Rules for the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance

Under section 36 (2) of Act No. 111/1998 Sb., to regulate higher education institutions and to change and amend other laws (“the Higher Education Act”), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports registered these Rules for the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of Charles University under Ref. No. MSMT-2793/2017 on January 31, 2017.


                                                                                       ……………………………..


                                                                                       Mgr. Karolína Gondková

                                                                        Director of Higher Education Department





Rules for the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of Charles University of January 31, 2017

1

Under sections 9 (1) (b) (3) and 17 (1) (j) of Act No. 111/1998 Sb., to regulate higher education institutions and to change and amend other laws (“the Higher Education Act”), as amended, the Academic Senate of Charles University has adopted the following Rules for the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of Charles University as an internal regulation of the University:




Part I Introductory Provisions



Article 1 Introductory Provisions


This internal regulation defines the rules for the system of quality assurance of the educational, creative, and related activities and of the internal evaluation of the quality of these activities (“Rules for the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance”) of Charles University (“the University”) under Article 47 (2) of the Constitution of the University (“the Constitution”).




Article 2 Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance


1. The purpose of internal evaluation and quality assurance is to support the development of the University in accordance with the European concept of quality of university education and to support scientific, research, development, innovative, artistic, or other creative activities (“creative activities”) that foster the development of individuals and their preparation for life in an increasingly complex society; the teachers, their development and cooperation with students in a free academic environment; and the preparation of graduates who can succeed on the international labour market and can work with the latest findings, and maintain, disseminate, and build upon the existing results attained by mankind in the fields of science, technology, culture, and society.


2. Quality means compliance with standards applied by the University to its activities, or surpassing the standard practice in accordance with the mission and goals of the University. The concept of quality applicable in a particular case is determined by the context.


3. Quality assurance means systematic and structured attention paid to the quality of educational, creative, and related activities, as well as the maintenance and improvement of quality.


4. Evaluation of quality means verification of whether and to what extent the University is successful in fulfilling its mission and goals, in compliance with the standards applied by the University to its activities, and of how the activities of the University surpass its goals and standards.


5. Internal evaluation and quality assurance is based on the definition of the mission and activities of the University as stated in the Constitution of the University,2 and on the concept of the University’s development provided in its strategic plan of educational, scholarly, research, development, innovative, artistic, or other creative activities (“the Strategic Plan”)3, and continuously reacts to the current development of the academic community and initiatives of the bodies of the University and its units.


6. Internal evaluation and quality assurance is further based on the standards and procedures for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area and takes into account other national, European, or international standards for the activities of higher education institutions.


7. In the internal evaluation and quality assurance of its activities, the University cooperates with other higher education institutions, the Czech Academy of Sciences and other research institutions, university hospitals, public administration bodies, professional and specialist associations, and other public institutions in the Czech Republic and abroad.


8. Internal evaluation and quality assurance is carried out according to subject area and area of study, and according to the University, the faculties, and other units of the University. The subject matter and organisational points of view are usually combined.



Article 3 Principles of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance

1. Internal evaluation and quality assurance respects the internal culture and environment of the faculties and other units as well as specific aspects of areas of study and subject areas pursued at the University.


2. The rules, procedures, and criteria of evaluation are published in the publicly accessible section of the University website.


3. The evaluation is carried out in a transparent manner and is driven by subject matter, expert, and ethical criteria.


4. The evaluation relies on proven qualitative and quantitative data, it is always put into context and is based on a critical assessment of the findings.


5. Whenever the activities of faculties, other units, or workplaces of the University are evaluated, these entities are always involved in the evaluation and express their opinion on the results.


6. The evaluation usually also relies on the feedback from the members of the academic staff, students, and graduates, as well as other relevant stakeholders.


7. Recommendations for the further development of the entity evaluated form an integral part of every evaluation and if defects are identified, directives are recommended to correct the defects within a stipulated period. After this period elapses, a follow-up evaluation or follow-up audit is carried out depending on the type of defect.



