12.5.2003 Professor Ilkka Virtanen University of Vaasa & FINHEEC 1

Accrediting Professional Courses in Finnish Higher Education Institutions

Accrediting Lifelong Learning25th EUCEN European Conference

Brno, May 14-17, 2003 Ilkka Virtanen

12.5.2003 Professor Ilkka Virtanen University of Vaasa & FINHEEC 2

Outline for Contents

1. Accrediting higher education (universities and polytechnics) in Finland; some general views

2. Accreditation and registration of professional courses law-directed

3. General principles and the procedure in accrediting non-degree professional courses

4. Accreditation as an element of quality assurance system

12.5.2003 Professor Ilkka Virtanen University of Vaasa & FINHEEC 3

Accreditation of HE in Finland

• Degree programmes: mainly (especially in universities) a political ”ex ante” accreditation

– The fields of study in universities is determined by decrees– Accreditation of the polytechnics and their programmes is

based on evaluation by the Higher Education Evaluation Council (FINHEEC)

• (Voluntary) accreditation and registration of professional (continuing education) courses offered by higher education institutions is decree-directed

– Conducted by the Accreditation Board of Professional Courses, a subsection of FINHEEC

12.5.2003 Professor Ilkka Virtanen University of Vaasa & FINHEEC 4

Accreditation of HE in Finland (2)

• Evaluations initiated by the FINHEEC– Evaluations of higher education institutions

• Institutional evaluations (universities and polytechnics)

• Audit of quality work (polytechnics)

– Programme and thematic evaluations • Evaluations commissioned by the Ministry of

Education– Selection of the Centres of Excellence in Education and

Adult Education (universities and polytechnics)

– Centres of Excellence in Regional Impact (polytechnics)

12.5.2003 Professor Ilkka Virtanen University of Vaasa & FINHEEC 5

Accreditation and registration of professional courses directed by a decree

• The Higher Education Evaluation Council (FINHEEC)

– An independent expert body assisting universities, polytechnics and the Ministry of Education in matters relating to evaluation. The scope of the Council's activities covers 20 universities and 29 polytechnics. (Decree 1320/1995)

– http://www.minedu.fi/asiant/kka/english/finheec.htm#finheec• The Accreditation Board of Professional Courses

– A subsection FINHEEC, responsible of Accreditation (i.e. evaluation and registration) of professional courses offered by HE institutions (Decree 465/1998)

– http://www.minedu.fi/asiant/kka/english/projects/accre.htm

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Accreditation and registration of professional courses directed by a decree

• Professional courses accredited by the Board strictly defined– Offered by universities and polytechnics

– Continuing education assisting professional development

– Based on first-degree (or higher) education

– Long-term (min. 30 ECTS credits) education

– Non-degree education (in Finland e.g. MBA is not a degree); in polytechnics the professional courses can be included in post-graduate degrees

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General principles in accrediting• An external process for assessing whether the education is

conducted according to fixed publicly available criteria and standards

• Voluntary for HE institutions, is based on institution’s application; the aim is to support the development of education, not to guard or control it

• Is based on institution’s course documentation, self-evaluation and external evaluation (site visit by a PRT, their report, final decision by the Board)

• Accreditation applies to an individual course, not to the institution or its sub-unit

• Future-oriented, continuous improvement of the educational process most important (the decision of the Board is always appended with a feedback and list of recommendations)

12.5.2003 Professor Ilkka Virtanen University of Vaasa & FINHEEC 8

Accrediting as a quality assurance tool

• The organiser’s point of view– A tool for quality improvement

• Preparing the application starts self-evaluation and operational development

• Educational processes become transparent• The external evaluation contains a strong consultative touch

(during the preparation of the application, site visit and immediate feedback by PRT, feedback by the Board)

– An evaluation based on dialogue and communication offers a forum for discussions between the institution and its stakeholders

• Participation of the stakeholders in the site visits

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Accrediting as a quality assurance tool (2)

• The student’s point of view– Does a certain course provide the quality of education it

claims to offer ? • Fulfilment of the general criteria in HE?

• Work-orientation?

• Pedagogical arrangements?

• Practical arrangements?

• Feedback and quality assurance arrangements?

– Ensuring of students’ interest; an external, objective advance assessment of the quality of education

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Accrediting as a quality assurance tool (3)

• The working life’s point of view– Helps to identify eligible programmes which can be

used in • Personnel training

• Assessing the competence of recruits

– On site visits, the PRT typically includes an expert from working life

– Three members (out of 12) of the Accreditation Board represent commercial and industrial life and the public sector

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Key words in accrediting of professional courses

• Independence• Expertise• Quality • Reliability• Transparency• Dialogue and interaction• Development before control• Voluntariness