International quality assurance the Erasmus Mundus experience

Erasmus Mundus - objectives¾ Enhance the quality of European HE throughinternational co-operation¾ Improve the development of human resources¾ Promote dialogue and understanding between
peoples and cultures¾ Promote Europe as a centre of excellence inlearning around the world

Erasmus Mundus - key elements¾Action 1 - Joint Programmes(including scholarships)¾ Action 2 - Partnerships(including scholarships)¾ Action 3 - Promotion of European HE

Erasmus Mundus - joint programmes¾ Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses (EMMCs)¾ Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorates (EMJDs)¾ Full-study scholarships for students andresearchers of exceptional quality (worldwide)¾ Scholarships for academics to teach on EMMCs

An Erasmus Mundus course is…

developed and delivered by a consortium ofuniversities…
located in at least three European countries
and…
co-ordinated by a European university(since 2009, non-European universities can bepartners)

Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses

Since 2004, more than 500 universities…
have developed 116 joint masters courses…
attended by over 8000 students and 2000
academics…
in a very wide range of disciplines

Erasmus Mundus - thematic disciplines¾ Agricultural and Forestry Sciences¾ Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning¾ Art and Design¾ Business Studies, Management Science¾ Communication and Information Sciences¾ Education, Teacher Training¾ Engineering, Technology¾ Geography, Earth and Environmental Studies¾ Health Sciences¾ Humanities¾ Languages and Philological Sciences¾ Law¾ Mathematics, Informatics¾ Natural Sciences¾ Social and Cultural Sciences, Economics

Erasmus Mundus Quality Assessment¾ EMQA project started in 2008, second phase in2009 and third in 2010
¾ First EM courses nearing end of 5-year funding
period in 2008
¾ EM is marketed as an “excellence” programme- aim of EMQA project is to understand theprocess by which this has been achieved overthe life-cycle of an EM course (the “journey toexcellence”) and identify good practices

What EMQA is not¾ An evaluation exercise - all EM courses are
subject to regular monitoring and annual
reporting requirements¾ An attempt to impose quality standards on EMcourses¾ A new QA framework at European level
Universities are subject to national QA systems

Erasmus Mundus Quality Assessment¾ Project managed by Steering Group (incl.
consultants, academic experts, EM course
representatives, ENQA, EM alumni, ESN)
¾ 12 EM courses (which started in 2004 or 2005)
covered in 2008 and 2009 - all volunteers¾ Visits to co-ordinator of each course + 2
partners, making 36 visits in total (inclusion ofpartners allowed for differing perspectives)¾ Selection of courses based on location, discipline

Methodology

EMQA - the key players¾ Visits led by consultants with academic
experience¾ Visit team included European Commission orExecutive Agency, subject experts, student
experts, plus representative of national QA
agency where possible¾ Received by key actors involved with the course:
Academics, Vice-Rectors, International Offices,Libraries, Administrative and Support Staff

EMQA - the visits¾ Prior preparation and self-assessment via
questionnaire¾ Visits on the basis of confidentiality andopenness¾ Celebrate and acknowledge excellence¾ Learn from failures and challenges - sharenon-critically where the course can improve

EMQA - the visits¾ Agenda structured around “Components ofExcellence”¾ Build trust via an internationally-acknowledged
subject expert¾ Build trust via a student with EM experience¾ Build trust via academic peers as lead
consultants¾ Build trust via Commission staff who affirm thenon-judgmental nature of the visit process

EMQA - 4 “Components of Excellence”
Quality of Teaching and Learning (QATL)EMQA - 4 “Components of Excellence”
Facilities, Logistics and Finance (FLAF)EMQA - 4 “Components of Excellence”
Quality of Leadership and Institutions(QUIL)EMQA - 4 “Components of Excellence”
Joined-Up Practice and Integration(JUPI)

Quality of Teaching and Learning¾ Designing an excellent curriculum¾ Communicating course objectives andoutcomes¾ Developing student competencies¾ Developing learning skills¾ International learning and working¾ Developing linguistic competencies¾ Managing the teaching and learning
environment

Quality of Teaching and Learning¾ Research activity and research facilities¾ Consistent teaching practice¾ Entrepreneurship and business skills¾ Internships contributing to student learning¾ Consistent assessment methods¾ Formal course review

Facilities, Logistics and Finance¾ When students apply to your course¾ Verifying student qualifications¾ Preparing students academically prior to arrival¾ When “third-country” students travel to Europe¾ Introducing students to European academic
practice

Facilities, Logistics and Finance¾ When students move between partner
institutions¾ Student finances¾ Communicating and consulting with students¾ Benefitting from alumni

Quality of Leadership and Institutions¾ The highest quality academic team
¾ Creating a strong course “brand”¾ Securing and maintaining institutionalcommitment¾ International teaching and research¾ Continuity and leadership¾ Succession strategies¾ Financial sustainability

Joined-Up Practice and Integration¾ Selecting students¾ Consortium information system¾ Policy for course fees
¾ Division of labour across the consortium¾ A consortium-wide quality assessment process¾ Managing the consortium¾ Policy for awarding the master degree

EMQA - outputs¾ Quality Handbook offering guidance to existingor prospective participants¾ Online Self-Assessment Tool
¾ Products based on practical feedback fromthose who have actually been involved indelivering EM courses¾ EM Excellence website - http://www.emqa.euEMQA - Self-Assessment Tool
¾ Allows users to assess their strengths or
weaknesses in relation to the “Components ofExcellence”¾ Each assessment criterion based on “Likertstatements” - 5 levels of descriptors¾ Courses participate in a collaborative process,building and sharing experience, raising thelevels of quality and refining the Tool
¾ Potential applicants can benefit from learned
practice, existing courses can accelerate their
quality improvementsEM Excellence Website - registrations

EMQA - conclusions¾ Understand better the flexible and innovative
nature of EM courses¾ Moving towards a process where a course isfollowing a structured set of practices that has
been determined as maximising the chance ofdelivering an excellent course¾ Complementary relationship between national
QA systems and EMQA projectEMQA - conclusions

Identification of different types of:¾ Course (in terms of mobility track)¾ Organisational structures¾ Course missions

Types of course - mobility

Organisational structures

Course missions

EMQA added value¾ Shared process leading to benefits for all¾ Innovative character of Erasmus Mundus
would not have been as apparent via fixedstandards¾ Exchange of dialogue and best practice - EMQA
tools not confined to use by EM courses

Future of EMQA?
¾ Third phase in 2010
¾ Aim to contribute to long-term sustainabilityof EM courses¾ Further refinement and updating of tools,
identification of additional good practices¾ Present EMQA outputs as a support resource toa wider community of quality practitioners (inhigher education, among socio-economic
actors and elsewhere in the world)