Article 4 Basis of Evaluation

1. The evaluation is usually based on:

a) strategic, conceptual, status, analytical, and other documents of the University, faculties, and other units;

b) data from the information systems of the University, faculties, other units or other public sources, or sources accessible to the University;

c) own evaluation reports usually compiled on the basis of a framework outline created in advance;

d) expert assessments;

e) questionnaire surveys;

f) semi-structured interviews;

g) bibliometric analyses;

h) indicators monitored in the Strategic Plan and the Annual Report of the University.


2. The evaluation further relies on guidance documents approved by the Internal Evaluation Board of the University (the “Internal Evaluation Board”) specifying the elements and procedures for internal evaluation and quality assurance.



Part II System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of University Activities

Article 5 Internal Evaluation of Educational Activities in Programmes of Study


1. The minimum requirements for the quality of educational activities of the University are determined in particular by:

a) the Higher Education Act;

b) Government Decree No. 274/2016 Sb., to regulate accreditation standards in higher education and Government Decree No. 275/2016 Sb., on areas of study in higher education;

c) the Accreditation Code of the University;

d) the Code of Admissions Procedure of the University;

e) the Code of Study and Examination;

f) the Code of Procedure for the Granting of Associate Professorship and Full Professorship of the University;

g) standards of study programmes of the University.4


2. Quality improvement of educational activities in programmes of study is achieved in particular by means of:

a) evaluation of programmes of study;

b) feedback from the members of the academic community and graduates on the quality of instruction, organisation of study, study facilities, and infrastructure;

c) evaluation of qualification theses and possibly also rigorosum theses;

d) monitoring of requirements, course, and results of admissions procedure and study; including ensuring equal access to the admissions procedure and to study, and the monitoring of study programme graduate success.


3. A programme of study is evaluated on the basis of an own evaluation report on the programme of study submitted by its guarantor5 and covering the period since the granting of accreditation by the National Accreditation Office for the Higher Education [Národní akreditační úřad pro vysoké školství] or by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, or since the granting of authorization to perform the programme of study within the framework of institutional accreditation (“the Accreditation”). The report is usually composed of the following:


a) assessment of compliance with the standards of programmes of study of the University;

b) results of evaluations by students and graduates;

c) evaluation of how the related creative activities are reflected in the educational activities;

d) depending on the type and profile of the programme of study, the evaluation of students’ creative activities or cooperation with the practising profession;

e) evaluation of the international dimension of the programme of study;

f) results of the evaluation of qualification theses and possibly also rigorosum theses if they were evaluated within the relevant period;

g) evaluation of the success rate in the admissions procedure, the dropout rate, the rate of successful completion of study, and the success of graduates of the study programme;

h) evaluation of the pedagogical, scientific and technical resources of the study programme;

i) identification of the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of the future development of the study programme.


4. Data available from the information system of the University for the compilation of an own evaluation report is provided to the guarantor of the programme of study by the Rector’s Office of the University in cooperation with the faculty.


5. The evaluation of the programme of study is performed by a working group6 created by the subject area panel7 of the Internal Evaluation Board at least once in the period of force of its Accreditation.


6. The own evaluation report is considered at a joint meeting of the working group of the Internal Evaluation Board, the guarantor of the programme of study being evaluated, and at least one member of academic staff involved in its implementation. The meeting may also be attended by the dean or an employee authorised by the dean, the president of the academic senate of the faculty, or a representative authorised by him, or a representative of students nominated by the academic senate of the faculty implementing the evaluated programme of study. A member of the working group of the Internal Evaluation Board takes the minutes of the meeting.


7. Based on the own evaluation report on the programme of study and the joint meeting under paragraph 6, the working group of the Internal Evaluation Board prepares a draft evaluation report on the programme of study. Before the draft is considered by the Internal Evaluation Board the chair of the working group submits the draft to the guarantor and the deans of the faculties implementing the evaluated programme of study to express their opinions together with the minutes of the joint meeting which form an appendix to the report.


8. After the approval of the evaluation report on the study programme, a summary of the evaluation findings is published in the publicly accessible section of the University website.


9. The elements of organisation and of the course of the evaluation of programmes of study are stipulated by a Rector’s directive on which the Internal Evaluation Board expresses its opinion.


