Evaluation planned for the university's freestanding courses
2022-08-16
This evaluation is part of the university’s education evaluation process which is done within the framework of a six-year cycle.
According to Pro-Vice-Chancellor Kim Bolton, “It is important that the university continuously assures and develops quality in all its educational offerings. To facilitate this, we have a quality assurance system in which, among other things, education is evaluated by assessment panels (peer review) on a six-year cycle. The university's educational programmes have been evaluated during the first five years of this cycle, and now our freestanding courses are being evaluated as well.”
A total of 22 of the university's freestanding courses that are not part of programmes and contract education agreements will be evaluated; this process will start in September 2022 and will be completed by June 2023. The selection of courses has been done in consultation with the university's Faculties on the basis of the indicators set out in the procedure for the evaluation of freestanding courses.
The assessments will primarily be based on written documentation received from the Faculties and supplemented by interviews, where necessary. The assessment group will then compile a report regarding general strengths and weaknesses. On the basis of this review, each Faculty will then develop an action plan for its entire range of freestanding courses. The action plans will then be formally adopted by the relevant boards and followed up on after one year.
The review will be carried out by an assessment group consisting of:
- A professor at the university who is not involved in any of the courses being evaluated. This person will be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor to chair the assessment group.
- One representative per education committee and one representative from the Artistic Research and Education Board. The representatives do not need to be experts in any of the courses being evaluated.
- Filip Alburg, representative from the Student Union of Borås
- One administrator/secretary
The aim of the evaluation is to develop the university's offerings of freestanding courses, of which there are currently around 250.
According to the "Rules of Procedure for Evaluation and Development of Education at the University of Borås" (Reg. no. 286-19, Swedish only) and the "Evaluation Cycle and Rules for Local Evaluations of Education at the University of Borås" (Reg. no. 135-17, Swedish only), all of the university's environments and programmes must be evaluated on a six-year cycle.
The university's quality assurance system and quality development of education have already been approved by the Swedish Higher Education Authority.
Solveig Klug
Anna Sigge