An Analysis of Quality Assurance in Education in Greece The Case of the Department of Informatics and Communications of TEI of Central Macedonia Sarigiannidou Polyxeni Department of Informatics and Communications TEI of Central Macedonia Master of Science in Communication and Information Systems

Abstract  The evaluation procedure and the stages of the internal and the external evaluation of an Institution.  The external evaluation of the Department of Informatics and Communications of TEI of Central Macedonia.  The external evaluations of two other Departments of Informatics The Information Technology Department of TEI of Thessaloniki The Informatics Department of TEI of Athens  A final contrast between the three departments of the same object of studies.

Introduction  The quality assurance in Higher Education is a formal procedure for all the Higher Education Institutions.  After the self evaluation of each department, a committee of independent experts starts the procedure of the external evaluation.  The results of the evaluation are acknowledged to the department in order to be improved according to the recommendations of the EEC.  The Department of Informatics and Communications of TEI of Central Macedonia and the other two departments have already been under evaluation.

Context and Scope  The main context of this dissertation is to fully understand the procedure and the meaning of the evaluation for the Higher Education Institutions in our country.  Our scope is to contrast the evaluations of the three departments in order to find advantages and disadvantages, focusing on the potential improvements of our department, of Central Macedonia.  To highlight the continued remarkable efforts of the academic members of the Department of Central Macedonia for improvement in teaching and research.

The Quality Assurance System  Scope of the Quality Assurance System – the establishment of a single approach for the record, the understanding and the systematic assessments of the task of the Academic Units and the Institutions they belong to.  Amplify the Institutions to achieve their mission.  Ultimate scope to form a documented recommendation in order to Take measures Establish or improve the statuettes Form directions or strategies to improve and assure the quality of the Higher Educational System.

Utility of the Quality Assurance  The Higher Educational Institutes formulate their perspectives for their mission, record the ways they use to achieve those perspectives, form and evaluate the means required.  This is the way to highlight the level of quality of their teaching, researching and management functions.

Processes of the Quality Assurance System  The Quality Assurance System is consisted from three individual processes under the guidance of the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education: The Annual valuation of the Academic Units – self evaluation reports. The Internal Evaluation of the Academic Units repeated every four years. The External Evaluation from independent experts repeated every four years.

Annual Valuation  In the first step of the quality assurance every academic unit, annually performs valuation and recording of its work.  The self evaluation record is consisted of the collected elements.  On the level of the Institution the evaluation report is drawn every two years.

The Internal Evaluation  The Internal Evaluation covers two successive academic semesters and is repeated every four years at the latest.  The Internal Evaluation Group is appointed by the academic unit and is responsible for coordinating the process and for the composition of the Internal Evaluation Report.

The Internal Evaluation – Quality Assurance Unit  The responsibilities of the QAU are: The composition every year of the internal reports, taking into account the annual internal reports The composition every four years of an internal evaluation report Overall responsibility for the coordination and support of quality assurance and evaluation procedure.

Collection of qualitative and quantitative data  The main criteria for the internal evaluation concern: The quality of the curriculum The teaching processes The research processes All the other services of the academic unit  To collect data all members of the academic unit are invited to fill in Data Collection Forms: Instructor’s inventory card Lesson’s inventory card Questionnaires for the students

The External Evaluation  Consists in the systematic and analytical control through External Evaluation Committees of the conclusions of the Internal Evaluation.  The goal of the External Evaluation is to: Ensure the completeness, the transparency and the objectivity of the internal evaluation report and all the documentary data To identify good practices and areas needed improvement To document, present and support valid demands of the academic unit To promote good practices nationwide

The External Evaluation  The External Evaluation Committee visits the Academic Unit under evaluation.  The External Evaluation Report contains the EEC’s analyses, establishments, recommendations, suggestions and the measures which must be adapted.  When the Report is finalized it is forwarded to the HQAA and then back to the academic unit.  The overall procedure is completed within four months.

Comparison of the Three Departments – Curriculum Advantages  Compatible curriculum with the internationally accepted standards.  Dept. of Central Macedonia and Athens have three divisions.  Most courses have theoretical background and laboratory sessions.

