Quality and the Role of the University Professor Robin Smith [email protected] .

Quality and the Role of the Quality and the Role of the UniversityUniversity

Professor Robin SmithProfessor Robin Smith

[email protected]@btinternet.comwww.arethusaprojects.co.ukwww.arethusaprojects.co.uk

mailto:[email protected]

What we are going to do?What we are going to do?• Methodology - participationMethodology - participation

• Warm up exercise! Warm up exercise! – The QA System in Saudi Arabia - The QA System in Saudi Arabia - RobinRobin– The organisation and mission of King The organisation and mission of King

Saud University - Saud University - YouYou

• Defining Quality, Defining StandardsDefining Quality, Defining Standards

• ApproachesApproaches– Central and Devolved systemsCentral and Devolved systems– National and Local strategiesNational and Local strategies

What we are going to do?What we are going to do?• Typology of Quality ProcessesTypology of Quality Processes

– Where does Saudi Arabia fit in?Where does Saudi Arabia fit in?– Where does King Saud University fit in?Where does King Saud University fit in?

• What do External Agencies expect?What do External Agencies expect?

• What should Universities aim for and What should Universities aim for and why?why?

• Is the Culture right? Is the Culture right?

• How do we change cultures?How do we change cultures?

Standards and QualityStandards and QualityStandards are not about Standards are not about

quality quality per seper se

We need to link standards to a We need to link standards to a quality mission or policyquality mission or policy

We choose these We choose these standards/measures to standards/measures to describe what we believe to describe what we believe to be a quality product’ (quality be a quality product’ (quality assurance)assurance)

We measure ourselves against We measure ourselves against these standards in order to these standards in order to improve (quality improve (quality enhancement)enhancement)

Broad StandardsBroad StandardsStandards can be broad descriptorsStandards can be broad descriptors

We expect to achieve:We expect to achieve:• initiative-based education that promotes the highest initiative-based education that promotes the highest

intellectual and academic standards intellectual and academic standards • confident and ambitious graduates, well-equipped to confident and ambitious graduates, well-equipped to

advance the welfare of the society advance the welfare of the society • an accommodating environment for skilful, professional, an accommodating environment for skilful, professional,

and serious faculty and serious faculty • the reputation and recognition of being a valued teaching the reputation and recognition of being a valued teaching

and research institution and research institution • the well-being of society, its unity, and social and cultural the well-being of society, its unity, and social and cultural

values values • becoming the choice for businesses, industries and becoming the choice for businesses, industries and

professions seeking cooperation that serves the economical professions seeking cooperation that serves the economical prosperity of the nation prosperity of the nation

• a productive academic environment that cultivates a productive academic environment that cultivates excellence, diversity, respect, and willingness to change. excellence, diversity, respect, and willingness to change.

Minimum Acceptable Minimum Acceptable StandardsStandards

• Often translates broad standards into Often translates broad standards into specific targetsspecific targets– E.g. ‘To provide initiative-based E.g. ‘To provide initiative-based

education that promotes the highest education that promotes the highest intellectual and academic standards’intellectual and academic standards’•Performance Indicator: In high salary careers Performance Indicator: In high salary careers

within 3 monthswithin 3 months

•Target: 95%Target: 95%

•Benchmark: National average 80%Benchmark: National average 80%

SpecificitySpecificity

• sometimes allows:sometimes allows:– quantificationquantification– comparisoncomparison

•Over timeOver time

•With othersWith others

Standards and QualityStandards and Quality

Thus Academic StandardsThus Academic Standards

• Linked to academic provision and Linked to academic provision and processprocess

• Known to the academic communityKnown to the academic community– Agreed in advanceAgreed in advance– Stated in advanceStated in advance

• Enable a description of the quality of Enable a description of the quality of the academic offering at the University the academic offering at the University

The University’s Strategic The University’s Strategic PlanPlan

How should we chose our standards?How should we chose our standards?Standards allow measurement of Standards allow measurement of

‘fitness against purpose’‘fitness against purpose’Purpose is embedded within our Purpose is embedded within our

Strategic PlanStrategic PlanOur strategic plan specifies Our strategic plan specifies

– where we are now, where we are now, – where we need/want to be in X year’s where we need/want to be in X year’s

timetime– How we will get there How we will get there

Strategic Plan

Strengths Weaknesse

s

OpportunitiesThreats

External influences Internal characteristics

COMPROMISE

COMPROMISECOMPROMISE

• Standards of the University are a Standards of the University are a compromisecompromise

• They reflect externally derived They reflect externally derived requirementsrequirements

• Internally determined specificationsInternally determined specifications

WHERE IS THE BALANCE?WHERE IS THE BALANCE?

