Organization and responsibility for Course QA
Quality Assurance of Degree Courses (CoS) is a constituent element of the management, monitoring and measurement of the dynamics governing teaching, knowledge and know-how.
Degree courses, in particular, are at the heart of the educational mission of higher education institutions. They are designed through the design of one or more output figures, defined through the identification of their scientific, cultural and/or professional characteristics and, consistently, of the training paths leading to the acquisition of the specific knowledge and skills associated with the output profiles.
Course design must involve students and external stakeholders most appropriate to the character and objectives of the course. The external stakeholders of the degree course include all the actors and organisations and institutions potentially interested in the cultural and professional profile of the graduates designed by the degree course (organisations representing the production of goods and services, the professions and/or - if considered relevant to the project - scientific societies, research centres, academic and cultural institutions of national or international relevance, etc.). Where functional for the proposed project, stakeholders may be represented by a Steering Committee, consisting of a representation of the Department's faculty and representatives from the world of work, culture and research representing the stakeholders of one or more study courses.
Degree course should be constantly updated, reflecting the most advanced knowledge in the disciplines, also with a view to the continuation of studies in subsequent cycles, ensuring interchange with the world of research and the world of work.
Degree course - Review Group - Quality Assurance Manager, each CoS is required to
- apply, as far as it is competent, the policies and general guidelines for Quality established by the Governing Bodies
- carry out self-assessment and review activities of its own training pathway and of the management of the Degree course on the basis of the analyses reported in the annual report of the CPDS and of the data provided by ANVUR, the Evaluation Committee and the Organisational Unit (O.U.) Management Control, also comparing itself with similar Boards with a view to benchmarking;
- promote continuous improvement and evaluating its effectiveness;
- implement the evaluation of teaching according to what has been set up at the University level.
The Degree course, through its President, is also responsible for the information reported in the ANVUR documents (SUA-CDS, Annual Monitoring Form, Cyclic Review Report).
To this end, each school establishes a Review Group (RG) composed of figures from within the school itself who are able to contribute to the evaluation of the course from various points of view (professors/instructors, technical-administrative staff, students). The RG consists of the Course President, the course Quality Assurance Manager (QAM), two professors, some student representatives and an Education Manager from the Course Department. The RG has the task of guiding the Degree course towards the goal of continuous improvement of its results. The RG manages the process of self-evaluation, i.e. the process by which the Degree course monitors its own performance and assesses its own results, also in accordance with the guidelines established by ANVUR.
In the course of the self-assessment process, the RG examines everything that can contribute to the analysis of the results of the Degree course and, in particular:
- the annual report provided by the Joint Teachers-Students Committee of reference;
- the report of the Evaluation Committee;
- the progress of students' careers;
- the availability of context services (tutoring, internationalisation, orientation, internships, etc.);
- consultation with the socio-economic system of reference (including the Steering Committee, sector studies, specific meetings with social partners, etc.);
- the availability of resources (human and infrastructural);
- the opinion of the University of Genoa.);
- consultation with the socio-economic system of reference (including the Steering Committee, sector studies, specific meetings with the social partners);
- availability of resources (human and infrastructural);
- student opinion on teaching, the organization of the degree course and the training pathway;
- any other information provided by the QAM, the Education Manager and the Coordinator/Teaching Quality Manager (see section X).
The work of the RG takes the form of the compilation of an Annual Monitoring Form and the drafting of the Cyclical Review Report, which is discussed within the Council of the relevant BoD and forwarded to the PQA and the University Evaluation Committee.
Finally, the Quality Assurance Manager (QAM) has the function of monitoring and verifying the correct implementation of the improvement actions approved by the Degree Course. The QAM is identified from among the professors/instructors of the Degree Course.
Department Quality Assurance
In this context, the role of the Departments is of paramount importance, as they are key organisational structures for carrying out scientific research, teaching and training activities, as well as for the transfer of knowledge and innovation and for related or ancillary external activities. The Director and the Department Council represent the Departmental Governing Bodies responsible for defining the Quality Assurance Policies for Departmental Research and Teaching.
A Department Quality Committee (PQD) is set up within each department, an operational and liaison body between the department and the University Quality Committee.
The PQD:
- spreads the culture of Quality;
- applies, as far as it is concerned, the policies and general guidelines for Quality established by the Governing Bodies of the University;
- assists the Chairpersons of the CDS in the drafting of documents for the QA of the CDS (SUA-CdS, Cyclic Review Report, Annual Monitoring Form);
- assists the Director in the drafting of research QA documents (SUA-RD, any Department programme documents);
- supports the Director and the Department Council in the definition of policies and objectives for Quality and QA of research and of the third mission;
- promotes continuous improvement in Research and Teaching through self-evaluation activities and evaluates the effectiveness of the actions undertaken.
