King Saud University, College of ScienceWorkshop: Programme accreditation and quality

assuranceRiyadh, June 15-16, 2009

I.1The Course Of The

Accreditation Process

www.asiin.de

1. The Bologna-process in a nutshell

2. Structure of the accreditation agency

3. What is the procedure?

4. How long does it take?

5. The price-tag

Content

www.asiin.de

46 Signatory States (*since 2005)Albania LatviaAndorra Liechtenstein*Armenia Lithuania*Azerbaijan LuxembourgAustria MaltaBelgium FYR of MacedoniaBosnia - Herzegovina *MoldovaBulgaria NetherlandsCroatia NorwayCyprus PolandCzech Republic PortugalDenmark RomaniaEstonia RussiaFinland Serbia and MontenegroFrance Slovak Republic*Georgia SloveniaGermany SpainGreece SwedenHoly See SwitzerlandHungary TurkeyIceland *UkraineIreland United KingdomItaly

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The Bologna-Process In A NutshellI

www.asiin.de

General Objective: Completion of the EHEA until 2010; Creation of European knowledge society characterized by high mobility and permeability, lifelong learning

the creation of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees

the creation of a degree system structured in three cycles, undergraduate, graduate and doctorate

the introduction of a credit point system (like ECTS)

the strengthening of European cooperation in Quality Assurance

the promotion of a European dimension in Higher Education

the promotion of academic and professional mobility

The Bologna-Process In A NutshellII

www.asiin.de

The Bologna-Process In A NutshellIII

The degree system/qualification frameworks

A three-cycle degree system is being implemented all across Europe

Adoption of an overarching framework for qualifications in the EHEA, comprising three cycles; formulation of generic descriptors for each cycle based on learning outcomes and competences; fixing of credit ranges in the first and second cycle (180-240 ECTS / 60-120 ECTS).

Commitment of the 46 Bologna countries to develop national qualification frameworks until 2010.

Complementarily between the overarching qualification framework for the EHEA and the proposed broader framework for qualifications for LLL (Kopenhagen Process)

The degree system/qualification frameworks

A three-cycle degree system is being implemented all across Europe

Adoption of an overarching framework for qualifications in the EHEA, comprising three cycles; formulation of generic descriptors for each cycle based on learning outcomes and competences; fixing of credit ranges in the first and second cycle (180-240 ECTS / 60-120 ECTS).

Commitment of the 46 Bologna countries to develop national qualification frameworks until 2010.

Complementarily between the overarching qualification framework for the EHEA and the proposed broader framework for qualifications for LLL (Kopenhagen Process)

1. The Bologna-process in a nutshell

2. Structure of the accreditation agency

3. What is the procedure?

4. How long does it take?

5. The price-tag

Content

www.asiin.de 7

ASIIN e.V. – Organisational Structure

General Assembly-Coordination Group Universities-Coordination Group UAS-Industrial federations + trade unions-Technical / scientific associations + professional organizations

3 delegates per member-group

Board12 persons

Expert Pool Programmes

Accreditation Commission Programmes

appoints

13 Technical Committees

Audit-Teams

appoints on TC recommencation

Board of appeals

Expert Pool QM

Audit-Teams

Accreditation Commission QM

appoints

reviews appeals

appoints

appoints

ASIIN Head Office (coordinates all bodies)

May suggests candidates for expert

pools and TCs

Actual number of Technical Committees:

Techn. Comm. 8

Agricultural and

Nutritional Sciences

Techn. Comm. 8

Agricultural and

Nutritional Sciences

Techn. Comm. 1

Mechanical Engineering/

Process Engineering

Techn. Comm. 1

Mechanical Engineering/

Process Engineering

Techn. Comm. 2

Electrical Engineering/

Information Technology

Techn. Comm. 2

Electrical Engineering/

Information Technology

Techn. Comm. 3

Civil Engineering/

Surveying

Techn. Comm. 3

Civil Engineering/

Surveying

Techn. Comm. 5

Physical Technologies, Materials and Process

Engineering

Techn. Comm. 5

Physical Technologies, Materials and Process

Engineering

Techn. Comm. 6

Industrial Engineering

Techn. Comm. 6

Industrial EngineeringTechn. Comm. 7

Information Management

Techn. Comm. 7

Information Management

Techn. Comm. 4

Information Technology

Techn. Comm. 4

Information Technology

3Persons fromUniversities

3Persons fromuniversities of

applied sciences

3Persons from

industry

1-2Student members

Techn. Comm. 9

Chemistry

Techn. Comm. 9

ChemistryTechn. Comm. 10

Biology

Techn. Comm. 10

Biology

Techn. Comm. 11

Geosciences

Techn. Comm. 11

GeosciencesTechn. Comm. 12

Mathematics

Techn. Comm. 12

MathematicsTechn. Comm. 13

Physics

Techn. Comm. 13

Physics

Actual number of Technical Committees:

