Curriculum Reform part 2 QUALITY ASSURANCE ASPECTS - Medical Faculty University of Niš

1. Curriculum Reform part 2 QUALITY ASSURANCE ASPECTS - Medical Faculty University of Niš Prof. dr Gordana Kocić

2. The Bologna Declaration makes explicit reference to quality assurance including the promotion of European co-operation in quality assurance, with a view to developingcomparable criteria and methodologies.  Q A Electives ECTS PBL CV Reform

3. Internal QA System - Principles Promotion of quality culture

4. A proposal for the internal quality assurance system at the Faculty of Medicine in Nis waspreparedincluding the following elements : •      Students’ program evaluation • Students’ course evaluation •       Monitoring of teaching procedure •       Internal quality evaluation (self-evaluation).

5. Based to the Articles 218-222 of the Statute of the Faculty of Medicine in Niš, after the proposition of the Commission for Undergraduate Studies, the Board for Science and Education on its session held November 15, 2005 puts forth the following DECISION I At the Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, the Center for Monitoring, Assurance, Improvement and Development of Quality of the study programs and teaching is herewith established.

6. II In order to effectuate its purpose, the Center forms the following commissions: Commission for study programs reform Commission for appropriation of ECTS, modes of credit accumulation and student-burden Commission for education efficacy analysis Commission for teaching quality control and assurance The Center, if necessary, will form other commissions and boards.

7. Developmental guidelines of the Centre are an integral part of the systematic, already initiated activities and changes in the period of inclusion of the Faculty of Medicine into the Bologna process, aiming basically at establishing a well integrated educational area of Europe.

8. Regarding high standards adoption and maintenance of the Faculty of Medicine University of Niš in education, research and services, the Center will realize its objectives through the activities of appropriate commissions and boards for internal quality control, with mandatory student participation.

9. Multi-level harmonization of the activities of these commissions and work-groups results in the evaluation reports on study programs and working conditions in all study groups, adopted by the Board for Science and Education twice a year (after I and II semesters).

10. The composition, domains of work, election modes, mandate duration, modes of decision-making of commissions and boards is established in the Faculty Statute. The decision is to be given to: Teaching Dept., Dept. for Legal and General Affairs and faculty Archive. No: 14-6870-2/3 In Niš, 15 November, 2005

11. Previous acts Based on the Article 219 of its Statute, the Faculty adopted the Act on the Quality of Teaching at the Faculty of Medicine in Niš.

12. The Act on the Quality of Teaching at the Faculty of Medicine in Niš is based on the following priciples: • that the quality assurance system has a student focus; • that it is supportive and to assist students & staff; • that it is ‘open’ and well documented, with information easily available to staff, who can participate fully and receive extensive feedback; • that it satisfies the quality assurance requirements of the university and any external quality assurance agency which the university must satisfy; • that it is based on the principle that each member of staff is responsible for his work; • that the system itself is kept under review

13. The Quality Control Commission comprises 15 members of full-time academic staff together with 4 students and a permanent team secretary. The constitution is as follows:

14. The Quality Control Commission of the Faculty of Medicine in Niš has the following tasks: • control of actual performance all types of teaching activities and examinations • monitoring of students objections • anonymous questionnaires concerning performed teaching activities • monitoring of student accomplishments for each teaching subject • monitoring of the proportion of students passing or failing exams for each teaching subject • control of the departmental teaching & exam documentation

15. Report of the Control Quality Commission • In the year 2004 the Team held 6 meetings. At its 2nd meeting the Team was divided into 3 subgroups, each with special tasks from the Regulations on Teaching Quality Control. • The subgroups had their own separate meetings 2-3 times a month and meetings with the Commission President (coordination). • The President had meetings with the subgroup presidents for the report submission.

16. Practical teaching control at the study groups of medicine and dentistry was performed commissionally (2 professors) • Selected courses and time were randomly chosen.

17. Examination control was performed by way of objections monitoring during the summer term in accordance with Article 11 of the Regulations on Quality Control at the Faculty of Medicine in Nis; the following issues were noted:

18. Examiners are not randomly selected (drawn) before the exam for all courses • Exam questions are not randomly selected (drawn) before the exam for all courses • Minimal knowledge for each exam question was not determined

19. Variability of the reports demonstrated that most of the responsible teachers and dept. chiefs had not had a clear vision on the way the report should have been devised • The Commission concluded that a clear written manual (form) should be devised • The forms enabled two-way communication of the Commission and faculty management with the faculty departments.

20. It was noted that the teaching organisation (practical & theoretical) is well done for the institute-based courses and at the dentistry study group, which cannot be said for all clinical courses at the study group of medicine.

