Download finnish-heqc-hdi`s project - Council on Higher Education

FINNISH-HEQC-HDI’s
PROJECT
OUTCOMES, IMPACT AND
CHALLENGES AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND
20-21 OCTOBER 2008
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND
PROF CHANDRU KISTAN
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
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Change of project managers. Three
changes during the project.
Lee Sutherland designed and developed
the proposal. She resigned in 2006.
Julian Vooght took over in acting capacity.
Prof Chandru Kistan appointed as Director
of QPA in 2007 and had to take over the
project.
Funding for one post in QPA
Reconfiguration of the University
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Report of the National Working Group and
approved by the Minister of Education, that the
University of Zululand “to be configured to
become a comprehensive University offering
technikon-type programmes”.
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Move from traditional to comprehensive
university offering both academic and
professional and career -focus programmes
This involved curriculum reform, programme
design and review.
INSTITUTIONAL AUDIT
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Higher Education Quality Committee
(HEQC) informed the university of
conducting an institutional audit in
October 2008.
This meant that quality management
systems are to be in place.
University academic policies, documentary
evidence and review and survey reports
have to be reviewed and developed.
OUTCOMES OF PROJECT
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Post of QA Advisor was filled in July 2007.
Twice this post was advertised, interviews
were held but in the last minute the
successful candidates turned us down.
Policy on Department Reviews was
designed.
Database on all policies related to
academic activities.
OUTCOMES OF PROJECT
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A graduation opinion survey was administered
for the first time during the May 2007
graduation ceremonies.
The Report was completed and well received by
Council and University community.
First time academic departments were reviewed
on our campus from 2007.
Comprehensive reports were written on the
departments reviewed.
DEPARTMENT/PROGRAMME
REVIEWS
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Bachelor of Laws : 22-24 April 2007
Department of Nursing Science: 15-17 Oct
2007
Department of English : 14-16 Nov 2007
Academic Development Unit : April 2008
Human Movement Science : April 2008
Social Work Department : 07-09 May 2008
Industrial Psychology : 21-23 May
2008
SCHEDULE OF REVIEWS FOR
SECOND SEMESTER : 2008
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Department of Agriculture :
03 -05 November 2008
Department of Business Management :
25-27 November 2008
Department of Philosophy
University Library
Programme Review
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Draft policy developed and workshopped
with the Faculty of Education :
29 September 2008.
Faculty of Education has to submit a
Progress report to the Higher Education
Quality Committee (HEQC) 31 October
2008 … QPA active in the progress.
Three programmes will be reviewed in the
Faculty of Education in 2009.
Career-focused Programmes
Design and Development
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University commissioned a consultant with
technikon experience to assist.
Project plan in place.
Commence with the Faculty of Commerce.
Programmes designed for Richards Bay
campus.
Person on campus twice a week, assisting
staff to develop diploma programmes.
CHALLENGES AT UZ
1.
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Funding : Post of Quality Advisor: threeyear contract. Post essential. University
has to fund this post.
Capacity building: major challenge for
rural based institution. Capacity building
workshops organised by HEQC.
Networking and sharing of initiatives by
other colleagues and Finnish inputs was
beneficial. Ideas picked up were
introduced at UZ .
CHALLENGES AT UZ
3. Quality Culture and awareness on campus. The
department reviews and reports were seen as
positive and developmental exercises. The
impact was great. This momentum of this quality
initiative has to be sustained as we prepare for
the institutional audit.
4.The huge challenge is the establishment of a
management information system at UZ. The
HEQC workshops on MIS helped to see what
other HEI’s were doing. Reliable data a
challenge.
CHALLENGES AT UZ
5. Establishing a documentation
management system. There is no central
repository for important documents to be
filed and stored with easy access. Major
part of institutional audit is evidence
based. Further, electronic format of all
documents is required to be set up.
CHALLENGES AT UZ
6. Designing and updating the University’s
webpage. The webpage is not user
friendly and has been outsourced. No
dedicated office/ person to update and
offer assistance to departments and staff.
7. University in the process of appointing a
Management Information Officer.
8. Investigating using the Evasys evaluation
system.
CONCLUSION
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Appreciate the final workshop being held in a
rural and former HDI institution.
The University of Zululand acknowledges the
positive impact made on the quality
management systems by this project.
The exposure, the sharing workshops,
professional guidance made a huge impact.
Thank Dr Herman du Toit and Judy Mashego for
their politeness and professional manner in
which they interacted with UZ.