Guidelines for Quality Assurance Strategies
In Bosnia and Herzegovina Higher Education
- based on benchmarking -
The document is produced within the implementation of the TEMPUS Project: “Benchmarking as a tool for improvement of Higher education performance” – BIHTEK
530696-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-BE-TEMPUS-SMGR
Prepared by:
Prof.dr.sc. Ljerka Ostojić
Prof.dr.sc. Andre Govaert
Nora Skaburskiene
Prof.dr.sc. Dejan Bokonjić
Prof.dr. Darko Petković
Mr.sc. Marina Matošević
Duška Radmanović
Vanja Aleksić,
Želimir Bakula
Contents
FOREWORD 4
INTRODUCTION 5
1. QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEMS IN B&H HIGHER EDUCATION 7
1.1. Higher education systems in B&H 7
1.2. Quality assurance systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina 8
2. MAIN PRINCIPLES OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN B&H HIGHER EDUCATION 10
3. BENCHMARKING - A TOOL FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE IN B&H HIGHER EDUCATION 11
3.1. Definition of benchmarking for higher education 11
3.2. Main steps in benchmarking process 12
3.3. Benchmarking as a quality assurance tool 13
3.4. Guidelines for using benchmarking as a QA tool in B&H HE 14
4. KEY ELEMENTS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE STRATEGY 15
CONCLUSION 16
REFERENCES 17
FOREWORD
This document was written as a result of Tempus project “Benchmarking as a tool for improvement of Higher education performance – BIHTEK. The main objective of this project concerns the introduction of benchmarking methodology in B&H universities as a modern management tool as well as the most effective quality enhancement method. This is an essential step in the further implementation of the Bologna process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this way this proposal of structural measures fully supports the structural reform of higher education in the entire B&H. The consortium is composed of 6 public universities in B&H, 3 EU universities, Agency for Higher Education and Quality Assurance B&H, Higher Education Accreditation Agency of Republika Srpska, 4 Ministries for education and CEENQA.
The main outcomes of this project are:
1. The Analysis of Benchmarking Approaches in EU and B&H;
2. Principles of good benchmarking in the development of higher education;
3.Strengthening capacity for implementation of benchmarking methodology in B&H Universities;
4. Capacity building of Universities in B&H;
5. Pilot project for benchmarking in B&H Universities;
6. Dissemination of project results;
7. Sustainability of project results;
8. Quality control and monitoring;
9. Project management.
Document Guidelines for Quality Assurance Strategies provides guidelines that can assist B&H higher education institutions in development of Quality Assurance (QA) strategy based on benchmarking.
The aim of this document is to define main principles of B&H QA systems, explain use of benchmarking as a QA tool and define main elements of QA strategy in order to ensure that different quality assurance systems in higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (both internal and external) and their QA strategies are founded on identical principles.
The Guidelines for Quality Assurance Strategies are intended to assist higher education institutions and Agencies in reaching the following goals (SHE, 2007, pp.3-4):
· Promoting and supporting continuous improvement in the quality assurance systems
· Ensuring that clear and accurate information is made publicly available
· Applying national and international best practice in evaluation and reviews of higher education and training.
· Responding to stakeholder and user needs in higher education
· Ensuring comparability with the European HE Area across a wide range of indicators (student learning support; graduates and employers' feedback systems, etc.)
· Improving the public accountability of higher education to wider society.
INTRODUCTION
Last fourteen years the European Commission has continuously emphasized the role of universities in contributing to the knowledge society and economy, stressing that “Europe must strengthen the three poles of its knowledge triangle: education, research and innovation. Universities are essential in all three” (EC, 2005b). Appropriate governance structures and processes are frequently regarded as a precondition to achieve these goals. Sound governance, competent and accountable management, transparent and coherent institutional quality processes have risen to the top of the work agenda of European university leaders last decade. They have to cope with the following major challenges:
· Bologna reforms;
· Building of the European research and higher education area (EHEA and ERA);
· Qualifications frameworks (EQF, QF-EHEA);
· Quality assurance mechanisms (ESG);
· Credit mechanisms (ECTS);
· Recognition of qualifications (Diploma Supplement, Lisbon Recognition Convention);
· Increasing global competition.
A corporate approach to management and leadership in higher education tends to bring with it a focus on the accomplishment of institutional goals and objectives through processes of alignment and a narrowing of what is regarded as high-quality academic work through the application of metrics and performance targets, thereby diminishing opportunities for academics to self-determine their own sense of direction and in so doing undermining their commitment to the institution and the profession (LFHE, 2012).
Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a relatively small country with limited resources is struggling to adopt policies and processes in this area that are effective and appropriate to their needs and national constraints. The most of support in that process is coming from different international projects related to higher education reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina (per example: Tempus projects, projects of Council of Europe, WUS Austria projects etc.). It is necessary to stress out that in the last decade, while different educational ministries and agencies struggle with legislative, development and modernization of higher education institutional governance systems were significantly supported by the international projects in which all public universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina have participated (per example:. „Strengthening Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina” by Council of Europe, Tempus project “From Quality Assurance to Strategy Development” and etc.).
Public universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina have observed trends in European higher education and therefore have understood that it is necessary to adopt some managerial approaches if they want to be significant key players in the further development of the society. That was the idea behind Tempus project “Strategic management of Higher Education Institutions based on Integrated Quality Assurance System” – SHEQA (2010-2013). The main aim of Tempus SHEQA was the further development and modernization of higher education in B&H in accordance with European standards in EHEA, further development of quality assurance systems as support to the strategic management of HEIs in B&H, all that through defining and implementing key performance indicators for quality assurance in B&H (on the basis of ENQA recommendations) as the base for the strategic management at B&H HEIs. In the framework of Tempus SHEQA project, each B&H public university installed and started with use of USKPI software for gathering and analysis of data for generation of the common set of agreed KPIs.
