Main elements of the quality system
National Agency for Quality in Education (Nasjonalt organ for kvalitet i utdanninga, NOKUT) has named the student’s life at an educational institution – from admission to a recognized diploma – the student’s learning path. There must be quality on all levels, from the student's first contact with the educational institution through good information at admission – until the student leaves the institution with a diploma in his/her hand.
VUC has selected five quality areas that shall make up the structure of the quality system and which will ensure the quality of the student's learning path:
1. Quality of recruitment, information and student reception
2. Frame quality
3. Programme quality
4. Quality of results
5. Relevance quality
For each of the five quality areas there are defined targets, measures and responsibility placement.
On VUC's website there are templates and examples for use in the various quality areas.
Quality areas
1. Quality of recruitment, information and student reception
Target 1.1: Applicants should have good information about the selection of studies on offer at VUC and about Volda as a study venue
Measures | Responsible |
Survey on education start
Annual revision of the recruitment plan
Guidance to applicants
Web pages with universal design | Leader of the office for social contact / Director of Academic Affairs |
| Relevant information in accordance with expectations, content and requirements in the courses | The faculties |
Target 1.2: VUC shall have good admission quality
Measures | Responsible |
| Evaluation of admission credits where possible | Director of Academic Affairs |
Target 1.3: VUC will contribute to a good “buddy scheme” and provide a good start for new students
Measures | Responsible |
Training of buddies | The Student Parliament |
Course on safe travel in nature for new students | Faculty of Cultural Studies |
Annual project for education start | The joint administration |
Orientate about facilitation and counseling | Student Adviser and Studentsamskipnaden |
Courses on studying in higher education | The joint administration |
2. Frame quality
Frame quality includes resources and structures such as personnel, rooms, equipment and psychosocial conditions.
Target 2.1: VUC will offer a good learning environment with universal design
Measures | Responsible |
Annual report to the Board of the college university from the Learning Environment Committee | The Learning Environment Committee, Director of Academic Affairs |
Instructions for enrolment and handling of unfortunate events for students | Director of Academic Affairs |
Annual control of the physical learning environment | Operations Manager |
Annual dialogue meeting with the faculties, where the student learning environment is the theme | The Learning Environment Committee |
Target 2.2: VUC must have an inclusive learning environment
Measures | Responsible |
| Provide facilitation for students with special needs | Student Adviser |
Target 2.3: VUC shall have academic employees with high competence
Measures | Responsible |
Research Programme Competence Enhancement Programme (Link to HMS System) | The Rectorate/the Director/the Deans/ The Human Resources Manager/ Director of Research |
Target 2.4: Students will participate in decision making at VUC
Measures | Responsible |
Regular meetings between the Rector, Director, Director of Academic Affairs, Leader and deputy for the Student Parliament and the Director of Studentsamskipnaden | The management of the Student Parliament |
| Students should be represented in the Board of the college university and in councils | VUC and the Student Parliament |
Target 2.5: VUC must offer a good administrative support system
Measures | Responsible |
Evaluation of student administrative services and IT services | Director of Academic Affairs/ The Manager of the IT services/Canvas-responsible |
Competence raising measures | The Director/The Human Recources Manager |
Target 2.6: VUC must have an academic library with relevant literature and knowledge bases that are of high quality
Measures | Responsible |
Annual review of priorities and routines in connection with purchasing and facilitation of information UH-network | Library Manager |
3. Programme quality
Programme quality includes the quality of study plans and the implementation of studies.
