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The University Board
The University Board has overall responsibility for quality work at the university and for developing the study programme portfolio as a whole. The board establishes and terminates study programmes of 30 credits or more. The board discusses the annual education – and research report and stipulates focus areas for next year’s report and the reports on quality from the Faculties and the Teacher Education Unit. Moreover, the Board decides on changes to the quality assurance system and local regulations, as well as instructions and mandates for boards, committees and staff roles with responsibilities and tasks related to quality work.
The University Academic Affairs Committee
The committee supervises the quality of the study programmes on behalf of the University Board. The academic affairs committee accredits new study programmes and reaccredits study programmes on the basis of periodic evaluations. The academic affairs committee may also implement periodic evaluation based on risk assessment. Moreover, the academic affairs committee stipulates templates, checklists etc. for different parts of the quality assurance system.
The University Research Committee
The research committee comments on issues relating to accreditation and reaccreditation of study programmes at the PhD level.
The University Learning Environment Committee
The Learning Environment Committee addresses and discusses issues that concern the students’ physical, psychosocial, organisational, digital and pedagogical learning environment.
The Faculty Board
The Faculty Board has overall responsibility for quality work at the faculty and development of the study programme portfolio. The Faculty Board establishes and terminates courses and externally financed study programmes of 30 credits and less. Also, the Faculty Board accredits and reaccredits free-standing courses and externally financed offers of study of 30 credits and less. Concerning the remaining study programmes, the Faculty Board is obliged to make a statement in connection with establishing and terminating programmes and adopts changes to programme descriptions. The Faculty Board stipulates the cycle of periodic programme evaluations and may also implement such evaluations based on risk assessments. The Faculty Board adopts the Faculty's annual quality report and may also delegate tasks to a study programme committee at the Faculty.
Teacher Education Board
The teacher education board has overall responsibility for quality work relating to the teacher education programmes and for developing the university’s teacher educations and is obliged to make a statement in connection with proposals for establishing or closing down teacher education programmes. The Board also adopts changes to study programmes and adopts the annual quality report. The teacher education board stipulates the cycle of periodic programme evaluations and may also implement such evaluations based on risk assessments.
Study programme committee/PhD programme committee
All study programmes which awards a degree upon completion, as well as the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, must have a programme committee that contributes to the development of the study programme and the students’ total learning environment. Study programme committees/PhD programme committees meetings should be arranged at least once per semester. The study programme committee contributes with suggestions for the annual study programme report. Also, once per year, the PhD programme committee processes reports on progress from students and supervisors and contributes with suggestions to the annual quality report on the PhD programme.
The Faculty may delegate tasks from the PhD programme committee to a specialisation committee.
The Faculties and the Teacher Education Unit will themselves organise additional arenas for quality work.
A lecturers’ meeting should be held for all study programmes at least once per semester. The meeting will discuss the results of the students’ evaluation of courses, practice and exchange in the study programme. The lecturers’ meeting will also give recommendations concerning possible changes to courses and study programmes. Lecturers’ meetings in the teacher education programmes are conducted both at the programme level and the course level. For PhD programmes, the lecturers´ meeting may be conducted on the spesialisation level. The composition of the lecturers’ meeting for each study programme of is stipulated by the Faculty/Teacher Education Unit. The university’s Academic Affairs Committee appoints the supervisor for the lecturers’ meeting.
The managers’ meetings at the Faculties/Teacher Education Unit discuss the status of the study programme portfolio and measures like follow-up of programme reports/PhD programme quality report, and reports in the wake of periodic programme evaluations.
Rector
On behalf of the University Board, the Rector has overall responsibility for quality work at the University of Agder. The Rector is also responsible for the annual governing dialogues between the university leadership and the managers at the faculties/Teacher education unit.
Vice-Rector for Education
The Vice-Rector for education, programme quality and learning environment chairs the university’s Academic Affairs Committee and has overall responsibility for quality work and for overseeing the quality of the study programmes.
