The revised ESG, a suitable tool for the modernisation of universities?QA & diversified HE provisions

JM Conference, Nicosia 4-5 June 2015

Stefan Delplace, Honorary Secretary General of EURASHE

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Contents

1. REVISION PROCESS OF THE ESG FOR QA

2. WIDER BACKGROUND AND POLICY CONTEXT

3. REVISED ESG, A TOOL FOR MODERNISING

UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER HEIs ?

4. ANNEX: CONTENT OF REVISED ESG PART 1

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Ministerial mandate from the Bucharest Communiqué, 2012

• “We acknowledge the ENQA, ESU, EUA and EURASHE (the E4 group) report on the implementation and application of the ‘European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance’ (ESG). We will revise the ESG to improve their clarity, applicability and usefulness including their scope. The revision will be based upon an initial proposal to be prepared by the E4, in cooperation with Education International, BUSINESSEUROPE and the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), which will be submitted to the Bologna Follow-Up Group.”

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Four guiding principles

• Higher education institutions have primary responsibility for the quality of their provision and its assurance;

• Quality assurance responds to the diversity of HE systems, institutions, programmes and students;

• Quality assurance supports the development of a quality culture;

• Quality assurance takes into account the needs and expectations of students, all other stakeholders and society.

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Purposes of the ESG for QA:

• They set a common framework for quality assurance systems for learning and teaching at European, national and institutional level

• They enable the assurance and improvement of quality of higher education in the European higher education area

• They support mutual trust, thus facilitating recognition and mobility within and across national borders

• They provide information on quality assurance in the EHEA

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Revision process & adoption at Yerevan Conference May 2015• The revision process aimed at striving for consensus

among stakeholders in QA, while taking in also the opinion of broader groups (HE ministries, civil society), through open consultations

• Yerevan Ministerial Communiqué : “enhancing the quality and relevance of learning and teaching is the main mission of the EHEA ”.

• Challenge of implementing HE reforms on national and institutional levels in different country contexts, and taking into account global trends

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Scope and Context of revised ESG for QA• Focus on learning and teaching in higher education,

including

• Learning environment

• Links to research and innovation

• The ESG are meant for all types of HEIs and programmes, irrespective of the mode of study or place of delivery

• “While some of the standards lead to a formal qualifi-cation, the ESG are also applicable to HE provision in its broadest sense and to transnational, cross-border provision” (Foreword)

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Societal context and policies (1)

• Paradigm shift in learning: focus on learning outcomeshas shifted the attention to the individualstudent/learner and to student-centred learning.

• Impact of renewed ET2020 strategy of the E.U. : growthof internatonalisation, digital agenda, open educationresources and new forms of delivery.

• Growth of transnational education; crossborder quality assurance and accreditation are getting solid ground(role of EQAR).

• Diversity of HEIs’ profiles seen as an asset, ‘quality’ is a multi-faceted concept, reflecting views of stakholders.

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Societal context and policies (2)

Relevant ‘Yerevan 2015’ outcomes:

• Linkage sought with other ‘Bologna tools’: Qualifications Frameworks, Diploma Supplement, ECTS

• Emphasis on ‘regional’ focus in recognition and accreditation issues

• QA of joint programmes: a ‘European’ instead of national approach, with respect for distinctive features of joint programmes

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The role of the ESG for QAin the EHEA

• The ESG as a basis of trust among systems andinstitutions, facilitate recognition and promotemobility within and across national borders;

• ESG, as common European standards, contribute tothe European dimension of HE, next to the autonomyof universities, stakeholder involvement, andadherence to the Council of Europe’s vision of the fourfold purposes of higher education.

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Part one of ESG:IQA at universities

1.1 Policy for quality assurance1.2 Design and approval of programmes1.3 Student-centred learning, teaching and assessment 1.4 Student admission, progression, recognition and certification1.5 Teaching staff 1.6 Learning resources and student support1.7 Information management 1.8 Public information1.9 On-going monitoring and periodic review of programmes1.10 Cyclical external quality assurance

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Paradigm shift: student-centred learningThrough the focus on learning outcomes, attention has shifted to the student/learner in a changing learning environment

1.3. student-centred learning, teaching and assessment • Institutions should ensure that the programmes are delivered in a

way that encourages students to take an active role in creating the learning process, and that the assessment of students reflects thisapproach

1.4. student admission, recognition and certification• Institutions should consistently apply pre-defined and published

regulations covering all phases of the student ‘life-cycle’, e.g. student admission, progression, recognition and certification.

