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Quality Assurance Units in HEIs: Challenges. Dolina Dowling December 2010 Presentations 2, 3. Challenges facing QA Units. These include: QA Units Institution University staff Implementation Impact Students Quality Agency; external bodies. Challenges facing QA Units. Within QA Units - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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These include:
QA Units
Institution
University staff
Implementation
Impact
Students
Quality Agency; external bodies
Within QA Units
Staffing
Training
Resources: physical; finance
Documentation development
Institution
Lack of commitment and support from
leadership
Lack of clear and realistic institutional mission
and goals
Lack of strategic plans at different levels within
institution
Lack of embedded culture of QA
StaffIndifference
‘Fine as long as I am left to get on with my work’
Resistance‘Have successful research record and many high achieving graduates why would I change now’
Time‘This takes me away from my primary
responsibilities of teaching and research’
Lack of knowledge and understanding
Implementation
Awareness at all levels of policies and
procedures
Consistent implementation of policies and
procedures
Implementing activities that enhance quality
and meet external agency requirements
Time
Miscellaneous
ImpactHow to measure effectiveness of QA Unit
StudentsHow to get student involvement in quality
issues
Higher Education SectorLittle or no co-operation/sharing
Quality Assurance Agency
Overstretched by QA Agency requirements and
requests
Time gap between site visit and publication of report
Developing Plan to address findings in Audit Reports
Gaining staff buy-in (again)
Implementing Improvement Plan
Resourcing issues for implementation of Plans within
Unit; across institution
Break into groups
Consider challenges that you have faced
Develop strategies to overcome
What is needed for success
QA Unit leader to have academic credibility
Academic Board and Faculty representation
Responsiveness of Unit team
Good communication strategy
QA champion in each faculty or unit
Staff buy-in of policies and procedures◦ Focus groups◦ Intranet ◦ Take comments on new policies and procedures
seriously◦ Not something that Unit does alone◦ Facilitating role◦ Everyone’s responsibility
CollegialityEnsure room for discussion
No mismatch between institutional values and QA model
Planning, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms on T&L, research, need to be aligned to staff’s own work and peer review
Implementation of feedbackStaff, students
To sum up:
Strong commitment from Executive
Credible QA leader
Sufficiently resourced Unit to fulfill its role
QA representation on all key committees
Collegial approach
Robust communication
Measuring impact and ensuring good outcomes known
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