Techn. Comm. 8

Agricultural and

Nutritional Sciences

Techn. Comm. 8

Agricultural and

Nutritional Sciences

Techn. Comm. 1

Mechanical Engineering/

Process Engineering

Techn. Comm. 1

Mechanical Engineering/

Process Engineering

Techn. Comm. 2

Electrical Engineering/

Information Technology

Techn. Comm. 2

Electrical Engineering/

Information Technology

Techn. Comm. 3

Civil Engineering/

Surveying

Techn. Comm. 3

Civil Engineering/

Surveying

Techn. Comm. 5

Physical Technologies, Materials and Process

Engineering

Techn. Comm. 5

Physical Technologies, Materials and Process

Engineering

Techn. Comm. 6

Industrial Engineering

Techn. Comm. 6

Industrial EngineeringTechn. Comm. 7

Information Management

Techn. Comm. 7

Information Management

Techn. Comm. 4

Information Technology

Techn. Comm. 4

Information Technology

3Persons fromUniversities

3Persons fromuniversities of

applied sciences

3Persons from

industry

1-2Student members

Techn. Comm. 9

Chemistry

Techn. Comm. 9

ChemistryTechn. Comm. 10

Biology

Techn. Comm. 10

Biology

Techn. Comm. 11

Geosciences

Techn. Comm. 11

GeosciencesTechn. Comm. 12

Mathematics

Techn. Comm. 12

MathematicsTechn. Comm. 13

Physics

Techn. Comm. 13

Physics

1. The Bologna-process in a nutshell

2. Structure of the accreditation agency

3. What is the procedure?

4. How long does it take?

5. The price-tag

Content

Official Request

Tender / Contract

Self-Assessment draft

Application

Peer‘s final recommendation

Formal checkup

Submission of final self-assesment

Peer-Review Decision

Response to the report

Accreditation report - first version

On-site visit Technical Committee(s)

(Recommendation)

Accreditation Commission for Study Programs(final decision)

The three stages of the accreditation process

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Initiation of theAccreditation Process

HEI must turn in the Accreditation Request

Discussion in ASIIN‘s Technical Committee(s)

HEI will receive tender letter (including benefits, price

and a proposed timeline)

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Preparing the Self-Assessment

• Self assessment report must be compiled by the university

• It is based on the internal QA-system

• Compilation takes 6-12 months to prepare• Univesity staff (administrative and

academic) needs to contribute content

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Checkup & Finalizing

Preparation and discussion of the draft of the self

assessment

Turning in the final version of the self assessment

Official Request

Tender / Contract

Self-Assessment draft

Application

Peer‘s final recommendation

Formal checkup

Submission of final self-assesment

Peer-Review Decision

Response to the report

Accreditation report - first version

On-site visit Technical Committee(s)

(Recommendation)

Accreditation Commission for Study Programs(final decision)

The three stages of the accreditation process

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A Peer Review - The Audit Team

• ASIIN has a pool of about 1,300 peers• Standard team for initial accreditation:

4 ASIIN peers representatives from– Research Oriented Universities (1-2 peers)– Universities of Applied Sciences (1-2 peers)– Industry (1 peer)

• Principles:– Independence– Expertise– Comprehensiveness– Authority

• If possible, appointment of foreign peers

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The On-Site Visit

• Discussions with…– Administration– Programme co-ordinators– Academic staff– students

• Review of exams (written exams, final exams, project reports…)

• Visitation of the institution (laboratories,library, equipment…)

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Standard 1½-Day Audit

Preceding eveningBy 17:00 Arrival of the audit team 17:00 Preliminary meeting of the audit team

Focus areas: Analysis of the application for accreditation; unanswered questions; topics for discussion on-site

Audit08:30 Opening meeting with the programme coordinators and the institution of

higher education administrationFocus areas: The institution’s development plans; the position of the subject/

degree programme within the institutional context; the profile and development prospects of the subject / degree programme from the perspective of the institution’s administration

Study, teaching and research at the participating institutions; staff planning; cooperation; development prospects; resources; communication and coordination; organisation of the course of study and teaching management; quality assurance

09:15 Break, internal discussions

The On-Site Visit – Sample Audit Schedule

17

09:30 Meeting with the programme coordinatorsFocus areas: Objectives; curriculum; programme

structure; teaching and research content and methods; guidance and supervision of students; organisation of examinations; success of the programme; labour market relevance

11:00 Break, internal discussions11:15 Meeting with students at different stages of the

degree programme and the student body (especially in the case of reaccreditation)

Focus areas: Objectives and the degree programme; course content, organisation and structure of the programme; examinations; guidance and supervision of students; working conditions; study abroad

