Quality Assurance
About Quality Assurance in Education
Quality assurance involves the systematic review of educational provision by internal and external ways to maintain and improve its quality, equity and efficiency that the requirements to be fulfilled and surmounted.
Objectives of the Quality Assurance System
- To support the mission of the City University of Macau by ensuring the high quality of the programmes and teaching and learning support services
- To facilitate and coordinate the continuous enhancement of the quality of programmes and teaching and learning support services
- To ensure consistency and effectiveness in academic quality assurance activities
- To establish the roles and functions of all parties in academic quality assurance activities
Structure of the Quality Assurance System
The quality assurance system and structure are developed base on existing good practices and compiled into a systematic set of work and procedural guidelines, which are applied in academic and curriculum areas.
Aims to Pursue the Core Value of “Big Data-driven Social Sciences, Digital Humanities & Interdisciplinary Programmes” & Strives to be A Metropolitan University that Emphasises Macao Characteristics, China’s Soul, & Global Vision.
Programme Monitoring
Once a programme is offered to students, the faculty is required to systematically monitor the quality of programme delivery and the learning outcomes achieved by students. Programme monitoring includes continuous review, consolidation and analysis of feedback from students, teachers and external parties. The Faculty/Joint Academic Committee shall closely monitor the programme’s operation to ensure that the quality of delivery and learning outcomes is maintained at a high level and that problems are dealt with promptly and effectively.
Programme Review
Programme review for the University is to ensure that programmes remain up-to-date and understand their strengths and weaknesses, which can continue to enhance and develop effectively to ensure the quality of higher education. It is a quality assurance mechanism that shall be implemented in conjunction with programme monitoring.
The first review for degree programmes shall normally be completed within at least seven years after the programme is launched, before the end of the seventh academic year at the latest. It is reviewed every seven years after that. The process for programme review shall begin one year before the end of a 7-year review cycle or one year before the end of the approval period, whichever is earlier.
During the programme review, if the programme proposed changes involve re-titling of the programme, discipline, study plan, study mode and credits, mode of delivery, and medium of instruction, they shall be implemented in accordance with the “City University of Macau’s Guidelines for Programme Establishments and Amendments”.
Programme Establishment and Amendment
General Principles
- To meet the societal demands and provide sufficient examination
- To a bide by the regulations and strengthen distinctive characteristics
- To integrate resources and advantages.
Basic Requirements
- Conform to the mission, vision and development plans of the University and faculties
- Be in constant societal demands and guaranteed student pool
- Be in support of the resources of related academic programmes
- Establish a feasible, scientific and practical implementation plan
- Acquire the necessary teaching staff for the programme
- Obtain adequate safeguards for the funding, classrooms, equipment, books and reference materials and acquire all other essential educational resources for the programme
Application Process
Higher Education Quality Evaluation System of Macao
Purpose
- Establish an effective mechanism for regulating the principles and operation of all activities related to the institutional and programme evaluation
- Set the requirements for ensuring the quality of higher education, aiming to promote the continuous self improvement of higher education institutions
- Promote the development of higher education
- Encourage the quality of academic activities
- Increase the academic, pedagogical and research level of higher education
- Ensure the quality and continuous improvement of higher education programmes
Composition
Institutional Evaluation
- Institutional Accreditation
- Institutional Quality Audit
Programme Evaluation
- Programme Accreditation
- Programme Review
Institutional Accreditation (IA)
General Information
- The modality of institutional accreditation is applicable to higher education institutions of the Macao SAR, considered in whole or in part, at the level of organizational units or disciplines
- The institutional accreditation is optional
- Whenever a higher education institution in the Macao SAR takes the initiative to undertake the institutional accreditation for the purpose of obtaining the status to self-regulate and offer new programs, it shall be mandatorily subject to the regime established in this administrative regulation for the institutional accreditation
Objective
Aim at verifying the compliance with the requirements of the higher education quality evaluation system of the Macao SAR, especially the administration and management evaluation, the development of academic planning, management and supervision, financial management and distribution of resources, the development and system of teaching and non-teaching staff and quality assurance of the institutions.
Guiding Principle
- Student-centered
- Fit for Purpose
- Evidence Based
- Open and Transparent
Outcome
- Meeting Accreditation Standards
- Meeting Accreditation Standards with Condition(s)
- Not Meeting Accreditation Standards
Institutional Quality Audit (IQA)
General Information
- The institutional quality audit is applicable to the higher education institutions of the Macao SAR and is mandatory and periodic
Objective
Aim to carefully and systemically examining the operation of higher education institutions and the activities developed by them, and making a periodic review, in order to perceive the excellence of the work in its operation and, for continuous improvement, identify the scope for improvement.
Guiding Principle
- Quality Enhancement
- Fit-for-purpose
- Evidence Based
- Evidence Based
Outcome
- Commendations
- Affirmations
- Recommendations
Programme Accreditation (PA)
General Information
It is applicable to programmes which have to conduct Programme Accreditation according to the provisions of the higher education quality evaluation system as follows:
- New programmes that are launched by HEIs without the status to self regulate and offer new programmes
- Existing programmes that are launched by HEIs without the status to self regulate and offer new programmes and that HEIs intend to make substantial changes to
- New programmes that are launched by HEIs granted the status to self regulate and offer new programmes, but that are beyond the approved scope (i.e. the specified discipline(s) / academic unit(s), and academic level(s)) and the validity period of this status
- Existing programmes that are launched by HEIs granted the status to self regulate and offer new programmes, but that are beyond the approved scope and the validity period of this status, and that HEIs intend to make substantial changes to
Objective
Aim to assess whether the new programmes offered by the higher education institutions, or those that undergo substantial changes, reach the objectives established for the quality of higher education programmes, satisfy the organization’s legal requirements of its operation and reach the intended learning outcomes
Guiding Principle
- Student-centered
- Fit for Purpose
- Evidence Based
- Open and Transparent
Outcome
- Meeting Accreditation Standards
- Meeting Accreditation Standards with Condition(s)
- Not Meeting Accreditation Standards
Programme Review (PR)
General Information
It is applicable to programmes which have to conduct Programme Review according to the provisions of the higher education quality evaluation system as follows:
- Higher education programmes offered by higher education institutions in the Macao SAR that are in operation on the date of entry into force of this administrative regulation, for the first review of the higher education programmes in operation
- Programmes launched by higher education institutions after the entry into force of this administrative regulation
- Programmes offered by higher education institutions in the Macao SAR that have already undergone programme accreditation or programme review in accordance with the provisions of this administrative regulation
Objective
Aims to, through a periodic and continuous evaluation, guarantee the quality and the continuous improvement of the programme offered by higher education institutions of the Macao SAR, in accordance with the quality conditions established and the applicable legal and regulatory provisions and verify the fulfilment of the requirements for the launch and operation.
Guiding Principle
- Quality Enhancement
- Student-centered
- Fit for Purpose
- Evidence Based
- Open and Transparent
Outcome
- Commendations
- Affirmations
- Recommendations