Target 3.1: VUC will offer teaching of high academic and educational quality
Measures | Responsible |
All academic employees must have pedagogical basic competence (link to the following documents) | Prorector/The Human Resources Manager/the deans |
Course in pedagogical basic competence | Faculty of Humanities and Teacher Education |
| Merit System | Prorector and The Human Resources Manager |
Target 3.2: VUC will have good education management at all levels
Measures | Responsible |
All programmes of study must have a programme leader / head of studies | The Deans |
VUC must provide for holistic education and ensure coherence in the programmes of study VUC must provide for varied teaching and assessment methods, and provide a clear description of learning outcomes VUC must provide for a good correlation between learning outcomes and teaching and assessment methods VUC must provide for the highest possible degree of universal design in the teaching | Programme leaders/ head of studies |
VUC must enable students to give feedback underway in the course | Course convenor/ Programme leaders/ Head of studies/ Lecturers |
Target 3.3: VUC will ensure the quality of new programmes of study and new courses of study
Measures | Responsible |
External peer review of new programmes / courses | Dean, programme leader/ head of studies and course convenor |
External assessment the first time courses are being conducted | Dean and course convenor |
Target 3.4: VUC will have an international and diverse learning environment
Measures | Responsible |
VUC will organize international day annually | International office |
VUC is going to staff Pangaia, the international meeting place | Director of Academic Affairs |
VUC will host an international club | Pangaia |
| VUC will have curriculum literature that reflects the latest international research in the field | Academic employees |
Target 3.5: VUC will offer students and employees to study abroad at renowned educational and research institutions
Measures | Responsible |
Close contact with foreign institutions | Programme leader/head of studies, dean, director of Academic Affairs |
Student evaluations (as part of a user survey and / or a candidate survey) | Director of Academic Affairs, programme leader/head of studies and dean |
Target 3.6: VUC will offer students guidance related to the planning and implementation of their education
Measures | Responsible |
Individual education plan review for students of 60 credits or more | Programme leader/head of studies |
Student guidance | Study advisor |
| Routines for enrolment and handling unfortunate events for students | Director of Academic Affairs |
Target 3.7: VUC must have a high response rate on Studiebarometeret
Measures | Responsible |
VUC will seek all 2nd year students on Bachelor and Master's degrees, and inform about Studiebarometeret, and provide students with time and guidance to respond to the survey | Prorector and Director of Academic Affairs |
| The Student Parliament shall inform and engage the student representatives and fellow students so that the response rate at VUC becomes high | The Student Parliament |
Target 3.8: Supervision of existing programmes of study
Measures | Responsible |
External evaluation: The Strategic Education Committee chooses annually 3-4 programmes that will have external evaluation, and selects the theme for the evaluations. Programmes may also request to be externally evaluated | Dean and programme leader at the selected studies in cooperation with The Strategic Education Committee |
Candidate survey for educations which are chosen for external evaluation (students who were finished 1-3 years back in time) | Director of Academic Affairs |
Internal evaluation: All programmes of study must be evaluated on a continuous basis | Programme leader/ head of studies |
All courses must be evaluated on a continuous basis | Course convenor |
Compulsory Student Councils in all educations over more than one year, and possibly also at the course level | Dean, programme leader/head of studies, course convenor, lecturer |
Target 3.9: Programmes of study and qualifications framework
Measures | Responsible |
Programme descriptions and course plans shall be prepared in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education Annual audit of existing programme descriptions and course plans | Dean |
4. Undervisningskvalitet
Kvalitetsarbeidet skal legge til rette for varierte undervisnings- og læringsformer og vurderingsformer som bidrar til at studentane etter fullført studieløp har oppnådd læringsutbytte.
Mål 4.1: Studentane skal møte relevant innhald, aktiviserande arbeidsmåtar og varierte vurderingsformer
Tiltak | Ansvarleg |
| Utvikling av faglege fellesskap for emneansvarlege | Dekanar/instituttleiarar |
| Sette av tilstrekkelege ressursar til emneansvar | Dekanar/instituttleiarar |
| Opplæring av fagtilsette i digitale lærings- og vurderingsformer | Beta (e-læringsstøttegruppe) |
