Quality
What is quality of higher education?
The quality of higher education depends on many factors, including the qualifications of academic staff, the availability of learning materials, the higher education environment, an inclusive approach, cooperation with industry, and the support and guidance provided to students. Higher education institutions should take these factors into account and work to develop them in order to provide high-quality educational services to their students. Quality assurance is a double process—internal quality assurance, which the institution conducts itself, and external quality assurance, which is carried out by another institution.
Who is a higher education quality evaluator?
An evaluator is a person who takes part in the external or internal evaluation of the quality of educational activities at higher education institutions. Their task is to assess whether the institution meets the required quality standards — for example, in the accreditation of study programs or in institutional accreditation.
Evaluators include academics with expertise in the relevant field, representatives from practice (e.g., employers), experts in quality management in education, and, not least, students.
What does an evaluator do?
They analyze the higher education institution’s self-evaluation report, take part in site visits to the institution being evaluated, assess the quality of teaching, research, infrastructure, and student support, and prepare an evaluation report, which serves as a basis for the accreditation authority’s decision.
Where do evaluators operate?
National Accreditation Bureau for Higher Education (NAÚ) – every student can apply to be included in the NAÚ List of Evaluators; they will be given access to online training, and subsequently receive offers to take part in external evaluations. It is a very valuable experience and also an opportunity to earn extra income.
Quality Assurance Student Experts Pool – brings together students from across Europe to actively participate in the quality assurance of higher education. Members of this group take part in external evaluations, training sessions, and projects (see below).
Higher education institutions themselves
As part of internal quality assessment, students are typically involved through the internal evaluation board (RVH), on which, under the Higher Education Act, there must be at least one student.
Some higher education institutions additionally have program boards, which cannot function without active student involvement.
Furthermore, some higher education institutions have begun developing a student quality panel, in which each faculty is represented by a single student representative. This serves as an advisory body to the student representative on the RVH.
And absolutely everyone has the opportunity to complete course evaluations or course surveys, thereby also contributing to the development of quality education.
Which institutions are responsible for quality in the higher education environment?
Responsibility for the quality of higher education and for the comprehensive assessment of the educational, scientific, research, development, artistic, and other creative activities of higher education institutions lies with the National Accreditation Bureau for Higher Education (NAÚ), which grants authorization to carry out accredited activities, evaluates the activities of higher education institutions and the quality of accredited activities, and also publishes the results of these evaluations.
A higher education institution may also, at its own expense, arrange for an evaluation by a generally recognized evaluation agency that is listed in the EQAR register (European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education) or is a member of ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education). Whether to submit the results of such an evaluation to the NAÚ (for example, in the case of an application for institutional accreditation) is at the discretion of the given higher education institution. Certain oversight and other related activities are carried out by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT).
What exactly is the NAÚ?
The NAÚ, the National Accreditation Bureau for Higher Education, is an independent authority responsible for accreditation matters within the higher education sector in the Czech Republic. It is a body established as of September 1, 2016, by Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendments and Supplements to Other Acts (the Higher Education Act), as amended. Under the law, the members of this authority are independent in their decision-making, while its operations are materially, administratively, and financially provided for by the MŠMT.
The National Accreditation Bureau for Higher Education
on the accreditation of study programs, institutional accreditations for fields of education, and accreditations of habilitation proceedings and proceedings for the appointment of professors.
oversight of compliance with legal regulations in the performance of accredited activities.
external evaluation of the educational, scientific, research, development, innovation, artistic, and other creative activities of higher education institutions, as well as related activities.
How can students get involved with the NAÚ?
The NAÚ maintains its own List of Evaluators, to which higher education students may also be admitted so that they can actively contribute to raising the quality of higher education in the Czech Republic. The proposal for the conditions of admission to the List of Evaluators is prepared by the Presidium. Before it is approved by the Board, the Chair of the Accreditation Bureau first discusses the proposal with the bodies representing higher education institutions. The conditions for admission to the List of Evaluators are published.
In the List of Evaluators, for each field of education, the minimum possible share of persons is generally as follows:
a) 50%, in the case of persons working in higher education,
b) 20%, in the case of persons working
- in the sphere of other research institutions,
- in state, regional, or other public administration, or
- in the sphere of other employers of higher education graduates, in the corporate sector cooperating with higher education institutions, or other experts from practice,
c) 5%, in the case of students, whereby, as a rule, at least two persons from each of the spheres listed in points (i) to (iii) of letter (b) are represented in the List of Evaluators. If the List of Evaluators is not filled in this manner, the Accreditation Bureau shall publish, within a reasonable period, a call for it to be supplemented.
Interested in the List of Evaluators? You can find out more here.
What is the RVH?
The Internal Evaluation Board (RVH) is a body of public higher education institutions (VVŠ), where one has been established. The VVŠ establishes it through its statute. At a VVŠ that does not hold institutional accreditation, the powers of the RVH may be exercised by the VVŠ’s scientific board, if the VVŠ’s statute so provides.
Under the law, the Internal Evaluation Board:
– approves the proposed rules for the system of quality assurance of educational, creative, and related activities, and for the internal evaluation of the quality of educational, creative, and related activities of the VVŠ, as submitted by the chair of the Internal Evaluation Board, prior to the submission of the proposal to the academic senate of the VVŠ
of the internal evaluation of the quality of educational, creative, and related activities of the VVŠ.
on the internal evaluation of the quality of educational, creative, and related activities of the VVŠ, and addenda to this report.
of the internal evaluation of the quality of educational, creative, and related activities of the VVŠ.
to the extent set out in the VVŠ's statute.
What is ENQA?
ENQA was founded in 2000 as the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, with the aim of promoting European cooperation in the field of quality assurance. In 2004, it became the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, with the aim of contributing to the maintenance and enhancement of the quality of European higher education and acting as the main driving force behind its development.
Can you become an evaluator?
Yes! You can become a member through an offer from the European Students’ Union, which opens calls for the ESU QA Student Experts Pool every year. Students from across Europe can apply regardless of their level of study or their level of expertise in the field of quality assurance.
Quality Assurance Student Experts Pool
(= ESU’s QA Experts Pool)
This program is an initiative of the European Students’ Union (ESU), which brings together student representative bodies from across Europe. Its aims are:
- To involve students in the assurance and evaluation of higher education quality – that is, in so-called “quality assurance.”
- To create a group of trained students who take part in various evaluations, reviews, and projects aimed at improving the quality of education.
- To support the student voice in decision-making processes concerning the quality of teaching, study programs, or institutions.
Members of this “pool” (group) can take part in:
- Evaluations of universities and study programs
- Work on quality committees
- International projects and training
- The development of education policy
This is an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to actively contribute to improving higher education across Europe and gain valuable experience. A new selection process is announced every year, and any student who is interested in this activity can apply.
