UBT Quality Management and Performance Office
UBT has on office designated for the Quality Assurance and Performance. The establishment of the Office for Quality Assurance and Performace (OQA) within the UBT has shown a relief in the involvement process of all other groups, as well as in the follow up of a continuous quality improvement. The Office for Quality Assurance and Performance has its organizational chart, which defines the functions of all staff in the process of quality assurance. The Office for Quality Assurance and performance drafts an annual development plan, in which it foresees indicators and criteria for the quality assurance. OQA is obliges that by the end of each year to issue an evaluation report for the entire calendar year. Measures foreseen by the report are reviewed by the Quality Management Committee which then makes a decision for their application in practice. .
UBT has also established a modern system of quality assurance, which is certified by quality assurance standards criteria of ISO 9001:2000. This system is evaluated by external experts and is certified by an accredited European and international institution. The quality circle includes core processes, management processes and support processes.The basic principle of UBT’s strategy for quality assurance is based on European standards and guidelines for quality assurance. These can be summarized under the areas identified in the European Standard Guidelines for Internal Quality Assurance within Higher Education institutions: (1) policy and procedures for quality assurance, (2) approval, monitoring and periodic review of programmes, (3) assessment of students, (4) learning resources and student support, (5) quality assurance of teaching staff, (6) information systems and (7) public information.
The main objective in the quality assurance work in UBT is the continuous improvement of the rise of transparency towards all UBT stakeholders as well as their involvement in the process of quality assurance. This continuous retaining and building up of quality will be maintained through the continuous participation in international forums for quality assurance (EOQ, ENQA, etc).
QUALITY ASSURANCE INSTRUMENTS
Pursuant with the regulation for advance in academics and quality assurance and also as described in the annual plan of the Office for Quality Assurance and Performace, the evaluation instruments in the institution are presented to all stakeholders, starting from students, academic staff, administrative staff, alumni and industrial partners. These instruments are composed of questionnaires designed in a specific manner for each respective group of stakeholders. These questionnaires are prepared and approved by the Committee for Quality Assurance in a special meeting. The evaluations in the institution are foreseen to be conducted in regular basis (per semester, per academic year).
Types of internal and external evaluations:
- External examiners’ reports
- Internal and external quality assurance panel reports
- Evaluator reports from funding agencies
- Feedback, both formal and informal, from industry partners and others
- Feedback from students, academic and administrative staff, graduates
- Course board reviews
- Internal auditors’ reports
- Department and School Meetings
In this respect UBT has foreseen the advance of the electronic evaluation system for students (online feedback).
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCEDURES
UBT can be considered as a leader in the implementation and promotion of quality in the higher education in Kosovo. Main aspects which impact in this respect are as follows:
- The work in the continuous quality assurance in the institution is process-oriented (Process Oriented)
- Certified by ISO 9001 from well respected international institutions
- The functioning of the Office for Quality Assurance
- Involvement of all stakeholders
- Preparation and development of documents and regulations for quality assurance
- Involvement of external international experts in the process of quality assurance and in the self-evaluation
- Partnership with offices for quality assurance from partner universities
- Main Promoter and Supporter for the Implementation of European and Internationl Quality Standards in Kosovo.
The on-going system for the improvement of quality presents an active circle in UBT, which helps the continuous quality improvement (according to the Deming Circle). Each evaluation result is transformed in the strategy for improvement. Each GQA collects evaluations in each faculty which then are considered in a special meeting where recommendations for improvement are made. These evaluation and recommendations are sent for review to the Committee through the Office for Quality Assurance for decision making and implementation. (Find attached the Administrative Guidance).
The office for quality assurance is oriented towards leading principles of European Area for Higher Education and its plans are based on the Law on Higher Education in Kosovo and in the Strategy for Higher Education in Kosovo. OQA attempts to put into evaluation every process of the university and this evaluation to be used in the improvement measures in order to improve quality and performance of the institution.
