Quality Assurance
on the Road
Finland and Austria in comparison
Mag. Andrea Bernhard
Institute of Educational Sciences
University of Graz
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
1
Outline of the presentation
 Development
of quality in HE
 Finland
– Evaluation and audit
 Austria
– Accreditation in various ways
 Comparative
view
 Transatlantic
perspective
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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Development of quality in HE
 One
of the main issues throughout
Europe
 QA
regulated in national laws
 QA
linked to certain standards &
criteria
 Outcome-orientation
 Bologna
(results!)
Declaration in 1999
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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FINLAND
Evaluation and audit (I)

1985 KOTA data base

1986 universities have to implement their
own evaluation system

1996 national QAA: FINHEEC (Finnish
Higher Education Council)

University Act 1998:
The universities shall evaluate their education, research and
artistic activities, and their effectiveness. The universitieis
shall also take part in external evaluation of their activities.
The universities shall publish the results obtained in the
evaluation it has undertaken.

2004 new approach of audit
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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FINLAND
Evaluation and audit (II)

FINHEEC




an independent expert organisation that assists
universities, polytechnics and the Ministry of
Education
consists of 12 members
task of developing and organising evaluations
(self-evaluation, external peer review, site-visit,
published report)
full member of ENQA
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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FINLAND
Evaluation and audit (III)

ACADEMY of FINLAND


evaluates research and develops methods for
evaluation
Critical view





evaluations on voluntary basis
relation between FINHEEC, MoE and HEIs
deal more with follow-up measures and R&D
coordination and joint activities
international evaluators
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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AUSTRIA
Accreditation in various ways (I)

UOG 1993 first systematic and comprehensive
evaluation programme
1993 establishment of Fachhochschul-sector
(non-university sector, polytechnics)
1999 possibility to establish a private
university
both sectors: ex-ante-accreditation

UG 2002 high degree of autonomy for universities;
public universities have to adopt internal and
external QA
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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AUSTRIA
Accreditation in various ways (II)

FHR – Fachhochschulrat




responsible for QA and re-/accreditation/
evaluation of college degree programmes
consists of 16 members
full member of ECA and ENQA
ÖAR – Austrian Accreditation Council



responsible for re-/accreditation/supervision of
the private HE sector (institutional + programme)
consists of 8 members
full member of ECA and ENQA
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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AUSTRIA
Accreditation in various ways (III)

AQA – Austrian Agency for QA



assists HEIs to implement QA procedures,
coordinates evaluations and elaborate QA
standards
full member of ENQA since June 2008
Critical view




development of only one QAA?
coordination between different sectors
QA at public sector still lax
University courses (further education)
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16 October 2008
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Comparative view
Similarities

HEIs have high degree of autonomy

Development of non-university sector quite
late compared to other countries

Till 1992 no evaluation activities at the
supra-institutional level

QAAs member of international agencies

National policies integrated into Bologna
process
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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Comparative view
Differences




Austria
Policy discussion
started not till the
1990s
Main focus on
accreditation
procedures
No student
involvement in QA
No publication of
expert reports




Finland
Policy discussions
started in the mid1980s
Main focus on
evaluation procedures
(and audit)
Student involvement
at all levels of QA
Publication of all
information on QA
issues
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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Transatlantic perspective

UNESCO/OECD Guidelines for Quality Provision
in Cross-border Higher Education (for QAAs)








Include cross border provision
Sustain and strenghten regional and international networks
Establish links and strengthen the collaboration between the
bodies of the sending/receiving country
Provide accurate and easily assessible information
Apply principles as f.e. CGP in the Provision of Transnational
Education
Reach mutual recognition agreements
Consider adoption of procedures for the composition of peer
review panels etc.
Transatlantic Dialogue: EUA, ACE, AUCC

Meetings every two years to bring together HE leaders to
discuss shared issues and concerns on both sides of the
Atlantic
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16 October 2008
Thank you for your attention!
[email protected]
The floor is open for discussion:
 Which
country is more in line with the objectives of
the Bologna Process?
 Could
mutual recognition of accreditation decisions
bring a common understanding?
 Future
developments in Finland, Austria and at
international level?!
BALANCE Seminar/Graz
16 October 2008
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