Dušica Pavlović Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission E-mail: pavlovic.dusica@gmail

1. STANDARDS FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY CONTROL: a significant impact on the improvement of teaching and research in higher education Dušica Pavlović AccreditationandQualityAssuranceCommission E-mail: pavlovic.dusica@gmail.com

2. ACTION LINES Introduced in the Bologna Declaration: Comparable degrees Two cycles system ECTS Mobility European co-operation in QA European dimension in HE Introduced in the Prague Communiqué: 7. Lifelong learning 8. HEIs and students 9. Attractiveness of the EHA Introduced in the Berlin Communiqué: Doctoral studies and the synergy between EHEA and ERA Introduced in the Bergan Communiqué: 11. European co-operation in QA Introduced in the London Communiqué 12. Towards the EHEA: responding to challenges in a globalised world

3. A significant impact of strategy for quality assurance The messages Bergen • European standards (QMS, TQE, ECA, ENQA) • Bergen 2005/ 2010 • Higher education institutions should develop appropriate procedures and establish a system for internal quality assurance as the basis for external quality assurance standards

4. Serbia joined the Bologna process in 2003. Key developments since 2005 include: http://www.mps.sr.gov.yu http://www.kapk.org.yu Adoption of the New Law on Higher Education (LHE) which involves the establishment of Two Government institutions at a national level

5. QUALITY ASSURANCE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY ASSURANCE IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA 1.TheNationalCouncilfor Higher Education 2.AccreditationandQualityAssuranceCommission The AQACis responsible for the quality evaluation on a national level. Since 2007, this AQAC has become an associated member of the ENQA. The Commission has got its own: Book  of Rules & Regulations, procedures and standards

6. (2006) Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commissionproposed to • the National Council the rules,regulations procedures and standards for • self-assessment and quality control, • external quality control and • accreditation of the high education institutions and study programmes. The National Council of higher education, at its session of 20 Octobeer 2006, adopted the following: RULES AND REGULATIONS ON STANDARDS OF SELF-ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY CONTROL OF HEIs 1. RULES AND REGULATIONS OF ACCREDITATION STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR STUDY PROGRAMMES 3. RULES AND REGULATIONS ON STANDARD PROCEDURES OF EXTERNAL QUALITY CONTROL 2. www.mps.sr.gov.yu www.kapk.org.yu

7. Documents were made based on the guidelines set up by: • European University Association (EUA) • European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (EAQA) • European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) • European network for QA in Higher Education (ENQA) • Dublin Descriptors / Joint Quality Initiative (JQI) • Quality Management System (QMS) • Total Quality education (TQE)

8. The QR was implemented at HEIs in Serbia effective from 2002/03, though the Law on Higher Education was adopted in 2005 • current position, • strengths and weaknesses in order to define their • priorities, • objectives, and • mode for their implementation. The Institutional Evaluation Programme (EUA)- the first step that helped the HEIs get a good insight into their:

9. The HEIs estimated objectives STARTING POINT • Extremely long undergraduate studies (average time of study being about 8 years ) • Low efficiency • Majority of courses are mandatory and very rigid • (no electives) • Generally there is no continual assessment during the study program • There isno student oriented education • The mobility of staff and students is restricted

10. Most of QA aims made in HEIs before the beginning of the ongoing accreditation process Objectives: Adoption of two-cycle structure Definition of a degree in terms of competences Defining the learning outcomes Designing catalogues of knowledgeand skills for each course Implementation of the Diploma Supplement Introduction of new teaching methods Introduction of the system of Quality control (self-evaluation) It is for this reason that there is a suggestion that any accreditation scheme would have to be integrated in a wider quality assurance scheme. It should be pointed out that theAQACabided by this suggestion in the preparation of self-assessment standards.

11. Accreditation and self-evaluation • ACCREDITATION • External quality control process • ACCR is a status – provides an official certification on accreditation • (acceptable quality) SELF-EVALUATION Self-evaluation procedures do not always have accreditation function • SELF-EVALUATION focuses on:in spite of • quality control and improvement • strategic recommendations • mandatory inclusion of the results of student questionnaire • self-evaluation results should be published • periodic self-evaluation and quality control at least once in every 3 years

12. STANDARDSFORSELF-ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY CONTROLIN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEIs) Standard1: Quality assurance strategy Standard2: Standards and procedures for quality assurance Standard3: Quality assurance system Standard 4:Study program quality Standard5: Teaching process quality Standard 6: Quality of science research, artistic and professional work Standard 7: Quality of teachers and associates Standard 8: Quality of students Standard 9: Quality of textbooks, literature, library and IT resources Standard 10: Quality of management of higher education institution and quality of non-teaching support Standard 11: Quality of premises and equipment Standard 12: Financing Standard13: The role of students in self-assessment and quality control Standard 14:Systemic follow up and periodic quality control

13. EUROPEAN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES There are similarities between our national and EU standards of QA. Internal quality assurance and assessment • Policy and procedures for quality assurance • Approval, monitoring and periodic review of programmes • Assesssment of students • Quality assurance of teaching staff • Learning resources and student support • Information systems • Public information

14. The structure and function of professional bodies for Q in HEIs explicitly require: • Organization of the quality assurance system in higher learning institutions • The policy of quality in an institution should explicitly define • Quality indicants

15. The policy of quality in an institution should explicitly define: • The relationship between education & research • The strategy of quality development and application of standards • Responsibility of each and every participant in the process • Participation of students • Mechanisms of quality implementation, monitoring/control and improvement

16. Quality indicants • Number of students successfully completing their studies, • Proportion teachers/students • Quality of the teaching process • Quality of library, textbooks (regulations on textbooks) and informational resources • Professional, pedagogical and scientific competence of teachers & associates • Number & quality of publications – citation index • Quality of management and quality of non/teaching support It is especially important for a HEI to analyze in self-evaluation report: • CORRELATION OF PLANNED AND REALIZED GOALS • CORRELATION WITH THE RESULTS ACHIEVED IN THE PREVIOUS PERIOD • CORRELATION WITH THE RESULTS OF SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD

17. All higher education institutions in the Republic of Serbia and their respective study programs shall be subject to the procedure for accreditation. The accreditaton of all Institutions of higher educationin Serbia should be finished until June 2009. The results obtained so far within the ongoing accreditation process indicate that HEIs have successfully organized the system of quality control and initiated the implementation of the required standards for institutional accreditation and study programme(s) accreditation.

18. 2 3 4 5 6 1 The advantages of study programs implemented in accordance with national and European standards Updating and restructuringof specific subject curricula Introduction of a newdegree structure Establishment ofECTS Preparation ofDiploma Supplement Introduction ofnew teaching methodsand their implementation Implementation ofQuality assurance system

19. On the basis of olready mentioned advantages... • the acquired knowledge is more functional; • the learning process is logically connected and harmonized; • the students are more active; • students are more motivated for the study • more professional autonomy of the academic staff;

20. Key aspects Quality Reform is a process It is constantly changing, evolving, being improved and responding to the needs of a society, students, recommendations of HEIs and developments in education and technology. Professional Bodies AQAC and NC teaching/learning Learning qualifications Lifelong learning Employers Standards outcomes Technology Society/Public