Programme priorities:
Quality
Improving the quality of higher education in the Czech Republic is the main priority of the Student Chamber. It is necessary to exert pressure toward the systematic quality assurance of teaching at higher education institutions. Within internal mechanisms, the Student Chamber advocates for more substantial and more frequent updates to accredited study programs, particularly with regard to feedback from students and graduates, pedagogical competencies, the fulfillment of learning outcomes, and the requirements of employers in individual courses.
The quality of teaching cannot be demonstrated by a high rate of unsuccessfully completed studies; rather, such rates primarily indicate the inability of a given curriculum to adequately convey material to students. Programs that show a high percentage of admitted students alongside a low percentage of successful graduates represent an inefficient use of financial resources and delay unsuccessful students’ entry into full-fledged working life.
As part of improving the quality of teaching, the Student Chamber will advocate for the application of modern forms of teaching, support so-called student-centered learning and research-based training, and push for the incorporation of artificial intelligence tools into the teaching process. The Student Chamber also supports the expansion of forms of lifelong learning and the introduction of micro-credentials, provided that the quality and capacity for in-person teaching are maintained, and provided there is substantial cooperation with the private sector and employers in determining the content of these forms of education.
Cooperation with the National Accreditation Bureau for Higher Education
The Student Chamber will inform students about the activities, remit, and importance of the National Accreditation Bureau (NAÚ). It regards the representation of students in the process of evaluating study programs or quality assurance systems as essential. The Student Chamber will cooperate with the NAÚ, among other things through the student representative on the NAÚ Board, in disseminating calls for candidates to the NAÚ’s lists of evaluators and in the preparation of legislation on higher education quality assurance. It hopes that this will also open the possibility of the NAÚ’s involvement in European structures such as ENQA.
The Student Chamber also calls for an increase in the financial remuneration of evaluators to a level comparable with that offered by foreign agencies, as well as for a more developed system of training and onboarding for new evaluators, including experts from abroad. This training system should also be usable for student evaluators involved in the evaluation of accreditations within internal quality assurance systems (for example, within institutional accreditation).
Involving students in quality assurance systems
At present, a system for monitoring the quality of teaching and creative activity has been established at most public higher education institutions. The Student Chamber will map student involvement in these systems and will present and share examples of good practice, such as the proactive activity of study program boards or student quality panels within internal evaluation boards. It actively strives to fulfil ENQA standards with regard to involving students in quality control.
In cooperation with the student member of the NAÚ Board, the Student Chamber will actively communicate with student representatives on internal evaluation boards and other bodies responsible for the quality assurance of teaching at higher education institutions, and will push for an increase in the number of students on these bodies. It further emphasizes the importance of student evaluation of teaching quality, which provides direct feedback on the form that teaching takes. For this reason, the Student Chamber will also work toward the active use of the results of student surveys and toward higher participation in these surveys, as well as toward more frequent use of other forms of feedback, such as classroom observations.
Development of teaching activity
The Student Chamber regards teaching activity as the most significant activity and mission of higher education institutions. We will therefore emphasize the importance of continuous education and the development of the pedagogical skills of academic staff and lecturers. The Student Chamber has long held the position that a higher education teacher is not only an expert in their field but must also possess sufficiently high-quality pedagogical competencies. A good teacher is also a personality and a moral authority, recognizes the student as an equal partner, and respects active students within the university’s academic, oversight, and evaluation bodies.
Internal regulations and national standards
The Student Chamber intends to take part in shaping legislative changes and to actively communicate its comments on them to partners at the national level. Part of this strategy will be to maintain and expand dialogue with representatives of ministries, the government, and representative bodies, including both chambers of parliament.
The main task at present is to secure the approval of the forthcoming amendment to the Higher Education Act and to prevent the approval of amending proposals that could negatively affect students or restrict the autonomy of higher education institutions. The Student Chamber will further provide consultations and organize debates on the impact of forthcoming legislation on higher education institutions. Given that it represents all public and state higher education institutions, as well as several private ones, it will also share examples of good practice and recommendations on matters of drafting internal regulations with our fellow student senators and student representatives. We will continue to assist students in defending their academic rights, including in cases where they draw attention to wrongdoing occurring within the higher education environment. In crises such as the war in Ukraine or the energy crisis, the state and the ministries cannot abandon the pursuit of systematic reforms.