How autonomous is your How autonomous is your University?University?

• How much How much freedom?freedom?

External constraints

InternalInitiatives

ExternalityExternality

The University

The College/Departm

ent

Society

Government

Quality

Assurance

Agency

Professional Bodies

Media

Degrees of AutonomyDegrees of Autonomyin Quality Assurancein Quality Assurance

NationalNational

InstitutionalInstitutional

Local Local (College/Department)(College/Department)

Part 2Part 2

Autonomy and Quality Autonomy and Quality ProceduresProcedures

Approaches to QAApproaches to QA

Judgemental Evaluation

SupportiveEvaluation

Internal Process

External Process




Internal Process

External Process

Internal Judgemental

•Strong central management

•Top down adversarial

•Problem focussed - random and un-systematic

•Often related to financial imperatives

•Impacts on course provision

•Not collegiate




Internal Process

External Process

Internal Supportive

•Collegiate, Peer based, professional trust

•Sensitively recognises external requirements

•Developmental and Remedial

•Usually systematic and planned

•Parallel to financial imperatives

•Impacts on course enhancement




Internal Process

External Process

External Judgemental•Often linked to funding or accreditation

•No trust and imposed

•Adversarial/combative

•Sometime political and reputation based

•Reward and punishment system (closure)

•Non developmental




Internal Process

External Process

External Supportive

•Provides a mirror for University/department

•Often peers but not internally collegiate

•Usually systematic and planned

•Not explicitly related to financial imperatives

•Impacts on institutional enhancement

•Brings in good practice from outside

WORKSHOPWORKSHOP

• Where does the Saudi national Where does the Saudi national system sit in terms of the QA system sit in terms of the QA regime? Is the notion of University regime? Is the notion of University self responsibility recognised self responsibility recognised sufficiently? sufficiently?

Mature QAMature QA

Requires an external Requires an external stimulus which:stimulus which:

• Facilitates Facilitates accountabilityaccountability

• Reflects and Reflects and encourages best encourages best practicepractice

• Remains expert and Remains expert and objectiveobjective

• Is detached from Is detached from funding organisationsfunding organisations

There is a tendency over There is a tendency over time for Agencies to:time for Agencies to:

• Place too much Place too much emphasise on emphasise on conventional wisdoms conventional wisdoms and rigid core standardsand rigid core standards

• Over regulate Over regulate (guidelines)(guidelines)

• Become bureaucratic and Become bureaucratic and administratively drivenadministratively driven

Mature QAMature QA

Needs an internal Needs an internal University process which:University process which:

• Is non threatening Is non threatening

• Encourages genuine self Encourages genuine self appraisalappraisal

• Facilitates professional Facilitates professional development development

• Reflects and encourages Reflects and encourages best practicebest practice

• Uses available expertiseUses available expertise

There is a danger for There is a danger for University QA systems to:University QA systems to:

• Respond cynically over Respond cynically over time to external agenciestime to external agencies

• Become over Become over professionalised, professionalised, bureaucratic and bureaucratic and administratively drivenadministratively driven

• Fail to develop in Fail to develop in response to a changing response to a changing strategic plan strategic plan

Summary: University’s should Summary: University’s should recogniserecognise

• Standards need to be explicit and Standards need to be explicit and linked to QA processeslinked to QA processes

• There is a balance between There is a balance between externally derived standards and externally derived standards and internally defined standardsinternally defined standards

• Mature QA processes need both Mature QA processes need both internal and external evaluationinternal and external evaluation

