There is an art to creating high-quality education programmes

‘The twenty-lane motorway from research-based knowledge to societal value is our education programmes,’ Rector wrote in the latest newsletter.

- This is a high-quality motorway, built by you: the dedicated lecturers and heads of programme at SDU. The asphalt is formed from knowledge and academic expertise, and the road must be able to sustain ambition, direction and flexibility. It is important for me to emphasise that we must deliver research – and also education – at the highest international level. Both are core tasks that require academic heft, commitment and collaboration.

And it requires more than a strong foundation. It requires clearly marked lanes that help each student find their direction. Overtaking lanes for those who want to go fast. Emergency lanes for those who are struggling to overcome obstacles. And flexible entry and exit lanes so that learning can be customised to fit the needs of life and working life.

As with any good motorway, continuous development and maintenance are essential. SDU’s new quality assurance system is an important tool for ensuring this – and we are already in the process of rolling it out.

A common tool for development and direction

The newly revised quality assurance system is intended as a guide that encourages commitment and the motivation to continuously develop the teaching methods and the programmes. It is not meant to be a set of restrictive traffic rules – so we have reduced the number of checklists, watch lists and ‘red-yellow-green’ key figures.

The intention is to create a common understanding of what good teaching and education are and how we can create space to experiment, improve and learn from each other. We rely on the expertise of the academic communities – you know how quality is best created in your context.

It is my hope that we will gain even more space to share experiences and knowledge. We need to have conversations about the things that work, the things that are challenging – and the things we want to achieve. Because although the programmes are different, we can still learn a lot from each other.

We’ll draw the map together

The new quality assurance system does not dictate the route; rather, it allows us to chart the territory – together. The system should be seen as meaningful by everyone – lecturers, heads of studies, students, heads of department, vice deans and administrative staff.

Creating high quality is a shared task. Our lecturers are experts in designing excellent courses but we can improve the quality even further through collegial discussions and a focus on progression and coherence. And it is a shared management responsibility to ensure that the frameworks and structures support individual lecturers in succeeding.

In the implementation process, we are focusing on preparing all the stakeholders – by introducing a new e-learning module for the study boards, for example. There is great potential in giving the students a clearer voice in the quality assurance work.

As Liora Volqvarts writes in her column: it makes a difference when student representatives are invited into the decision-making spaces – it motivates, inspires and improves quality!

Thank you – and have a great summer

Now it is summer and we are preparing to shut down our offices for the holidays. But before we do, a big thank you for your daily efforts to persistently deliver quality in and for SDU’s education programmes. I look forward to continuing our important discussions on development when we return after the holidays with new energy.

Have a great summer!