Quality must be visible and measurable

The University of the Faroe Islands works systematically to assure and enhance the quality of its degree programmes. The University’s quality assurance system has now been brought together and described on its website, where everyone can learn more about how the University works with quality.

What does it actually mean for a university education to be of high quality?

Naturally, it involves excellent teaching and a strong academic environment. But quality is also about having systematic procedures in place to ensure that programmes are evaluated and developed, that students’ experiences and perspectives are taken into account, and that we regularly assess whether our programmes continue to fulfil their purpose and meet the needs of students and society.

This work is an important part of the activities of the University of the Faroe Islands.

“A well-structured approach to quality assurance and a transparent quality assurance system are prerequisites for the University to participate in international educational cooperation, such as Erasmus+. They are also essential for ensuring that educational institutions and employers abroad can confidently recognise a degree from the University,” says Martin Tvede Zachariasen, Rector.

A Faroese university – European standards
The University’s quality assurance work is based on the principles and standards that apply to higher education in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

An important common framework is the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, commonly known as the ESG. These set out the fundamental European principles for quality assurance and enhancement at universities and other higher education institutions.

Among other things, this means that quality is not something that is assessed once and then set aside. Degree programmes must be regularly monitored, evaluated and developed. Students must play an active role, information about programmes must be clear and reliable, and the University must use relevant knowledge and data to improve its activities.

The aim is both to assure existing quality and to continuously enhance it.

Quality is also about trust
For students, this means that it should be clear what they can expect from a degree programme at the University and that programmes are subject to regular evaluation and development.

For the University, it means that we must be able to demonstrate how we know that our programmes meet the quality standards we set for ourselves – and what we do when something can be improved.

And for society, it means greater transparency and confidence in the programmes and qualifications awarded by the University.

Common European standards for quality assurance also help build trust between universities and higher education systems across Europe. This trust also means that a quality assurance system aligned with European standards strengthens the mobility of our students in the Faroe Islands, making it easier for them to transfer credits for courses across borders and between educational institutions. It also improves opportunities for further study after, for example, completing a bachelor’s degree at the University, because the University meets the same quality standards as other higher education institutions.

In short, the quality assurance system is of great importance to the University of the Faroe Islands as part of the international higher education and research community, and to the Faroe Islands in their ambition to become associated with Erasmus+ and, more broadly, to join the Bologna Process.

The quality assurance system available online
The new quality assurance section on setur.fo provides a comprehensive overview of the University of the Faroe Islands’ quality assurance system.

Among other things, it explains how quality assurance is organised and the Faroese and international frameworks on which it is based. It also provides documents and templates used in the University’s internal quality assurance processes, as well as up-to-date documents on programme information and evaluation procedures.

By bringing this material together and making it publicly available, it is also easier for students, staff and the general public to see how the University works with quality – and how we work to continuously improve.

Read more about the quality assurance system at the University of the Faroe Islands HERE.