Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 1 Training Seminar Methodologies and procedures of definition, gathering, elaboration and presentation of information and data for quality assurance of study programmes: experiences and best practices Bratislava, October 2012 Documentation of information and data for the quality assurance of study programmes Alfredo Squarzoni Project Coordinator

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 2 Topics a)Aim and activities of DoQuP project b)First results: definition of the Standards and of the Documentation for the quality assurance (QA) of study programmes (SPs) in partner countries (PCs) c)Next activities and Aim of the training seminars

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 3 Aim of DoQuP project The aim of DoQuP project is the definition and implementation of an on-line documentation system for the QA of SPs in the PCs (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan) consistent with the European standards for internal QA.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 4 Importance of the documentation process Why a clear and complete documentation of learning objectives, educational process, learning context, learning outcomes and management system is an essential and necessary aspect of the QA of SPs ?

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 5  Because the availability of information and data on the characteristics and results of SPs is essential for their transparency, one of the most important objective of the Bologna process, and in order ‘ to ensure trust ’ in the SP capacity to meet the requirements for quality, in one word to guarantee its quality, making possible the formulation of an informed judgment on the SPs’ quality by all the interested parties, first of all students.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 6  But the availability of information and data on the characteristics and results of SPs is also essential and necessary for their comparability at national and international level, another important objective of the Bologna process.  Furthermore, their availability constitutes a powerful incentive to the improvement of SP quality. As a matter of fact, when a SP is required to document its quality, in case of bad quality it is also stimulated to adopt the opportune actions for its improvement.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 7  Without taking into account that the availability of information and data on the characteristics and results of SPs is necessary in every assessment process.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 8 Work Package 1 Definition and implementation of an on-line documentation system for the QA of SPs in the PCs Objectives of the WP 1 a) identification of standards for quality of SPs in the PCs, consistent with the European Standards and Guidelines; b) identification of information and data necessary to assure quality of SPs; c) definition of the methodologies and procedures for their definition, gathering, elaboration and documentation;

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 9 d) definition and organisation of the responsibilities and facilities for their management; e) design and production of the software for their on-line management and documentation; f) implementation of the methodologies and procedures, responsibilities and facilities in all the PCs.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 10 Standards for QA of SPs in PCs The first step of the project has been the definition of the ‘DoQuP standards’ for QA of SP in PCs and of the associated ‘quality requirements’. The identified standards and the associated quality requirements are reported in the document DoQuP standards for quality assurance of study programmes in partner countries, approved by the project board (PB) in the meeting in Biskek on May 4 th 2012.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 11 The identified standards are 5 and regards:  Needs and objectives;  Educational process;  Resources;  Results;  Management System.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 12 Standard A - Needs and Objectives The study programme should identify the educational needs of the labour market of reference, establish educational objectives coherent with the mission of the Higher Education Institution and the educational needs of the labour market of reference, and learning outcomes coherent with the established educational objectives.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 13 Standard B - Educational process The study programme should assure students educational activities able to accomplish the established learning outcomes through contents, methods and times adequately designed and planned, take under control their development, assure a correct assessment of students’ learning through suitable assessment methods and establish appropriate criteria for students’ studies progression.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 14 Standard C - Resources The study programme should have at disposal teaching staff, facilities, financial resources, student support services and partnerships with businesses, research institutions and other Higher Education Institutions adequate for the accomplishment of the programme outcomes and able to make students’ studies progression easier.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 15 Standard D - Results The study programme should monitor the results of the educational process at least with respect to entrance students, students’ learning, students’ studies progression, students’ opinion on the educational process, graduates’ placement, in order to check the adequacy and effectiveness of the educational service provided.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 16 Standard E - Management system The study programme should adopt an adequate and effective management system, able to promote the study programme quality and the improvement of the effectiveness of the processes for the study programme management and of the associated results, and should assure its continual adequacy and effectiveness. Furthermore the SP should guarantee the publicity of the information on the study programme.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 17 Then for each standard the processes considered fundamental for a ‘management for quality’ of SPs in PCs and the associated ‘quality requirements’ have been identified. ( Quality Requirements : Statements which express the expected behaviours and results associated to the processes for the management of a SP)

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 18 Identified processes Standard A - Needs and Objectives A1 - Identification of the educational needs of the labour market A2 - Definition of the educational objectives A3 - Definition of the learning outcomes ( Educational objectives : competences to be developed and obtained during the learning process by the students Learning outcomes : statements of what a learner is expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning)

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 19 Standard B - Educational Process B1 - Definition of the admission requirements B2 - Design and planning of the educational process B3 - Realization of the educational process B4 - Assessment of students’ learning and criteria for students’ studies progression

