Enhancing the quality of distance learning at Western Balkan higher education institutions

1. Enhancing the quality of distance learning at Western Balkan higher education institutions 511126-TEMPUS-1-2010-1-RS-TEMPUS-SMGR

3. List of partner organisations

4. National and Regional Priorities for 2010 addressed by DL@WEB • This project proposal completely addresses "Governance reform - Introduction of quality assurance" • National priorities for SM in Serbia, Montenegro and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia • Regional priorities for SM in Western Balkans (IPA)

5. Motivation behind the project

6. The number of higher education institutions in Western Balkan beneficiary countries that have adopted some form of online teaching is increasing, but the quality varies substantially.

7. Students often face the problem of not knowing what they can expect in courses or study programs marked as “online” Thus….

8. Joint WB Initiative • uniformity of e-learning methodology, quality standards and harmonization of the national accreditation systems with the European quality assurance system

9. Joint WB Initiative • National Ministries of Education, Councils for Higher Educations, Accreditation agencies and quality assurance bodies in Western Balkan beneficiary countries are considering developing standards for the assessment of quality in open and distance learning

10. Wider Project Objective • The DL@WEB project has been designed to improve the quality and relevance of distance education (DL) at Western Balkan higher education institutions and to enable easier inclusion of partner country institutions into European Higher Education Area. • This proposal is highly supported by Ministries of Education, National Councils for Higher Education and Commissions for Accreditation in all three partner countries.

11. Specific Project Objectives • To improve, develop and implement accreditation standards, guidelines and procedures for distance learning study programs according to EU practices at national levels in Serbia, Montenegro and FYRM • To establish the framework for improving DL quality assurance and eLearning methodology on HE institutional level in WB countries • To provide training for relevant members of HE educational and public authorities responsible for accreditation and evaluation of DL programs and trainers involved in DL from each partner country

12. Summary Of Work Packages

13. The list of developing activities leading to the expected project outcomes

14. 1. Review and analyze existing European DL pract. and princ. for QA and accreditation of DL study programs in HE • (DEV) 1.1 Analysis of existing European practice and principles for quality assurance in DL • (DEV) 1.2 Analysis of the policy level documents addressing internal/external accreditation of DL study programs in HE • (DEV) 1.3 e-Learning Benchmarks: review on benchmarking methodology and quality monitoring tools

15. 2. Establish the framework for improving DL quality assurance and eLearning methodology on HE institutional level in WB PCs • (DEV) 2.1 Analysis of existing WB practice in DL and cross-matching with European practices and standards • (DEV) 2.2 Define eLearning methodology and QA issues for content, delivery and support processes • (DEV) 2.3 Stakeholders seminars (feedback, advice, and validation) • (DEV) 2.4 Development of Handbook for QA in DL • (DEV) 2.5 Develop policy and plan roadmap for implementing and managing QA in DL

16. 3. Improvement and development of regulations for DL in HE in WB countries • (DEV) 3.1 Tuning of existing legal framework for HE in WB countries to specify DL • (DEV) 3.2 Improvement and development of accreditation standards, guidelines and procedures for DL study programs in the WB region • (DEV) 3.3 Improvement of the university regulatory documents and procedures to include specific reference to DL option in study programmes

17. 4. Retraining-training of HE education auth. involved in DL from each partner country who would act as assessors and trainers • (DEV) 4.1 Training of members of Accreditation Commissions and HE public authorities • (DEV) 4.2 Training of official reviewers for DL study programs • (DEV) 4.3 Training of trainers for university academic and administrative staff that will instruct further in DL in HE • (DEV) 4.4 Seminars organized by the national authorities in education to mark the start of implementing improved standards in PCs

18. Quality control and monitoring • (QPLN) 1.1 Internal quality monitoring, assessment and control • (QPLN) 1.2 External quality control and monitoring • (QPLN) 1.3 Inter-Tempus coaching

19. Dissemination • (DISS) 1.1 Establish and maintain interactive project website in english and local languages • (DISS) 1.2 Organize workshops, round tables and special sessions for dissem. of intermediate and final results in each PC • (DISS) 1.3 Start up annual regional conference "E-learning and knowledge society” • (DISS) 1.4 Start up online journal “eLearning and Quality of instruction”

20. Sustainability • (EXP) 1.1 Development of sustainability strategy of relevant project results at the national levels • (EXP) 1.2 Build capacity for securing adequate resources for the quality assurance of DL in WB region • (EXP) 1.3 The initiatives for start-up Balkan academic distance education network – BADEN

21. Project management • (MNGT) 1.1 Overall project management activities • (MNGT) 1.2 Project coordination meetings • (MNGT) 1.3 Regional coordination meetings

22. Project plans in 1st year

23. WP 1. Lead partner:UP, Slovenia 1.1 Partners involved: UB, UoM, FON One meeting in Belgrade (online possible) 1.2 Partners involved: UNIKG,UNINI, UP, RS MoE, RS CAQA, RS NCHE, ME UNIM, ME MPIN, ME COHE, MK FON, MK UKIM, MK MON Traveling to partners in IT, FR, SI 1.3 Partners involved: UB, UNIM, FON One meeting in Skopje, MK (online possible)

24. WP1.Printing and publishing - Outputs • 1.1 Report on existing European DL practice and principles for QA and accreditation of DL study programs in HE in Serbian and Macedonian • 1.2 Report on analysis of the policy level documents addressing internal/external accreditation of DL study programs in HE in Serbian and Macedonian • 1.3 Review on e-Learning benchmarking methodology and quality monitoring tools in Serbian and Macedonian

25. WP 2. Lead partner:UNIMC, Italy 2.1 Partners involved: IT UNIMC, RS UB, ME UoM, MK UKIM 2.2 Partners involved: IT UNIMC, BE EFQUEL, FR UPCAM, RS UB, ME UoM, MK UKIM 2.3 Partners involved: All Stakeholders seminar at UNIKG

26. WP2.Printing and publishing - Outputs • 2.1 Report on Practices of DL in WB: the issue of quality, 20 copies in MK • 2.1 Report on Practices of DL in WB: the issue of quality, 20 copies in RS x 2 countries (RS, ME) • 2.1 Report on Practices of DL in WB: the issue of quality, 20 copies in (EN) • 2.3 Printing materials for stakeholders seminar

27. WP 6. DisseminationLead partner: UKIM, Macedonia 1.2 Partners involved: All WB partners Travel: 1st and 2nd Dissemination workshop (eg., Serbian TREND conference, Montenegrian INFOFEST conference and Macedonian ICT-ACT conf.) 1.3 Partners involved: All WB partners conference “E-learning in the knowledge society” at UNINI site

28. WP6. DisseminationPrinting and publishing - Outputs • Brochures, leaflets, proceedings

29. End of part oneThank you!