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14FOCUS ON QUALITY ASSURANCE IN EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION
Kuznetsova O.
Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages №3, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor
Abstract
The article is devoted to quality ensuring in the European higher education institutions. The goal of quality assurance in European higher education area is presented. The aspects that are considered essential for quality assessment in European higher education institutions are determined. The role of internal self-evaluation and external quality assessment is characterized. The study proves that ensuring education of high quality depends on interconnected and mutually agreed activities of all subjects of the educational process.
Keywords: quality assurance, quality assessment, standards, higher education institutions, Europe.
The key issue in higher education today is assurance of quality as it becomes absolutely essential in the time of digital technological civilization and present-day challenges. It is one of the main goals in European education and is considered as a means of sustainable and successful development for the European community. In the face of the existing challenges, modernised higher education institutions are expected to equip people with high level skills and drive economic and social development in Europe and worldwide.
Analysis of recent research shows that a lot of Ukrainian scholars study the problem of quality in education. The scholars have studied the conditions providing for higher education quality assurance and management of quality education in higher education (V.Lugovyi), the terms "quality", "quality in higher education", "assurance of quality in higher education" (V.Bahrushin, O. Biliakovska), the indicators and elements of education of high quality (H. Dmytrenko, V.Zaychuk, V.Kremen, S. Mudra), quality of education as a factor of development of educational systems (O.Liashenko); monitoring and assessment of education quality (O.Berestneva, O.Lokshyna, O.Marushyna), foreign studies of quality in education and aspects influencing it (O.Lokshyna, O.Kuznetsova) and other issues.
However, the social importance of the problem demands further study of the issues related to the quality assurance in higher education abroad and in the European educational context in particular.
Thus, the aim of the article is to characterize the basic terms and priorities of quality assurance in European higher education and to reveal the facts concerning the achievements in higher education quality assurance in the European higher education area.
V.Bahrushin claims that according to the Academic Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language the term quality is used in three meanings. The first of them defines it as an inner quality of an object that differs it from other objects. The second meaning interprets quality as a degree of value and suitability of something for its use on purpose. The third interpretation considers it as a characteristic feature or property of something [1]. Those analysing the sphere of higher education usually refer to the second definition and focus on the degree of value to be achieved in higher education.
The document "Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in European Higher Education Area" (2015) defines quality as "a result of the interaction between teachers, students and the institutional learning environment" adding that "quality assurance should ensure a learning environment in which the content of programmes, learning opportunities and facilities are fit for purpose" [14]. Analysing these definitions we can see that they focus on certain measurable results.
The Ukrainian national glossary defines quality in higher education as "a level of acquired knowledge, skills and habits and other competences that characterizes the personality's competency according to the standards of higher education [12].
The Law of Ukraine "On Higher Education" defines the quality of higher education as a compliance of the conditions of educational activity and learning outcomes with the requirements of legislation and standards of higher education, professional and/ or international standards, as well as the needs of stakeholders and society, provided by internal and external quality assurance procedures [16]. So these definitions refer quality in higher education to the compliance of the results achieved with certain standards.
One of the first official attempts at the international level to address the problem of the higher education quality was undertaken in the World Declaration on Higher Education for the XXIst century adopted in 1998. Article 11 of the document defines quality in higher education as "a multidimensional concept, which should embrace all its functions, and activities: teaching and academic programmes, research and scholarship, staffing, students, buildings, facilities, equipment, services to the community and the academic environment" [18]. Although this definition does not mention the achievement of a certain level or results, it enumerates the aspects that have to be considered when quality is assessed. It should be added that the declaration stressed that "internal self-evaluation and external review, conducted openly by independent specialists, if possible with international expertise, are vital for enhancing quality" [18].
The recommendations given in the Declaration covered the importance of: internal self-evaluation and external review, conducted openly by independent specialists; establishment of independent national bodies
and comparative standards of quality, recognized at international level; considering specific institutional, national and regional contexts in order to take into account diversity and to avoid uniformity.
