QUALITY ASSURANCE IN IRISH HIGHER EDUCATION Tuesday, September 19 Fergal Costello Higher Education Authority

Overview: 1.Overview - Ireland 2.The basis for quality assurance 3.The practice of quality assurance in the Irish Higher Education Sector 4.Recent reviews of Irish quality assurance systems 5.Conclusions

Overview Population c 4 million GDP circa €161 billion /GNP c €136 billion (2005) Roughly 135,000 students in Full time third level education c. 55% of relevant age cohort progress to higher education (2004) Investment in Higher Education –Spend on Higher Education 2005 c. €1.5 billion or 3.3% of total Govt spending

Introduction to Irish Third Level Education Developments in higher education in Ireland, particularly over the past twenty years, have been based on a differentiated system of third-level education One part is formed by the universities and the designated institutions under the Higher Education Authority, with state funding allocated by the Authority The other part includes the institutions designated under the Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992, and the Dublin Institute of Technology, with state funding allocated directly by the Department of Education & Science

The Basis for Quality Assurance: The Universities Act 1997 and QA Universities are required “to establish and implement procedures for quality assurance aimed at improving the quality of education and related services provided by the university” These procedures shall include – –“the evaluation, at regular intervals and in any case not less than once in every ten years …. of each department and, where appropriate, faculty of the university and any service provided by the university, by employees of the university … and by persons, other than employees, who are competent to make national and international comparisons on the quality of teaching and research and the provision of other services at university level, and –assessment by those, including students, availing of the teaching, research and other services provided by the university”

The Basis for Quality Assurance: Institutes of Technology Section 28 of Qualifications Act Providers to establish procedures for QA in agreement with Council Includes –Evaluation of programmes –Evaluation by learners –Evaluation of services Council, in consultation with NQAI, shall review effectiveness of procedures established Consultation paper issued April 2005 setting out process for reviews

The Basis for Quality Assurance: Dublin Institute of Technology Qualifications Act S.39 –DIT to establish QA procedures in agreement with NQAI –NQAI to consider findings of such proceudres and make recommendations to the Institute –NQAI in consultation with DIT review effectiveness of procedures and implementation of findings of procedures

The Practice of QA in Irish Universities: 1.The Self-Assessment (i)What is the university trying to do? (ii)How is the university trying to do it? (iii)How does the university know it works? (iv)How does the university change in order to improve? 2.The Peer Review Group –Concentrates on fourth question 3.Publication and Implementation –As per Universities Act, Section 35 4.Response

The Practice of QA in IoTs Programme Validation Delegation of Authority –Programme Accreditation Committee (PAC) –Research Degree Committee (RDPC) Both the PAC and the RDPC have delegated validation powers Agreement on quality assurance procedures with HETAC –Institutions to be reviews at periodic intervals Approach considered effective

The Practice of QA in DIT Degree awarding powers since 1997 Qualifications Act 1999 –DIT obliged to agree its quality assurance procedures with the NQAI Academic Quality Assurance Committee –Focuses on school-bases reviews –Regular monitoring of existing courses

Recent reviews: 2005 EUA University Review Recommendations: Peer Review Team Members Broader Definition of Quality Shorter time-frame Review of Inter-disciplinary processes Link to Strategic Plans Focus on the useful outcomes of the QA review Increase role of student in the QA review process

Other Recent Reviews: HETAC Review (2006) First review of HETAC Performed statutory functions effectively Complied with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area DIT Review (2006) Jointly commissioned by the DIT and the NQAI Aim was to assess DIT’s ability to change via its strategic planning and internal quality culture Review published on website

Way Forward Relatively new QA system –Yielding important returns –OECD Review: Needs to evolve and mature –Continuing Changes – Bologna declarations, international developments etc Need to build awareness of quality among the general public –Quality reviews are published yet receive low level of media coverage.

Way Forward II Challenge to maintain standards cross an institution’s courses over the years –2004 percentage of first class and upper second class awarded increased in every university since 1998 –Always a level of variation, but persistent upward trend an issue Need to address inconsistencies between institutions of higher education –QA needs to ensure that confidence is maintained in every course at every higher education institution Ensure procedures are useful means of signaling weaknesses and allowing for effective action –2003 review of Medical courses in Ireland –Major concerns over standards identified but how to improve the standard?

Way Forward III How to link funding to improved teaching and learning? –Careful of risks involved –But high level of concern nationally over need to safeguard quality of learning Research investment Increasing numbers of entrants, and widening of ability of specturm of entrants –One option may be to ask institutions to set their own targets and standards arising out of QA processes –Those targets can be used as basis for allocation of a small part of overall grant –Further consideration and consultation necessary

Way Forward III How to link funding to improved teaching and learning? –One option may be to ask institutions to set their own targets and standards arising out of QA processes –Those targets can be used as basis for allocation of a small part of overall grant –Further consideration and consultation necessary

Way Forward IV International Elements Facilitating and supporting European developments –Bologna Declaration of 1999 co-operation with regard to quality assurance Berlin Communique 2003 –Quality at heart of European Higher Education Area –Process for the development of agreed set of standards procedures and guidelines on quality assurance Bergen Communique 2005 –Progress within countries on development QA in line with Berlin –Greater work in respect of student involvement and international co-operation