Golub Tetiana

Philosophy doctor, associate professor,

National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

The modern trends in the development of higher education is to improve the quality of education, the provision of new areas of training, innovative development, integration with intensive research activities, a close link of university research and the needs of society through improved education and information technology.

Speaking of the methods of quality assurance in higher education we should note that the main actors here are the European University Association, the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, the European Commission, the National Union of Students in Europe, as well as national agencies and associations, higher education institutions and ministries.

The main trend of the last decades regarding quality assurance policies in European countries is the integration of different Bologna action lines. It is clear that quality assurance cannot be seen independently of other trends in higher education. The missing link to Bologna tools, especially learning outcomes and Qualification Frameworks has been seen as problematic for the „Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA” (ESG) [1]. Since the establishment of the ESG presented in Bergen in 2005, the European quality assurance landscape has changed considerably [2]. In the 2012 Bucharest Communiqué [3], the ministers committed to revise the ESG to improve their clarity, applicability and usefulness. The revised ESG are to be adopted at the next Ministerial Conference in 2015 [2].

Since 2009, developments of Internal Quality Assurance have increased significantly. European countries have encouraged higher education institutions to implement Internal Quality Assurance systems through formal requirements, however rarely making explicit reference to the ESG. Consequently, since 2009 the idea of an Internal Quality Assurance system has been widely accepted within higher education institutions across European Higher Education Area [2].

The ESG have not still become the „common framework” for higher education institutions all over Europe, but they have had an unprecedented impact on harmonising quality assurance at institutional level and fostering a shared, European understanding of Internal Quality Assurance. In the past few years, Internal Quality Assurance within European institutions has become more systematised and consistent. Students participation is now taken for granted, although the degree and practices of their involvement differ across EHEA. So far, quality assurance is still often regarded more as a topdown and administrative task rather than the heart of the matter for academics [2].

In most national educational systems in Europe in the last decade it became apparent displacement of control "inputs" to monitor and control the "output" of the educational process. One of the central ideas that have grown in recent years advocates student-oriented education process in universities. Important in evaluating the effectiveness of the educational activities of higher education institutions are not planning and implementation of the educational process, but the results of education: obtained knowledge, competencies and skills, students’ training, including self-study.

The system of inner assurance of education quality should be a combination of factors (components) and quality indicators for assessing the quality and values of criteria, terms of educational programs and the monitoring mechanism of creation and execution, as well as interaction in universities.

However, according to a domestic and foreign practice, state control of the quality assurance in higher education can not fully ensure the requirements of modern consumers of educational services and the full implementation of modern principles of quality management of educational institutions. The successful solution of the problem of educational institutions to improve the quality of their activities depends on several factors, the most important of which is the implementation of quality management systems.

Official policies and procedures must be in the system in which higher education institutions develop and monitor the effectiveness of their quality assurance systems. They also help to generate public confidence in the independence of organizations. The policy should contain a statement of intent and the main means by which these intentions are carried out. Procedures manual should provide detailed information on the methods by which the policy is implemented, and serve as a reference for those interested in the practical aspects of application procedures.

Implementation of the EHEA depends entirely on education institutions’ understanding that their programs have clear and explicit expected results; that their employees are willing and able to carry out the learning process that will help students to achieve these results; and that they provide a complete, timely moral and material incentives for employees who demonstrate skill, expertise and dedication. All higher educational institutions should strive to improve and enhance the level of education offered to students.

External Quality Assurance is aligning itself with the ESG, however, much remains to be done Regarding External Quality Assurance, it can be said that all EHEA countries have some form of External Quality Assurance system in place, although significant differences in the philosophy and approach behind systems persist [2].

Since the Bologna Process was launched, 22 countries have established national Quality Assurance Associations. Till now 11 countries in the EHEA do not have established Quality Assurance Associations. These include those with a small higher education sector, e.g. Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Malta, which organise External Quality Assurance and international participation in other ways, such as admitting foreign Quality Assurance Associations. In a few countries, e.g. Denmark, Portugal, and Italy, new agencies have replaced or built on the existing ones [4, p. 60].

The EHEA aims at ensuring more comparable, compatible and coherent systems of higher education in Europe. One of the key impediments for mutual recognition of degrees, mobility and a truly unified EHEA is a lack of trust in adequate quality assurance between the constituent countries of the EHEA. In principle, quality assurance of higher education is and will remain a national prerogative [2].

We can conclude, that higher education institutions in most of European countries have already established or developed Internal Quality Assurance structures and processes and conduct External Quality Assurance, which take into account the aspects of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA and lead to the increase in higher education quality assurance all over the Europe.

References

1. Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA. URL : http://www.enqa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ESG_3edition-2.pdf

2. Bischof, L., Gajowniczek, J., Mailamper, M. Input Study to the Report from the European Commission on Prograss in the Development of Quality Assurance Systems in the Various Member States and on Cooperation Activities at European Level in the context of EAC 02-2010 (lot 3) Ramework service contract prepared by the research team from CHE Consult. Final Report. – European Union : Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. – 101 p.

3. Bucharest Communiqué. URL : http://www.ehea.info/Uploads/(1)/Bucharest%20Communique%202012(2).pdf

4. EACEA (2012): The European Higher Education Area in 2012: Bologna Process Implementation Report. URL : http://www.ehea.info/Uploads/%281%29/Bologna%20Process%20Implementation%20Report.pdf, updated on 25/04/2012, checked on 24/01/2013.