| Erfaringsutveksling mellom fagtilsette-seminar | Utdanningsutvalet |
Digital lunsj | Beta |
Mål 4.2: HVO skal syte for (mest mogleg) universell utforming av undervisninga
Tiltak | Ansvarleg |
| Årleg revisjon av studieprogrammet på bakgrunn av evalueringsrapportane | Studieprogramansvarleg/Studieleiar |
| Årleg gjennomgang av undervisningsarealet | Driftsleiar/dekanane |
| Opplæring av tilsette i digitale lærings- og vurderingsformer og god pedagogisk bruk av digitale ressursar | Beta (e-læringsstøttegruppe) Prosjektgruppa for digiglu |
Mål 4.3: HVO skal syte for at studentar kan gi tilbakemeldingar undervegs i studiet
Tiltak | Ansvarleg |
| Emneevalueringar og gjennomføre møter i kvalitetsutval | Studieprogramansvarleg/studieleiar/ emneansvarleg |
| Sei i frå-knappen | Studiedirektør |
4. Quality of results
Quality of results includes throughput and character distribution
Target 4.1: VUC will have a continuous overview of the flow rate and character distribution between the candidates
Measures | Responsible |
Analysis of failing percentage, grades distribution and grades development over time | Deans/Director of Academic Affairs |
Prepare statistics on the relationship between admission quality and quality of results within selected educations | Director of Academic Affairs / Programme leader/ head of studies |
Target 4.2: VUC will ensure that the students get a fair assessment
Measures | Responsible |
All courses must have external assessment at least every third year | Dean/course convenor |
| All examinations must have a sensor guidance | Course convenor |
Target 4.3: VUC should be among the best on the flow of Bachelor degrees
Measures | Responsible |
Analysis of progression and the completion of Bachelors degrees | Director of Academic Affairs/deans/ Programme leader/ head of studies |
Close follow-up of the students who are delayed Invite students who are delayed to individual education plan reviews | Programme leader/ head of studies |
Target 4.4: VUC will increase the throughput in the Master's degrees
Measures | Responsible |
Follow up the measures in the plan of action for completion in the Master’s degrees | Dean/ Programme leader/ head of studies |
The Strategic Education Committee shall evaluate the plan of action | The Strategic Education Committee |
VUC will work to achieve understanding of the need for Master's degrees as a lifelong learning and the need for alternative organization of the course of study | Rector/director/ deans/director of Academic Affairs |
5. Relevance quality
Target 5.1: VUC shall offer programmes of study that is relevant to work in the private and public sectors
Measures | Responsible |
Close contact with the field of practice, as well as feedback / evaluation from the place of practice and students in practice | Programme leader/ head of studies and course convenor |
A description of learning outcomes in line with the qualifications framework in all programme descriptions and course plans | Dean, programme leader/head of studies, course convenor |
| VUC should have employees with relevant experience from the practice fields | Dean and the Human Resources Manager |
7. Kompetanse
Kvalitetsarbeidet skal legge til rette for å styrke formidlingskompetansen i undervisninga, og for at undervisninga er basert på forsking om korleis læring skjer og korleis undervisningskvalitet kan styrkast.
Mål 7.1: HVO skal ha fagleg tilsette med høg kompetanse
Tiltak | Ansvarleg |
| Forskingsprogram Kompetansehevingsprogram | Rektoratet/direktør/dekanar/ personalsjef/forskingssjef |
| System for pedagogisk basiskompetanse | Rektoratet/direktør/dekanar/personalsjef |
| System for merittering av undervisar | Styret/rektoratet/direktør/dekanar |
| Prøveforelesing med digitale verktøy ved vurdering av tilsetting | Dekanar |
Mål 7.2: HVO skal følgje opp kompetansehevingstiltak i handlingsplan for digitalisering
Tiltak | Ansvarleg |
| Allokere ressursar til kompetanseheving av fagtilsette i digitale lærings- og vurderingsformer | Styret/rektoratet/direktør/dekanar |
8. Leiingskvalitet
Kvalitetsarbeidet og -systemet skal bidra til HVO si evne til å leie kvalitetssikring og kvalitetsutvikling av eiga verksemd.
Mål 8.1: HVO skal ha tydeleg leiingsforankring av kvalitetsarbeid
Tiltak | Ansvarleg |
| Leiarar på alle nivå har eit klart definert ansvar i kvalitetsarbeidet | Utdanningsutvalet/prorektor/studiedirektør |
| Evaluering og revisjon av retningslinjer og prosessar knytt til kvalitetsarbeid | Utdanningsutvalet/prorektor/studiedirektør |
Mål 8.2: HVO skal ha ein råd- og utvalsstruktur som sikrar at kvaliteten blir ivaretatt
Tiltak | Ansvarleg |
| Gjennomgang av råd- og utvalsstrukturen | Styret/rektoratet |
Mål 8.3: HVO skal ha tydeleg definerte rutinar og prosessar for rapportering til styret og tilbake til fagtilsette og studentar i avdelingane
Tiltak | Ansvarleg |
| Kvalitetsrapport og kvalitetsarbeid som tema i avdelingsråda | Dekanar |