In addition, the PQD, through the Departmental Delegate for Teaching (as provided for in the 'Framework Regulation for the Functioning of Departments'), liaises with the Departmental Teaching Commission, a commission with the function of supporting the Director in carrying out his responsibilities in teaching matters (as provided for in the 'Framework Regulation for the Functioning of Departments'), while, through the Departmental Delegate for Research Quality and Third Mission, it verifies the regular performance of the procedures for the drafting of the SUA-RD.
Department Director
According to the Statute, the Director has the function of promoting, guiding and coordinating scientific activities. It supervises research and third mission activities and oversees their evaluation.
The Director is assisted by the Departmental Research Quality and Third Mission Delegate who is entrusted with the following tasks:
- support in the definition of the Department's research quality and third mission policies with the identification of indicators that take into account not only teaching commitment but also the quality of research and technology transfer activities;
- definition of the Department's research quality and third mission assurance procedures;
- annual monitoring of research products (as defined by ANVUR in the VQR call and in the SUA-RD), both in quantitative and qualitative terms;
- structured management of the Department's public engagement activities.
The Director is responsible for the information reported in the QA documents (SUA-RD and any other policy documents of the Department).
Joint Teachers' and Students' Committees
In accordance with the Articles of Association and the University Teaching Rules and Regulations and the Framework Regulation for the functioning of Departments, the Joint Teachers' and Students' Committee (CPDS) of Departments are set up, consisting of a teacher and a student for each degree course pertaining to the Department. The CPDS, if deemed necessary, may be subdivided into subcommittees. It is chaired by one of the tenured professors.
The CPDS is a permanent observatory on teaching activities.
The CPDS:
- monitors the range of course catalogue and the quality of teaching, as well as the service activities provided to students by professors and researchers within the Department;
-expresses an opinion on the consistency between the ECTS credits allocated to educational activities and the specific educational objectives set;
-identifies and monitors indicators for the evaluation of results;
-formulates opinions on the activation and suppression of degree programmes;
- analyses data and information on the range of course catalogue and on the quality of teaching;
- submits proposals to the Evaluation Committee for improving the quality and effectiveness of teaching structures; - monitors the indicators that measure the degree of achievement of teaching objectives at the level of each structures.
By 31 December of each year, the CPDS draws up a report in accordance with the quality assurance regulations and forwards it to the Course Presidents pertaining to the Department, to the Department Director, to the Coordinator of the University QualityAssurance Committee and to the Coordinator of the University Evaluation Committee.
Departmental structures
At the departmental structure level, coordination in all typical departmental administrative and management activities is carried out by the Administration Manager (AM). Among other functions, the AM oversees and coordinates:
- activities concerning the administrative support to the institutional activities of teaching, including front-office work with students as far as it is concerned, in relation to the department's courses, the course catalogue, the evaluation and self-evaluation of courses, overseeing the processes inherent to the accreditation and quality of degree courses the activities concerning administrative support to institutional research and third mission activities, including technology transfer, research grants, research scholarships, overseeing the processes inherent to the quality of departmental research and third mission.
In the field of didactics, according to the University's functional chart, the AM can call upon the services of a Teaching Quality Manager (cat. EP), who coordinates, in conjunction with the AM, the typical activities supporting didactics, the course catalogue, the front office with students as far as it is concerned, and the quality of courses, including PhDs. It coordinates the department's teaching contacts; it coordinates guidance on entrance and career guidance initiatives; it coordinates the admission processes to study courses and the management of activities relating to tutoring and undergraduates; it supports the degree course Presidents, the Joint Student-Teacher Committee and the SAGs of the study courses hinged on the Department. It coordinates activities related to internships, traineeships and international mobility. It performs functional coordination of personnel. It operates in functional connection with the teaching area.
Alternatively, the AM may employ a Teaching Quality Manager (cat. D), who ensures, under the coordination of the AM, the supervision of the typical teaching support activities as outlined above.
For each CoS there is also a Teaching Quality Manager (TQM) (Cat. D, C, B) that ensures the organisation and functionality of the didactics of the degree course. It ensures, in functional coordination with the Teaching Quality Manager, administrative support for everything concerning the organization and operation of study courses. It manages and updates the content of the degree course website in cooperation with the relevant structures. It operates in functional connection with the teaching area.
As a member of the RG, he plays an essential reference role for the teaching organization and is a professional figure of particular value for the Quality Assurance of degree course.
In the area of Research and Third Mission, according to the University's function chart, the AM can avail itself of a Research and Third Mission Service Coordinator (cat. EP) who coordinates, in common with the AM, the typical activities supporting research (national and international), the third mission, research quality, and the enhancement of departmental know-how, also performing interface and liaison functions with the department's technical staff. It coordinates and oversees the support processes related to the proper execution of the department's research-related activities, from participation in calls for tenders, to the management of research projects (including contract research), to support in the preparation of research contracts, to the reporting of all national and international projects and contracts. It supports the drafting of the SUA-RD. It performs functional staff coordination. It operates in functional connection with the Research Area. Alternatively, the AM may employ a Service Manager for Research and Third Mission (Cat. D) which ensures, under the coordination of the AM, the supervision of the typical activities in support of research and the third mission as reported above.
