QUALITY IN EDUCATION

Quality in Education
Tuning International Master's Programmes
13 December 2007
Pirjo Halonen
Head of Quality Assurance
Contents

Quality concepts

Background to Quality Assurance in
Education

Quality - for whom?

University of Jyväskylä

Summary
Quality

Degree to which a set of inherent
characteristics fulfils requirements
–
Characteristics: distinguishing feature
–
Requirements: need or expectation that is stated,
generally implied or obligatory
(ISO 9000)
Quality

excellence


value

fitness for use

conformity to requirement

defect avoidance

meeting customer’s expectations

…
Quality Management

Directing an organisation with regard to
quality to establish policy and objectives and
to achieve those objectives.
Quality Assurance

Part of quality management focused on
providing confidence that quality
requirements will be fulfilled.
Quality Work

means
–
planning
–
doing
–
checking (evaluating)

–
acting (developing, improving)
Background to Quality Assurance
in Education

The Bologna process in 1999:
–
The European Ministers of Education set a target to
realise a coherent and cohesive European Higher
Education Area (EHEA):
•
Undergraduate and postgraduate levels in all
European countries
•
European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
•
Common framework of comparable degrees
(Diploma Supplement)
•
Recognition of studies abroad
•
Elimination of obstacles to the free mobility of
students and teachers
•
European dimension in quality assurance
What is quality in education?

Education quality is a multi-dimensional
concept and cannot be easily assessed by
only one indicator.

Quality in Education – for whom?

Students

Graduates

Employers

Stakeholders

Teachers

Administrative personnel

Quality personnel