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1. 1st QALLL CONFERENCE on Quality Assurance in Lifelong Learning focussing on Vocational Education & Training and Adult Education Workshop 1 “Quality Culture” Peer Review as an instrument for promoting a quality culture Maria Gutknecht-Gmeiner Bled, March 23rd/24th 2011 www.qalll.eu

2. Peer Review What is Peer Review? • External evaluation by Peers • i.e. persons of equal standing, colleagues from similar institutions which share a common profession • Based on self-evaluation • Includes site-visit by Peers • Common in Higher Education Why Peer Review for vocational education and training? • Copenhagen process: use of Peer Review endorsed on level of VET systems, idea to use Peer Review also on level of VET institutions • Interest of VET institutions to use an external evaluation methodology geared towards improvement 1st QALLL Conference, Bled, March 24th 2011, WS 1 „Quality culture“

3. The Peer Review projects Development of a Peer Review procedure for European VET • 3 res. 4 European Peer Review Projects 2004-2011 • Peer Review in initial VET (2004-2007), Peer Review Extended (2007) • Peer Review Extended II (2007-2009) • Peer Review Impact (2009-2011) • 25 transnational Peer Reviews • 2006-2009 in 11 European countries • Evaluation and impact analysis • Main products • European Peer Review Manual • Toolbox, training programme for Peers • Website: www.peer-review-education.net • Lifelong Learning Award 2009 Aim  Peer Review supports VET providers in their efforts to improve their provision“improve not prove” 1st QALLL Conference, Bled, March 24th 2011, WS 1 „Quality culture“

4. The European Peer Review procedure Described in the European Peer Review Manual • Definition and main features • The European Peer Review is a voluntary, formative (improvement-oriented), qualitative external Evaluation within the profession and within a network. • The process • Combines self-evaluation with external evaluation, builds upon quality assurance measures already in place (no duplication) • Follows a systematic process (4 phases) • Qualitative approach, makes use of existing (quantitative) data • The Peers • Colleagues from other VET institutions, team of 4, possibility to include a stakeholder in team • innerhalb der Profession (in der Berufsbildung) durch "kritische FreundInnen" 1st QALLL Conference, Bled, March 24th 2011, WS 1 „Quality culture“

5. Peer Review promotes a quality culture Factors • Voluntary process on all levels, Peers are „invited“ • Based on openness and curiosity, people-centered • Personal and „humane“ evaluation by „critical friends“ • Dialogue between colleagues, personal communication • Involvementof all stakeholders • Bottom-up development of a shared professional understanding of quality • Directly understandable results • Direct reporting by Peers in feedback session • VET provider decides what to do with results Aim and conditions Peers Qualitative approach Understandable Reporting Ownership of process 1st QALLL Conference, Bled, March 24th 2011, WS 1 „Quality culture“

6. Peer Review promotes a quality culture There are five key variables that are absolutely critical in building a quality culture. They are, in order of importance: people, people, people, people, and people. (Adapted from Michael Q. Patton) Dr. Maria Gutknecht-Gmeiner IMPULSE Evaluation and Organisational Development m.gutknecht-gmeiner@impulse.at www.impulse.at www.peer-review-education.net 1st QALLL Conference, Bled, March 24th 2011, WS 1 „Quality culture“