WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND ASSURANCE POLICY
POLICY NUMBER:
QA01
APPROVED BY: Council
DATE OF
9 December 2009
MINUTE:
APPROVAL:
EFFECTIVE DATE OF
1 January 2010
PAGES:
9
IMPLEMENTATION:
REFER QUESTIONS TO: DIRECTOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
1.
PURPOSE
The primary purpose of Walter Sisulu University Quality Management and Assurance
Policy is to enhance the effectiveness of the quality of its core business activities of
teaching and learning, research, academic support services, community engagement
as well as the maintenance of academic standards in the context of the restructuring
and transformation of the South African Higher Education landscape.
2.
GUIDELINES
The WSU Quality Management and Assurance Policy is informed by the following
guidelines:
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The Higher Education Act 1997, Act # 101 of 1997 as amended.
The CHE’s Higher Education Quality Committee Founding Document, January
2001.
The CHE’s HEQC Framework documents on institutional audit and programme
accreditation.
The Committee of Technikon Principals Quality Policy Guidelines of 2003.
SAQA.
NQF and the HEQF.
The National Human Resource Development Strategy, the Integrated and
Sustainable Rural Development Strategy and the Integrated Development Plans
of Municipalities.
WSU Institutional Operating Plan (IOP) as approved by Council and the DoE.
WSU Institutional Strategic Plan (ISP) as approved by Council.
HESA.
It is the policy of WSU to provide quality teaching and learning, research, community
engagement, academic support and administrative services in line with WSU’s vision,
mission, goals, objectives and strategies.
WSU accepts that through continuous quality improvement all staff should take
personal responsibility for their own professional quality and standards in all their
activities. Where appropriate, academic departments and administrative departments
will have significant freedom to tailor procedures and structures to their own functional
requirements. All WSU policies and procedures will be well documented and readily
accessible to staff, students and other stakeholders.
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The University will rigorously and continuously monitor the effectiveness of its quality
assurance systems to ensure that they are operating in accordance with good practice,
in the best interests of all current students and the maintenance of good academic
standards. WSU will work constructively with external agencies, in particular the
Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher education (CHE)
and the relevant professional bodies.
WSU evaluates its achievements against appropriate national and international
benchmarks. The WSU procedures reflect principles of rigorous peer review, as the
university aims to identify areas for improvement, to foster collaboration and exchange
of best practice, and to encourage an ethos of critical self-evaluation. Therefore WSU
is committed to:
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Offer accredited quality instructional programmes.
Recruit, select, train and develop staff to ensure that our students receive
appropriate education and training.
Design and develop laboratories, workshops and instructional facilities to meet
regional and national training needs.
Encourage and facilitate students and community to make suggestions and
give opinions so as to improve our services.
Solicit through advisory committees feedback from commerce and industry on
improvements of curricula and training needs.
Foster
research
and
collaborative
partnerships
for
international
competitiveness.
A commitment to widespread involvement of staff, students and stakeholders
in the Quality Management and Assurance processes.
A focus on efficient management, planning and resource allocation processes
to achieve excellence and ensure continuous improvement.
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3.
PRINCIPLES
The quality assurance strategy is integral to the work of all staff, who are active in
teaching and learning, research, community engagement and administration, and
have the responsibility for implementing QA by ensuring that quality principles are
adhered to. This encompases ensuring the quality of WSU’s academic programmes
are in line with the following principles:
3.1
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND EXCELLENCE
To ensure that quality and excellence in academic programmes, continuous
curriculum innovation and adherence to the SAQA/NQF/HEQF guidelines is
used, input from academic, vocational and societal sources will be solicited
which will culminate in the integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes
(values) to produce high levels of capability or applied competence in
learners.
3.2
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
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It will be the responsibility of the institution, through its Quality Assurance
mechanisms, to ensure that the achievement of academic quality is
supported by appropriate administrative policies and procedures.
3.3
RELEVANCE AND RESPONSIVENESS
Relevance:
To ensure the relevance of academic offerings with regard to the identity of
the university and with specific reference to integration of technology and to
infuse innovation and entrepreneurial skills in the learning, teaching and
curriculum design of the university.
Responsiveness:
To ensure the responsiveness of WSU programmes to both societal and
national developmental needs.
Instructional programmes offered at WSU should meet the needs of
commerce and industry concerned. To this end input will be solicited from:
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Advisory Committees;
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Experiential training and its evaluation;
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Utilization of teaching and learning activities which are underpinned
by discipline specific/interdisciplinary and educational research
undertaken by the academic staff involved.
3.4
4.
