Quality assurance

Updated on 04 August 2011 By Joke Hageman

One aspect of the provision of higher education that has become more and more important over the last twenty years, is explicitly assessing the quality of teaching, identifying points for improvement, and, based on these assessments, reporting back to the authorities, students and society in general.

To this end, Avans University of Applied Sciences uses quality systems that include elements such as student assessments, improvement plans and audits.

Accreditation

Accreditation is a six-yearly audit of basic study program quality that the university of applied sciences is required by the government to carry out. The outcome determines whether the university of applied sciences can continue to offer the program. Accreditation is the most important method of external reporting to the authorities and society. This review includes an investigation into the functioning of a quality assurance system.

Elsevier Magazine and Keuzegids Hoger Onderwijs (Higher Education options guide) draw up rankings of study programs, universities of applied sciences and research universities based on accreditation results and their own student satisfaction surveys.

Support

The Quality Assurance team supports the schools in introducing and improving quality assurance systems and during accreditation reviews, for example with formats, process description methodologies, and a range of quality audits (for research groups among others).

The Surveys and Assessment team supports the schools in carrying out student assessments and conducts the Avans-wide student satisfaction survey.