Main challenges and trends in Quality Assurance: the example of Croatia

Main challenges and trends in Quality Assurance: the example of Croatia

Prof Blaženka DivjakVice-rector for students and study programmes

University of Zagreb, June, 2014

Content

• Existing Practices • Main challenges – 5 of them• Case study • Conclusion • Discussion

B. Divjak, University of Zagreb 2

Challenge 1: How to link them with QAS on university and national level?

Current situation: Problems/challengies in higher education that are not addressed on system level

B. Divjak, University of Zagreb

If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow. - John Dewey

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Croatia HE– today • 7 public universities - bigger universities - decentralized • Research-oriented – aspiration for all universities • University- public responsibility ?• Under financed - result of financial crises & lack of

understanding of key role of research and higher education as investment

• Low graduation rates• Bigger proportion of students in social and humanistic science,

instead of STEM• Agency for science and higher education (AZVO) – member of

ENQA – work with full capacity – Meeting standards (student: teacher ratio) for economics

and business studies• Two partial program agreements with universities• New technologies in teaching and learning: e-learning, MOOCS

– Quality assurance for e-learning? – Accreditation and reccognition of MOOCS


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University of Zagreb – teaching and learning

Low graduation rate Gradation rate Bachelor/Integrated: 60% Graduation rate Master: 80% The lowest for part-time students and in natural sciences

and some technical fields Support for underrepresented/underperforming

groups of students Unbalance in favour of social and humanistic

sciences – bust STEM Better use of students evaluations of teachers and

study programmes Better use of learning outcomes Support for teachers and students Strategic goals for next

three years


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Follow up • National Agency – reports on structural problems

to the Ministry and government• Program agreements between the government

and universities– Overall program agreements based on findings– Follow up of indicators and results

• Obligation for HEIs and the government• Holistic approach • Public and political recognition of role and

potential of higher education and research• Accreditation and recognition of online programs,

LLP and MOOCS– European/global project B. Divjak, University of Zagreb 6

Challenge 2: How to make strategies work?

Current situation: Strategies usually in place on a university level, emerging national strategies


If past and the present quarrels, the future will be lost. – Winston Churchill

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New strategy for 2014-2020 (vision: 2025)

• No national strategy on HE – draft discussed • University of Zagreb

– Strategy for teaching and learning– Strategy for student support– Strategy for quality assurance system– Strategy for research – Strategy of internationalization

• Action planes, responsibilities, recourses, risks, milestones…• Strategies widely known and accepted• Reports on regular bases to the Parliament, Senate,

publically available• Follow and assure quality of the results not just quantity


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Challenge 3: How to use it in decision making?

Current situation: Documents and procedures in place but coordination of decentralizes structure hinder positive results


Firstly we need facts, and then you can do whatever you want with them.

First of all you need facts, then they can be misinterpret. Mark Twain

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Usual structure of QAS at universities in Croatia• Statute of the University – Committee for QA

– Office for QA – logistics & support – Daily guidance and management – vice-rector

• On faculty level – faculty/academy committee for QA – Coordination through the Office, regular meetings , reports

etc. • Students participate in all committees, but external

members rarly • Main QA procedures harmonised through all

faculties• Other procedures “fit to purpose” on particular

faculty B. Divjak, University of

Zagreb 10

Positive vs negative aspects decetralization

• Fit to the overall mission and organizational structure

• Doesn’t require vast resources

• Give opportunity to take into account specifics of different faculties – innovative approaches

• Flexibility, dialog and coordination

• Challenging harmonization horizontally and vertically

• Sharing responsibility – not always clear

• Committee for QA mainly focus on quality of teaching and learning - difficulty to cover all aspect

• Time consuming (meetings!) and slow process (patience )


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Evaluations in Croatian HEIs