It also proclaimed that higher education should be characterized by its international dimension: exchange of knowledge, interactive networking, mobility of teachers and students, and international research projects, while taking into account the national cultural values and circumstances. Among the most relevant aspects that could ensure higher education of high quality the declaration also listed careful selection of staff and continuous staff development, through the promotion of appropriate programmes for academic staff development, including teaching/learning methodology and mobility between countries, between higher education institutions, and between higher education institutions and the world of work, student mobility within and between countries and the newest information technologies.
Scholars and educational policymakers believe that ensuring the quality of higher education demands the creation of appropriate conditions for personal and professional development of a student and his/her successful achievement of educational goals and planned results. Thus, the mission of a modern institution of higher education is to create a favourable educational environment for each student, direct him/her to an independent educational and cognitive, scientific research, professional and practical activities [19]. Besides, institutions of higher education should help students to define their educational and professional priorities and build individual trajectories of training and education. The strategy of ensuring education of high quality "determines the interconnected and mutually agreed activities of all subjects of the educational process aimed at achieving a common goal [19].
The document "Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in European Higher Education Area" (2015) presents a set of standards and guidelines designed for internal and external quality assurance in higher education in Europe [14]. It argues that quality assurance processes, particularly the external ones, allow European higher education systems to demonstrate quality and increase transparency, thus helping to build mutual trust and better recognition of qualifications, programmes and other provisions.
The document points out that higher education aims to fulfil multiple purposes; including preparing students for active citizenship, for their future careers, supporting their personal development, creating a broad advanced knowledge base and stimulating research and innovation. Therefore, stakeholders, who may prioritise different purposes, can view quality in higher education differently and quality assurance needs to take into account these different perspectives.
The authors of the document claim that "at the heart of all quality assurance activities are the twin purposes of accountability and enhancement. Taken together, these create trust in the higher education institution's performance. A successfully implemented quality assurance system will provide information to assure the higher education institution and the public of
the quality of the higher education institution's activities (accountability) as well as provide advice and recommendations on how it might improve what it is doing (enhancement). Quality assurance and quality enhancement are thus inter-related" [14].
All in all the developed standards of quality assurance in Europe concern internal quality assurance covering among other aspects quality assurance policy, programme design, student-centred learning, teaching and assessment, student admission, progression, recognition and certification, teaching staff, learning resources and student support, on-going monitoring; external quality assurance embracing designing methodologies fit for purpose, implementing processes, selection of experts, criteria for outcomes, reporting, complaints and appeals; quality assurance agencies determining their activities, policy and processes for quality assurance, their official status, independence, reporting, both human and financial resources, internal quality assurance related to defining, assuring and enhancing the quality and integrity of their activities [14].
The study shows that the key goal in the European Higher Education Area is to contribute to the common understanding of quality assurance for learning and teaching across borders and among all stakeholders [14]. Thus, a lot of efforts have been made to develop compatible national and institutional quality assurance systems across the European Higher Education Area and cross-border cooperation. A number of studies and projects have been undertaken in Europe in order to evaluate the progress on quality assurance systems in the area of higher education in the member states and on cooperation activities at European level and to determine how successfully the orientation at quality assurance in higher education has been implemented and to suggest certain recommendations on quality assurance promotion in European higher education. Among them are "Report on Progress in Quality Assurance in Higher Education" (2014) and "Study to Evaluate the Progress on Quality Assurance Systems in the Area of Higher Education in the Member States and on Cooperation Activities at European Level" (2018) [13 ;15].
According to the conclusions of the participants of the studies, achieving effectiveness and efficiency in higher education depends on public authorities creating the right framework, within which higher education institutions can operate. This is characterised by adequate funding and effective quality assurance policies, among other factors. Towards effective and efficient higher education] In Europe, the main source of funding of quality assurance in higher education is the government, but also the HEIs are a source of funding in 1/3 of the cases (ENQA, 2003) [4]. Besides, they state that higher education institutions have set up a rigorous system of internal quality assurance assessed by external Quality Assurance Agencies.