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 20 Standard C - Resources C1 - Identification and put at disposal of the teaching staff C2 - Identification and put at disposal of facilities (in particular: lesson rooms, laboratories, libraries) C3 - Identification and put at disposal of financial resources C4 - Organisation and management of student support services (in particular: orienteering, counselling and tutoring services) C5 - Establishment of partnerships (with national and international businesses, research institutions and other Higher Education Institutions for the development of students’ external education and mobility)

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 21 Standard D - Results D1 - Monitoring of the entrance students D2 - Monitoring of the students’ learning D3 - Monitoring of the students’ studies progression D4 - Monitoring of the students’ opinion on the educational process D5 - Monitoring of the graduates’ placement

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 22 Standard E - Management System E1 - Definition of the processes for the SP management and of the organisational structure E2 - Adoption of initiatives for the quality promotion E3 - Re-examination and improvement E4 - Publicizing of information on the SP

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 23 Example of Quality Requirement Quality Requirement A1 - Educational needs of the labour market The study programme should identify the educational needs of the labour market of reference. The educational needs should be identified in terms of professional profiles and/or roles/activities expected for the graduates and required competences.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 24 Information and data for QA of SPs in PCs The identified requirements for the quality of SPs in PCs have been the starting point for the identification of the information and data to be documented in order to provide evidence of the SP quality, the second step of the DoQuP project.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 25 The identified information and data are reported in the document DoQuP information and data for quality assurance of study programmes in partner countries approved by the PB in the meeting in Astana on August 22 th The required documentation is defined for each quality requirements of the DoQuP standards.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 26 Example of information and data to be documented Quality Requirement A1 - Educational needs of the labour market Ways of identification of the educational needs of the labour market The SP should indicate how the educational needs of the labour market of reference have been identified (e.g.: derived from documents, studies, labour market analysis; through consultations of organisations representative of the production, services and professions world; etc.).

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 27 Identified educational needs of the labour market The SP should identify the educational needs of the labour market of reference in terms of professional profiles and/or roles/activities expected for the graduates in the first years of their placement in the labour market and required competences, and in terms of expected learning outcomes.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 28 The structure of the document DoQuP information and data for quality assurance of study programmes in partner countries suggests also a framework for the documentation of the required information and data for the QA of SPs in PCs.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 29 Next activities and Aim of the training seminars The definition of standards and documentation for the QA of SPs in PCs has concluded the first phase of the project, coincident with the first year of the project. The main responsibility for the accomplishment of this aim was on the European partners of the project. This is easily understandable, because the aim was the definition of standards and documentation consistent with the European Standards and Guidelines for internal QA.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 30 On the contrary, the carrying out of the next activities of the project and in particular of: the definition of the methodologies and procedures of definition, gathering, elaboration and documentation of the identified information and data; the definition and organisation of the responsibilities and facilities for their management; the implementation of the methodologies and procedures, responsibilities and facilities; the implementation of the software for the on-line management of the documentation for the QA of SPs; will necessarily be mainly on the responsibility of the PCs.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 31 Consequently the accomplishment of the next deliverables will require a full involvement of all the project partners but in particular of all the partners of the PCs.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 32 The first two of the three training seminars programmed by the project, i.e. the seminars on: methodologies and procedure of definition, gathering, elaboration and documentation of the identified information and data; definition and organisation of the responsibilities and facilities for the definition, gathering, elaboration and documentation of the identified information and data; have one main objective :

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 33 to introduce experiences and best practices on methodologies and procedures and on responsibilities and facilities for the management of the documentation for QA of SPs of the European partners of the project. The hope is that the experiences and best practices of the European partners of the project can be a useful reference for the work to be done for the accomplishment of the next deliverables of the project.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 34 Sessions of the Bratislava Seminar The Bratislava Seminar will introduce the next step of the project: the definition of appropriate methodologies and procedures of definition, gathering, elaboration and presentation of the identified information and data for the QA of SPs in PCs. The identified information and data will be the starting point for the identification and definition of the methodologies and procedures for their management.

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 35 Programmed Sessions Session on Monitoring of the adequacy and effectiveness of the educational process perceived by students Session on Monitoring and presentation of the results of the educational process Session on Organisation and management of the student support services Session on Management of the information about student support services in the Quality Assurance System

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 36 Session on TUNING approach to the definition of educational objectives, learning outcomes and curriculum of a study programme Session on Management system and initiatives for the promotion of quality: the process of revision and improvement Session on Methods and procedures of students' learning assessment: strength and weakness points

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 37 Other sessions Session on On-line management of information and data for quality assurance of study programmes Round Table on Strengths and weaknesses of the implementation of the Bologna process in the European countries partners of the project (with particular reference on the consequences on the educational level of the graduates )

Bratislava 10-12/10/2012 1st DoQuP Training Seminar Seminar Introduction 38 Good work and Thanks!