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: 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. Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 1 of 9 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: 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. 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 Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 2 of 9 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: Advisory Committees; Experiential training and its evaluation; 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: The capacity to attract sufficient enrolment and subsidy; 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: Vice Chancellor and Principal (Ex-Officio) Deputy Vice Chancellor: Academic Affairs and Research Deputy Vice Chancellor: Planning, Quality Assurance and Development (as the Chairperson) Registrar Chief Operations Officer Executive Director Student Affairs Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 3 of 9 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 To develop and maintain the University’s quality management, quality assurance and quality improvement strategies in the context of the institutional Strategic Plan. To advise Senate on the University’s response to national and external quality enhancement initiatives where appropriate. 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. To be responsible for appropriate follow-up action arising from reports from external quality agencies. To determine the procedures for the validation of courses on behalf of Senate. To determine procedures for the review of courses, subjects and services and to consider the reports of such reviews. To assist in the formulation and review of matters of quality with regard to policies, procedures, mechanisms, processes and academic regulations. To discharge such other responsibilities as may be devolved by the Vice Chancellor and Senate from time to time. 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 The IQAC shall meet quarterly, Normal meeting procedures will apply, Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 4 of 9 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 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 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. The Director Quality Assurance One student from each school appointed by the relevant Students' Association where available (in the case of academic QACs). 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 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). To give initial consideration, on behalf of the IQAC, to all proposals for any kind of collaborative provision involving the university and partner organizations. To co-ordinate appropriate validation and review arrangements for all collaborative and HEQC provisions. To consider, on behalf of the IQAC, any proposed minor changes to existing programmes. To discharge such other responsibilities as may be devolved by Senate and/or the IQAC from time to time. 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. To give initial scrutiny and make recommendations to the IQAC on the appointment and removal of external examiners. To identify and disseminate good practice in the preparations for institutional audits and programme accreditation. Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 5 of 9 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 Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 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, 6 of 9 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. Lecturers Critical outcomes: Implement student feedback mechanisms. React to findings. Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 7 of 9 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 Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 8 of 9 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___________ Quality Management & Assurance Policy Policy No QA01 Updated: December 2009 9 of 9