Quality Development and Quality Management of University Continuing Education in Austria at a Glance

1. Quality Development and Quality Management of University Continuing Education in Austria at a Glance Andrea Waxenegger University of Graz Meeting of the Italian National Network for University Continuing Education Friday, 20 April 2007 University of Catania, Italy

2. Speaker: Present position: Director of the Center for Continuing Education (since June 2000) University education: Educational Sciences/Adult Education; since 1989 working in the field of University Continuing Education in research & development, management, organisational development, consulting, project management and various functions Since 1996: Member of the founding group and since September, Member of the Steering Committee of AUCEN – Austrian University Continuing Education and Staff Development Network www.aucen.ac.at Since May 2004: Member of the Steering Committee and Secretary General of EUCEN – European University Continuing Education Network www.eucen.org Since 2004: Member of the Steering Committee and Managing Director of the Association for the Promotion of Lifelong Learning (in cooperation with the University of Graz) www.uni-graz.at/zfw

3. Overview • The University of Graz and its involvement in EQUIPE plus • “University Continuing Education” at the University of Graz – Strategy, Institutionalisation, Def. of UCE - Provision, Developments • Quality Development and Quality Management in UCE at institutional level – differences to other Austrian universities • Quality Development and Quality Management in UCE at national level and trends • The role of our National Network: AUCEN – Austrian University Continuing Education and Staff Development Network www.uni-graz.at/zfw

4. 1. The University of Graz • founded in 1585 • 6 organisational units: 5 faculties (Theology, Law, Social and Economics Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences, Inter-faculty institutions), 1 administrative unit • 72 departments • 22,000 students per year • 3,200 beginners • 2,400 graduates, including 200 doctoral degrees per year • 60 studies • 1,700 employees (full time equivalent), including 900 scientists • 9,000 courses www.uni-graz.at/zfw

5. Involvement in EQUIPE plus • 1999 - 2000 EQUAL - Educational Quality in University Adult Learning (Handbook) • 2002 - 2005 EQUIPE - European Quality in Individualised Pathways in Education: tools, case studies, EQUIPE Quality Learning Tool (Handbook as innovative toolkit for quality in ULLL into the Internet) • 2005 - 2008: EQUIPE plus - European Quality in Individualised Pathways in Education plus: main activity is the valorisation of the products of EQUIPE through the national networks Selection of tasks for the University of Graz in cooperation with AUCEN: • Workshop at national level with experts (8 May 2006) • Workshop to offer hands-on experience of one of the EQUIPE tools (22 September 2006) • Production of a National Quality Report in year 2 • Dissemination at institutional and national level • Presentations at national level abroad: Italy 2007, UK 2008 www.uni-graz.at/zfw

6. 2. University Continuing Education - Strategy Austrian University Law (2002, fully implemented in 1 Jan 2004): • Austrian Universities are required by law to include Continuing Education in their performance objectives: “continuing education, particularly post-graduate training” • By law explicitly allowed is – in order to provide financial and organisational support – cooperation with other legal entities. • UCE-Provision is not part of the regular under/graduate degree programmes of the universities www.uni-graz.at/zfw

7. 2. University Continuing Education - Strategy University Continuing Education (UCE) is one of the 16 strategic projects in the Organisation and Development Plan (2005-2010) of the University of Graz; objectives: more provision for UCE; new target groups “Uni for Life – university education for everyone between 18 and 88” One of the long-term goals set by the University of Graz is to cast the university in the role of a “partner in learning” for students of any and all ages. In addition to the “classical” programmes offered to the 18 to 25-year-olds, the five faculties of the University are turning their attention more and more towards the needs of the post-25 group and are looking to develop the University into a partner in lifelong learning. In this area, the role of the university is two-fold: to provide a network and impetus for applied research, and to act as the main point of contact for continuing professional development and continuing education at an advanced level. www.uni-graz.at/zfw

8. 2. University Continuing Education - Institutionalisation June 2000: “ leistungsunterstützende Stabsstelle ” (assistant to Rector/Vice-Rector) Autumn 2002: Center for Continuing Education (Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer and Central Administration) Autumn 2004: Center for Continuing Education (Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer) Autumn 2004: Association for the Promotion of Lifelong Learning Winter 2004: University Board agreed to establish the UNI for LIFE Ltd. Autumn/winter/spring 05: Business plan UNI for LIFE Ltd. Summer 2006: UNI for LIFE Ltd. (http://www.uniforlife.at, Continuing Professional Development for Business and Industry, for graduates/post-graduates, for the University) and Center for Continuing Education – Public Access, academic learning, Learning in Later Life In parallel: UCE in faculties/institutes or outsourced, staff development www.uni-graz.at/zfw

