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European University Association
Brussels Office - 39-41 Rue d'Arlon, 1040 Brussels
)+32 2 230 5544 - fax +32 2 230 5751
e-mail: info@eua.be

QUALITY CULTURE PROJECT
A SOCRATES-SPONSORED PROJECT OF EUA

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - INSTITUTIONS
DEADLINE: 15 JUNE 2002 (postmark)

1. INTRODUCTION
Quality assurance is a major element of the Bologna process and has =
been the
focus of much
attention at European, national and institutional levels. Many =
universities,
however, still consider
quality assurance as an external activity, a control imposed upon them =
by
governmental or semigovernmental
bodies. This Quality Culture project will help universities to =
introduce and
strengthen an internal quality culture that they can consider their =
own.
This Socrates-sponsored project1 builds on the experience of the =
European
University
Association (EUA) in promoting such a culture since 1994, but provides =
an
extra stimulus in this
direction by focusing more specifically on internal quality in =
institutions.
The results of this
project will feed directly into the Bologna process since they will be
presented at the Conference
of Ministers of Higher Education, planned for September 2003 in Berlin.
The project aims to:
=A7 Increase awareness of the need to develop an internal quality =
culture in
universities,
=A7 Ensure the wide dissemination of existing best practices in the =
field,
=A7 Promote the introduction of internal quality management to improve =
quality
levels,
=A7 Help universities to approach external procedures of quality =
assurance in
a constructive way,
=A7 Contribute to the Bologna process by strengthening the =
attractiveness of
European
universities.
Forty universities will be selected based on the criteria outlined =
below.
The universities will be
grouped into networks and co-ordinated by a lead institution. Each =
network
will receive about
60,000 euros. The co-ordinating institution of each network will be the
contractor.
It is hoped that Socrates funding will be renewed to give the =
opportunity
for forty different
institutions to undertake a similar exercise each year.
2. ELIGIBILITY
This pilot project is open to all EUA members as well as institutions =
that
are not EUA members
but are part of a Rectors' conference that is member of EUA. Individual
membership of the EUA
will, however, be considered as a relevant criterion during the =
selection
process. Institutions
located in countries not included in the Socrates programme may apply =
as
well. EUA will seek to
secure funding from other sources to ensure participation from =
institutions
in these countries.
1 The EUA has put forward a proposal to the European Commission for a =
grant
in the framework of the Socrates Accompanying
measures. A final decision is awaited later this spring.
3. ACTIVITIES
Pilot project in four phases:
1. Based on the individual call for proposals, six ad-hoc networks of =
six to
seven universities will
be put together by the EUA. These networks will be co-ordinated by a =
lead
expert nominated
by the co-ordinating university and will interact via email during all
phases of the project, as
detailed below.
Lead experts will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
- expertise in internal quality culture
- current or past experience in a senior university post
- expertise in external evaluation procedures
- international experience
Each network will include:
- A mix of universities with a continuum of expertise in the area of =
quality
culture
It is expected that of the 40 selected institutions that will form the =
six
networks,
=B7 Twelve universities will have established experience in internal =
quality
(two in each
network)
=B7 Twenty-eight universities will have recent or little experience in
internal quality
- A geographical mix
- A mix of institutional size and type
- Networks will be formed around the expressed interest of institutions =
in
one of the
following six themes:
a) Research management
b) Teaching and learning, including the use of information and =
communication
technologies (ICT)
c) Student support services
d) Implementing Bologna reforms (e.g., two-tier degree structure, ECTS)
e) Collaborative arrangements (e.g., inter-institutional partnerships,
national and
international)
f) Communication flow and decision-making structures, including ICT
Thus the main selection criteria for institutions will take into =
account
expertise, geographical
location, size, type and interest in the particular theme.
1. Each university will write a self-assessment report in the field of =
the
network's specific focus.
2. Visiting teams will be formed from within each network, and will
undertake review visits in
universities of that network. Each visiting team will be chaired by the
co-ordinating leadexpert,
and will produce an evaluation report with recommendations.
3. Each network will produce a final report that will highlight best
practices as well as the
successes and obstacles encountered.
A final report for the project will present the results of the 6 =
networks,
and recommend how
lessons learned from this pilot project can be used on a wider European
level.
For further information, please contact David Crosier, EUA Brussels =
office
at :
Email: david.crosier@eua.be
Telephone : 00 32 2 230 7504