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Internal quality management programme

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Internal quality management programme
The internal assessment of the quality of the work done at Hólar University College takes place in numerous ways. According to the organisational chart and the rules for the University, the work carried out at Hólar University College takes place within its departments, on the one hand, and within four trans-departmental divisions, on the other. One of the principal roles of the College divisions is to guarantee quality in teaching, research and management. An effort is made to ensure quality culture in the school in terms of everyday activities, interactions, expectations and shared values, as well as in management and structural aspects.

1. The division of academic affairs oversees registration and academic records, assists the departments in admissions and the organisation of instruction, prepares syllabuses, and assists instructors. Quality monitoring within the division of academic affairs is divided into the following categories:

a) Operating within the division of academic affairs is an academic affairs committee consisting of the director of the division of academic affairs, who chairs the committee, one representative from each department, and two student representatives. The academic affair committee is responsible for quality management of study programmes and decides on improvements as needed, in co-operation with the senior administrators of the University.
b) In each department, there is a programme committee comprising of two academic staff and two student representatives. The programme committee is a forum for discussions of the development of curricula, syllabuses, and course progress.
c) Students assess teaching quality formally. This is done both through anonymous surveys and through discussion meetings where students discuss the merits and shortcomings of individual courses. The division of academic affairs handles the assessment of teaching quality, reviews the results of the assessments, and ensures that the necessary improvements are made.

2. The responsibility for courses is well defined and is in the hands of the heads of the various departments, who guarantee the quality of the instruction in the department in consultation with the division of academic affairs. Department heads have discussions with instructors that cover the following:

a) Have the learning outcomes of the course in question been defined, and are they consistent with the current criteria for the academic degree involved?
b) Do the course material and the treatment of this material support the learning outcomes?
c) Is academic evaluation carried out so as to measure the progress that the learning outcomes assume will be made in the course?
d) Is the academic performance of the students consistent with the set learning outcomes and quality?
e) Is there a need for an external examination judge?

3. The graduate studies division oversees the co-ordination of graduate studies within the University. Within the division is a graduate studies committee, which comprises one representative from each department, an external expert (who is appointed by the Rector), a representative of the graduate students, and the director of the division, who chairs the committee. The role of the graduate studies committee is to guarantee connections with other educational institutions and to take the initiative in co-ordinating academic programmes. The committee is also responsible for quality management as it relates to the various academic programmes. The graduate studies committee handles the admission of new students to graduate programmes, monitors academic progress, appoints examination judges and committees, handles connections with and appointment of faculty outside the school, and administers the Hólar University College Research Study Fund.

4. The research division handles the co-ordination of research and assists in application process. Operating within the research division is a research committee consisting of one representative from each department, one representative of the graduate students, the director of operations, and the divisional director, who chairs the committee. The research committee assists in the formulation of a research policy, administers the Hólar University College Research Fund, and carries out quality monitoring of research. The results from the research activities are reviewed, and recommendations for improvements are made, as appropriate. Furthermore, an attempt is made to enhance the efficiency of research through incentive-based payments based on a workplace agreement.

5. The director of operations is the supervisor of the operations and service division of the school and handles the finances. The director of operations prepares the annual budget in collaboration with the senior administrators of the University and carries out monitoring to ensure that operations are consistent with current authorisations.

6. Hólar University College has concluded various collaboration agreements with other universities and research organisations. In particular, agreements have been made with the University of Guelph and the University of Iceland concerning their involvement with the quality management work at Hólar University College (see Annex 4).

7. In recent years, Hólar University College has built up its facilities for research and study. These new facilities have enhanced the quality of the study and research done at the University.

8. Information on the internal quality management work carried out at Hólar University College will be published on its website.

9. The Hólar University College Code of Conduct covers quality management, including that related to the quality of instruction and the rights of students and staff. The Code is currently under discussion within the departments in order to ensure that all staff and students are acquainted with and aware of the contents of the rules therein.

10. The small size of Hólar University College facilitates quality management work, and the University is in a unique position as regards close personal relationships, encouragement, shared expectations and values, and positive competition within the school.

11. Once a year, each department head has a confidential meeting with each member of staff in the department, where they discuss the quality of professional work and how to foster improved results. All employees have the same type of interview with their immediate superior.

12. The recruitment of academic staff is carried out in accordance with administrative principles and the most stringent academic rules, with assessment committees evaluating the qualifications of the applicants.

13. Hólar University College supports the re-education of faculty in the field of pedagogy, and faculty members are offered the opportunity to attend courses in pedagogy, etc.

14. Hólar University College has supported and encouraged its employees to complete graduate studies in their field. Thus, several permanent employees of the University are now enrolled in Master’s or doctoral programmes.

15. It is the policy of Hólar University College to give its employees the opportunity, insofar as is possible, to pursue further education in their professional field.

16. Hólar University College has prepared an environmental policy, a personnel policy, an equal rights policy, and a non-discrimination plan for the University.
Hólar University College has clear objectives for its internal quality management programme pursuant to the the Act on Universities, no. 63/2006 and act on Agricultural Education, no. 57/1999, with subsequent amendments. It is the aim of Hólar University College to systematically increase the ability of faculty and staff through continued education and regular sabbatical terms. The aim is to employ the strongest quality measures when hiring new faculty. These aims are particularly important considering recent developments of the academic status of the University and existing plans for its further growth and development. Accordingly, the aim is that student admissions and facilities for students will meet the highest quality measures. The objectives of the quality management programme are:

• To develop metrics for quality matters, aimed to ensure that quality matters are consistent with the best in the world at any given time, in order to safeguard the competitive position of the University and to ensure that it meets the international quality criteria for the performance of universities engaged in teaching and research. Furthermore, to ensure that all degrees granted by the school enjoy legal certification, credibility, and recognition.
• To improve the qualifications of faculty, administrators and general staff during their term of employment by, among other things, guaranteeing them access to continuing education in pedagogy, management, administrative and leadership issues; and/or guaranteeing them the freedom to take research or educational sabbaticals at reasonable intervals.
• To ensure that the qualifications of new faculty and staff as well as continued assessment of existing faculty, including assessment of activity and success in research, fulfil the utmost professional requirements; cf. the rules on evaluation of academic qualifications and the work of assessment panels (see Annex 6).
• To guarantee self-evaluation within each department in relation to external assessment, cf. the Act on Universities, no. 63/2006.
• To promote efficient, flexible, and transparent administration that aims to respond to queries within two weeks unless otherwise stipulated in regulations or rules pertaining to the school, and that students and employees have ready access to administrators, either during office hours or at organised meetings.
  To develop the Universities information system and maintain it through the issuance of an annual report and the operation of a website with accessible information, and that information on the quality management programme and the results of quality assessment are accessible on the website.
  

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