FINANCIAL VIABILITY
The institution will ensure that it has the capacity to provide adequate
enabling resources to sustain the programme(s) including:
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The capacity to attract sufficient enrolment and subsidy;
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Academic programmes with high throughput rates;
PROPOSED COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE FOR QUALITY MANAGEMENT
AND ASSURANCE
4.1
MEMBERSHIP
The Institutional Quality Assurance Committee (IQAC) is made up of members
who have the mandate, executive powers, and authority and hold appropriate
budgets to effectively carry out the recommendations made by the DoE, the
HEQC and other professional bodies, and provide guidance in all the academic
and administrative aspects of the institution. The IQAC is a Senate subcommittee which is made up of the following members:
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Vice Chancellor and Principal (Ex-Officio)
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Deputy Vice Chancellor: Academic Affairs and Research
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Deputy Vice Chancellor: Planning, Quality Assurance and Development
(as the Chairperson)
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Registrar
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Chief Operations Officer
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Executive Director Student Affairs
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4.2
Executive Deans of the four faculties viz. (FBML, FED, FHS and FSET)
(Ex Officio)
One representative from each of the four Faculties (viz. FBML, FED, FHS
and FSET)
Director: Quality Assurance
Director: Library & Information Services
Director: Governance and Academic Administration
Director: Centre for Community & International Partnerships
Director: Centre for Learning & Teaching Development
Director: Bureau for Institutional Research and Planning
Director: Centre for Rural Development & Urban Renewal
All Quality Assurance Managers
Academic Planner
One representative from each of the following Staff Unions:- NEHAWU,
NTESU and NUTESA
Two representatives from the Institutional SRC
Committee Secretariat
TERMS OF REFERENCE
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To develop and maintain the University’s quality management, quality
assurance and quality improvement strategies in the context of the
institutional Strategic Plan.
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To advise Senate on the University’s response to national and external
quality enhancement initiatives where appropriate.
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To be responsible for the preparation of appropriate documents to
external quality agencies (e.g. HEQC, ECSA) on behalf of the University
and/or Senate.
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To be responsible for appropriate follow-up action arising from reports
from external quality agencies.
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To determine the procedures for the validation of courses on behalf of
Senate.
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To determine procedures for the review of courses, subjects and
services and to consider the reports of such reviews.
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To assist in the formulation and review of matters of quality with regard
to policies, procedures, mechanisms, processes and academic
regulations.
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To discharge such other responsibilities as may be devolved by the Vice
Chancellor and Senate from time to time.
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Capturing and monitoring of policies that have an impact on quality
throughout the university.
The IQAC will ensure that there is synergy in all the activities within the
institution to promote academic excellence and organizational effectiveness.
4.3
COMMITTEE PROCEDURES
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The IQAC shall meet quarterly,
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Normal meeting procedures will apply,
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4.4
The members of the Committee shall be notified by the Committee
Secretariat at least two weeks before the meeting and relevant
documents to be circulated timeously.
INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE (IQAC) SUBCOMMITTEES
Each Faculty or operational unit in the institution shall have a QAC SubCommittee.
4.4.1 Composition
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The Executive Dean of the Faculty or the Director of the Unit
shall be the Chair or a representative appointed by the Chair
of the IQAC
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Representatives from each academic school (or support
service department or unit) to take care of the needs and
activities as appointed by the school / unit.
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The Director Quality Assurance
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One student from each school appointed by the relevant
Students' Association where available (in the case of academic
QACs).
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Secretary: A member of the Quality Management Directorate,
preferably the Quality Assurance Officer in the relevant Faculty
or cluster of departments.
4.4.2 Terms of Reference
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To be responsible to Institutional Quality Assurance
Committee (IQAC) for the quality assurance procedures for all
collaborative arrangements in respective Faculties with
support services and Quality Management Directorate (QMD).
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To give initial consideration, on behalf of the IQAC, to all
proposals for any kind of collaborative provision involving the
university and partner organizations.
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To
co-ordinate
appropriate
validation
and
review
arrangements for all collaborative and HEQC provisions.
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To consider, on behalf of the IQAC, any proposed minor
changes to existing programmes.
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To discharge such other responsibilities as may be devolved
by Senate and/or the IQAC from time to time.
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On behalf of the IQAC, to maintain, operate and develop the
quality assurance framework and its regulations for the
delivery of education in the university including consideration
of any programme amendments not able to be resolved by
any QMD action.
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To give initial scrutiny and make recommendations to the
IQAC on the appointment and removal of external examiners.
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To identify and disseminate good practice in the preparations
for institutional audits and programme accreditation.
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4.5
To develop consistency of practice in the operation of the QA
framework.
To make recommendations to the IQAC on the maintenance of
quality and development of academic programme provision.
