS_4Cooperation with industry Degree of cooperation with stakeholders such as students, teaching and administrative staff, public authorities, and industry

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech CS – Corporations with Stakeholders Points of strengthsPoints for future development  All universities have a regular involvement of university staff and students  Some universities actively involve ministries and the labour market when developing curricula etc.  Contact to ministries and public authorities  Labour market perspectives

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech DIS – Dissemination and Valorization IDIndicator DIS_1Updating web-links, printing and sending brochures DIS_2QA events (open days or other) DIS_3Future activities Degree of cooperation with stakeholders such as students, teaching and administrative staff, public authorities, and industry

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech DIS – Dissemination and Valorization Points of strengthsPoints for future development  Project results were disseminated through manifold channels  Brochures, updated weblinks, seminars, press coverage, and direct communication  Continuous dissemination and exploitation of project results  Updating of website links

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Overall Project Evaluation

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Best Practice Examples within BiH University of East Sarajevo: Being involved in seven QA projects the university has reached already a high degree of awareness for QA among important stakeholders. The university is prepared for installing a university wide QA system. The constant communication flow between top management, QA coordinator, teaching staff and students ensure high support at all levels for planned QA measures. University of Zenica: The university of Zenica can be regarded as a best practice example within the BiH tertiary education sector as well as on a European level. Quality assurance is an integral part of the university’s daily work agenda and profound initiatives are already established which ensure sustainability and professionalism of QA in the future.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Best Practice Examples within BiH University of Mostar: One central point of strengths at the University of Mostar is the consciousness of importance of QA for future university development. Though the implementation of novel initiatives such as a student information system for assessments they strive to become a university known for its innovative measures in QA. University Dzemal Bijedic of Mostar : The main point of strengths of the University of Dzemal Bijedic of Mostar is their inspiring and enthusiastic team striving for high quality in the implementation of sustainable internal as well as external QA activities. The university is fully devoted towards the development, implementation, monitoring and dissemination of QA measures.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Visions University of East Sarajevo: … to have a QA system with defined criteria by 2010 with its standards and methods of monitoring and quality data, comprising also methods for data gathering and analysis… University of Zenica: … to become the first quality certified university in Bosnia and Herzegovina…

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Visions University of Mostar: … to have high quality graduates … driven by an integrated university where a QA strategy is connected to the university strategy … University Dzemal Bijedic of Mostar: … to become a fully integrated university, to implement the planned QA strategy and to formally institutionalize QA …

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Thank you for your attention!

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Contact: Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Researcher & Lecturer FH JOANNEUM Department of International Management 8020 Graz, Austria

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QA in Higher Education – An Austrian Perspective

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Higher Education Landscape Higher education in Austria 22 Public universities 19 Universities of applied sciences Post-secondary colleges Academies

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Diploma Programmes EUA 2007

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QA at Universities and U. of Applied Sciences UNIVERSITIESFACHHOCHSCHULEN Students187,55917,500 Number of studies Curricula- Curricula commission - Qualification profile contents  Scientific approach - Job-relatedness - Internship  Scientific-practice approach Evaluation and quality assurance - Quality management system - Evaluation of whole performance spectrum - Evaluation of teaching quality by students - Quality management system - Scientific evaluations - Evaluations of teaching quality by students - Admission examinations

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Quality Defined at Universities Goals of university studies (AHStg): –The development of science and young scientific talents –The scientific vocational education –The education through science –The further education of the graduates

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Quality Defined at Fachhochschulen Goals at Fachhochschulen: –A hands-on higher education –The supply of skills and capabilities in order to fulfill specific work tasks –To support the work flexibility of students

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech FH JOANNEUM One of Austrian‘s leading Universities of Applied Sciences Founded 1995 ~ 3500 students

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QA at FH JOANNEUM InternExtern Research Teaching and Studying

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QA at FH JOANNEUM Internal Quality Assurance: Teaching and Studying Annual internal audit by Department of Personnel, Legal Services, and Internal Auditing Annual knowledge bilance Student entrance examinations Student evaluations / semester Teacher‘s evaluations / academic year Employabity evaluations / project based Programme evaluation /academic year (management board, advisory committee) QM Handbook

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QA at FH JOANNEUM Internal Quality Assurance: Research –Process Handbook –Current objective: EN ISO 9001 for R&D –QM Handbook

