impact of the quality evaluation and accreditation policy on argentine universities* Ángela...
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Impact of the Quality Evaluation and Accreditation Policy on Argentine
Universities*
Ángela CorengiaJuan Carlos Del BelloJulio DurandMaría Pita Carranza
*This paper is the result of a Research Project conducted at the Universidad de Palermo (PICT UP Nº 35196) and Universidad Austral (Internal Contest for Research Projects 2006). It is also part of the Doctoral Thesis of Angela Corengia.
INTRODUCTION
- QAS* Increase More than 150 countries
- Argentina 1995 CONEAU - Institutional Evaluation
- Undergraduate Courses Accreditation - Postgraduate Courses Accreditation
- Efforts and costs incurred by both Higher Education Institutions and States
¿Is Higher Education Quality Improving?¿Are Knowledge Invention and Transmission Improving?
*Quality Assurance Systems
PURPOSE
Detectsigns of changes towards improvement
Main Functions Management
Teaching
Research
Extension
and
1) Intended – Declaratory
2) Factual
As a consequence of the Argentine university quality evaluation and accreditation policy
BACKGROUND
International (20) and Argentine (10) Studies
- Evaluation and Accreditation Policy: ONE of the change triggers
- QAS Maturation Phases
- Quanti-Qualitative Approach, Study of Cases
- Difficult to quantify the effect separately from other variables
METHOD
- Study of Cases : 4 universities (type of management, size and year of creation)
Case 1: private, small, created during the 1990’s
Case 2: state, medium, created during the 1990’s
Case 3: state, large, old
Case 4: private, medium, old
- Descriptive – Evaluative
- Documentary Analysis : External evaluation reports (4), and undergraduate (7) and postgraduate (42) accreditation resolutions
First part of a broader research that includes visits to the institutions and interviews.
Table 1: Analysis Areas and Dimensions
Analysis Areas (functions)
Dimensions
1. Teaching
1.1 Teacher Training: Academic Qualification, full-time status, Categorisation, Pedagogic Training.
1.2 Teaching-Learning Process-Methodology.
1.3 Curriculum. Plans and Programmes.
1.4 Students and Graduates.
1.5 Student-Teacher Relationship.
1.6 Infrastructure, financial and material resources. Library
2. Research
2.1 Research Professors. Human Resources Training.
2.2 Research Projects.
2.3 Research Funding..
2.4 Research Products.
2.5 Infrastructure and Library
3. Extension 3.1 Extension Scope.
3.2 Extension Programmes.
4. Management4.1 Quality Management of Evaluation and Accreditation Processes
Source: Authors’s elaboration
RESULTS
Policy Effects
Institutional Evaluation
References:
Signs of intended / declaratory changes
Signs of factual changes
Change signs (X)= intended; (X)= factual Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Case 41. Teaching
- Pedagogic training and raise Full-time professors X X X
- Academic qualification (postgraduate training) X X X
- Distance education X X
- Curricular flexibilisation X X X X
- Undergradaute and postgraduate articulation X X X
- Academic yield and retention X X X X X
- Teacher / Student relationship X X X
- Articulation with High School X
2. Research
- Design of lines, policies. Funding. X X
- Incorporation of young researchers and students X X X X
- Publications (encourage more) X X
- Unify production (one and only catalogue, data base) X X
- Project evaluation X
- Library, newspaper library, equipment and fittings X X X
3. Extension
- Extension definition X X
- Association with other institutions X X
4. Management
- Generate conditions for continuous sellf assessment X X X X X
- Preparation of strategic plans X X X
RESULTS
Policy Effects
Undergraduate Courses Accreditation-Medicine-
References:
Signs of intended / declaratory changes
Signs of factual changes
Note: All three courses (Cases 1, 3 and 4) went through two accreditation phases
Change Signs (X)= intended; (X)= factual Case 1 Case 3 Case 41. Teaching
- Teachers selection X X
- Raise Full-Time professors X X X X X
- Improve professor qualification (postgraduate training) X X
- Teachers performance evaluation (by peers and students) X X
- Incorporation of teachers related to Health Centres X
- Methodology. Teaching-Learning process X X X X
- Study Plan changes: changes in subjects, creation of commissions X X X X
- Definition of the educative capacity, entry quota X X X