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Collect, analyse and publish data for different purposes1.7. Information management • “Institutions should ensure that they collect, analyse and use relevant

information …”• Guideline: • The information gathered depends …, on the type and mission of the

institution. The following are of interest:• Key performance indicators;• Learning resources and student support available; • Career paths of graduates….

1.8. Public information • Institutions should publish information about their activities, including

programmes, which is clear, accurate, objective, up-to date and readily accessible.

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Stakeholders involvement; focus on L.O.; link with employment

1.3. Design and approval of programmes• “The assessment allows students to demonstrate the extent to which the intended

learning outcomes have been achieved. Students are given feedback, which, if necessary, is linked to advice on the learning process”

1.8 Public information• “Therefore, institutions provide information about …the learning opportunities

available to their students as well as graduate employment information.”

2.2. Design methodologies fit for purpose• “External quality assurance should be defined and designed specifically to ensure

its fitness to achieve the aims and objectives set for it, while taking into account relevant regulations. Stakeholders should be involved in (its) design and continuous improvement.”

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ESG for QA linked to otherBologna tools

1.2 Design and approval of programs• “The qualification resulting from a programme should be clearly

specified and communicated, and refer to the correct level of the national qualifications framework for higher education and, consequently, to the Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area.”

2.1 Consideration of IQA (of HEIs): Guidelines: • “Quality assurance in higher education is based on the institutions’

responsibility for the quality of their programmes and other provision; therefore it is important that external quality assurance recognises and supports institutional responsibility for quality assurance.

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New, adequate and accessible learning resources

1.3. Student-centred learning (Guideline)

• The implementation of student-centred learning and teaching respects and attends to the diversity of students and their needs, enabling flexible learning paths; considers and uses different modes of delivery, where appropriate; flexibly uses a variety of pedagogical methods;

1.6 Learning resources (Guideline):

• The needs of a diverse student population (such as mature, part-time, employed and international students as well as students with disabilities), and the shift towards student-centred learning and flexible modes of learning and teaching, are taken into account when allocating, planning and providing the learning resources and student support.

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Part two of ESG: EQA at HEIs

2.1 Consideration of internal quality assurance2.2 Designing methodologies fit for purpose2.3 Implementing processes2.4 Peer-review experts 2.5 Criteria for formal outcomes2.6 Reporting2.7 Complaints and appeals

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EQA (highlights)

External QA to check IQA processes; peer judgements to guarantee understanding of these.

2.1 Consideration of internal quality assurance • External quality assurance should address the effectiveness of

the internal quality assurance processes descried in ESG part 1.

2.4 Peer-review experts • External quality assurance should have a professional system

of peer review at its core, carried out by groups of experts that include (a) student member (s).

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Part 3: IQA of QA agencies(highlights)

3.1 EQA of institutions, the basis of the work of agencies (with involvement of stakeholders)3.2 QA agencies have a legal and trust basis 3.3 / 3.4 QA agencies operating independently from influence; publishgeneral findings3.5 Adequate and appropriate resources3.6 professional conduct of agencies3.7 cyclical review

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The way forward

• Attention to the shift from threshold quality to excellence (impact of quality labels and models);

• Automatic recognition of qualifications: a shift fromindividual to generic systems level recognition of qualifications;

• A new engagement from the academic world (cfr. Jean Monnet progr.) in support of the ‘Europeanness’ of our education systems;

• Dialogue and cooperation with other regions in the world, including crossborder quality assurance (CBQA).

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• Revised European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance https://revisionesg.wordpress.com/

• Official website of the European Higher Education Area http://www.ehea.info/

• EURASHE – www.eurashe.eu

• PHExcel – www.eurashe.eu/phexcel & http://phexcel.eurashe.eu• Quality Tools for Professional Higher Education Review and Improvement –

http://bit.ly/PHExcel-tools

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ANNEX: part 1 of the ESG

1.1 expresses link between strategicmanagement of the institution and QA; involvement of stakeholders; vigilanceaginst academic fraud

1.2 QA processes that are fit forpurpose; programs have aims of theirown and that includes the intendedL.O.s; reference to the NQF & the EQF

1.3 student-centred learning & teaching & assessment pimordial; takes into account a diversified student body; different modes of delivery; ILO & ALO

1.4 the student’s life-cycle; in Guidelines: recogniton of special pathways, including RPL.

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ANNEX: part 1 of the ESG

1.5 / 1.6 Teaching staff/resources; both stress in Guidelines the impact of a diverse student population; the important role of teachers; the need for sufficient resources;

1.7 / 1.8 importance of transparentmanagement and provision of information; GL stress the impact of the diversity of HEIs;

1.9 revision of programs taking into account the changing needs of society;

1.10 QA an ongoing process that needs regular checks on program or institutional level.

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