The EU Commission Report on Progress in Quality Assurance (Brussels, 28.1.2014 COM(2014) 29 final) provides the data on what has been done on raising the quality of higher education in the European Union states. The data gives the information on support provided to the academic community, students and other stakeholders in reaching quality goals, to HEIs in
providing students with high quality, relevant skills, institutions to broaden access and ensure that students complete their degrees. According to the report the European Commission assists EU Member States to develop effective higher education governance and funding models. The European Commission is also cooperating with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on a review of funding, incentive and reward structures for higher education systems [17].
The data inform that the European Commission is fostering mutual learning on good practices in governance and funding among EU Member States through the peer counselling instrument and peer learning activities and points out that between 2014 and 2020, 17 EU Member States invested European structural and investment funds in higher education. Overall, €5.2 billion from the European Social Fund was spent on training individuals, reforming programmes and aligning education with the needs of the labour market.
With regard to quality assurance, the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area are used as a common framework ensuring accountability at European, national and institutional level.
The European Commission publishes progress reports on developments in quality assurance at the European level in the field of higher education [17].
As for the "the Study to evaluate the progress on quality assurance systems in the area of higher education in the Member States and on cooperation activities at European level" (2018), it determines that the most significant changes were connected with internal quality assurance. They included: introduction of the student-centred learning provision; stronger emphasis on the learning outcomes approach, on teaching as the core mission of higher education institutions, on the need to collect, analyse and use quality assurance data for management and decision-making [15].
The study found that in all EU Member States higher education laws and specific quality assurance laws or directives specified the framework and role of internal quality assurance in general and in relation to external quality assurance. Thus, quality assurance in general and internal quality assurance have become an important part of recent university reforms.
However, the conclusion was made that cross-border quality assurance was rarely used by higher education institutions in the European Higher Education Area. The analysis showed that in most of the European Higher Education Area countries higher education institutions cannot be evaluated by quality assurance agencies from outside the country to fulfil their obligations for external quality assurance. The key barriers for cross-border quality assurance include unfavourable legal regulations set at national level, higher financial costs of cross-border quality assurance, distrust of foreign quality assurance agencies, fear of 'agency shopping' (a phenomenon with a very high negative impact), differing national higher education contexts and regulations, as well as language differences between countries.
Conclusions. Several broad trends have fostered interest in quality assurance policies in higher education in Europe, including the trend toward mass higher education, growing diversity of educational offerings, the internationalisation of higher education and the expansion of distance learning.
Though quality assurance practices in tertiary education vary among countries, some common elements of quality assurance systems have been introduced. Growing internationalisation of higher education serves to reinforce tendencies in establishing commonalities between national quality assurance frameworks.
However, the question of how effective quality assurance systems should be designed and implemented is subject to wide debate. There is, for instance, a lack of clarity about the adequateness of diverse methods and instruments used by quality assurance mechanisms, or concerning the consequences of quality monitoring results. It is agreed that identifying the features of effective quality assurance systems is complicated by the difficulties in measuring the effectiveness of such systems since it is not easy to measure the outcomes of quality in higher education in particular.
Nevertheless, at the European level the European Standards and Guidelines have helped convergence of quality assurance across countries and provided a framework for cooperation between quality assurance agencies. It is claimed that a framework of national and European tools and cooperation enhances trust across systems. Common quality assurance mechanisms are therefore seen as essential to help institutions and policymakers carry out reforms in education.
Higher education institutions have the ultimate responsibility for the quality of education they are offering (setting, monitoring and renewing their quality goals through 'internal' quality assurance). The external quality assurance agencies are expected to support the higher education institutions by assessing their quality standards, accrediting programmes or benchmarking their performance against other higher education institutions. Public authorities have a duty to ensure that the quality of individual institutions, and of their higher education system as a whole, is fit for purpose. The idea that employers also have to actively participate in quality assurance is strongly supported. Besides, it is underlined that quality assurance survey results have to be regularly published as it helps to build trust and transparency.
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