KTH quality assurance system approved
Approval with reservations. This was the UKÄ rating of KTH’s quality assurance system for its study programmes.
“This is a good report and the inspection has been a good test of our system. We are definitely on the right path,” says Sofia Ritzén, Vice Dean of Faculty.
Dean of Faculty Anders Forsgren agrees:
“This report is something we can clearly be satisfied with. We are now going to leverage all our energies to make KTH even better.”
The comprehensive inspection of KTH’s quality assurance system started as far back as last spring, with the then dean and vice dean, coordinated by KTH’s quality coordinator and involvement at all levels. This has included a wide-ranging self-evaluation and two site visits by the UKÄ assessment panel. Processes, procedures, supporting and other data and operations have been analysed and scrutinised.
“Everyone at KTH has shown a great deal of determination and put in plenty of hard work. This sense of involvement, that everyone feels that they are all contributing on a daily basis, to the quality we offer, has been absolutely crucial,” says Forsgren.
UKÄ has a three-point grading scale where the approval with reservations KTH received is in the middle of this scale. Approved and under review are the other grades.
The assessment is based on six areas; management and organisation, circumstances, structure, implementation and outcomes, equality, student and doctoral student perspectives, plus work life and cooperation.
Within the first category, the assessment panel reported one sub area as underperforming and noted inadequate feedback from management at different levels downwards in the organisation.
“Communication is difficult, which we probably suspected. We must become quicker and clearer such that the analysis filters down and thereby infuses the whole of our education organisation,” says Forsgren.
The area of equality as a whole, was assessed as “not satisfactory”. A clearer and more systematic integration of equality in all KTH study programmes was one of the issues that was sought.
“This was more surprising bearing in mind the extensive work within the equality area that has been pursued at KTH and the priority this has been given,” says Ritzén.
KTH has two years to develop and improve these two areas
“Now it’s a matter of getting the whole process moving, rather than sitting back. Quality assurance work should lead to lasting change and improvements,” says Forsgren.
Words: Jill Klackenberg