QUALITY MANAGEMENT AS A TOOL FOR QUALITY CULTURE EMBEDMENT: VILNIUS UNIVERSITY APPROACH

1. QUALITY MANAGEMENT AS A TOOL FOR QUALITY CULTURE EMBEDMENT: VILNIUS UNIVERSITY APPROACH Inga Milisiunaite, Roma Adomaitiene, Juozas Galginatis Vilnius University 31st Annual EAIR Forum in Vilnius, Lithuania 23 to 26 August 2009

2. Quality as Eenhancement or Improvement • Stress on the responsibility of the higher educationinstitution to make the best use of its institutionalautonomy and freedom; • Achieving quality iscentral to the academic ethos; • Academics themselves know best what quality is. Quality Assurance and Accreditation (2007). A Glossary of Basic Terms and Definitions. UNESCO-CEPES.

5. SomeElements of Quality Assurance System (1) Documentation Procedures Tools • Regulations of the studies process • Regulations for Study programmes • Students’ assessment regulations • Final thesis preparation guidlines, defence and storage rules • Credits’ transformation rules

6. SomeElements of Quality Assurance System (2) Documentation Procedures Tools • Approval, monitoring of study programmes • Electronic study programme catalogue • Student satisfaction survey • Academic consultancy services • Career councelling • Distance Study Education Center • Students’ research societies • Students’ sports societies (annual rector’s cup tournament • Students’ cultural societies

7. Some Elements of Quality Assurance System (3) Procedures Structures • Students’ introduction programme (since 2001) • Students’ mentoring programme • Student’s manual • Camps for the first year students (47 in 2001......1600 in 2008) • Examination center • Computer examination (11451 students from 2007 to 2009; 73% - computer examination is more objective; 44% - suitable for test type exams; 47% - suitable for test type and other types of exams) • Plagiarism prevention and control tool (since 2005 to 2009 data base of 18 633 students’ papers: 5975 Bachelor course papers, 7896 Bachelor thesis; 738 Master research paper; 4024 Master thesis).

8. Quality Management Center (February, 2008) The mission of the established office is the promotion of quality culture while initiating, supporting and coordinating the development and implementation of the quality management system.

9. The Ingredients of a Quality Culture • A set of shared, accepted,and integrated patterns of quality (often called principlesof quality) to be found in the organizational cultures andthe management systems of institutions; • Awareness of andcommitment to the quality of higher education, in conjunction with a solid culture of evidence; • Efficient management of this quality (through qualityassurance procedures). Quality Assurance and Accreditation (2007). A Glossary of Basic Terms and Definitions. UNESCO-CEPES.

10. VU ContinuousPerformanceImprovementModel • Quality culture concept; • Learningorganisation theory; • Main principles of quality management; • Principles of management information system.

11. Culture of Learning Higher education is about “transforming the person”, not simply about transforming his or her skills or domain of understanding. A commitment to life-long learning, critical thinking and continuous flow of change are the main characteristics of transformation. Consortium for Excellence in Higher Education. (2003b). Organisational Learning and the Future of Higher Education. Sheffield Hallam University

12. ANONYMITY PERMORMANCE OBSERVATION AND MEASUREMENT TRANSPARENCY PUBLICITY Continuous Improvement of Studies Process (Corrections and Prevention Activities) Analysis at Managerial Level Formulation of Studies Quality Policy and Aims; Planning of Studies Quality Internal Evaluation of Study Programmes Administration of Studies Process Student Support 1 3 3 Shareholders’ (university community, present and potential students, alumni, society, market) Needs and Expectations Evaluation of Shareholders’ Needs Satisfaction Shareholders’ (university community, present and potential students, alumni, society, market) Needs and Expectations Student Admission 2 Development and Improvement of Study Programmes Delivery of Study Programmes (study process) 1 Evaluation of Learning Outcomes 2 Management of Human Resources Research Performance Management of Financial Resources Management of Material Resources Management of Information Technologies Acquisition of Services/Products Feedback Process Supportive Processes Managerial Processes Studies Processes

13. Quality management system implementation stages • analysis, updating and/or development of the documents that regulate processes of studies quality monitoring; • development of the system of studies quality criteria and indicators, and their calculation methods; • piloting of the criteria and indicators system while monitoring input, process and output indicators of the studies process quality; • approval of the system of studies quality criteria and indicators, and their calculation methods as a framework for studies quality assurance and improvement; • development and implementation of management information system.

14. Conclusion The assurance and improvement of academic quality is inseparable from nurturance of quality and learning culture supported by effective managerial structures. Successful quality management principles should be supported by effective information systems.