Through implementation of Tempus SHEQA projects, the main preconditions for introduction of benchmarking at public universities in B&H were made.
Continuous monitoring and analysis of KPI supported by USKPI software creates a basis not only for strategic planning of higher education institutions, but also for planning of higher education done by authorized institutions, both cantonal and state ones. USKPI software implementation could be crucial advantage for B&H public universities in efficient strategic management and monitoring of realization of their strategic goals.
In a context of limited human and financial resources available, in an ever-changing environment, strategic planning, effective decision-making processes, appropriate governance and management structures and relevant information and management systems need to be established to ensure the proper implementation of the relevant strategies.
Higher education institutions in B&H with their limited resources can see the only chance for faster development in “copying” of good practice from other universities (countries). In that process, benchmarking can be a very powerful tool.
The basis for this document is the Benchmarking handbook for Universities of B&H created within this project (Tempus BIHTEK).The Handbook provides practical guidelines through step by step approach that could help B&H universities in the process of introduction and implementation of benchmark at their institutions. These Guidelines suggest how benchmarking can be integrated in the overall system of quality assurance at B&H universities. Therefore, his document defines main principles of B&H QA systems, explains use of benchmarking as a QA tool and defines main elements of QA strategy in order to ensure that different quality assurance systems in higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (both internal and external) and their QA strategies are founded on identical principles.
1. QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEMS IN B&H HIGHER EDUCATION
The country Bosnia and Herzegovina has asymmetric state structure. It is comprised of the two entities: Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska; and of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the entity made up of ten cantons and these are: Una-Sana, Posavina, Tuzla, Zenica-Doboj, Bosnia-Podrinje, Central Bosnia, Herzegovina-Neretva, West Herzegovina, Sarajevo and Livno (Canton 10) cantons. Entity Republic of Srpska has no cantons, just municipalities.
The structure of B&H is presented by Figure 1.
Figure 1: The structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.1. Higher education systems in B&H
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with a complex structure (Figure 1) and this complexity also reflects on state governance in higher education. Namely, in Bosnia and Herzegovina there is no ministry for education at the state level, because education is responsibility of the entity of Republic of Srpska, cantons in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and District Brčko. Result of such constitutional organization is existence of 14 different ministries and bodies which are competent for education, and of course higher education.
In accordance with different laws on Higher Education, there are different processes for accreditation established for Republic of Srpska, each canton and Brčko district.
Figure 2 Higher Education Area in Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.2. Quality assurance systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina
By signing the Bologna Declaration (2003), ratifying the Lisbon Convention (2003), and embarking on the overall development process in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), Bosnia and Herzegovina has committed to conform its higher education to the common European policy in this field that was established by the Bologna process. By the Framework Law on Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, under which the Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance was established, additional provisions were made for higher education reforms and development of new institutional capacities.
Competences of the Agency are provided for in Article 48, 49 and 50 of the Framework Law on Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the field of development of higher education the competences of the Agency refer to the adoption of criteria for accreditation of higher education institutions and norms for determining minimum standards in higher education, recommendations to the Ministry of Republic of Srpska, cantonal ministries and Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina on criteria and standards for establishment and closure of higher education institutions and restructuring of study programmes, provision of advice to competent ministries on issues relating to work and development policies, determining standards of quality, quality analysis, giving recommendations on the remedy of shortcomings in the quality of studies and higher education institutions, representing Bosnia and Herzegovina in international organisations for quality in higher education, and other competences laid down by the Framework law. In the field of accreditation the Agency is empowered to set criteria for selection and establishment of the list of national and international experts that conduct quality assessment and review and give recommendations on accreditation of higher education institutions and study programmes, appoint panels for accreditation of higher education institutions and study programmes, select experts from the list of experts, give recommendations on each conducted accreditation, review compliance of the decision on accreditation with criteria and norms for determining minimum standards in higher education and keep a National register of accredited higher education institutions.
Article 50 lays down that the Agency shall elaborate a manual on the model and content of diploma and diploma supplement issued by accredited higher education institutions.
Also, there is a Higher Education Accreditation Agency of Republic of Srpska formed for conducting the accreditation process of higher education institutions and study programs they perform. Ministries of education are competent for accreditation processes in the cantons of BiH Federation and Brčko district.
Regarding the quality assurance approaches in such a structure, undoubtedly, it is only internal quality assurance methods that belong to higher education institutions (universities and colleges). In the process of designing and implementing external quality assurance methods there are challenges due to different implementation or legislation at different levels of responsibility (cantons, Republic of Srpska), thus pointing out to many weaknesses and difficulties in establishing accreditation process in B&H in accordance with Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area – ESG (ESG 2015).
2. MAIN PRINCIPLES OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN B&H HIGHER EDUCATION
It is necessary to ensure for different quality assurance systems in higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (both internal and external) to be founded on identical principles for overcoming the previously mentioned challenges related to different implementation or legislation.
The quality assurance systems in higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be based on the following main principles:
· TheStandards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area– ESG (version 2015) - adopted by the Ministers responsible for higher education in the European Higher Education Area during Yerevan meeting
· Criteria for Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina
· B&H Qualifications Framework
· Learning outcomes of study programmes and course units
· Established internal quality assurance system at HEI (including self-assessment or internal evaluation)
· Established external quality assurance system in Bosnia and Herzegovina (external assessment or evaluation)
· Continuous review and enhancement of internal and external QA systems in B&H.
· Use of benchmarking as a quality assurance improving tool
· To ensure transparency and accountability, the documentation to guide the quality assurance process and the results of the quality assessment should be made public.