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Tartu Theological Seminary Self-Evaluation Report Union of Evangelical Christian and Baptist Churches of Estonia Tartu Theological Seminary Self-Evaluation Report For Institutional and Curriculum Group Accreditation Tartu 2018 Submitted to the Estonian Higher Education Quality Agency July 2018 Abbreviations BWA – Baptist World Alliance EBF – European Baptist Federation FTE – Full Time Employees RDCA – Research, Development and Creative Activities RPL – recognition of prior learning SIS – Study Information System TTS – Tartu Theological Seminary (also used in the text as Seminary, school) UFEBC –The Union of Free Evangelical and Baptist Churches of Estonia, owner of the school Name Tartu Theological Seminary Legal Status The Seminary is a private professional higher education institution owned by the Union of Free Evangelical and Baptist Churches of Estonia. Established 1922 Contact data Annemo3isa 2, 50708 Tartu, Estonia www.kus.tartu.ee Einike Pilli Rector, Tartu Theological Seminary E-mail: einike.pilli @ kogudused.ee or seminar @ kus.tartu.ee Phone: +3725186219 Formal Education Free Church Theology and Leadership, applied higher Curricula and their education studies, 5260117 registration Special tracks: numbers in the Theology Estonian Education Practical Mission Information System Youth Work (EHIS) Theology and Practice of Worship Church Planting and Development 2 Table of Contents Introduction.................................................................................................................................4 I Institutional Accreditation Report............................................................................................8 Organisational Management and Performance.......................................................................8 1. General Leadership........................................................................................................8 2. Personnel Management..................................................................................................9 3. Management of Financial Resources and Infrastructure.............................................10 4. Areas of Good Practice and Improvements.................................................................12 Teaching and learning...........................................................................................................13 1. Effectiveness of the Educational Activity and Formation of Student Body................13 2. Curriculum Development............................................................................................14 3. Academic Progress of Students and Student Assessment...........................................17 4. Support Processes of Learning....................................................................................19 5. Areas of Good Practice and Improvements.................................................................20 Research, Development and Creative Activities (RDCA)....................................................22 1. RDCA Objectives and its Effectiveness......................................................................22 2. RDCA Resources and Support Processes....................................................................23 3. Student Research Supervision.....................................................................................26 4. Areas of Good Practice and Improvements.................................................................26 Service to Society, Including Open Access Learning Activities..........................................28 1. Popularisation of Core Activities and Involvement in Societal Development............28 2. Adult Education...........................................................................................................30 3. Other Public-Oriented Activities.................................................................................30 4. Areas of Good Practice and Improvements.................................................................31 Analysis of the Four Areas and Action Plan.........................................................................32 II Self analysis of the Theology Curriculum Group.................................................................33 1. Report About The Activities of Improvement After the Last Assessment.......................33 2. Curriculum and Curriculum Development.......................................................................33 3. Resources....................................................................................................................33 4. Educational Process.....................................................................................................33 5. Faculty.........................................................................................................................33 6. Students.......................................................................................................................33 7. Analysis and Action Plan............................................................................................33 III Appendixes...........................................................................................................................34 APPENDIX 1: Tartu Theological Seminary Development Plan for 2016-2020..................34 APPENDIX 2: Study Regulations........................................................................................56 APPENDIX 3: The Admission and Expulsion Procedure....................................................64 APPENDIX 4: Description of Assessment at Tartu Theological Seminary.........................66 APPENDIX 5: Faculty Positions..........................................................................................68 APPENDIX 6: Faculty Qualifications..................................................................................71 APPENDIX 7: Adult Education Courses in 2016-2017.......................................................72 APPENDIX 8: Publications..................................................................................................75 APPENDIX 9: Curriculum 2017..........................................................................................77 APPENDIX 10: Course Syllabuses......................................................................................98 APPENDIX 11: Agreement of cooperation........................................................................127 APPENDIX 12: CV for Nigel G. Wright...........................................................................128 3 Introduction Tartu Theological Seminary is the private professional higher education institution, owned by The Union of Free Evangelical and Baptist Churches of Estonia (UFEBC). It serves the needs of evangelical Protestant churches and Christians, with a special focus on Free Church Theology. The school was established and developed to prepare leaders for Estonian Free Churches. Its predecessor, The Estonian Seminary for Baptist Preachers, was opened in the Spring 1922. The school was the first free-church educational institution in Estonia. Unfortunately, the school was closed between 1940-1989. After reopening the school gained the status of government-acknowledged professional higher education institution. After its re-opening more than 100 students have graduated. Structure of the School The school has two interconnected parts – training and development. The rector looks after both; the training part is led by the leader of studies and the development part by the leader of development. The leadership group consists of these three people. Additionally there are (according to the need) the coordinator of mentoring network, project leaders for the longer Adult Education programs, and the school psychologist. The academic leadership of the school is carried out by the 3-person leadership group and five lead teachers. During the last four years the school has been developed into a Free Church Educational Centre with a growing variety of training courses. These are combined in different ways with the higher education curriculum, which is called “Free Church Theology and Leadership”. This change was caused by the new Concept of Education, accepted by the UFEBC at 2014. At the moment the school operates according to the Development Plan 2016- 2020. The latest accomplishments of the school are: Full government recognition of our higher education curriculum (2017) The publication of three books (2016-17) and one documentary film (2018) A growing number of learners both on higher level (50-60) and in Adult Education programmes (approximately 400 every year) Cooperation agreement with Estonian Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church and two groups of their students (2014) Mission The Seminary supports the lifelong and holistic development of individual Christians and congregations. Vision The Seminary is a nationally and internationally recognized evangelical free-church education centre, which through its activities empowers local churches and has a positive impact on society. 4 Values Treasuring Bible-knowledge and Christian experience Resting on a relationship with God Knowledge-based and practical Congregational and teamwork-based Discipleship- and mentorship-oriented The Key Sentence “For the good and the growth of the congregations” Strategic Objectives The influence of the school is theologically prominent in the free church context and meaningfully present in the “secular” society. The school cooperates in a team-based partnership with the UFEBC and
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