Participation in international forums for quality assurance (EOQ, ENQA, etc.), rise of interuniversity cooperation for quality assurance and the exchange with partner universities has made it possible the involvement of trends and European quality culture within the UBT.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
UBT has created an integrated quality management system which is in function of continuous quality improvement in the institution. An environment has been created where the commitment of all UBT staff and its industry partners, in order to support high quality operations, manifest the culture of quality which is already cultivated among them.
UBT is committed to providing a spirit of quality in all its activities and to foster a culture of continuous improvement in service delivery for students and the wider community. Quality assurance procedures and improvement initiatives are based on the analysis of information, data and reports obtained through a structured process of evaluation, monitoring and feedback from stakeholders, internal and external. This integrated system and process-oriented quality management at UBT is implemented to ensure higher quality and performance in the institution, based on continuous development and advancement and integration of quality instruments and updating of quality indicators in a comprehensive quality management system and staff culture for quality inclusion. The integrated quality management system helps in the maintenance and quality development of operations, where through measurements of performance indicators and methods used ensures progress towards certain objectives.
The Quality management through its mechanisms helps to achieve and maintain a desired level of quality within the institution. Quality management at UBT ensures its success in basic university activities, such as teaching, research and development, innovation, interdisciplinary fields, and community services and continuously develops their quality.
The Quality culture that has been created as an atmosphere in all the staff of UBT manifests the high commitment of the staff to implement the policies of the institution so that the quality is a guide in the development of all activities in the university.
QUALITY POLICY
The continuous development of quality at UBT, supports its vision that we continue to remain the place it belongs to – the leader of education in the region. The diversity of programs and specializations in various fields, the interdisciplinary programs offered, education at all levels of qualification, its media, sports and cooperation with industry are some of the activities that make up the ecosystem under construction of UBT. All of these are supported by quality policies at UBT, which are based on the continuous development, expansion and integration of quality instruments into a single comprehensive quality management system and an overall quality culture, rooted at all levels of UBT and practiced by all staff.
UBT also takes on the societal challenge of lifelong learning (LLL) by providing quality academic study and continuing professional development. In the field of research, the main focus of UBT is practice-based research, in cooperation with business partners, scientists, as well as public institutions at home and abroad.
The implementation of this policy manages to ensure:
– Quality-related components are an integral part of all key planning and review planning procedures for quality development in the institution;
– Application of the policy of continuous improvement to all components of the quality management system
– Quality related activities to be coordinated throughout the Institution and there are specific quality responsibilities within it;
– To comply with the relevant legislation in force, national and international standards and approaches, included and described in the National Qualifications Framework, the European Qualifications Framework, the legislation in force of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, as well as the mandatory documents of Kosovo Accreditation Agency;
– Setting and monitoring performance to be against measurable objectives, set by the bodies of the institution;
– Identify competency needs and provide appropriate training and professional development for staff members to meet those needs;
– Continue to maintain dialogue with students and other stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations and to determine their levels of satisfaction;
– To effectively provide service to students and others, towards a dynamic learning environment, manage resources for sustainable institutional growth and maintain a work environment in which people are fully involved in achieving the institution’s objectives.
QUALITY SYSTEM
In order to continuously increase quality, the quality management system at UBT is designed to support the achievement of strategic goals of UBT and the fulfillment of the objectives of the institution and its units. The quality system (see figure above) is an integrated management system composed of its own independent bodies, which are supported through regulations and other supporting documents, mechanisms, instruments and indicators approved in the annual work plan, which together help maintain and develop the quality of operations in the organization.
Achieving goals is ensured through a set of measures and methods used to describe and measure operations and to identify barriers to functioning and to respond to development needs. The good functioning of quality management at UBT is achieved through a system that has its own structure and has defined procedures and responsibilities for an efficient functioning.
The tasks of the quality system are to:
- Support the achievement of the objectives set as quality policy at UBT
- Support leadership and management in achieving their goals
- Enable continuous evaluation and improvement of activities by providing appropriate mechanisms and identifying areas needed for improvement and development.
- Providing reliable monitoring and evaluation data for the management staff of the institution
- Review and harmonize the procedures based on which the system operates, eliminating possible errors and shortcomings.