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech QA at FH JOANNEUM External Quality Assurance –Accrediation procedures (Public Authorities, FHK, experts from industry and science) –External Auditing by AQA (Austrian Quality Assurance System) –Financiers (National government, provinces, municipalities) –Labour market evaluations / project based –Alumni evaluations / project based

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Accrediation Procedure New degree programs need to apply for accreditation (§12 FH Studies Act) First Accreditation (based on quality standards) granted for a maximum of 5 years (FH Council) Re-accreditation before the end of the approval period by FH Council

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Requirements for Application Severe analysis of the needs of the labour market (demand, acceptance, coherence..) –Detailed and consistent description of the vocational fields of activity the program aims at –A qualification profile of the future graduates; they shall be able to fulfill the tasks of the professional field in a manner which is adequate for higher education level Formal Requirements (curriculum, examinations regulations, didactic concept) –A curriculum; i.e. the required qualification profile must be reflected in the curriculum –Duration of study: Bachelor: 3 years ( = 180 credits); Master: 1 to 2 years ( = 60 to120 credits); Diploma: 4 to 5 years ( = 240 to 300 credits) Committments concerning resources and financing

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Development team At least 2 members: Habilitation At least 2 members: relevant practical experience in the corresponding vocational field In case of Accreditation: at least 4 members of the team must be integrated in teaching

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech A system-oriented perspective of quality Compulsary entrance procedure for students limited number of students per year and program are accepted –Submission of a workmap (for design & art programs) –Written examination, personal interviews Evaluation of single courses Per term; students represenatives make proposals; improvement measures Annual „internal evaluation“ of all programs by the management and members of the advisory board QA in the organisation

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Labour market evaluations - TAQC TAQC: Creating an Observatory on Europe-wide TAQC (Transparency of Academic Qualifications and Competences) for Catching the MOLE (Mobility of Labor in Europe) and Filling in the GAP (Generalized Academic Policy) (DIN EN ISO 9001 certified)

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Labour market evaluations - TAQC Sample July to September 2006 a total of 863 valid questionnaires were collected via judgemental sampling technique in 8 European countries

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Employers‘ Suggestions for Improvement Labour market evaluations - TAQC knowing company structures Learn customer related thinking learn more about the real job life and not about theory learning by doing More autonomy (elimination of fixed curricula, more specialization)

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Labour market evaluations - MISLEM To advance a model or step-by- step procedure for assessing the match between skills and competencies developed by educational institutions and those required by labour market To refine and test meta-level indicators (focused on the labour market linkage) for assessing quality in universities and vocational training institutions (VETs) To combine expertise from vocational training instutitions and universities in the area of quality assessment To foster collaboration among different types of partners from education, industry and government To promote transnational cooperation which will lead to the sharing of best practices and potentially greater convergence and comparability across countries‘ educational quality systems

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech MISLEM - Final study sample COUNTRY/GroupsGraduates (N=596) Employers (N=304) Romanian= univ., 12 FHs, 10 VETs n= univ., 10 FHs, no VETs Austrian= univ., 37 FHs, 21 VETs n= univ., 23 FHs, 4 VETs Englandn= univ., 32 VETs n= univ., 9 VETs Slovenian= univ., 100 FHs, 46 VETs n= univ., 34 FHs, 17 VETs

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Meta-Level indicators (%) Graduates Business Knowledge Graduates Business Competenci es Employers Business Knowledge Employers Business Competenci es Indicator #1 (valuable) Indicator #2 (relevant) Indicator #3 (capable) Indicator #4 (gap)

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Evaluation To guarantee the fulfillment of the educational mission and to ensure the quality of the vocational training evaluations are made (evaluation regulations EvalVO 5/2004). standardized process –Internal evaluation (internal report) basis for -> –External evaluation by a review team –Final inspection and assessment by the FH Council –Two types of evaluation Institutional evaluation: strategy & organisation; quality management; program portfolio, R&D, resources, infrastructure…, internationalization, cooperations.. Degree program related evaluation: educational goals, students, organisation and Q-assurance, personal, infrastructure, R&D

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech Topics of Evaluation Development status of the evaluated unit Most relevant results per evaluated unit concerning strengths, weaknesses and future perspectives Overall picture and characteristic features of the evaluated unit Assessment of future developments Mandatory cooperation with an independent, internationally accepted Quality assurance agency.

QA Conference Sarajevo © Mag. FH Bernadette Frech External Auditing