10. The rules for the evaluation of educational activities by students and graduates of the University are stipulated by an internal regulation of the University.8


11. The rules for the evaluation of qualification theses and rigorosum theses are stipulated by a Rector’s directive on which the Internal Evaluation Board expresses its opinion.


12. The requirements, course, and results of the admissions procedure are monitored in particular in the annual report on admissions procedure.


13. The course and results of study are monitored in particular on the basis of data from the Student Information System of the University.



Article 6 Internal Evaluation of Quality of Lifelong Learning Programmes


1. The evaluation of a lifelong learning programme usually consists of:

a) feedback from the participants and graduates on the quality of instruction, organisation, and facilities of the lifelong learning programme;

b) opinion of the implementer;

c) monitoring and evaluation of data collected in particular within the framework of the preparation of the Annual Report on Activities of the University.


2. The minimum requirements for internationally recognized courses and rules for the evaluation thereof are stipulated in a Rector’s directive under Article 34 (4) of the Constitution, and the Internal Evaluation Board expresses an opinion on the Rector’s directive.



Article 7 Internal Evaluation of Quality of Creative Activities


1. The conceptual development of the creative activities of the University is ensured in particular by means of programmes for the support of science and research.


2. Programmes for the support of science and research support the development of subject areas that the University implements, the development of the excellence of its creative activities as well as of the students and members of the academic and research staff in various phases of their research careers.


3. The preparation of programmes for the support of science and research is in addition to the mission and the Strategic Plan of the University based in particular on the evaluation of the implementation of the existing programmes and on the results of the creative activities achieved by the University in the recent period. The preparation involves the bodies of the University, the faculties, and other units, and also in particular the members of the academic and research staff of the University who are recognized experts.


4. The draft programmes for the support of science and research are submitted by the Rector to the International Board, the Research Board, and the Academic Senate of the University which then provide their opinions thereon.


5. The details of programmes for the support of science and research are announced in the form of a Rector’s directive that also stipulates the requirements and criteria of evaluation of the interim and final results thereof.


6. The evaluation of the creative activities of the University is carried out by groups of subject areas related to the implemented programmes of study in the individual areas of study, and it is organised in such a manner as to allow the interconnection thereof with the faculties and higher education institutes.


7. The evaluation of creative activities respects the different publishing and citing conventions of the individual subject areas and is usually carried out as an international comparison.


8. The evaluation of creative activities also involves an evaluation of whether the relevant subject area is excellent in an international, or in justified cases, in a national comparison. The evaluation is carried out on the basis of a comparison with outstanding foreign or possibly domestic higher education institutions or research institutions.


9. The evaluation of creative activities of the University usually relies on:

a) an own evaluation report on the creative activities by faculties and higher education institutes (“Report on Creative Activities”);

b) a bibliometric analysis of results;

c) an expert assessment of results by independent, internationally recognized experts;

d) indicators of quality of the creative activities.


10. The Report on Creative Activities, which takes into account the specific aspects of the faculty or the higher education institute and the subject areas being implemented, usually describes and evaluates:

a) the mission, vision, and goals in the area of creative activities;

b) the strategic management of the development of creative activities;

c) the directives adopted to support the development of creative activities;

d) the interconnection of creative activities with educational activities;

e) staffing and qualification growth;

f) student research activities with a special focus on students of doctoral study programmes;

g) University, national, as well as foreign research projects in progress;

h) national and international cooperation in creative activities;

i) the importance of creative activities to the society;

j) the most significant results achieved;

k) the manner and results of the internal evaluation of creative activities;

l) the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in creative activities.


11. The Report on Creative Activities is compiled by the faculties and higher education institutes once every five years.


12. Before the dean of the faculty or the director of the higher education institute refers the Report on Creative Activities to the Rector, the research board of the relevant faculty or higher education institute expresses its opinion thereon.


13. The Report on Creative Activities is submitted by the Rector to the Internal Evaluation Board of the University to express its opinion thereon. The Rector may also request the opinion of the International Board of the University or the Research Board of the University.


14. The data available from the information system of the University for compilation of the Report on Creative Activities is provided to the faculties and other units by the Rector’s Office. In addition, the results of evaluation stated in paragraph 9 b) to d) are used in the preparation of the Report on Creative Activities.