- Identify and apply good practices in quality management
The strategic plan of UBT has determined the structure of the quality system, as an appropriate functional structure in support of achieving the strategic goals and objectives of the institution, faculties, institutes and other units of UBT.
QUALITY DOCUMENTATION
- The quality system description explains how UBT carries out its activities through Planning, Implementation, Evaluation and Development (Plan – DO – Check – Act cycle) and is documented through:Quality System Description
- – UBT website, https://www.ubt-uni.net/en/ballina
- – Moodle Digital platform, https://moodle.ubt-uni.net/login/index.php
- – Intranetit, http://ubt-intraneti/SitePages/Home.aspx
- Questionnaires, self-assessment and reports
- – Regulation on quality assurance, https://www.ubt-uni.net/sq/ubt/zyret/menaxhimi-i-cilesise/
- – Quality Assurance Manual, https://www.ubt-uni.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/UBT-Quality-Manual.pdf
- – Student handbook, https://www.ubt-uni.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Doracaku-min.pdf
- – Code of ethics, https://www.ubt-uni.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/5-41-V2-Kodi-etike-i-studenteve.pdf
- – Teacher’s Manual, https://www.ubt-uni.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/15-41-V2-Manual-for-Teachers-SHQIP-2-M.pdf
- – Statute, https://www.ubt-uni.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1-41-V3-Statuti-UBT.pdf , and
Regulations and other documents supporting the quality policy and system, https://www.ubt-uni.net/en/ubt/per-ubt/politikat-rregoret/
ORGANISATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR QUALITY MANAGEMENT
The Rector of UBT is the last authority responsible for quality management. The management of the institution is in charge of the overall quality and its results at all levels and in all faculties / units of UBT. But, also, there is the institutional policy that each member of the academic, managerial, administrative staff and other support staff along with the students are responsible for the quality in the organization.
Quality management at UBT is coordinated by the Quality Committee (QC) and the Quality Assurance Office (ZSC), which operate as independent bodies. The Quality Committee is composed of representatives of:
– academic staff,
– administrative staff,
– students and
– industry representatives.
The committee is responsible for setting standards, instruments and indicators for measuring quality in the institution and for their results. The committee also takes care of the internal and external audit processes and results for the institution and for the programs separately.
Faculties and other units within UBT have their own special quality management bodies, which are sub-ordinated to the Quality Committee. The Sub-Committee for Quality and the Quality Officer / s are independent bodies that take care of quality assurance in each faculty / unit of UBT. These subcommittees, in coordination with the Central Committee, make the development and permanent evaluation of the quality level in their faculties / units and react in accordance with the findings of the evaluation.
AUDIT AND ASSESSMENT
UBT is committed to ensure high quality in university education, as a very important component for the needs of individuals and organizations in Kosovo. Achieving high quality requires the institution to have quality assurance and control procedures that enable it to identify areas that can be improved and take the necessary actions to make these improvements.
Also, there is a commitment to ensure a quality ethic in all its activities and to establish a culture of continuous improvement in service delivery for students and the wider community. Quality assurance procedures and improvement initiatives are based on the analysis of information, data and reports obtained through a structured process of evaluation, monitoring and feedback from stakeholders, inside and outside UBT.
The internal audit of the quality system aims to ensure that the functionality of this system is at a level that can achieve the support of the continuous development of activities and processes at the required quality level and towards the set objectives. The audit does not evaluate the objectives and results achieved, but evaluates the appropriateness and efficiency of the processes used to ensure and develop the quality of activities at UBT.
UBT regularly participates in external evaluations regarding quality management in the institution and for study programs. External evaluations were made through the Kosovo Accreditation Agency and international experts engaged by the agency. The results and recommendations of the agency are made public and taken into account in the annual quality assurance plan.
The evaluation and monitoring of the quality system is done by the mechanisms defined by the management and through key performance instruments and indicators approved by the Quality Committee. Through questionnaires, the Office of Quality Assurance, together with quality officers in faculties and other units, collects and analyzes data from the survey process and reports on quality in the institution. Deans’ reports and self-assessment are important additional data that join the report, to provide an overview of the quality at UBT and the functionality of its quality system.
