UMB's Evaluation of Study Programmes
StudieavdelingenUMB's study programmes has since 2003 been externally evaluated at regular intervals in five year cycle. Many programmes have been through the evaluation (per 2009) but not all programmes. An international external committee evaluates the programmes and the results are used further in the departments' and UMB's quality work.
The external evaluation committee spends one week at UMB. One whole day is set aside for a conference with the user panel. The user panel consists of representatives from the relevant businesses. The subject for the conference is UMB candidates' qualifications in relation to employment and the study programmes relevance in light of various social needs.
More information about each evaluation is available in the reports from the external evaluation committees.
The students provide ongoing feedback of the study programs in the Department of the Education Committees at each department. Students also participate in external program evaluations through meetings with the external evaluation committee.
Papribåt
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External programme evaluations have proven to be a very good investment in education quality. The evaluations have provided many valuable contributions to the development at the departments and have shown that study programmes have many good qualities. The evaluations have also revealed significant improvement areas which UMB can take hold of in the coming years.
In 2009 an evaluation of all the external evaluations conducted in the period 2003-2008 (The Education Committee (SN) case 52/2009) was carried out. The Education Committee decided on a number of ways to improve the system of external study programme evaluations:
Decision:
The Education Committee recommends that the University Board (US) decides as follows (US decision 178/2009):
1. The current evaluation system will in general maintain its existing form with the following adjustments in line with the input from the departments:
a) To improve the evaluation committee's previous knowledge the Department of Academic Affairs will
send the committee members more background material, especially about the study programmes, prior
to the evaluation.
b) To improve the use of the external evaluation consultants the members of the evaluation committee will
conduct interviews parallel to rather than all being done by the committee together.
c) To improve information about the study programmes’ relevance to the graduates' opportunities in the
market the departments will receive better information about the possibility to conduct their own
candidate surveys using Quest Back (UMB has free licenses).
d) It will be specified in the Terms of Reference that the evaluation committee will provide views and
specific tips in relation to professional topics that are missing or should be downgraded. In addition the
committee members are asked to compare the academic level of the study programmes in relation to
their own institution (7.1.2. in the ToR).
e) The evaluations will be carried out every seventh-tenth year depending on when
it is best for the departments. For instance every ninth year with an adjustment of – 2 years and +1
year. In this way the time for the evaluation will be adapted to the department’s planned changes to
one or more study programmes.
f) Discussion groups between fixed institutions (collaborative benchmarking) should be established to be
carried out voluntarily between the external evaluations. It may also include representatives from the
user groups.
g) A new Education Committee (SN) case will be proposed to examine specific measures implemented by
the departments and central at UMB as a result of the follow-up plans after the external evaluations.
2. Which study programmes to be evaluated together and the exact timing for this will be decided in dialogue with the departments.
Aside from the program evaluations UMB does not obtain any systematic feedback from students at the study programs.
The candidates hold a lot of knowledge and experience and UMB may have significant access to information by introducing interviews of candidates after completed study. In 2010 a candidate survey will be conducted. This is a questionnaire aimed at all graduates from the period 2005-2009 still living in Norway to see if the education corresponds to competence requirements in working life.
Published: 06.09.10
Updated: 27.09.10
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The Quality Assurance System shall guarantee that students spend their time av UMB effectively and receive an education of high academic quality.