The German Rectors’ Conference, or HRK, has called for reform of the country’s accreditation system to give higher education institutions a more active role.
“Our universities seek to motivate teaching staff and students to participate in the ongoing improvement of academic studies,” Thomas Kathöfer, secretary-general of the HRK, told a symposium of higher education heads titled "Ensuring Studyability: Study and teaching under the microscope".
Kathöfer argued that such motivating required “appropriate structures and procedures”.
Kathöfer was supported by Wilfried Müller, rector of the University of Bremen, who spoke in favour of introducing institutional quality audits. Only a quality audit system tailored to higher education institutions could give universities more scope to develop their own programmes.
Müller said changes in institutional structures were a necessary consequence because state approval was no longer required and “accreditation bodies should no longer inspect universities but rather support them with advice and guidance”.
Germany’s current system of quality assurance via the accreditation of study programmes is organised by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Study Courses, established in 1998 and usually referred to as the 'Accreditation Council'.
It is a foundation under public law and is legally authorised to accredit agencies to carry out the accreditation of programmes. Ten of these accreditation agencies operate in various fields, and they include the Austrian Agency for Quality Assurance and the OAQ, an organisation responsible for accreditation and quality assurance in Swiss higher education.
The Accreditation Council has four representatives each from higher education institutions and from state ministries responsible for higher education affairs. There are also two representatives each from industry, trade unions and students, as well as two representatives of universities abroad. ...
“Our universities seek to motivate teaching staff and students to participate in the ongoing improvement of academic studies,” Thomas Kathöfer, secretary-general of the HRK, told a symposium of higher education heads titled "Ensuring Studyability: Study and teaching under the microscope".
Kathöfer argued that such motivating required “appropriate structures and procedures”.
Kathöfer was supported by Wilfried Müller, rector of the University of Bremen, who spoke in favour of introducing institutional quality audits. Only a quality audit system tailored to higher education institutions could give universities more scope to develop their own programmes.
Müller said changes in institutional structures were a necessary consequence because state approval was no longer required and “accreditation bodies should no longer inspect universities but rather support them with advice and guidance”.
Germany’s current system of quality assurance via the accreditation of study programmes is organised by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Study Courses, established in 1998 and usually referred to as the 'Accreditation Council'.
It is a foundation under public law and is legally authorised to accredit agencies to carry out the accreditation of programmes. Ten of these accreditation agencies operate in various fields, and they include the Austrian Agency for Quality Assurance and the OAQ, an organisation responsible for accreditation and quality assurance in Swiss higher education.
The Accreditation Council has four representatives each from higher education institutions and from state ministries responsible for higher education affairs. There are also two representatives each from industry, trade unions and students, as well as two representatives of universities abroad. ...
Michael Gardner25 March 2012 Issue No:214
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20120320155420586
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