The Quality Assurance Framework comprises a series of activities, actions, processes and procedures involving all members of the University, namely students, faculty, and support and administrative staff, in order to:
- monitor whether teaching and learning, research and social impact (third mission) objectives are pursued appropriately
- take timely action, if necessary amending practices and policies in order to foster continuous quality enhancement (the Plan-Do-Check-Act quality cycle)
Trento’s Quality Assurance Framework takes as its inspiration the European Standard and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG 2015) in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) which are also embodied in Italian Ministerial Decree No. 987 of 2016 and the Guidelines issued by the National Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and Research (ANVUR).
For all members of our University Community
- it enables students to monitor their own progress towards learning objectives, also fostering more responsibility in achieving the intended learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and competences
- it involves teachers and researchers, evaluating how what they do works towards ensuring students achieve the intended learning indicating any necessary corrective actions
- it allows support and administrative staff to check that administrative and support structures and services all work towards enhancing the educational experience.
For the local and broader community our University is part of:
- it provides external stakeholders (from the local community to future employers and professional bodies etc.) with insight into our academic community, its aims and objectives and how it achieves them, highlighting emerging trends and innovations
- it is a window for prospective students and their families on what Trento University has to offer in terms of teaching, learning and research providing accessible, clear, reliable and accurate information
- through the accreditation process, it guarantees that Trento University pursues and achieves the goals it has committed to, in particular with regard to the wider local community.
Trento University actively pursues continuous quality enhancement through:
- fostering a quality culture
- adopting the most suitable QA tools, methods and processes
- promoting a Quality Cycle of self-assessment and critical awareness to ensure the continued enhancement of all processes which contribute improving quality.
In order to monitor and foster the continuous enhancement in quality of teaching and learning, research, and third mission activities, Trento’s Quality Framework adopts the tools advocated by AVA Framework (Self-assessment, evaluation and accreditation framework of the Italian university system), among which: the annual and periodic programme reviews and departmental research reviews, annual teacher-student committee report on the quality of the programme and student services, student and graduate feedback forms and questionnaires.
The University Quality Assurance Board oversees the drafting of policy guidelines and the smooth functioning of the quality framework across the university. As well as monitoring the framework in action, it actively promotes and fosters the University’s approach to quality and provides support and guidance to University organs, departments and centres and provides training and informative events. The Committee counts 5 members: 5 academic staff, 3 administrative and support staff and 1 student representative.
The University’s quality framework is assessed by a periodic review, or accreditation, by an external team of expert reviewers from the National Quality Assurance Agency of the Italian University system and Research (ANVUR). .
Il This review consists of an in-depth evaluation of quality documents followed by an on-site visit to ensure both the persistence of the requisites possessed at initial accreditation of the University and the efficient functioning of its quality framework. The external team is in continual contact with the University’s Independent Evaluation Board (NdV).