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Abstract

In 2017, the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) started to pilot a new External Quality Assurance (EQA) model. The guiding principles include: a coherent model in line with ESG and a focus on both output and internal processes. The model comprises four components; institutional reviews, programme evaluations, programme accreditations and thematic evaluations. Given the complexity of the model one challenge is how to use resources wisely to avoid evaluation fatigue. The effects of the earlier system 2011-2014 has been subject to a series of studies, including one by UKÄ (2015). To facilitate future evaluations, UKÄ is now building in monitoring and evaluation in its follow-up framework.

This will enable UKÄ to report if and how EQA contributes to development and high quality in the programmes offered. A preliminary observation halfway through the pilots are overlaps between program evaluations and institutional reviews. Against this background, a clearer reasoning on desirable impact of the different review components is needed in the M&E framework and this will guide UKÄ in the revision of the model.

 

This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.

The use of monitoring and evaluation framework and business logic – the way to more responsible external quality assurance?

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