9. 2. University Continuing Education - Institutionalisation Profile of the Center for Continuing Education - Mission: • to fulfil the role of the University of Graz in the community as a lifelong partner in university continuing education • to further develop and expand the programme of university continuing education currently being offered by the University • in the area of general interest courses at university level for public access and • in the area of scientific/academic learning • to further improve the quality of the programme of university continuing education in these two areas www.uni-graz.at/zfw

10. 2. University Continuing Education - Institutionalisation Profile of the Center for Continuing Education - Tasks: • to develop and test an innovative programme of general interest courses at university level for public access • based on academic/scientific research, to develop and test • an innovative programme of university continuing education and • innovative learning environments in the area of scientific learning • to set up an information centre and counselling service on university continuing education and training for target groups in the area of public access programmes and scientific learning programmes • to develop programmes to further competence and increase professionalism of educators working in university continuing education (teaching within the context of university continuing education; learning with older and inter-generational learners) • to build up and maintain regional, national and European • partnerships for programme development • cooperation projects and • networks www.uni-graz.at/zfw

11. 2. University Continuing Education - Formats, Titles • Formats: from public lectures addressing a wide audience to specialised Master’s programmes lasting several semesters • Certificates: from “confirmation of participation/certificate of attendance” “university certificates”  “Master’s degrees” • Academic titles: “The curriculum may specify master’s titles in normal international use for the respective subject to be awarded to the graduates of such courses, if the admission requirements, scope and standards are comparable to those of like master’s programmes in other countries”. Benchmarking! • “In the event that subsection 1 does not apply, the curriculum may stipulate that the title “Akademische…” or “Akademischer …” [academically accredited], followed by a suffix indicating the contents of the course in question, is to be awarded to persons successfully completing the course in question, provided that it qualifies for at least 60 ECTS credits points.” (ECTS: work load of one year full-time is 1500 hours = 60 ECTS) • Money: from “no fees” to “cost-covering fees” www.uni-graz.at/zfw

12. 2. University Continuing Education - Provision 1. Public Access: “Academy on Monday”: a series of lectures in cooperation with 11 regional centres (video-conference) addressing a wide audience “Megaphon-Uni”: a series of lectures and workshops in cooperation with the local street magazine “Megaphon” 2. Short courses, also on international level 3. University Continuing Courses up to Master’s programmes e.g.: Master in European Integration and Regionalism Master in South East European Law and European Integration (LL.M.) MSc Space Sciences (in cooperation with the Graz University of Technology) www.uni-graz.at/zfw

13. 2. University Continuing Education - Provision Some special Projects of the Center for Continuing Education (“non-traditional learners”): 1. “Academy on Monday”: a series of lectures in cooperation with 11 regional centres (video-conference) addressing a wide audience; approx. 7150 participations per year (13 lectures) 2. “Megaphon-Uni”: a series of lectures and workshops in cooperation with the local street magazine “Megaphon”, approx. 720 participations per year 3. ADD LIFE – ADDing quality to LIFE through inter-generational learning via universities (Grundtvig 1, http://add-life.uni-graz.at) 4. Vita Activa: develop a profile, an organisational model, a new (university-accredited) programme for Learners in Later Life and institutionalise what has been developed 5. Platform Schools – University www.uni-graz.at/zfw

14. 2. University Continuing Education - Developments Selection: • European level: Bologna Process, ECTS, European Qualifications Framework • Strategic level: New Target Groups – What is a “University”? – Regional Resource Centre?, International Centre of Excellence in Research? • Institutionalisation: Diversity of providers, centralisation of services, organisational development • Quality Development and Quality Management, accreditation • Entrepreneurship www.uni-graz.at/zfw

15. 3. Quality Development and Quality Management – institutional level Basic principle: “Quality” – approach, procedures, evaluation, involvement of stakeholders, etc. is mainly in the responsibility of the academic director/s; and – if applicable – academic board for the programme Additional for Diploma Courses/Master Programmes, established by the Senate and prepared by the Commission for University Curricula in UCE: ex ante - Peer Review (international experts), Statements of several internal departments; final decision of the Senate; Other Courses: the responsibility of the academic director; lately published: Internal Regulation (“Richtlinie Universitätskurse”) Future developments: Already prepared to be decided upon by the Senate as part of the University Statutes: Guidelines for University Diploma Courses including a procedure for Quality Management and its implementation Central Quality Management: works on an integrated system for all areas of the University www.uni-graz.at/zfw

