Quality Assurance Policy of the Undergraduate Study Program
QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICY
OF THE UNDERGRADUATE STUDY PROGRAM
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BALKAN, SLAVIC AND ORIENTAL STUDIES
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MACEDONIA
The Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies in collaboration with the Quality Assurance Unit and the competent services of the Department has harmonized the Quality Assurance Policy of the Undergraduate Study Program with the Quality Assurance Policy of the University of Macedonia.
1. KeyPrinciples and Objectives
The Quality Assurance Policy of the Department’s UndergraduateStudy Program has been defined, is being modified with a view to better adapting to current conditions and requirements, and is constantly updated throughan active involvement of all Department members (teaching staff, students, administrative staff). It is designed and implemented with the aim of broadly supporting the academic profile and the scientific orientation of the Undergraduate Study Program, promoting its field and purpose, implementing its strategic objectives, defining the means and ways of their achievement in accordance with the appropriate quality procedures, and aiming at a continuous assurance and improvement of the high quality of the produced educational, scientific, research and administrative work of the Department in accordance with international academic standards and good practices of the European Higher Education Area, the principles of the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency and set legislation. The Departmental Assembly is the competent authority for approving the Quality Assurance Policy of the Department’s Undergraduate Study Program in line with the well-documented recommendations made by the relevant committees (Internal Evaluation Group, Study Program Committee,etc.).
More specifically, for implementing the Undergraduate Quality Assurance Policy, the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies carries out actions and procedures that ensure and document
(a) the adequacy of structure and organization of the Undergraduate Study Program;
(b) the pursuit and fulfilment of learning outcomes and qualifications in accordance with the European and National Higher Education Qualifications Framework;
(c) the promotion of quality and effectiveness of teaching work;
(d) the appropriateness of competences and qualifications of teaching staff;
(e) the promotion of quality and quantity of research work conducted by the membersof staff;
(f) theconnection between teaching and research;
(g) the level of demand in the employment/job market for the acquired qualifications of graduates;
(h) the quality of support services, e.g. administrative services, libraries and student care services;
(i) the conduct of the annual review and internal audit of the Undergraduate Study Program quality assurance system, as well as the cooperation of the Internal EvaluationGroup with the University's Quality Assurance Unit.
1.2. Quality Assurance Actions
The quality assurance of the Department’s Undergraduate Study Program, whose key principles and objectives have beenoutlined above, is achieved through the following specific actions of continuous monitoring and periodic internal and external evaluation:
a) The establishment and functioning of the Department’s Study Program Committeethat is responsible for submitting to the Departmental Assembly well-documented recommendations on:
(i) theformulation and revision of the Undergraduate Study Program in order to both adapt to current scientific developments and research trends, and to the Department’s teaching needs and its graduates’ employment perspectives, and to serve the main mission of the Department as defined in its Founding Decree (Article 1), namely "to develop and promote knowledge on the language, history and culture of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental countries and tostudy and develop the economic, social and political relations between these countries and Greece”;
(ii) troubleshooting and resolution of practical problems during the implementation of the Undergraduate Study Program;
(iii) monitoring, recording and utilization of developments in Study Programs offered by similar Departments in Greek and foreign Universities.
DuringUndergraduate Study Program formulation and revision, the Study Program Committee collaborates with members of staff of both specializations ("Economic and International Business" and "Political, Social and Cultural Studies") and allthree concentrations ("Balkan Studies", "Slavic Studies" and "Oriental Studies") offered by the Study Program, who supply the committee with the scientific positions, research proposals and teaching needs of each specialization and concentration for the content and the organization of the Undergraduate Study Program, regarding both the common first cycle of studies (1stand 2ndsemester), and the specialized second cycle (from 3rdto 8thsemester).[Assurance and documentation of actions and procedures with supporting documents 1.1.a-c and f-g]
b) The establishment and functioning of the Departmental Internal Evaluation Group, which is responsible for
(i) the process of questionnaire completion (electronic/printed) by students for evaluating teaching work and courses;
(ii) preparingthe annual internal evaluation report;
(iii) preparingthe periodic Academic Accreditation Proposal for the Department's Undergraduate Study Program and its annexes;
(iv) monitoringthe Department's ranking at national and international level.
The Internal Evaluation Group presents the results of the above actions to the Departmental Assembly and proposes ways to improve the educational services provided to students of the Department.[Assurance and documentation of actions and procedures with supporting documents 1.1.h-i]
c) The annual Internal Evaluation of the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, which is carried out under the coordination of the Internal Evaluation Group with the assistance of all the Department's bodies and committees, as well as the competent members of the administrative staff. It includes the collection, recording and processing of cumulative and quantitative data on the admission, attendance and graduation of students, the recruitment and development of teaching and other scientific and research staff, the implementation of study programs (undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral), research activity of members of staff at an individual and collective level, as well as any other issue related to the overall functioning of the Department. Internal evaluation results are reflected in the internal evaluation report, which is prepared by the Internal Evaluation Group in compliance with the aforementioned, and isposted/published on the Department's website and on the website of the University's Quality Assurance Unit. The report is presented at a special session of the Departmental Assembly, during which necessary corrective measures and improvement actions are decided.[Assurance and documentation of actions and procedures with supporting documents 1.1.c,e and h-i]
d) The External Evaluation of the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, which is carried out under the responsibility of the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency andthe University's Quality Assurance Unit. External evaluation committees include Greek-speaking professors or/and researchers of Greek or international Universities. Evaluations follow the standards and procedures provided by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency, in full coordination with internationally accredited higher education quality assurance practices. The committees’ conclusions, recommendations and proposals for improvement are fundamental parameters for improving the services and infrastructure of the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, as well as its medium and long-term development strategies.[Assurance and documentation of actions and procedures with supporting documents 1.1.a-g]
1.3. Communicating the University’s Quality Assurance Policy
The quality assurance policy of the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies is communicated in the following ways:
a) Through a website post on the Department's webpage (https://www.uom.gr/bso/pistopoihsh-pps-tmhmatos) in order for all students —freshmen, current and graduates— and interested parties to have access to all relevant information and documents on the implementation and functioning of the Department's Academic Quality Assurance System, namely:
(i) Quality Assurance Policy Statement;
(ii) Objectives and Action Planning;
(iii) Strategic Planning of the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies (vacancy notices);
(iv) Academic Accreditation Proposal;
(v) Undergraduate Study Program Accreditation Report (upon approval);
(vi) Annual Internal Evaluation Reports and
(vii) External Evaluation Report;
b) Through in-depth presentation of the Department’squality assurance policy, during undergraduate/postgraduate welcoming ceremonies;
c) Through the provision of relevant information during lectures, workshops and information events, with a view to promoting the Department's undergraduate and postgraduate Study Programs to interested parties (e.g. school visits, educational exhibitions etc.), as well as to national and international conferences organized by members or groups of the Department;
d) Through the Department's collaboration with professional entities involved in internship and research programs.