15. The main results of the Report on Creative Activities are published in the publicly accessible section of the University website.


16. The Reports on Creative Activities serve as source documents for the development of subject areas in particular in relation to the preparation of the Strategic Plan of the University and to the preparation of the University programmes for the support of science and research.


17. The bibliometric analysis is used for the evaluation of results of creative activities unless the set of results recorded in the international database used as source for the analysis  represents only a very small part of the results of the relevant area of study or subject area.


18. In cases when the bibliometric analysis does not provide sufficient data, an expert assessment by independent, internationally recognised experts will be used. The expert assessment is carried out continuously, usually on the basis of cooperation between the University and partner foreign universities and in cooperation with the International Board of the University.


19. The details of and arrangements for the internal evaluation of creative activities are stipulated in a Rector’s directive on which the Internal Evaluation Board expresses its opinion.



Article 8 Internal Evaluation of Quality of Supplementary Activities


1. The evaluation of the quality of supplementary activities means the evaluation of activities supporting educational and creative activities.


2. The following is usually subject to evaluation:

a) management and administration of the University;

b) use of resources (in particular human and financial);

c) infrastructure;

d) information system;

e) information and advisory services;

f) services in the area of transfer of knowledge and technologies;

g) library services;

h) publishing and editing activities;

i) accommodation and catering services;

j) facilities for sports activities.


3. The evaluation of supplementary activities is usually carried out before the beginning of the preparation of the Strategic Plan of the University. The elements of such evaluation are determined by the Rector.


4. The evaluation of supplementary activities focuses in particular on the activities of other workplaces9, special-purpose facilities10, and the Rector’s Office of the University. If the deans and directors of higher education institutes agree, the evaluation may also cover the supplementary activities at the faculties and higher education institutes.


5. Other workplaces and special purpose facilities of the University submit to the Rector on an annual basis a report containing in particular the description of the structural and content characteristics of their activities for the elapsed period. Other elements of the report may be stipulated by the Rector.


6. The content and elements of the evaluation of activities of the Rector’s Office are stipulated by the Rector. Feedback from faculties and other units of the University usually forms part of such evaluation.


7. The report on the evaluation of the Rector’s Office is submitted by the Rector for consideration to the Extended Rector’s Board11.



Article 9 Strategic Plan, Annual, Status, and Evaluation Reports of the University


1. The System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of the University encompasses in particular the following strategic documents:

a) Strategic Plan of the University and the annual plan for its implementation;12

b) status report on the actual implementation of the Strategic Plan;

c) Annual Report on Activities13 and Annual Report on Financial Management14 of the University;

d) own evaluation report by the University15;

e) report on the internal evaluation of the quality of educational, creative and related activities16 (“Internal Evaluation Report”);

f) self-evaluation report describing and evaluating compliance with individual requirements arising from the institutional accreditation standards17;

g) similar documents compiled by the faculties and other units of the University.


2. The elements of preparation and use of documents under paragraph 1 a) and c) are stipulated in Article 44 (3) and (4) and Article 45 of the Constitution. The relevant provisions apply with the necessary modifications to the documents under paragraph 1 b), d), e), and f).


3. The status report on the actual implementation of the Strategic Plan is compiled on an annual basis and submitted by the Rector to the Academic Senate of the University to express its opinion thereon.


4. The own evaluation report of the University describes and evaluates the most important activities and results of the University in educational, creative, and related activities. The decision on the compilation, scope, and focus of this report is made by the Rector.


5. After consideration by the Research Board of the University and approval by the Internal Evaluation Board, the Rector submits the own evaluation report of the University to the Academic Senate of the University to express its opinion thereon.


6. The Internal Evaluation Report is compiled on the basis of evaluations carried out at the University over the last five years or over the period that elapsed from the time when the previous report was compiled.


7. The Internal Evaluation Report consists in particular of the following parts:

a) description of the evaluations carried out;

b) the main results of these evaluations;

c) adopted preventive or corrective directives;

d) assessment of strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats;

e) recommendation for further development of the University and the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance18.


