“Joint Efforts in Quality Assurance - Where Zagreb, Brussels and The Hague Meet”: two-day conference held in Zagreb to mark the successful completion of the pilot project
Zagreb, 08.03.2011. – Hotel International, Miramarska 24, Zagreb
NVAO and its Croatian partners – Croatian Council of Universities and University Colleges of Applied Sciences, University College for Applied Computer Engineering in Zagreb, University of Applied Sciences "Marko Maruli?" in Knin, and University of Applied Sciences in Slavonski Brod – have just completed a one-year project in which there three institutions of higher education were independently assessed on quality assurance in education.
Invitation to final conference “Joint Efforts in Quality Assurance - Where Zagreb, Brussels and The Hague Meet ”
Zagreb, 08.03.2011. – Hotel International, Miramarska 24, Zagreb
NVAO, the accreditation organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders, has just completed its first pilot project in Croatia. In a project funded by the Flemish Government, and in co-operation with local project partners – Croatian Council of Universities and University Colleges of Applied Sciences, University College for Applied Computer Engineering in Zagreb, University of Applied Sciences “Marko Maruli?” in Knin, and University of Applied Sciences in Slavonski Brod, NVAO has carried out an independent quality assessment in the three aforementioned institutions. Their internal quality systems and procedures were assessed in October 2010 based on both the NVAO standards and procedures and also the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).
Start of the assessment process in University College for Applied Computer Engineering, Universities for Applied Sciences in Slavonski Brod and Knin
Zagreb, Slavonski Brod, Knin, 17.10.2010. till 26.10.2010.
On Sunday 17.10.2010. all members of the assessment panel will meet in order to prepare for the assessment audits in Croatian higher educational institutions involved in the project. Process of external institutional assessment will last for 3 days for each of the involved institutions. Two full days will be dedicated for discussions with relevant stakeholders, overview of infrastructure and documentation in each institution while third day will be left for panel members to summarize gathered information and for concretization of their findings. Standard groups of stakeholders such as representatives of the students, managing board, professional Council, Committee for Quality… will be interviewed while additional time will be left to the assessment panel for more detailed audits of certain interested topics or areas (audit trail). Institutional assessment will be conducted according to the NVAO-s guidelines that are in line with European Standards and Guidelines (ESG).
Discussing quality assessment in Croatia’s higher education institutes: a virtual meeting across borders
Den Haag, Zagreb, Slavonski Brod, 06.07.2010.
In March 2010 Zagreb was the place of encounter for those involved in the kick-off of a pilot project on quality assessment and enhancement in professional higher education in Croatia. On Tuesday 06.07.2010. the participating institutions met again, only this time the discussion was a virtual one.
During a video conference the partners engaged in more than 4 hours of discussion and exchange of experiences and ideas on internal quality and external quality assessment. On the agenda of the discussion were matters that have been worked on since the kick-off meeting: the critical self-evaluation and the structure of the self evaluation reports, the required supporting documentation as well as the final plan of the institutional audits that will be carried out in October 2010. All Croatian higher educational institutions accepted to undergo the standard NVAO audit procedure which consists of a two day visit of an independent assessment panel to each institution. During the conference, the composition of the assessment panel was agreed; this will consist of up to four full time members (two internationals, one representing ASHE and one student) and one local expert dedicated to each institution. All institutions fully supported and agreed with the NVAO assessment framework, that is in line with European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) and that will be used for institutional assessment in the Croatian pilot project.
Kick-off of the pilot project in quality assessment and enhancement in professional higher education in Croatia
Zagreb, 22.03.2010
On Monday 22.03.2010 a pilot project in quality assessment and enhancement in professional higher education institutions in Croatia was launched. The Croatian partners in the project are the Croatian Council of Universities and University Colleges of Applied Sciences, the University College for Applied Computer Engineering in Zagreb, the University of Applied Sciences "Marko Marulic" Knin and the University of Applied Sciences in Slavonski Brod. The Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders, NVAO (http://www.nvao.net) is the co-ordinater of the project.
Project description
The objective is to support higher educational institutions in Croatia to develop their internal quality assurance systems and to carry out a pilot project in quality assessment in aforesaid institutions that may result in accreditation recommendations issued by NVAO. From 2008-2010, the Croatian National Council for Higher Education and the Agency for Science and Higher Education have scheduled to perform evaluations of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) according to the Plan of Evaluation of HEIs adopted by Rectors Collegium and the Council of Croatian Institutions of Higher Professional Education. In order to assist their work and advance the international dimension in Croatian accreditation, the herein project is conceived to serve as a pilot and preparation for the quality assessment process of a specific type of higher educational institutions Universities of Applied Sciences - which are somewhat lagging behind in development of internal quality assurance processes, as compared to state universities.