Cluster Panel Session”Higher Education Capacity Building in Structural Tempus & Erasmus+ Projects: Current Outcomes” (Clusters – QA & QF and Study Programmes) (7.11.17, Kyiv)
Purpose: National scale implementation of the Structural projects’ outcomes through their using by the Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions, Ministry for Education and Science of Ukraine, the Parliament’ Committee on Science and Education, other stakeholders in the framework of Higher Education reforms.
Objectives: To provide synergy and supplementary effect of impact of the Structural Projects’ outcomes in the frame of the Clusters – Quality Assurance & Qualifications Frameworks and Study Programmes as well as to discuss developed proposals with representatives of the Ministry and other stakeholders.
To submit Recommendations for national level implementation of the QUAERE, ALIGN, QANTUS projects’ outcomes through its exploitation in the frame of the Ministry’ and Parliament’ expert groups on legislative and others changing for support of higher education reforms.
Follow up after 2016: The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine become much more pro-active in projects. The QUAERE, ALIGN and QANTUS projects strengthened cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, in particularly dissemination of projects achievements via meetings with the Ministry’ Commissions on higher education standards development.
Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) are actively involved into different working/expert groups on reforms at the national level. So HERE used projects outcomes during their work on the Law of Ukraine “On Education” (2017) that is compatible with the Bologna Process in general and includes the following key provisions:
– Establish obligatory correlation between Education Standards and NQF;
– QA system novation is Academic Integrity as well as Institutional Accreditation (voluntary procedure by HEI initiative, assessment of quality of educational activity of the HEI);
– Assure Teaching Quality improvement – State provides support to advanced training of State HEIs academic staff via additionally allocated funds from the State Budget and the amount of these funds cannot be less than 2 % of the academic staff’ salary fund;
– Introduce descriptions of the National Qualification Framework corresponding with EQF LLL; Sectoral Qualifications Frameworks; Qualifications Centres for Learning Outcomes and Qualifications Recognition (including via informal and nonformal education) in line with Lisbon and Bologna processes; National Qualifications Agency for maintaining NQF implementation in particular.
Annual TAM event – VI International conference «Bologna Process: Governance of the Higher Education system in the context of Quality Assurance» included Cluster Panel Session «Governance, Teaching and Learning in the context of QA». This Cluster meeting was initiated by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and conducted in cooperation with National Erasmus+ office in Ukraine, Ukraine HEREs and with support of EACEA and EU Delegation to Ukraine on November 7, 2017 at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
QUAERE, ALIGN, QANTUS projects teams presented the outcomes in the context of European integration and higher education reform for the representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, EACEA, National Erasmus+ office in Ukraine, HERE team, National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine and higher education institutions, research institutes (about 200 persons).
The event was attended by Volodymyr KOVTUNETS, the First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Giulia MORO, Project Officer for Ukraine, Erasmus+ CBHE Unit, EACEA, Lyudmila TATSENKO, Head of Education, the British Council in Ukraine.
Oleg SHAROV, Director of the Ministry’ Higher Education Department, HERE identified status and presented prospects of national QA system in Ukraine, he outlined that among strategic aims of the higher education reforming there is development of the QA system and national system of qualifications, including NQF, SQFs.
During Cluster Panel Session «Governance, Teaching and Learning in the context of QA» (Clusters – Quality Assurance & Qualifications Frameworks and Study Programmes) – project teams presented actual outcomes that are tested in practice in the framework of pilot implementation.
QUAERE – Quality Assurance System in Ukraine: Development on the base of ENQA Standards and Guidelines (http://quaere.fmi.org.ua/) (2015-2017):
– National survey “Analytical review and assessment of national HE system in the light of the ESG” in cooperation with the Ministry (http://quaere.pwr.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/QA-in-Ukraine-reports.pdf);
– Draft Road Map on external and internal QA in Higher Education – Internal and External QA Models (e.g. http://quaere.fmi.org.ua/pdf/internal_quality_assurance_system.pdf – pilot implementation);
– SWOT-analysis of internal QA systems of Universities-partners;
– Self-Assessment Reports for study programme accreditation;
– Site-visits of international Experts Panel under ASIIN coordination – pilot implementation.
QANTUS – Qualifications Frameworks for Environmental Science at Ukrainian Universities (http://qantus.osenu.org.ua/) (2013-2017):
– Sectoral Qualifications Framework (SQF) for Environmental Science (for three cycles) (in Ukrainian – https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B56700wd1mGmQmQ1OGlWRDJpXzQ/view);
– Analytical review on development and implementation of the NQF and Standards in Environmental Science in Ukraine (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B56700wd1mGmZWp3RExvbkFPV1U/view);
– Training courses on study programmes development – pilot implementation (http://qantus.osenu.org.ua/treninh-kursy/).
ALIGN – Achieving and Checking the Alignment between Academic Programmes and Qualification Frameworks (http://align.brusov.am) (2013-2017):
– Indicators of Alignment for study programmes assessment;
– Assessment (peer review) of the modernized study programmes for accreditation of EU QAA (project partners) – pilot implementation;
– Training courses on Learning Outcome assessment in line with NQF – pilot implementation.
Recommendations for national level implementation of the projects’ outcomes are developed according to Higher Education reforming in the context of Quality Assurance system development and National Qualifications Framework implementation.
1. To prepare and approve official documents – practical Guidelines (procedures, tools, etc.) for Internal and External QA models implementation in line with ESG in cooperation with the Ministry and NQAA.
2. To provide public discuss of Institutional and Study Programme Self-Assessment mechanisms based on SWOT-analysis and student involvement as well as Indicators of Alignment for study programmes assessment;
3. To develop proposals on Accreditation procedures based on mechanisms of study programmes alignment (Competences and Learning Outcomes) with NQF and Higher Education standards in cooperation with NQAA and the Ministry in order to develop the Cabinet’ Regulation on Accreditation.
4. To develop Guide for Study Programmes development compatible with NQF and HE Standards based on mechanisms of study programmes alignment with NQF to ensure consistency of judgments on Learning Outcomes and their assessment mechanisms across Higher Education Institutions.
5. To provide expertise of Higher Education Standards for the Ministry’ Scientific and Methodical Council and Commissions in the context of Learning Outcomes assessment, alignment with NQF.
6. To prepare and approve official document – Sectoral Qualifications Framework in Environmental Science in cooperation with the Ministry in order to develop the Cabinet’ Regulation on SQF according to the Law of Ukraine “On Education” and the Governmental Plan for NQF Implementation.
7. To prepare and approve official document – Guide for SQF development to implement appropriative provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On Education” as well as the Governmental Plan for NQF Implementation.
8. To train experts and staff of National Quality Assurance Agency (NQAA), the Ministry and HEIs to use QA procedures and tools in line with ESG, NQF alignment to facilitate student transfer, joint qualifications and benchmarking.
9. To train Universities leadership and faculties on new skills in the context of QA: to write and assess Learning Outcomes, student-centered teaching and learning, new management and leadership for Internal QA system in line with ESG.
10. To perform on regular basis seminars and trainings to HEIs on implementation of Bologna instruments: ECTS, ESG, NQF, student-centered teaching and learning, competence-based approach, etc. in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Sciences of Ukraine, NEO&HERE and Erasmus+ projects.
11. To place projects materials on the Internet resources (Ministry, NQAA, NEO, Universities) so that higher educational institutions could use them in their work.