8. The appendix to the Internal Evaluation Report19 is usually compiled together with the Annual Report on Activities of the University. The requirements for the Internal Evaluation Report under paragraph 7 apply to its appendices with the necessary modifications.


9. The framework results20 of the Internal Evaluation Report and its appendices are described in the Annual Report on Activities of the University.



Part III Activities of the Bodies, Faculties, and Other Units of the University

Article 10 Activities of the Bodies, Faculties, and Other Units of the University


1. The powers, responsibilities, and duties of the bodies, faculties, and other units of the University within the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of the University are governed by the Higher Education Act, the Constitution, and other internal regulations of the University.


2. The Rector designates an employee of the University, usually a member of the Rector’s Board, to coordinate the activities related to the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance.


3. The internal evaluation and quality assurance at faculties or other units of the University is ensured in a manner that complies with the requirements of the Higher Education Act, Government Decree No. 274/2016 Sb., to regulate accreditation standards in higher education and Government Decree No. 275/2016 Sb., on areas of study in higher education, and of other legal regulations21, internal regulations of the University or Rector’s directives22.


4. The internal evaluation and quality assurance at a faculty or other unit of the University above the framework of this internal regulation is stipulated by an internal regulation of the faculty or dean’s directive or the rules of internal governance or director’s directive of other unit.


5. The dean designates an employee of the faculty, usually a member of the dean’s board, to coordinate the activities related to the system of internal evaluation and quality assurance. The director of other unit proceeds by analogy.



Part IV Final Provisions

Article 11 Final Provisions

1. This internal regulation was approved by the Academic Senate of the University on January 20, 2017.


2. This internal regulation comes into force on the date of registration by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.23


3. This internal regulation becomes effective on the first day of the calendar month following the date of coming into force.






PhDr. Tomáš Nigrin, Ph.D., m.p.


President of the Academic Senate



Prof. MUDr. Tomáš Zima, DrSc., m.p.


Rector






Poznámky

1

Translator’s note: Words importing the masculine include the feminine, and unless the context otherwise requires, words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular.



2

Article 2 of the Constitution.

3

Article 44 (1) of the Constitution.

4

Article 1 (2) of the Accreditation Code of the University.


5

Article 22 (8) of the Constitution.

6

Article 4 of the Code of Procedure for the Internal Evaluation Board of the University.

7

Article 3 of the Code of Procedure for the Internal Evaluation Board of the University.

8

Rules for the Evaluation of Educational Activities by Students and Graduates of the University.

9

Article 3 of the Appendix No. 1 to the Constitution.

10

Article 4 of the Appendix No. 1 to the Constitution.

11

Article 12 (1) (b) of the Constitution.

12

S. 9 (1) (i) and s. 21 (1) (b) of the Higher Education Act.

13

S. 9 (1) (d) and s. 21 (2) of the Higher Education Act.

14

S. 9 (1) (d) and s. 21 (3) of the Higher Education Act.

15

Article 47 (4) of the Constitution.

16

S. 77b (3) (b) of the Higher Education Act.

17

S. 81a (2) (d) of the Higher Education Act.

18

S. 85 (b) of the Higher Education Act.

19

S.77b (3) (b) of the Higher Education Act.

20

S. 21 (2) (b) of the Higher Education Act.

21

For example Act No. 130/2002 Sb., to regulate support to research, experimental development and innovations from public funds and to change other laws, as amended.

22

For example the recommended aspects of evaluation for the procedure for the granting of associate professorship and full professorship and the minimum requirements for the content of reasoning of the associate professorship and assessment commission  including stipulation of the requirements for the submission of materials.

23

S. 36 (4) of the Higher Education Act. The registration was completed on January 31, 2017.


Last change: July 31, 2019 11:03 
Share on: Facebook Share on: Twitter
Share on:  
Contact Us
Contact

Charles University

Ovocný trh 5

Prague 1

116 36

Czech Republic


CU Point - Centre for Information, Counselling and Social Services

E-mail:

Phone: +420 224 491 850


Erasmus+ info:

E-mail:


ALLIANCE CU




How to Reach Us