Organisation and responsibility for Course QA
The Quality Assurance of Study Courses (CdS) is a constituent element of the management, monitoring and measurement of the dynamics governing teaching, knowledge and know-how.
Study 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 involves students and external stakeholders appropriate to the character and objectives of the course at a consultative level. External stakeholders were consulted as potentially interested in the cultural and professional profile of the graduates of the study course, organisations representing the food production industry, the professions (order of food technologists), local administrations, etc.). As a function of the proposed project, these parties will be invited to be represented by a Steering Committee, composed of a representation of the Department's teaching staff and their representatives, which will have advisory functions for the three food-related courses of study in the Department of Food and Drug.
Courses of study 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.
Course of Study - Review Group - Quality Assurance Manager For the purposes of Quality Assurance, each student body is required to: apply, as far as it is concerned, the policies and general guidelines for quality established by the governing bodies; carry out self-assessment and review of its training and management of the student body on the basis of the analyses reported in the annual report of the CPDS and the data provided by ANVUR, the Evaluation Committee and the Management Control division, also comparing itself with similar Committees with a view to benchmarking; to promote continuous improvement and assess its effectiveness; to implement the evaluation of teaching in accordance with the University's arrangements.
The Course Council, 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 course itself who are able to contribute to the evaluation of the course from various points of view (teaching staff, technical-administrative staff, students). The Course Council normally consists of the Course President, the Quality Assurance Manager (RAQ), a student representative and an Education Manager from the School's Department. The Review Group has the task of guiding the CoS towards the goal of continuous improvement of its results. The Review Group manages the process of self-evaluation, i.e. the process by which the CdS monitors its own performance and assesses its own results, also in accordance with the guidelines established by ANVUR.
During the self-evaluation process, the Review Group takes into consideration anything that can contribut to the analysis of the degree course results, in particular:
the annual report copiled by the related Joint Committee of Teachers and Students;
the Evaluation Committee report;
the progress of students' careers;
the availability of specific services (tutoring, internationalisation, guidance, internships, etc.); 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 organisation of the degree course and the training pathway; any other information provided by the RAQ, the Educational Manager and the Coordinator/Responsible for the teaching quality service The work of the Review Group involves the compilation of an Annual Monitoring Form and the drafting of the Cyclic Review Report, which is discussed by the Committee of the reference student body and forwarded to the PQA and the University Evaluation Committee.
Finally, the Quality Assurance Manager (RAQ) has the function of monitoring and verifying the correct implementation of the improvement actions approved by the Course Council. The RAQ is identified from among the teaching staff of the CdS.
Departmental Quality Assurance In this context, the role of the Departments is of paramount importance, as they are key organisational structures for the conduct of 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 are the Departmental Governing Bodies responsible for defining the Quality Assurance Policies for Departmental Research and Teaching.
A Department Quality Assurance Committee (PQD) is established within each department, an operational and liaison body between the department and the University Quality Assurance Committee.
The PQD: disseminates 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 Course President in the drafting of documents for the QA of the course (SUA-CdS, Cyclic Review Report, Annual Monitoring Form); it assists the Director in the drafting of research QA documents (SUA-RD, any programmatic documents of the Department); it 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; it promotes continuous improvement in Research and Teaching through self-evaluation activities and evaluates the effectiveness of the actions taken.
In addition, the PQD, through the Department Delegate for Teaching (as provided for in the ""Framework Regulation for the Functioning of Departments""), liaises with the Department Teaching Committee, a committee 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 Department 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 Department's 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 the 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 Committees of Teachers and Students In accordance with the Statute and the University Regulations and the Framework Regulation for the functioning of Departments, the Joint Committees of Teachers and Students (CPDS) of Departments are set up, consisting of a teaching staff member 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 courses on offer 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 credits allocated to educational activities and the specific educational objectives set; identifies and monitors indicators for the evaluation of results; it formulates opinions on the activation and suppression of degree programmes; it analyses data and information on the range and quality of teaching; it submits proposals to the Evaluation Committee for the improvement of the quality and effectiveness of teaching structures; it monitors indicators that measure the degree of achievement of teaching objectives at the level of individual 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 Presidents of the Boards of Studies pertaining to the Department, to the Department Director, to the Coordinator of the University Quality Assurance Committee and to the Coordinator of the University Assessment Board.
Departmental structures At the departmental structure level, coordination in all typical departmental administrative and management activities is carried out by the Responsible Administrative Manager (RAG). Among other functions, the RAG oversees and coordinates the activities inherent to 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 educational offer, the evaluation and self-evaluation of courses, overseeing the processes inherent to the accreditation and quality of study courses supports and assists the study course Presidents in functional coordination with the Teaching Area; 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 department research and third mission.
In the area of Didactics, according to the University's functional chart, the RAG can call upon the services of a Didactics Quality Service Coordinator (cat. EP), who coordinates, in conjunction with the RAG, 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 PhD programmes. It coordinates the department's teaching contacts; it coordinates inbound and outbound orientation initiatives; it coordinates the admission processes to study courses and the management of activities relating to tutoring and undergraduates; it supports the Course Presidents, the Joint Committee of Teachers and Students and the SAGs of the study courses hinged on the Department. It coordinates activities related to internships, job placements and international mobility. It performs functional coordination of personnel. It operates in functional connection with the teaching area.
Alternatively, the RAG can call upon the services of a Head of Service for Teaching Quality (cat. D) who ensures, under the coordination of the RAG, the oversight of the typical teaching support activities as outlined above.
In addition, an Education Manager (MQD) (Cat. D, C, B) that ensures the organisation and functionality of the didactics of the study course. It ensures, in functional coordination with the head of the service for teaching quality administrative support for everything concerning the organisation 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 Course Committee, s/he plays an essential reference role for the teaching organisation and is a professional figure of particular value for the Quality Assurance of Courses of Study.
In the area of Research and Third Mission, according to the University's function chart, the RAG can call on the services of a Research and Third Mission Service Coordinator (cat. EP) who coordinates, in common with the RAG, the typical activities supporting research (national and international), the third mission, research quality, and the valorisation of departmental know-how, also acting as an interface and liaison 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 RAG can call upon the services of a Research and Third Mission Manager (Cat. D) which guarantees, under the coordination of the RAG, the supervision of the typical activities in support of research and the third mission as reported above.
The planning of Quality Assurance activities is described on the page of the University Quality Assurance Committee (see link).
The Department Quality Assurance Committee developed and approved (April 2018) the Course Quality Assurance document (attached). The link where this can be found: https://saf.unipr.it/sites/st24/files/allegati/10-04-2018/aqdeicds.pdf"