Summary: University’s should Summary: University’s should recogniserecognise

• Diversity of College/department Diversity of College/department missions and contextsmissions and contexts

• the importance of self responsibilitythe importance of self responsibility

• QA processes embedded in Strategic QA processes embedded in Strategic planning planning

Part 3Part 3

Internalising the QA processInternalising the QA process

Changing CulturesChanging Cultures

Developing the QA CultureDeveloping the QA Culture

Management approach isdiverse and unsystematic

Managementapproach is unified and systematic

QA is Low priority

QA is High Priority




QA is Low priority

QA is High Priority

•Poor QA Framework

•Reactive to external requirements

•Staff not committed/understanding

•Rules and processes limited

•Under developed PIs and Targets

•Poor MIS

•No focus in managerial responsibilities

•Not embedded in Strategic Plan




QA is Low priority

QA is High Priority

•Developing clear QA Framework

•External requirements balanced with internal

•Staff accepting of QA framework

•Focussed on a few key QA areas

•Small number of PIs and Targets

•Limited but effective MIS

•Clear managerial responsibilities




QA is Low priority

QA is High Priority

•Confused motives and goals

•Lots of evaluation proactive and reactive

•Diversity of practices by staff

•QA responsibility distributed

•Proliferation of PIs, Targets

•MIS poorly coordinated

•Poor pay off for high costs

•Not integrated into Strategic Plan




QA is Low priority

QA is High Priority

•Clear conceptualisation

•Process for institutional change

•Culture of a Learning Organisation

•Planned internal/external programme

•Monitoring of process effectiveness

•Clear rationale for PIs and targets based on strategic Plan

•Clear organisational responsibilities

•Managers/administrators

•Committees




QA is Low priority

QA is High Priority

Where we need to

be

WORKSHOPWORKSHOP

Where does King Saud University sit in Where does King Saud University sit in terms of its QA regime? What does it terms of its QA regime? What does it need to do to improve?need to do to improve?

Developing the QA CultureDeveloping the QA Culture• Rector must promulgate QA vision – Rector must promulgate QA vision –

leadershipleadership

• QA must grow out of Strategic PlanQA must grow out of Strategic Plan

• Heads of Colleges/departments must sign upHeads of Colleges/departments must sign up

• Create unified and systematic management Create unified and systematic management responsibilities – who is responsible for whatresponsibilities – who is responsible for what

• Allow academic community to shape QA Allow academic community to shape QA processes through collegiate debate.processes through collegiate debate.

• Avoid managerialism, promote collegiate Avoid managerialism, promote collegiate engagement through QA committeesengagement through QA committees


• Identify QA Champions and QA opinion leaders Identify QA Champions and QA opinion leaders at strategic points to reinforce QA valuesat strategic points to reinforce QA values

• Invest in staff and Invest in staff and student student developmentdevelopment• Ensure relevance of QA standards to everyday Ensure relevance of QA standards to everyday

activity and not a ‘bolt-on’ activity and not a ‘bolt-on’ • Do not marginalise QA Units and administrationDo not marginalise QA Units and administration• Develop transparent, clear and simple Develop transparent, clear and simple

requirementsrequirements• Do not over bureaucratise processes, Do not over bureaucratise processes,

discourage mere compliance and tick boxesdiscourage mere compliance and tick boxes


• Ensure effective communications – Ensure effective communications – feedback loops so staff see the pointfeedback loops so staff see the point

• Involve Involve committedcommitted external subject experts external subject experts

• Broaden staff QA horizons – visitsBroaden staff QA horizons – visits

• Ensure effective MIS - ease of responseEnsure effective MIS - ease of response

• Ensure outcomes influence Strategic Ensure outcomes influence Strategic Planning – become a Learning OrganisationPlanning – become a Learning Organisation

Professor Robin SmithProfessor Robin Smithrobinarethusa@btinternet.comwww.arethusaprojects.co.ukwww.arethusaprojects.co.uk

mailto:[email protected]

Quality and the Role of the University Professor Robin Smith [email protected] .

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Transcript of Quality and the Role of the University Professor Robin Smith [email protected] .