Vice-Rector for Research and Interdisciplinary Projects
The Vice-Rector for research and interdisciplinary projects heads the university’s (central) research committee and has, jointly with the Vice-Rector for education, overall responsibility for quality work in study programmes at the PhD level.
Vice-Rector for External Relations and Innovation
The Vice-Rector for external relations and innovation has overall responsibility for the university’s contact with society and working life. In cooperation with the Vice-Rector for education, the Vice-Rector for external relations and innovation also has overall responsibility for quality work connected to further- and continuing education (EVU), education offered to the local communities, practical training and other work-relevant elements in the study programmes.
Faculty Dean
The Faculty Dean manages the faculty’s quality work and ensures that this work is conducted in accordance with the university’s quality assurance system. The Dean has overall responsibility for the link between the Faculty’s study programme portfolio and research activity and cooperation on teacher education. Also, the Dean has overall responsibility for the Faculty’s cooperation with external parties. In cooperation with the Faculty Director, the Dean has overall responsibility for personnel management and competence development as well as to ensure adequate study programme management for the Faculty’s offers of study. Also, the Dean has overall responsibility for the Faculty’s learning environment.
The Dean has overall responsibility for the development of the Faculty’s PhD programme and for other study programmes where the responsibility does not lie with a specific department. In relation to PhD programmes, the Dean is responsible for preparing a reply to the report from the periodic programme evaluation.
Dean of the Teacher Education Unit
The Dean of the Teacher Education Unit manages the unit’s quality work and ensures that it is carried out in accordance with the university’s quality assurance system. The Dean has overall responsibility for cooperation with the faculties and external parties concerning the content and organisation of the teacher education study programmes and the development of the total portfolio of the programmes. Also, the Dean has overall responsibility for the learning environment in the teacher education and a special responsibility for initiating research – and development work related to the teacher education study programmes.
Head of Department
The Head of Department manages the department’s quality work and ensures that it is carried out in accordance with the university’s quality assurance system. The Head of Department is, in cooperation with study programme managers and PhD programme managers, responsible for developing the department’s courses and study programmes, and for facilitating discussions of quality work on different internal arenas. For offers of study up to, and including, the master’s level, the Head of Department is responsible for preparing a reply to the report from the periodic programme evaluation and the report from the expert committee in connection with the establishment of new study programmes.
In departments which contribute with courses to the teacher education programmes, the Head of Department is responsible for cooperation with current programme managers.
In cooperation with the Dean, the Head of Department is responsible for the department’s cooperation with external parties. Also, the Head of Department is responsible for the connection between the department’s study programme portfolio and research activities as well as for personnel management and competence development. The Head of Department has overall responsibility for the department’s learning environment.
Head of Study for the Teacher Education
Heads of Study for the teacher education are, in cooperation with Heads of Department, responsible for quality work being carried out in accordance with the university’s quality assurance system. Heads of Study will also contribute to developing the learning environment and academic and pedagogical quality in the study programmes.
The Head of Study is also responsible for facilitating discussions of quality work in different arenas with current cooperation partners at the faculties and with students. In cooperation with the Dean of the Teacher Education Unit, the Head of Study is responsible for cooperation with external parties.
The Head of Study prepares the annual programme report and replies to the reports from the periodic programme evaluation and reports from the expert committee in cases where a new study programme is being established.
Study programme coordinator/PhD programme coordinator
All study programmes must have a coordinator/PhD programme coordinator who manages quality work in connection with the study programme and ensures that it is carried out in accordance with the university’s quality assurance system. All programmes conferring a degree and PPU must have their own study programme coordinators. For EVU study offers that do not confer a degree, one joint study programme manager may be appointed for each faculty or department.
The study programme coordinator/PhD programme coordinator will contribute to the development of the learning environment and the academic and pedagogical quality of the study programme.
In cooperation with the Head of Department, the study programme coordinator/PhD programme coordinator is responsible for facilitating discussions of the quality work in different arenas with lecturers, students and external cooperation partners.
