Principles of quality management in curricula
Future workplace competence needs are the starting point for curriculum work. When preparing a curriculum, you should analyse stakeholder expectations and anticipate potential changes.
All curricula should adopt a student-centred approach, which is reflected in the flexibility of studies. The student can influence the way they acquire the competence required of graduates. The teacher acts as a coach who supports the student’s learning process. All personnel participate in student guidance.
The UAS community cooperates closely with its members, students and partner organisations, drawing on the competence gained from networks.
Learning is the student’s goal-oriented process that focuses on information needed at work. Collaborative problem-solving is utilised in learning.
Students who have graduated from graduate programmes have achieved the competence and capabilities needed in professional expert positions that meet the international requirements (EQF/NQF level 6 or 7) and capabilities for continuous learning.
Plan, implement, evaluate and improve
Quality management is based on the principle of continuous improvement: 1) planning, 2) action, 3) follow-up and evaluation and 4) quality improvement.
The curricula are prepared to be competence-based: what does the student know after completing a course, a study module and a degree? Special attention must be paid to the logical connection between the degree, study modules and the intended learning outcomes of the courses. At the course level, the compatibility of intended learning outcomes, assessment criteria, contents to be studied and learning methods must be taken into account.
The most important documents guiding the implementation of education are Jamk’s ethical, pedagogical and guidance principles as well as the Degree Regulations.
Follow-up and evaluation are based on indicators, feedback and evaluations. The most important indicators are in Jamk’s scorecard and indicators related to periodic evaluation of degree-awarding education. The most important feedback is course feedback in the student administration system, annual feedback collected by the student union, AVOP feedback collected during the graduation phase and career monitoring feedback collected five years after graduation. The most important evaluations are programmes’ periodic evaluation of degree-awarding education and international accreditations in certain programmes.
Quality is improved by processing follow-up and evaluation data as agreed upon in the Jamk quality manual.
More detailed updates are made to the curricula annually, and more in-depth reforms are carried out approximately every five years. Updates and reforms will examine the future competence needs at work. The curricula are processed in business advisory boards or in other ways with employers’ representatives. The head of department responsible for the degree programme is responsible for the quality of the curriculum. They check the intended learning outcomes of the curriculum before approving the plan in the Student Affairs Board.
Links
Jamk’s Quality Manual (Elmo, login required)
Tero Janatuinen 7.12.2022