Peer Learning Workshop
"From strategy to quality:
Internationalisation as an element of QA-systems in Higher Education Institutions"
Amsterdam, 5-6 May 2010
PPT presentations online
The workshop topics
Quality Assurance (QA) and internationalisation are two main challenges universities are facing not only in the context of the Bologna Process but also with respect to the growing worldwide competition within the higher education sector. Assuring quality of teaching and learning on the one hand and of research on the other hand is not only the duty of each member of a university but requires above all significant steering and management activities on the institutional level. QA-systems such as the EFQM-model (European Foundation for Quality Management) integrate the individual and the institutional QA-activities into a management system that could support higher education institutions in assuring the quality more systematically. The basis for each QA-system is an effective strategy. One important strategic field in universities is the internationalisation of teaching and learning as well as of research. In the peer learning workshop participants learnt, with the aid of case studies, how to apply QA-systems in higher education institutions, to build an effective internationalisation strategy and convert it in results of good quality.
Workshop concept and target groups
The main target groups were:- vice rectors and deans responsible for the internationalisation strategy or/and QA,
- heads of international offices in higher education institutions who are interested in developing the quality of their area of work systematically and closely linked to university strategy,
- quality managers of higher education institutions.
The MODERN peer learning workshop “From strategy to quality: Internationalisation as an element of QA-systems in Higher Education Institutions” was one of the three seminars organised by the MODERN European Platform on Higher Education Modernisation. It was closely linked to the international MODERN conference “Assuring the quality of internationalisation” on 7 May 2010 in Amsterdam. The conference and peer learning seminar examined the issues of quality and internationalisation from different, but complementary perspectives.
The experts
The workshop was moderated by Sigrun Nickel and Peter Mayer.
Sigrun Nickel works as QA-expert at the CHE Centre for Higher Education Development (Germany). During the last decade she has supported several universities in implementing QA-systems as a consultant. She also works as a teacher for QA in study programmes and further education seminars.
Peter Mayer works as professor at the university of applied sciences of Osnabrück (Germany). He has been vice rector for internationalisation and currently teaches international higher education management. He is also a programme director of the International Deans Course, a further education training for deans from African and Asian universities.
Sigrun Nickel and Peter Mayer were accompanied by Jaques Lanares, professor and vice rector of the university of Lausanne (Switzerland). He chairs the Quality Network for Swiss Higher Education institutions and works as a peer in the Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) of the European University Association (EUA), which supports the participating higher education institutions in the continuing development of their strategic management and internal quality culture.
Sigrun Nickel works as QA-expert at the CHE Centre for Higher Education Development (Germany). During the last decade she has supported several universities in implementing QA-systems as a consultant. She also works as a teacher for QA in study programmes and further education seminars.
Peter Mayer works as professor at the university of applied sciences of Osnabrück (Germany). He has been vice rector for internationalisation and currently teaches international higher education management. He is also a programme director of the International Deans Course, a further education training for deans from African and Asian universities.
Sigrun Nickel and Peter Mayer were accompanied by Jaques Lanares, professor and vice rector of the university of Lausanne (Switzerland). He chairs the Quality Network for Swiss Higher Education institutions and works as a peer in the Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) of the European University Association (EUA), which supports the participating higher education institutions in the continuing development of their strategic management and internal quality culture.
The structure
Wednesday 05/05/2010
17.00 Registration and coffee/tea reception
17.30 Opening by Fiona Hunter, EAIE Immediate Past President and chair of the connecting conference „Assuring the quality of internationalisation“
- Input 1: Quality as an international issue: findings from 16 years Institutional Evaluation Programme (Jaques Lanares)
- Collection of topics to be discussed, clusters of topics for the next day (Sigrun Nickel/Peter Mayer)
19.30 Dinner
Thursday 06/05/2010
The peer learning process introduced methods like group discussions, case studies, plenary voting, gallery walk.
09:00-09:10 Opening, welcome
09:10-10:10 Input 2: Models and good practices for QA-systems in universities (Nickel)
10:10-12:00 Input 3: How to implement and control an effective internationalisation strategy in higher education institutions (Mayer)
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-16:30 Assessing the quality of internationalisation on basis of case studies with support of a specific IT software (facilitated by Lanares/Mayer/Nickel)