Internal • Periodic review of QA – every 2

years• Approval of new study

programmes and changes in existing study

• Students evaluation of teachers and study programmes

• Recognition of ECTS credits for extracurricular activities

• Promotion of professors – confirmation

• …

External • National agency AZVO

– Audit of QAS– Re-accreditation of

study– Thematic evaluations

• EUA IEP• Other: ASIIN..• Specific for business

processes, labs etc. : ISO


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Follow up• Insist on follow up phase• Start new cycle after thoroughal analysis of

achievements from the last evaluation• Dissemination is important• Good practice dissemination even more important• But: not all recommendation from

external/internal evaluations are useful or applicable– Crucial: choice and training of experts, – Avoidance of conflict of interest– Possibilities to get clarifications


Challenge 4: How to make avoid overburden with little influence?

Current situation: Student evaluations implemented but their influence is not fully exploited


The secret of a successful education is respect towards the students - Ralph Emerson-

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Student evaluation:

Of teachers UniZg- 2011./2012. &

2012./2013.

• 21 faculties • 6104 pairs teacher-course

evaluated • 216 009 participants

(pairs student – evaluation form)- 60% female students- 40% male students

Of study programsUndergraduate• 23 faculties• N=3280 (54,7% F,

45,3% M)Graduate • 25 faculties• N=3160 (54,1% F,

45,9% M)Integrated • 9 faculties• N=1117 (71,57% F,

28,43% M)B. Divjak, University of Zagreb 15

Results related to the teacher’s performance

1. Classes are held regularly and begin on time. M=4,51; sd=0,85

2. The teacher treats the students fairly and respectfully. M=4,43; sd=0,93

3. The teacher is motivated and conscientious in performing his/her tasks. M=4,30; sd=0,97

4. .5. .6. .7. .8. .9. Methods, examples and exercises facilitate the achievement of

learning outcomes. M=3,95; sd=1,0910. The teacher uses various materials to raise the quality of

teaching (e.g. e-learning, pre-prepared materials). M= 3,81; sd=1,15 16B. Divjak, University of Zagreb

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIESthe worst rated

TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT

24. Usefulness of lectures for understanding required contents. M=3,17; sd=1,21

25. Practical work in laboratories (seminars) and opportunities to check acquired knowledge and skills in practice. M=3,47; sd=0,95

35. Continuous assessment in courses during the semester. M=3,47; sd=0,97

TREATMENT OF STUDENTS AND LEARNING SUPPORT

49. Advising/teaching students about strategies for more efficient learning. M=2,96; sd=1,21

42. Showing understanding for students’ problems and obligations outside the study programme. M=3,11; sd=1,26

43. Showing trust in students’ abilities and encouraging their self-confidence. M=3,15; sd=1,22

17B. Divjak, University of Zagreb

Follow up

• Centre for student counselling and support - 2013• Centre for teacher excellence -2014 • They are not recognized as necessary• Teaching competences are not viewed as equally

important as research competences• Important to strenghten interlink research and

education • Establish profession of university teacher


Challenge 5: How to make a shift to quality culture?

Current situation: we used to filling in forms, but we are focused on financial issues, laws, government bad decision…


The purpose of education is knowledge of values, not facts. - William Ralph Inge

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Quality culture - values • Learning• Enhancing • Authonomy• Responsibility • Network • Values• Ownership• Teamwork • Engage B. Divjak, University of Zagreb 20

Education

Research Outreach

Values

Conclusions • Establishing Quality assurance enhancing

Quality culture • Balance between keeping things simple and establishing

overarching system• Agencies usually stick to the procedures and it helps, but also

shift focus from the essence• Work with students, not just students organizations • QAS scratch the surface, we are used to accommodate to

every demand • Assure full use of follow-up activities after internal (external)

evaluations• Still lack of essential shifts

– academic values in process of promotion of quality culture• Strategies to reach every single teachers, students,

administrative• Data collection and monitoring of indicators + link to

decision making processes• Taking into account new technology in teaching and learning • Coordination on national, regional and EU level


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THANK YOU


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