12:15 Lunch, internal discussions

The On-Site Visit – Sample Audit Schedule

18

13.00 Perusal of examination papers, project work and final theses

13:45 Meeting with the teaching staff of the degree programmeFocus areas: Curriculum; programme structure; teaching

content and methods; guidance and supervision of students; professional development of teaching staff

14:45 Tour of the participating institutionsInspection of laboratories, technical equipment, study-related

facilities (e.g. library, rooms for teaching and study), projects15:45 Final internal consultations of the audit team16:30 Closing meeting with the programme coordinators

Focus areas: Summary of the impressions gained during the day by the audit team; opportunity for the programme coordinators to provide additional explanations or clarify points that remain unclear

17:00 Conclusion of audit

The On-Site Visit – Sample Audit Schedule

19

After the On-Site Visit

Audit report will be prepared by ASIIN

HEI receives report and has a chance

to respond to it by commenting and turning in

further documentation

Final recommentation by peers

Discussion in ASIIN‘s Technical Committee(s)

Discussion in ASIIN‘s Accreditation

Commission

HEI receives accreditation decision

Official Request

Tender / Contract

Self-Assessment draft

Application

Peer‘s final recommendation

Formal checkup

Submission of final self-assesment

Peer-Review Decision

Response to the report

Accreditation report - first version

On-site visit Technical Committee(s)

(Recommendation)

Accreditation Commission for Study Programs(final decision)

The three stages of the accreditation process

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Possible Decisions

• Accreditation without reservation

• Limited accreditation with requirements and

recommendations

• Suspension

• Definite rejection

1. The Bologna-process in a nutshell

2. Structure of the accreditation agency

3. What is the procedure?

4. How long does it take?

5. The price-tag

Content

Time frame

23

Submission of the final self assessment report

• Audit (+8 weeks)• Audit report (+2 weeks)• Comments by the HEI (+4 weeks)• Recommendation of the peers (+1 week)• Recommendation of the Technical Committee(s)

(+4 weeks)

Decision of the Accreditation Commission(+2 weeks)

total duration: approx. 5-6 months

1. The Bologna-process in a nutshell

2. Structure of the accreditation agency

3. What is the procedure?

4. How long does it take?

5. The price-tag

Content

25

Financial Framework

• ASIIN e.V. is a non-profit organisation

• Costs depend on:– Number of peers ( travelling,

accomodation and subsistence)– Number of programmes to be accredited– Duration of audit

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Services

Preliminary meeting (usually at the ASIIN office) Organisation of the audit and the audit team Accreditation report & certificate Intensive support before, during and after the audit Listing and description of the programmes on ASIIN‘s

website Award of additional European quality labels

(if applied for at a nominal fee)

A new pilot project for the introduction of a Euromaster Label has been launched in July 2006.

Joint applications for Eurobachelor® and Euromaster will then be possible.

A new pilot project for the introduction of a Euromaster Label has been launched in July 2006.

Joint applications for Eurobachelor® and Euromaster will then be possible.

The European Chemistry Thematic Network Association (ECTNA)• Non-profit association registered in Belgium;• outcome of six years of network activity;• developed as part of the EU project „Tuning Educational Structures in

Europe“.

Members• Higher education institutions, national chemical societies and chemical

and software companies • currently over 120 members from 30 different European countries• associate members world-wide.

Activities• European expert groups work on a range of topics and produce reports

with European dimension.

The European Chemistry Thematic Network Association (ECTNA)• Non-profit association registered in Belgium;• outcome of six years of network activity;• developed as part of the EU project „Tuning Educational Structures in

Europe“.

Members• Higher education institutions, national chemical societies and chemical

and software companies • currently over 120 members from 30 different European countries• associate members world-wide.

Activities• European expert groups work on a range of topics and produce reports

with European dimension.

Facts• Framework Standards for a first and second cycle qualification in

chemistry• Eurobachelor® Framework approved in 2003, Euromaster Framework

approved in 2006®• >40 Eurobachelor® and >10 Euromaster® Chemistry Quality Labels

have been awarded to 27 institutions and 1 consortium from 13 countries.

Requirements on• Outcomes• Curricular structure and contents• Mobility (credit points, modules, recognition, diploma supplement)• Methods of teaching, learning and assessment

Further information:www.EUROBACHELOR.eu

Facts• Framework Standards for a first and second cycle qualification in

chemistry• Eurobachelor® Framework approved in 2003, Euromaster Framework

approved in 2006®• >40 Eurobachelor® and >10 Euromaster® Chemistry Quality Labels

have been awarded to 27 institutions and 1 consortium from 13 countries.

Requirements on• Outcomes• Curricular structure and contents• Mobility (credit points, modules, recognition, diploma supplement)• Methods of teaching, learning and assessment

Further information:www.EUROBACHELOR.eu

Eurobachelor® and Euromaster® Label

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Thank you for your interest!

Questions for discussion?

Thank you for your interest!

Questions for discussion?