Quality assurance and enhancement

Quality assurance and enhancement at Lund University is based on the University’s strategic plan and quality policy. It is also based on the national quality assurance system that the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) is responsible for. The national system is based on the standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European higher education area (ESG).

Quality policy and guidelines

The quality policy sets out the University's common basis for quality assurance and quality enhancement. This quality management must be systematic and integrated into the organisation. The policy covers education, research and support activities.  

University-wide guidelines for quality assurance and quality enhancement will be drawn up for each part of the organisation. The Guidelines for Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement of Education at Lund University establish processes for education in all three cycles.

The aim of the quality management is for the University to have high-quality courses and study programmes that are highly valued by students, doctoral students and other stakeholders. Lund University strives to be a world-class university, which requires education of the highest quality. The guidelines complement the quality policy with details on responsibilities, evaluation cycles and so on. The guidelines contain the Vice-Chancellor’s remit to the faculties.

The University has three basic processes to help ensure quality and support the development of courses and study programmes:

• Establishment and discontinuation of courses and study programmes
• Evaluation of ongoing courses and study programmes
• Follow-up of quality enhancement work and its results, including course evaluations and course evaluation reports

The guidelines apply to all education at Lund University. However, quality assurance processes may differ depending on the education cycle and the type of course or study programme.

Common starting points in the guidelines

The courses and study programmes at Lund University differ considerably between faculties. At the same time, the methods and processes of quality management need to be fit for purpose. Lund University's guidelines for quality assurance and quality enhancement set out common starting points for quality.

These starting points, combined with the freedom of faculties to adapt the work to their needs, provide a coherent quality assurance system with room for diversity that will guide quality management throughout the University.

Following are some examples:

• the quality assurance activities carried out are to be fit for purpose and systematic
• the quality assurance and enhancement work is to be based on laws and regulations, and other agreements and regulatory documents
• a good quality culture where everyone feels involved, responsible and committed to the work carried out is to be present at the University
• peer review with external experts is to be a norm in the quality enhancement work
• student influence is central, therefore, students and doctoral students are to be given opportunities to participate in the planning, execution and follow-up of the quality enhancement work
• openness and transparency are to characterise quality enhancement work at Lund University

Quality criteria

The guidelines also lists the quality criteria that are the basis for the quality assessments of the courses and study programmes and that are to guide all quality assurance work at Lund University. Regardless of the quality process design, it is to meet the eleven criteria.

Responsibilities

The Vice-Chancellor has overall responsibility for the quality of education at the University. According to Lund University’s rules of procedure, the faculty board has overall responsibility for quality and development work within its organisation. 

The central boards have an overall responsibility for university-wide education matters within their respective areas of responsibility.

• Education Board
• Research Programmes Board

Support at the University

The Education Strategy Support at the Division of Student Affairs offers advice and support on quality assurance in education.

The office is also responsible for facilitating knowledge and experience exchange between the faculties, as well as carrying out university-wide investigations that provide empirical documentation for the quality assurance work. 

Education Strategy Support

Training and development in teaching and learning in higher education is carried out in several locations across Lund University. The responsibility lies with the faculties and several faculties have their own units for training in teaching and learning in higher education.

At the University, there is also a Division for Higher Education Development (AHU), which offers university-wide training in teaching and learning in higher education and conducts higher education development and research.   

Courses in teaching and learning in higher education on the AHU website