Foundation Expert Panel Report on Institutional
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“NATIONAL CENTRE FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION QUALITY ASSURANCE” FOUNDATION EXPERT PANEL REPORT ON INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION OF "GORIS STATE UNIVERSITY" STATE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Yerevan 2017 INTRODUCTION The institutional accreditation of "Goris State University" state non-profit organization (hereinafter GSU) is carried out based on the initiative and application presented by the University. The process of the institutional accreditation is organized and coordinated by the “National Centre for Professional Education Quality Assurance” Foundation (ANQA). ANQA is guided by the Regulation on “State Accreditation of RA Education Institutions and their Academic Programs” set by the RA Government Decree N 978 (30 June 2011) as well as by the Decree N 959-Ն on “Approval of RA Standards for Professional Education Accreditation” (30 June 2011). The expertise has been carried out by the independent expert panel formed in accordance with the demands set by the ANQA Regulation on “Formation of the Expert Panel”. The expert panel consisted of 4 local experts and 1 international expert. The institutional accreditation is aimed not only at the external evaluation of quality assurance but also the continuous improvement of quality of the University’s governance and academic programs. Hence, two issues were put forward to the European and local experts: 1) to carry out an expertise of institutional capacities in accordance with the RA standards for State Accreditation; 2) to carry out an evaluation from the perspective of the University's ambitions to integrate into the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This report reflects on the expertise of GSU's institutional capacities in accordance with the RA state accreditation criteria and standards and the peer-review from the perspective of the University's ambitions to integrate into EHEA. 2 Contents INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 2 SUMMARY OF EVALUATION .................................................................................................................. 4 EVALUATION OF INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES ACCORDING TO ACREDITATION CRITERIA ............................... 4 PEER-REVIEW FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF EDUCATION INSTITUTION’S INTEGRATION INTO EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA .............................................................................................................................. 13 DESCRIPTION OF EXTERNAL REVIEW ............................................................................................... 15 COMPOSITION OF EXPERT PANEL ................................................................................................................... 15 PROCESS OF THE EXTERNAL REVIEW .............................................................................................................. 16 EVALUATION ACCORDING TO ACCREDITATION CRITERIA ........................................................... 18 BRIEF INFORMATION ABOUT THE EDUCATION INSTITUTION ........................................................................ 18 CRITERION I. MISSION AND PURPOSE ............................................................................................................ 19 CRITERION II.GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION ...................................................................................... 22 CRITERION III. ADACEMIC PROGRAMS ........................................................................................................... 26 CRITERION IV.STUDENTS ................................................................................................................................. 29 CRITERION V. TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFFS ............................................................................................ 35 CRITERION VI.RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................... 39 CRITERION VII.INFRASTRUCTURE AND RECOURSES ....................................................................................... 43 CRITERION VIII. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ........................................................................................................ 47 CRITERION IX.EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND INTERNATIONALIZATION ............................................................. 50 CRITERION X.INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM ................................................................................. 52 EVALUATION ACCORDING TO ACCREDITATION CRITERIA ........................................................... 57 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................................... 58 APPENDIX 1.CVs OF EXPERT PANEL MEMBERS............................................................................... 58 APPENDIX 2. SCHEDULE OF SITE VISIT ............................................................................................. 60 APPENDIX 3. LIST OF DOCUMENTS OBSERVED ............................................................................... 61 APPENDIX 4. RESOURCES OBSERVED ................................................................................................ 64 APPENDIX 5. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE EDUCATION INSTITUTION .................. 65 APPENDIX 6. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................. 66 3 SUMMARY OF EVALUATION EVALUATION OF INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES ACCORDING TO ACREDITATION CRITERIA The expertise of GSU's institutional capacities is carried out by the independent expert panel1 which was compiled according to the demands set by the ANQA Regulation on “Formation of the Expert Panel". The evaluation was carried out according to the 10 criteria for state accreditation, approved by the RA Government Decree N 959–Ն (30 June 2011). While carrying out the expertise the expert panel took into consideration that Goris State University is among leading higher education institutions in Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia (RA) which aims to prepare specialists with BA and MA degrees in the spheres of education, economy, industry and information technologies for the region who are highly professional, competitive and responsive to current challenges, as well as to create student-centered environment which promotes flexible professional academic programs (PAPs), academic courses and relatively modern teaching and learning methods in line with educational and technological needs of the society and economy. In the GSU Concept of Strategic Development plan for 2011-2016 (hereinafter: Concept 2011-2016) the mission and goals of the University are defined. GSU's activity is mainly in consistence with the defined mission. However, the anticipated results and evaluation indicators are not measurable and they do not reflect the implementation of strategic goals and achievements, hence they need further clarification. The absence of strategic approach and clear and reliable mechanisms evaluating and increasing the efficiency of implementation of strategic goals puts at risk the processes directed to the overcoming of the GSU's shortcomings. It also handicaps the process of monitoring of the GSU’s achievements as well as further proper and efficient planning of its activities. The mechanisms of stakeholders involvement are not sufficient for ensuring their proactive participation in GSU's activities. The absence of regularly organized discussions hinders GSU to identify the needs of internal and external stakeholders and to involve them in the improvement-directed processes. The inefficiency of mechanisms identifying the needs of GSU's external stakeholders, their passive involvement in the development of strategic plan as well as the absence of market research put at risk the full implementation of the goals set by GSU's mission taking into consideration the University's commitment to prepare specialists in line with the regional needs and market demands. GSU is currently undergoing considerable changes in terms of its legal status which basically hinders the regular processes of strategic management. According to the top management of the University, the new status should enlarge GSU's activity fields and have a positive impact on the University's financial capacity and diversification of its entrepreneurial activity. This transitional period is viewed as the main obstacle impeding the development of the new strategy. The expert panel finds that GSU's organizational structure needs to be more clarified taking into account the importance of implementation of its prioritized directions and strategic goals. The absence of defined ethical norms, mechanisms ensuring the transparency and efficiency of decision-making processes as well as qualitative and quantitative data on efficiency evaluation puts at risk the efficiency of GSU's management system and targeted implementation of strategic goals. The expert panel finds that the whole administration of management system is not based on the principle of quality management. Although there are planning and implementation processes at different levels, the processes of evaluation and improvement are missing. 1 APPENDIX 1. CVs OF EXPERT PANEL MEMBERS 4 The expert panel embraces the fact that GSU involves its students and teaching staff in almost all governing bodies and gives them an opportunity to freely express their viewpoints and participate in