Prof. dr. Bozin Donevski University “St. Kliment Ohridski” 7000 Bitola, Macedonia EVALUATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA University “St. Kliment Ohridski” 7000 Bitola, Macedonia

1. PROJECT BACKGROUND The new Law on Higher Education caught the higher education institutions unprepared to cope with all of the novelties, especially with the part related to the quality assurance procedures.

1. PROJECT BACKGROUND Higher education institutions in the Republic of Macedonia were facing evaluation processes for the first time; There was no experience and expertise available from the field of quality assurance in HE in Macedonia, apart from the partial and incomplete knowledge acquired from the TEMPUS projects; The Law on Higher Education does not provide for a precise definition of the status and role of the Evaluation Agency. as a newly formed expert body (established in accordance with Article 28 as a body responsible for external evaluation and overall quality assessment of the faculty within the universities and other higher education institutions in the Republic of Macedonia); Article 184 lays down the deadline for evaluation and accreditation of study programs in higher education (and research) State institutions, which is 24 months from the date the Law entered into force (i.e. until 11th August 2002). Therefore, the universities in Macedonia must undergo evaluation processes if they want to meet the deadline and comply with the Law;

2. THE LAW OF HE-2000: NEW BODIES INTERUNIVERSITY CONFERENCE BOARD OF ACREDITATION AGENCY FOR EVALUATION

INTERUNIVERSITY CONFERENCE: repetition of University senate in situation when faculties function as universities

BOARD OF ACREDITATION: independent body, composed of 15 members (8 elected by Inter-university Conference, 2 by Academy of Science and Art and 4 by the Government of RM). Competent for giving licenses for: –establishing a higher education institution; –organizing new study programs; –determining capacities for studying at the HE institution; etc Administratively and financially connected with the Ministry of Education and Science.

AGENCY FOR EVALUATION: Composed of 9 members, proposed by the Inter-university Conference and elected by the Board for Accreditation. Responsible for: –External evaluation of HEI –Overall quality assessment of the academic staff. Status of the Agency unclear

3. COMPLETED ACTIVITIES National level Inter-university Conference

National level Norms and Standards for establishing a Higher Education Institution and practicing education activities (recently adopted by Government of RM); Guidelines for Quality Assurance and Assessment of Higher Education Institutions and Academic Staff in the Republic of Macedonia (Published in Official Journal of RM).

Inter-university Conference Guidelines for the unified basics of the evaluation and evaluation procedures of the universities; Guidelines for evaluation of Faculty/Higher Education Institution/Research Institutes Two models of student questionnaire for evaluation of academic and assistant staff

4. INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK AND CAPACITY BUILDING OF HEI FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE Infrastructure Network Capacity Building of HE Institutions Capacity Building of Agency for Evaluation of HE

Infrastructure Network HE Institutions have established Self- evaluation Committees on the faculties and universities level (base for developing infrastructure bodies for quality assurance of HE)

Capacity Building of HE Institutions Short workshops (3 in Skopje and 1 in Bitola) were organized for Self-evaluation training for the elected members of the Evaluation Commissions. Its topics were the use of the self-evaluation process implementation guidelines and the preparation of self-evaluation report. Two experts of the French National Agency and one from Dutch Agency for Quality Assurance (VSNU) conducted this training for Evaluation.

Capacity Building of Agency for Evaluation of HE Members of the agency also participated in the same workshops

5. PERFORMING THE INSTITUTIONAL SELF-EVALUATION Goals of self-evaluation Self-evaluation segments

Goals of self-evaluation Self-evaluation, as the first step in the evaluation process, has the following main goals: to produce a brief overview of the teaching and learning process, bearing in mind the impact of the scientific and research activities in that process; to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the higher education institution (by applying of a SWOT analysis); to lay down the basis for self-evaluation of the university; to lay down the basis for self-evaluation of the Agency for evaluation of higher education of Republic of Macedonia.

Self-evaluation segments Self-evaluation shall be directed towards monitoring and analysis in several segments, especially towards: the mission and goals of the higher education institution; strategy for achieving the mission; description of the faculty/higher education institution/research institutes, accredited for undertaking higher education activity; study program and subject courses; teaching staff and assistants; teaching and learning activity; students; facilities and material conditions (resources); logistics; external co-operation; scientific research activity; financing.

6. RESULTS Self-evaluation process Self-evaluation reports

Self-evaluation process During the period of April to end of June 2002 a self-evaluation process was conducted in most of the HE and Research Institutions in Macedonia. In these process were also involved students, who have provide for the first time three types of student questionnaires.

Self-evaluation reports 26 Institutional Self-evaluation reports were prepared at the University in Skopje 7 Institutional Self-evaluation reports were prepared at the University in Bitola. The University Self-evaluation Committee also prepared a self-evaluation report for the University level.

7. STUDENT QUESTIONARES

8. FURTHER CONTINUATION (INSTITUTIONAL EXTENAL EVALUATION)

University “St. Kliment Ohridski” 7000 Bitola, Macedonia