Quality Management in Higher Education Institutions

Registered Students
Electronics 5% Sci.Ed. 10% Sciences 7%

2008-2009
Letters 6% Socio-Human 8%

Mec-Tech 8%

Theology 11%

Law 11% Economics 28%

Math-Info 2% Physical Ed. 4%

Approx. 20 000 students in initial training (Bachelor), 2821 students in Master and postgraduate studies; 471 students in doctoral studies

University s managerial structure

THE SENATE OF THE UNIVERSITY THE ACADEMIC COLLEGE
THE BUREAU OF THE SENATE
THE COMMITTEE FOR DIDACTIC ACTIVITY, EVALUATION, CERTIFICATION THE COMMITTEE FOR STUDENTS PROBLEMS THE COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

RECTOR

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VICE-RECTOR - Social Problems - Foreign Students -Teachers Training - Publishing House VICE-RECTOR VICE-RECTOR - International Relations - Research Activities - European Integration - Professional -Cooperation with Socio- reconversion Economical Environment - Foreign Students Chancellor OF THE SENATE - Didactic activity - Continuing Training - Evaluation, Certification - Teaching Staff

THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL

VICE-RECTOR - Didactic activity - Education s Quality Assurance

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Faculty of Sciences DEAN Faculty of Educational Sciences DEAN Faculty Faculty of Faculty of of Mechanics Electronics Letters and and ElectroDEAN Technology Mechanics DEAN DEAN Faculty of Faculty of Faculty of Orthodox Economics Law & Theology DEAN Admin. DEAN Sciences DEAN Faculty of Faculty of Physical Mathematics Education & Computers and Sports Science DEAN DEAN Faculty of SocioHumanistic Sciences DEAN

Quality in Higher Education



Quality can be defined taking into consideration the degree in which an assembly of characteristic meets the requirements. In higher education, its beneficiary's requirements can be expressed in terms like: what should a graduate know and do in a certain domain? Establishing a framework of qualifications represents a major concern on both national and European level. The requirements referring to the necessary competences of the graduates become explicit when such a framework is defined and made official.

A Systemic Model of Higher Education

Axis of Processes
Main Processes: education, scientific research Managerial Processes: strategic mng, quality mng, resource mng, performance mng, information mng, etc. Support Processes: maintenance, acquisitions, investments

Axis of Products
Study Programms, Research Projects, Counseling Contracts

Axis of Needs/Requirements
Knowledge Needs: competence, innovation, assistance in solving specific problems of society

Axis of Furnishing Organization

(University, consortium, company) Human resources, infrastructure, information System and managerial mechanisms

Implementation of Quality in the Higher Education System

Processes
-Are those processes influencing the quality of products identified and described? -Are responsibilities and the authority necessary to ensure their leadership clearly established? -Are they adequately kept under control? -Are the necessary resources provided? -Are they periodically evaluated to be adequated and improved? -Are the modalities of preventing and correcting dysfunctions established?

Higher Education Institution

-Did it clearly defined its mission? (the needs and requirements meant to be met) -Did it define the offer of products that fits its mission? -Did it adopt a coherent an efficient leadership system at all levels of management? -Does it put into practice periodical procedures to evaluate the efficacy of the system in order to adequate the offer and capability? -Did it define and does it follow a strategy, policies and objectives of improving its own capability and the quality of its results?

Products (study programms, research projects, counseling contracts)

-Did the institution identify the specific requirements for these products? -Did it design the products in accordance with these requirements? -Did it define the standards regarding the quality of these products? -Does it have the necessary capability to realize the products and ensure quality of the defined standards? -Did it foresee and does it apply efficient measures to correct and prevent the deficiencies? -Does it have and apply mechanisms of improving the quality of its products efficiently?

A Systemic Approach of Educational Programms

Geographical Area Specific Domain Technology, Management, Tendencies Requirements of Competence

The Needs and Requirements Subsystem

Evaluation

Requirements of Competence
Study Programme Offers Human and Technical Capability Policies and Mechanisms of Leadership (Planning, Control, Improvement

The Higher Education Institution Subsystem

Evaluation

Specific Requirements of Competence Capability Leadership System

The Programme of Study Subsystem

Evaluation

Specific Competences Specifications and Requirements for the Teaching and Learning Process

Specifications (Ed. Plans, Analytical Programms), and Requirements Leadership System

The Process of Teaching and Learning Subsystem

Evaluation

Specific Competences

Management of Quality in the Higher Education Institution

Quality Improvement Standard Definition: Standard activities meant to direct and control the institution in the domain of quality. Quality of management implies responsibility of all levels of management, but it must be led by the highest level of management. Quality Insurance Quality Planning Quality The systems of quality management Management in higher education institutions are based upon the existence of standards (models) acting like referentials or a system of criteria in the case of external evaluation (quality insurance), or as a guide for the internal organization (quality management). Quality Control Quality Policy and Objectives Quality System in higher education institutions is a strategic one. Choosing a certain model is the university s option. There are two possible options: -Choice of a model oriented towards conformity with minimal standards (ISO 9001-2000, European Standards and Guidelines, ARACIS) -Choice of a model oriented towards excellence (EFQM, MBNQA)

The ARACIS Methodology

Legal/Official Aims: to create an adequate national framework meant to improve the quality of higher education in Romania and its compatibility with the European and International standards of performance. European reference. Institutional responsibility. Cooperation with all parts of the educational system. Centered upon results. Institutional identity. Internal self-evaluation, institutional, of quality. External evaluation. Quality improvement.

Principles

Three fundamental domains of organization and functioning in a higher education institution are taken into consideration in insuring the quality of education: 1. Institutional Capacity 2. Educational Efficiency (projection of objectives and results, and organization of the framework of learning accomplishment ) 3. Quality Management centered upon those strategies, structures, techniques and operations enabling the institution to demonstrate that it evaluates its performances of quality insurance and improvement, and its systems of information demonstrate the results of the learning and research processes.