 All Dept. give specialization to their students through the final dissertation.  The curriculum of the Dept. of Athens has been developed through industry and graduates feedback.  The Dept. of Central Macedonia was considered to have excellent lab equipment compatible with international standards and much better than the other departments. Comparison of the Three Departments – Curriculum Advantages

 For the Dept. of Central Macedonia it was commented by the committee: More compatibly between the three divisions First degree should be focused on one area Seems Telecommunications focused  All Dept. appear high percentage of dropouts, support courses might help the situation.  Too high student to faculty ratio, limited human resources and too many temporary staff. New faculty was suggested to the Departments to be recruited.  A Masters program would update the quality of studies of the Departments. The Dept. of Athens already has a collaborating postgraduate program with the Limoges University of France. Comparison of the Three Departments – Curriculum Disadvantages

 All the Dept. use extensively the e-learning and web-based approach in teaching.  The Dept. of Central Macedonia has very nice rooms for lessons and big lecture theatres and good lab environment.  The Dept. of Thessaloniki and Athens seem to have very good network facilities. Comparison of the Three Departments – Teaching Advantages

 The teaching procedures and preparation seems very good with recently updating content.  There seems to be a very good collaboration between the students and the teachers of all the Dept.  Students of Dept. of Thessaloniki and Athens have a very good mobility abroad, also suggested by the committee for the Dept. of Central Macedonia. Comparison of the Three Departments – Teaching Advantages

 The Dept. of Thessaloniki has limited space and minimum number of machines for laboratory work, resulting not all the students to enroll.  The Dept. of Athens was considered mediocre in terms of space and equipment.  The Dept. of Central Macedonia was suggested to connect better the practical with the theoretical part of the courses.  All the Dept. have very low ratio between graduate and enrolled students, due to low educational background. Comparison of the Three Departments – Teaching Disadvantages

 It is hopeful that all the Depts.’ faculty members are interesting and participating in research activities.  Majority of publications and participations in international conferences. Comparison of the Three Departments – Research Advantages Dept.of Central Macedonia Dept. of Thessaloniki Dept. of Athens

 The Dept. of Thessaloniki has recently planned four research labs.  The Dept. of Thessaloniki and Athens keep internal and external collaborations with other Institutes.  The library of the Dept. of Central Macedonia is part of the national consortium for access to several scientific journals and conference proceedings.  All the Dept. usually participate in research projects like ARCHIMEDES and especially the Dept. of Central Macedonia also participates in THALES calls. Comparison of the Three Departments – Research Advantages

 It is really worth mentioning that a member of the academics of the Dept. of Central Macedonia is a holder of three patents.  The Dept. of Athens is also a holder of one patent. Comparison of the Three Departments – Research Advantages

 The Dept. of Central Macedonia has not yet an organized and systematic funding for research.  It should develop collaborations in order to adopt a research profile and improve social relations and ambience between the members.  For all the Dept. more infrastructure is required in terms of space and equipment for research as well more postgraduate students. Comparison of the Three Departments – Research Disadvantages

 The other services provided contain wireless connections, librarian and secretariat services and administrative support.  The library of the Dept. of Central Macedonia is very well organized, with experienced librarians and plenty of scientific books.  Also quality librarian services are provided to the other two Dept. but the Dept. of Athens lacks in printed computer science books. Comparison of the Three Departments – Other Services Advantages

 The Dept. secretariat of Central Macedonia is provided with equipment and software.  The technical service support of the Dept. of Thessaloniki is very well organized and maintained something that should be adopted by the other two Depts.  The carrier office of the Dept. of Central Macedonia and Thessaloniki ensures the transition of the students from academia to employment. Comparison of the Three Departments – Other Services Advantages

 The administrative services of Dept. of Athens and Thessaloniki are only the basic and sometimes seem disorganized and fragmented.  In the Dept. of Central Macedonia the lab spaces although very well equipped lack air-conditioning, local area network and in-building cabling, affecting the performance of students and academics.  All the Dept. should develop satisfactory connection with the local companies. Comparison of the Three Departments – Other Services Disadvantages

Comparative Data Tables

 The committee recommended less students to be entering the Departments each academic year.  120 entries per year would be a manageable number for improved quality of teaching and services provided to the students.

Comparative Data Tables

Conclusions  The Department of Informatics and Communications of TEI of Central Macedonia is the youngest Institution among the others, founded in  Functioning in high standards.  The technical equipment used, the teaching methods followed and the internationally recognized academics, classify the Dept. in one of the best Educational Institutes of the country.

Conclusions  Since the last external evaluation many things have already changed in the Dept. A new Masters Program is functioning in Communication and Information Systems. New equipped and refurnitured teaching classrooms In-building cabling through all the department. New highly educated faculty members.

Conclusions  The Department of Central Macedonia can proudly stand up as one of the best Educational Institutes in its category, with high perspectives for improvement and recognition, through its continued efforts, in teaching and research.

References

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