Quality

The Academic Council of ISLB has approved an internal study quality assurance system based on European standards and guidelines for quality assurance in higher education institutions. Methods and tools have been envisaged for ensuring high quality of provided higher education. ISLB has a functioning quality management model which integrates Total Quality Management principles and ISO 9001:2008 quality management standard requirements. The model is continuously improved. The internal quality assurance system is described in the Quality Manual. ISLB has a functioning Studies Quality Department. The following quality assessment forms are used at ISLB: institutional assessments, study programme assessments, study subject and thematic assessments; internal and external assessments; formative and general assessments; formal and informal assessments; and criteria-based and interpretation assessments. The application of formative and general assessment together with formal and informal assessment guarantees a continuous and uninterrupted evaluation of the programme quality. A general overview of programme assessment is conducted during sittings of departments, faculties, the programme committee and the Academic Council.

The aims, learning outcomes, structure, contents and teaching methods of study programmes are analysed during study programme assessments. Study subjects are analysed in terms of the quality of their formulation and implementation. Thematic assessment analyses the quality of a particular activity conducted by ISLB, i.e., student support, the application of ICT, etc.

Internal assessment is conducted by the ISLB community. It is designed to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of a certain activity in terms of its key parameters. It is the process of implementing procedures for information accumulation and assessment which allows its participants to discuss higher education and conditions, progress and results thereof in a systematic fashion. An action development plan is developed on the basis of received results, with subsequent activities being organised in line with the plan. Internal assessment provides ISLB with reliable data about processes facilitating analysis of the degree of goal accomplishment and the planning of ISLB\'s development in specific fields of activity.

Internal programme assessment at ISLB is governed by European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance of higher education institutions (Provisions of Quality Assurance in Higher education, the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education, 2006), Methodological Guidelines for Higher Education Institutions by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education, the Conception of Formal Education Quality Assurance, the principles of Principles of Total Quality Management and ISO 9001:2008 quality management standard requirements.

The implemented ISO 9001 quality management system ensures the control of ISLB documentation and management, defines employees\' responsibilities, assures that standards are maintained and procedures followed, allows optimising information dissemination and feedback, improves learning resources and the work environment, etc.

The needs and expectations of ISLB students and partners are explicitly analysed. Quality policy and quality aims are in place, with specific processes and liabilities for attaining these aims defined; resources for attaining quality aims are determined; methods for estimating the results and efficiency of every process are established; conditions for non-conformity prevention are in place; a continuous process of revision of the quality management system takes place; a system of internal assessment and revision of study programmes is in place and updated annually.

A continuous improvement of the study programme builds upon seven key principles: active teaching/learning, regular contact with students, prompt feedback, student cooperation, time on task, high expectations and personalization.

Quality assessment methods used at ISLB are as follows: employers\' surveys; graduates\' surveys; students\' surveys; teachers\' surveys; teachers\' work assessment; internal audits; and estimation of financial indicators.

In order to ensure the quality of knowledge and competences acquired by ISLB graduates, the following actions are taken: efficient students are enrolled; quality documentation concerning all areas of activity of ISLB is formalized; qualified teachers are employed; the study process is conducted at a progressive level in technical and methodological terms; a reliable system of controlling students\' knowledge and skills is in place; responsibility of each process participant is explicitly defined; necessary competences for implementing changes are identified; continuous professional development of teachers by innovative teaching/learning methods takes place; conditions are provided for the participation of social partners in the process of implementing and developing study programmes.

Information about the aims, stages, fields, subfields, criteria, indicators, methods and tools and quality assessment results are announced publicly. ISLB regularly publishes online explicit quantitative and qualitative information about the study programme, the higher education qualification awarded, scientific activity, self-assessment results, the opinion of students, graduates or interested parties about the quality of the programme and graduate career indexes. This information is available to all social partner groups.

The results of programme assessment are used for improving the quality of the programme. ISLB\'s international activity and cooperation with national and international higher education institutions provides conditions for developing new syllabi and learning resources. They also enable student, teacher and administrative staff exchange. Cooperation with employers guarantees practice placement for students. Innovative study forms, a good atmosphere in the ISLB community coupled with active and diverse support increase students\' motivation which, in turn, contributes to improving learning outcomes. The use of EU structural funds helps to improve the competences of teachers, stimulates the use of innovative teaching and evaluation methods in the study process and provides conditions for improving ISLB management. Efficient learning resources and computer hardware and software make it possible to successfully apply the distance learning method, expand access to international electronic data bases and enrich library resources.

The application of programme assessment results is highly beneficial. At the end of each academic year learning outcomes are reviewed to better comply with rapidly developing demands for new competences. Study plans are updated by supplementing it with new, contemporary subjects. The improvement of the programme quality stimulates students\' progress, i.e., it provides opportunities for students to perform their practice in large national and international organisations; competences reflecting labour market needs and employers\' expectations are formed in top class business companies; topics of final theses are becoming more relevant and research results may be applied in practice. The programme quality assessment and improvement procedures are effective in terms of time, financial and material resources.

Information about the results of quality improvement is disseminated in different ways. The results are presented to the ISLB community during sittings of the department, faculty, programme committee and other divisions. Students, employers and other social partners take part in the sittings.

ISLB students have a real chance to participate in programme administration. The Students\' Council appoints students to represent them in the Academic Council. Students participate in programme assessment and quality improvement individually or together with the academic staff. Students can express their comments and recommendations to the department sittings or at regular meetings with ISLB administration members during an event called \"Breakfast with the Director.\" Student surveys are conducted annually. Students can evaluate the quality of programme teachers\' work, the objectivity, transparency and comprehension of learning outcomes, accessibility to various information sources, benefits of practice, etc. Following presentation of survey results to the Academic Council, conclusions and recommendations on improving the quality of the programme are provided. The findings of student surveys are taken into consideration during annual teacher assessments. Procedures of appeal and investigation of appeals are in place and allow students to express their dissatisfaction with student achievement assessment.

ISLB teachers who do not sit on the programme committee or administration staff also participate in assessment and improvement of the study programme. Teachers are members of internal auditing groups which conduct internal audits of all activity fields according to the internal audit management procedures. Teachers update subject syllabi every year: they attune subject aims with learning outcomes, revise the topics of theoretical lectures and practical seminars, initiate the application of innovative study and evaluation methods in the study process and update the list of learning resources with the latest editions. The quality of the programme is improved by developing teachers competences. Participation in international exchange and scientific activity provides conditions for competence development.

ISLB highly values participation of external social partners (graduates, employers, etc.) in the programme assessment and improvement. Graduate and employer representatives sit on the programme committee. Graduate and employer surveys are conducted. Employers are asked to evaluate the competences of graduates and the programme content. The operating Alumni Fellowship contributes to the improvement and development of ISLB\'s activity. Learning outcomes of the programme are updated annually in cooperation with external social partners. New subjects are included into the study plan. Cooperation has significantly improved students\' practice performance: the number of institutions whose activities are in accord with the aims of studies has increased, as has the number of programme students. The professional activity of practice supervisors is in line with the character of practice.