2. Research
- Mechanisms to encourage clinic reasearch projects X X
- Plan: projects, amonts, reserachers. Incorporation of studentes and graduates. X
- Survey of scientific production of professors X
- Increase in the number of publications and doctoral defense thesis X
- Creation of the research system regulations, of the Higher Reserach Centre First Health Research Seminar
X
- Signature of agreements to ensure the continuity of the projects X
3. Extension
- Implement community internships and extension deeds based on standards X
- Identify real needs of the population (social area). Systematize X
4. Management
- Preparation and realisation of improvement plans with objectives, amounts, responsible ones
X X X X X X
RESULTS
Policy Effects
Undergraduate Courses Accreditation-Engineering-
References:
Signs of intended / declaratory changes
Signs of factual changes
Note: All three courses went through only one accreditation phase (Cases 1, 2 and 3). Case 4 went through two accreditation phases.
Change Signs (X)= intended; (X)= factual Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Case 41. Teaching
- Raise Full-Time professors X X X X X
- Improve teacher qualification (postgraduate degree holder) X X X X
- Improve pedagogic training of teachers X X X
- Creation of the Commission for the Evaluation and Distribution of Teachers
X
- Curriculum: strengthen experimental training X
- Implement Program of Internal Auditors Training X
- Standardisation of mechanism of student evaluation X
- Revisions and modificatios in the Study Plan X X X X X
2. Research
- Plan of development of research lines in Engineering X X X X X
- Incorporation of teachers and students to these lines X X X X X
- Allocate more funds to research development X X X X X
- Creation of an instance to the promotion and evaluation of researchers, projects and innovative developments
X
- Laboratories and libraries X X X X
3. Extension
- Development of institutional linking activities X X
4. Management
Preparation and realisation of improvement plans with objectives, amounts, responsible ones
XX XX XX XX
RESULTS
Policy Effects
Postgraduate Courses Accreditation-Health Sciences, Applied Sciences,
Social Sciences-
Postgraduate courses studied
Discipline
Cases
Health Sciences
Applied Sciences
Social Sciences Total
Case 1 3 1 7 11
Case 2 2 3 8 13
Case 3 6 2 4 12
Case 4 0 2 4 6
Total 12 8 23 42
Signs of change “recommendations for quality improvement”
Function DimensionsRecommendation
Frequency
Teaching- Curriculum. Study plan and programs. 65% of the cases
- Students and Graduates. 30% of the cases
Research - Projects.
- Human Resources Training.
40% of the cases
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Institutional Evaluation Policy institutional change trigger
leads to internal reflection in universities about matters to improve
No significant differences of change size were observed in terms of year of creation
Exception: the only large university included in the case panel
There was a shift in the Medicine course from a mass direct admission system to an indirect system which ruled the entry of students based
on the educative capacity of the Medicine School.
Type of Management of the Institutions
Type of Implemented Policy
In the research function
For undergraduate courses accreditation policy, private universities had to face structural change actions in terms of research organisation aimed at the quality improvement of teaching programs.
The undergraduate courses accreditation policy showed the most significant intended and factual signs of change, mainly those that have passed through two phases of accreditation.
From a documentary analysis, it was methodologically insufficient to track significant signs of change produced as consequence of the postgraduate courses accreditation.
Impact Differences were observed according to
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
• Measure the impact in terms of change towards improvement from documentary sources is methodologically appropriate but insufficient.
• The second stage of this research -which is being carried out- includes interviews and in situ questionnaires in all 4 universities.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
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Impact of the Quality Evaluation and Accreditation Policy on Argentine Universities