The study programme coordinator/PhD programme coordinator chairs the lecturers’ meeting.
The study programme coordinator prepares the annual study programme report.
The Faculty Board may delegate tasks from the PhD programme coordinator to the leader of the PhD specialisation.
Coordinator
Faculties that offer courses in the teacher education programmes must have subject coordinators who, in cooperation with the study programme manager, contributes to the development of the different teacher education programmes.
If needed, the faculty may also appoint a coordinator for parts of a study programme who in cooperation with the study programme coordinator/PhD coordinator contributes to the development of the study programme.
The person responsible for the course
The person responsible for the course is academically responsible for the course and is responsible for coordination of courses with multiple lecturers. The person responsible for the course is also responsible for conducting student evaluations and for follow-up of students and participation in lecturers’ meetings. Normally, the person responsible for a course should be employed in a full-time post at the university.
Supervisor for PhD students
The principal supervisor of PhD candidates must submit a supervisor report at least once a year.
Instructions/mandates have been prepared for the Academic Affairs Committee, The Central Research Committee, the Learning Environment Committee, the Faculty Board, the Teacher Education Board, the Study Programme Committee/the PhD programme Committee, Vice-Rector for education, programme quality and learning environment, Vice-Rector for research, dissemination and innovation, Dean, Head of Department, Head of Studies, Study programme coordinator/PhD Programme coordinator and persons responsible for courses.
The university’s Academic Affairs Committee or the University Director stipulates templates, checklists, questionnaires and procedure descriptions for the different parts of the quality assurance system.
The University Director has overall responsibility for quality work related to the university’s administrative services, and is responsible for arranging a joint annual meeting for administration leaders based on the annual reports on quality work connected to the administration’s services
The University Director is also responsible for carrying out joint training for all student representatives.
The Faculty Director/Director of the Teacher Education Unit is responsible for quality assurance and development of the faculty’s study administrative services. This responsibility includes ensuring that the faculty has the necessary competence to provide support to academic managers. The Faculty Director/Director of the Teacher Education is responsible for preparing annually a report on quality work related to the unit’s administrative services.
With the assistance of the Student Organisation in Agder (STA), the Faculty-/Unit Director is responsible for the election of student representatives. The Faculty Director is also responsible for the appointment of representatives of PhD programmes.
In cooperation with STA, the Faculty-/Unit Director is responsible for inviting student representatives to an information- and cooperation meeting each semester. The Faculty-/Unit Director is also responsible for appointing a contact person for the student representatives who may assist the representatives in their role within the quality assurance system.
The administrative managers of units in the university administration are responsible for development and quality assurance of study administrative services within their units. The administrative manager is also responsible for preparing the annual report on the unit’s quality work.
Employees and students are jointly responsible for quality work. The individual student is expected to take an active part in evaluations of courses and programmes in which they are enrolled.. Also, students are represented in boards and committees. PhD candidates are required to submit a progress report at least once a year.
The Student Organisation in Agder (STA) assists the Faculty-/Unit Director in connection with elections of student representatives. STA is also jointly responsible for training student representatives for their role in the quality assurance system.
The student representatives have a special responsibility for student participation. At least two representatives for every level of all study programmes must be elected and at least one representative from free-standing courses. At the PhD level, one representative is elected for each PhD programme and possibly also for each specialisation.
The student representatives should function as a connecting link between their fellow students, the university and STA by obtaining the views of the students and by sharing relevant information. Also, student representatives participate in programme committees/PhD programme committees and other quality work arenas and have an important role in connection with evaluations of courses that are included in the study programme.
External participants from the Higher Education sector participate in connection with accreditation of bachelor, master and PhD programmes and in connection with periodic evaluations of the study programmes at the university.
External participants from working life and society participate in connection with periodic evaluations, in implementation and evaluation of practice and in connection with other kinds of student activities that are linked to working life.
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