16. 3. Quality Development and Quality Management – institutional level QUALITY: • to offer participation in “university learning processes”, i.e. research-based – State-of-the-Art; critical and reflective approach) and taking into consideration the experience and knowledge being brought into the process by participants from their work. • Prerequisite is: firstly, researchers/teachers who are capable of bringing this experience into university teaching and learning processes; and secondly, these processes need enough time. • Organisational development and change: It is often not enough to qualify one participant without thinking about the transfer of knowledge into the organisation he or she is part of. www.uni-graz.at/zfw

17. 3. Quality Development and Quality Management – institutional level „Quality“ in the Center for Continuing Education, apart from Reporting and Evaluation in our UCE provision: • Quality: Are we doing the right things? Are we doing the things right? • Our role within the University • Organisational development: Keeping us as organisation „responsive“ to changing environments • Entrepreneurship • Human Resources Management, Staff development, Knowledge management www.uni-graz.at/zfw

18. 4. Quality Development and Quality Management – national level University Organisation and Studies Act 2002 (implemented 2004)- Evaluation and quality assurance: 14. (1) The universities shall develop their own quality management systems in order to assure quality and the attainment of their performance objectives. (2) The subject of an evaluation is the university’s duties and the entire spectrum of its services. (3) Evaluations shall be conducted in accordance with subject based international evaluation standards. The areas of university services to be evaluated shall, in the case of evaluations relating to single universities, be established by the respective performance agreement. (4) The universities shall carry out internal evaluations on an ongoing basis, in accordance with their statutes. (5) External evaluations shall take place: 1. at the instigation of the university council or rectorate of the university in question or the Minister where they relate to individual universities; 2. at the instigation of the university councils or rectorates of the universities in question or the Minister where more than one university is concerned. www.uni-graz.at/zfw

19. 4. Quality Development and Quality Management – national level University Organisation and Studies Act 2002 (implemented 2004) – continued: (6) The universities concerned and their governing bodies shall be obliged to provide the necessary data and information for evaluations, and to co-operate. (7) The performance of university professors, lecturers, and other research, art and teaching staff shall be regularly evaluated, at least once every five years. The detailed arrangements shall be established by university statutes. (8) The consequences of all evaluations shall be for the decision of the governing bodies of the universities. (9) Performance agreements shall include arrangements for student evaluation of teaching. (10) The cost of evaluations ordered by the Minister shall be borne by the Federal Government. www.uni-graz.at/zfw

20. 4. Quality Development and Quality Management – national level Trends: • Ongoing discussion on Universities’ Role in Continuing Education and Professional Development • Discussion on Accreditation (international standards, “consumer protection, unfair competition between private and public universities …) • Discussion on role of the Austrian Accreditation Council: The Accreditation Council is a state authority which assesses the quality of private universities (10 at the moment) through accreditation. Council Members: eight members, 4 of them appointed by the federal government; 4 are nominated by the Austrian University Chancellors’ Committee. (www.akkreditierungsrat.at/) • Discussion on role of the Austrian Agency for Quality Assurance – AQA (www.aqa.ac.at): is an independent body (an association) for quality assurance and evaluation in higher education; supports higher education institutions (public and private universities, universities of applied sciences) on issues of quality assurance, develops standards and co-ordinates independent evaluations. • Stronger role of international accreditation agencies. www.uni-graz.at/zfw

21. 5. The Role of AUCEN What is AUCEN – Austrian University Continuing Education and Staff Development Network? Founded in 1996 as informal network; registered as formal Association in autumn 2005; Potential members are all public Austrian universities. Each university nominates and delegates representatives for universities continuing education and universities staff development. AUCEN is the first and only network for university continuing education and university staff development in Austria. AUCEN is a workgroup of responsible persons for continuing education and staff development at Austrian universities. Main tasks: • Exchange of experiences of staff involved in both fields • Professionalisation • Policy making, lobbying, international cooperation Role in Quality Development and Quality Management Work on the advancement and assurance of quality criteria in both subject areas; policy level, lobbying www.uni-graz.at/zfw

22. Further Information and Contact: EQUIPE plus: www.equipeplus.org Dr. Andrea Waxenegger Center for Continuing Education at the University of Graz andrea.waxenegger@uni-graz.at www.uni-graz.at/zfw http://add-life.uni-graz.at EUCEN: www.eucen.org AUCEN: www.aucen.ac.at www.uni-graz.at/zfw