21. Based on the Article 219 of the Statute of the Faculty of Medicine in Niš, Board for Science and Education, after the suggestion of the Undergraduate Education Board, put forward the Act about the • Regulations on Preparing & Performing of the Written Test as a mandatory part of the examination (containing 27 Articles). • Basic parts are given as an annex

22. The number of test questions is determined in accordance with the needs and characteristics of the course. • The Written test could be eliminatory or qualifying. • The test must not have less than 30 and more than 80 questions. • The results achieved at the qualifying test (closed type) are translated into the appropriate mark based on the number of points realised, which significantly influences the final mark.

23. The questions in the test have to be contained in the programme • The list of exam questions for the appropriate course, and answers have to be contained in the literature adopted for the course by the Board for Science and Education.

24. The confidentiality of the question bank has to be strictly preserved by all the teachers and associates, with Chief and Secretary of the course Department.

25. Before the marks are assigned, the minimal knowledge necessary for passing the test should be determined (the passing threshold). • The threshold should exceed 55% if the test is not divided into subunits (course areas).

26. The mode of grading was determined by the point list

27. The student passing the final exam for the course through the test and not satisfied with the results can take the oral exam. • In that case the student can get even the lower grade on oral exam (not less than 6, though).

28. After the test is performed, its analysis is performed. The success, get-through rate and degree of difficulty were assessed. The test analysis is performed continually for the improvement purposes. • Based on the analysis the question types are altered, the questions are eliminated or amended. • The bank of questions has to be regularly amended & supplemented.

29. If the get-through rate was too small based on the test results (either as the final exam test or as a part of the exam), the get-through threshold as well as the marking may be corrected for that exam term. • The relevant decisions on these issues are made by the Dean.

30. Departments are encouraged in developing their own quality assurance systems which involve: • Registry of theoretical teaching (title of the methodical unit, name of the teacher, number of lessons and number of attending students) • Registry of practical teaching (title of the methodical unit, name of the teacher, number of practical training classes and number of attending students) • Main examination registry (special registry for each study group) containing numbers of students examined, examination questions and grades obtained)

31. . • The most useful instrument is a questionnaire, which is filled out by students at the end of every semester. • A questionnaire was made and distributed to the students to assess their oppinion concerning above mentioned parts of curriculum reform. • At present, the questionaire contains the questions concerning course evaluation.

32. Students could state the elements of their education they are not satisfied with: • Teaching organisation • Literature • Faculty administration

33. II • After the Quality Assurance Commission request, the questionnaire was conducted on the students • The students gave marks 1-5 and answered the questions,where 1 denoted “complete disagreement” and 5 “complete agreement”.

34. III • The questionnaire was completely anonymous and enrolled medical and dentistry students.

35. I • At the Institute of Biochemistry the questionnaire on the teaching reform was applied. The questions referred to: • opinions on the introduction of seminaries as a part of teaching • opinions on partial-colloquial exams • opinions on cummulative, continual grading through the whole school year • student satisfaction with the teachers and associates

36. Out of 120 students attending their second study year • 36.23% were very satisfied with seminars • 94.02% very satisfied with partial coloquial exam • 62.31% satisfied with continual assesment. • biochemistry 4.2 +/- 0.5

37. Student attendanceand opinion about time and acquired knowledge and time for preparing lectures 3.02 (2.59-3.44) – Regular attendance to lectures II • 3.41 (2.8-4.03) – Enough time to prepare for lectures and examinations 3.23 (3.00-3.46) – Knowledge acquired agree well with expectations on admission

38. A students questionnaire about the acquired knowledge at the Medical Faculty of Nis 3.82 Faculty offers adequate theoretical knowledge III 3.40 Faculty offers full preparation for the professional work 3.21 Well organized Faculty administration 2.99 Faculty offers adequate practical knowledge Completely agree 1 5 Completely disagree

39. 3.87 (3.25-4.50) – • Professors well prepared • for lectures IV Teaching staff: 3.68 (3.17-4.20) – Professors adequately respond to additional questions • 3.57 (3.15-4.00) – • Professors encourage active student participation 3.85 (3.50-4.20) – Professors are always present for consultations with students • 4.25 (3.75-4.75) – Professors are not late for lectures and practical classes

40. V Before a new course can be developed, it must first gain initial approval from the relevant School Board and from the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic). The purpose of this process is to ensure that: -the proposed course is in line with the School's development plan and the its overall mission; - the Faculty is likely to be able to provide adequate physical and human resources to support the course; - the proposed course is likely to be financially viable.

41. After the Reform Commission request, the questionnaire was conducted on the satisfaction of students with the new course • “Introduction into clinical practice” (15T + 15P) • Out of 100 examinees, all 100% were very satisfied with early contacts with clinical work & patients and • all of them requested more classes.

42. All given suggestions can take into account the realistic potential of the department. The results shoud be checked at the next evaluation after CV Reform programm implemented.

43. The QA system is now tightly linked to Faculty management as integral part of the institution’s strategic work in the CV reform process. QA Test CV Reform ECTS Continual Assesment Practical knowledge Electives Seminars