FUNCTIONS OF THE STRUCTURE
In order to drive the quality strategy and goals throughout the institution, the
following functions, roles and responsibilities are critical:
Note: The Quality Assurance process is managed and facilitated by the Quality
Function while execution is the responsibility of the department concerned.
LEVEL
QUALITY ASSURANCE RESPONSIBILITIES AND
DUTIES
Vice Chancellor,
Validate the Quality strategy, Quality Assurance Policy
DVC: Academic
and all other policies and procedures. Approve funds
Affairs and Research
for the Quality Assurance Process.
and DVC: Planning,
Leads Quality Assurance issues and oversees the
Quality Assurance
following Critical Duties;
and Development
 Setting of Quality Assurance Policy.
 Approval of all Policies and Procedures.
 Approval of Quality Assurance Manual.
 Approval of Academic Quality Assurance
Framework.
 Review of Internal Quality Assurance Selfevaluation reports.
 Decisions on report findings.
 Quality Management review.
DVC Academic
Affairs & Research
and DVC: Planning,
Quality Assurance
and Development
Executive Deans
Duties:
 Set and review academic goals.
 Provide teaching and learning strategy.
 Implement, maintain and improve the
Academic Quality Assurance Framework.
 Follow up corrective actions from programme
self-evaluation reports.
Executive Deans are responsible for the quality of
teaching, learning, assessment and research
undertaken within Departments in their Faculty.
Critical
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Duties:
Implement and review academic goals.
Schedule for internal and external evaluations.
Review of programme selfevaluation/assessment documentation.
Review Quality Assurance and/or
Improvement Plan, Implementation,
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Evaluation and Feedback. Follow-up on
actions.
Review Programme and Research quality ratings.
Heads of
Schools/Departments
Senior Lecturers
Heads of Schools (HoSs) / Heads of Departments
(HoDs) have a Quality Assurance function in ensuring
that their Schools/Departments implement their QA
plans and functions in such a way that they
demonstrate accountability for quality and measured
quality improvement. HoSs or HoDs must identify
from amongst their staff members those who would
support them in fulfilling such duties.
Critical Duties:
 Implement and review academic goals.
 Arrange Quality Assurance feedback from
programme advisory committee meetings.
 Programme self-evaluation
 New Programme evaluation
 External Programme evaluations.
 Review of moderation and examination
reports.
 Review of student feedback surveys.
 Review of quality of research.
 Review of peer reviews.
Senior Lecturers need to implement and maintain the
Quality Assurance mechanisms for their programmes
and quality of research.
Critical outcomes:
 Programme quality assurance data and
records update.
 Provide feedback on quality of student
feedback mechanisms and information.
 Review of lecturer, programme and quality of
assessment.
 Manage research quality for discipline
(Teaching Scholars).
Management of Quality improvement followup actions.
Lecturers need to maintain lecturing and learning
methodologies, course notes and assessments to the
required criteria and set standards.
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Lecturers
Critical outcomes:
 Implement student feedback mechanisms.
 React to findings.
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Implement Quality Improvement actions.
Ensure action is adequate.
Ensure ongoing quality improvement of
research.
React to moderator’s findings on
examinations.
Non-academic staff
Each staff member contributes to the success of the
Unit/Department/Division’s Quality Assurance
Committees and take co-responsibility for the control
and attainment of the required quality. An advisory
committee of peers and customers is set up to guide
best practice.
Students
Students are encouraged to be committed to the
notion of good quality and may support it by
diligently studying to achieve best results. The
implementation of the quality assurance process
involves the active participation of representatives of
students in each program throughout the process.
Students are afforded full membership of the various
committees that exist in the institution that deal with
quality assurance. Selected students also participate
on the external evaluation panels that visit the
institution.
LIST OF ACRONYMS
CHE: Council on Higher Education
CRD: Centre for Rural Development
ECSA: Engineering Council of South Africa
FBML: Faculty of Business, Management Sciences and Law
FED: Faculty of Education
FHS: Faculty of Health Sciences
FSET: Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
HEQC: Higher Education Quality Committee
HEQF: Higher Education Qualifications Framework
HESA: Higher Education South Africa
HoD: Head of Department
HoS: Head of School
IOP: Institutional Operating Plan
IQAC: Institutional Quality Assurance Committee
ISP: Institutional Strategic Plan
NEHAWU: National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union
NQF: National Qualifications Framework
NTESU: National Tertiary Education Staff Union
NUTESA: National Union of Tertiary Employees of South Africa
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QMD: Quality Management Directorate
SAQA: South African Qualifications Authority
SRC: Students Representative Council
WSU: Walter Sisulu University
Approval:Signed_______________
Chair of IQAC
Date : 3 February 2009
Signed_______________
Chair of Senate
Date 1 April 2009
Signed_______________
Chair of Council
Date___________
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