PART ONE
Objectives, Scope, Basis and Definitions
Objectives
Article 1- The aim of these regulations is to state the basic principles for evaluating and improving the quality of educational, instructional and research activities and those of administrative services at Girne American University as well as approval and recognition of their level of quality through an independent “external assessment”.
Scope
Article 2- These regulations cover the duties, authorities and responsibilities of Girne American University regarding assessment of academic and administrative services, quality improvement as well as approval and recognition of their levels of quality.
Definitions
Article 3- Definitions used throughout the regulations are as follows:
Academic Units: university faculties, schools of higher education, conservatories, schools of vocational training and research centres.
Programmes: Programs run by academic units at the pre-graduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels.
Administrative Units, including; university administrative services, permanent staff, contracted staff, continuing staff, part-time personnel, along with permanent and part-time workers.
University Mission: defines the reasons for the existence of the university and its goals.
University Vision: the projections and ideals to be achieved in the future.
GAU Council for Quality Coordination and Evaluation: Evaluation of reports prepared by Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission and Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission, formation, planning and implementation of quality policies. This council is the University Executive Council.
Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission: formed by University Executive Council and responsible for evaluation of academic units, organization and coordination of quality improvements.
Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission: formed by University Executive Council and responsible for evaluation of administrative units, organization and coordination of quality improvements.
Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission Report: Annually prepared evaluation report of the related Quality Assurance Commission based on annual evaluation reports.
Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission Report: Annually prepared evaluation report of the related Quality Assurance Commission based on annual evaluation reports.
Quality Assurance: Continuous improvement of the university’s teaching, learning, and research activities and administrative services.
Strategic Planning: According to internal and external evaluation of the university’s strengths and weaknesses, prevailing opportunities and threats, to form strategies intended to improve quality, and methods of measurement that will enable success in reaching targets and performance outcomes to be accurately analyzed.
Strategic Targets: Significant targets as derived from the University mission.
Performance: The degree to which the university is succeeding in reaching its strategic targets.
Internal Evaluation: Self-evaluation of the university’s teaching, learning, and research activities and administrative services.
External Evaluation: External evaluation by the national and international certified agencies, associations, establishments and councils possessing “The Registration Certificate for Quality Assessment”.
Registration certificate for quality assessment: The certificate which authorizes relevant independent agencies, associations, establishments and councils eligible to perform the quality assessment of academic and administrative services as well as activities of quality improvements at an institution of higher education.
Quality Certificate: The certificate, received through external assessment, which indicates the level of quality of educational, training and research activities as well as those of administrative services at an institution of higher education.
Internal Institutional Periodic Review: The periodic review of the quality of educational, instructional and research activities as well as those of administrative services, and the activities of quality improvements and their results at an institution of higher education by the institution itself.
Improvement Action Plans: The plans specifying which improvements need to be completed, when, in what period of time, and under whose responsibility, at an institution of higher education mainly in accordance with the results of the internal or external assessment.
PART TWO
Girne American University Council for Quality Coordination and Evaluation
Article 4- Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Improvement Council meets at least once a year to discuss and take decisions on the following issues:
- Development of quality policies in accordance with strategic plans and objectives,
- Coordination, follow-up and harmonization of quality improvements within the context of the Bologna process,
- Discussion of changes to be made in the organization of units to realize quality policies.
- Evaluation of suggestions for the development of the process, determination of priorities and evaluation of applications,
- Evaluation of process reports,
- Development of values, ethics and social responsibilities that support institutional culture,
- Encouraging and supporting educational activities, and taking appropriate actions in line with their outcomes,
- Encouraging total quality management processes and rewarding successful units and teams,
- Taking appropriate measures to ensure that total quality management applications are carried out with the leadership of the heads of each unit, to ensure participation, and ensure the allocation of sources necessary for educational and improvement processes.
PART THREE
Girne American University Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission
Foundation and chairman of the commission
Article 5- The Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission consists of one representative of the Rector’s office, one representative from each faculty and school of higher education, one representative of the recognized academic union, two student representatives and two representatives from the business community to be appointed by the Commission. GAU Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission requests the names of candidates from the above mentioned units to work in the commission, and appoints these staff. For a member who fails to complete his/her term of office for any reason whatsoever a new member is appointed by the commission in compliance with the same principles. The Chairman of the Commission is elected by the Board from among the members of the commission.
Term of office for the members of the commission
Article 6- The term of office for the commission members is three years. A member completing his/her term can be elected for one more term. But, he/she cannot sustain his/her membership for more than two terms.
Duties of the commission
Article 7- The responsibilities and duties of the Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission are as follows:
a) In accordance with the strategic plan and objectives of the GAU, defining and updating the main strategies, processes, methods and basic
principles regarding the assessment of academic and administrative services at institutions of higher education for improving their quality, as well as approving and recognizing their levels of quality; and informing the institutions of higher education upon changes.
b) Sharing the best practices of academic assessment and quality improvements of the institutions of higher education with other institutions of higher education.
c) In accordance with the strategic plan and objectives of the GAU, participating in activities associated with international and mutual agreements for recognition in higher education, and ensuring that these activities are properly conducted at the national level.
d) To oversee the process of internal evaluation at the university and the preparation of the related internal evaluation report.
e) To make all necessary preparations for external evaluation and provide all necessary support and assistance to external evaluation agencies.
f) To announce the decisions of the commission at academic units of the relevant institution of higher education, follow up the practices and ensure monitoring of the results.
Participation of academic units in activities of academic assessment and quality improvement
Article 8- Academic units support the activities of the Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission They coordinate the quality improvement actions of their units in parallel with the Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission, and monitor their performance. They submit the results of the assessment to the Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission.
PART FOUR
Girne American University Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission
Foundation and Chairman of the Commission
Article 9- Girne American University Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission consists of one representative from the Rector’s office, one representative of the Directorates and of the Quality Assurance Office, one representative of the authorized administrative union, two student representatives and two representatives from the business community appointed by the commission. GAU Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission requests the names of candidates from the above mentioned units to work in the commission, and appoints these staff. For a member who fails to complete his/her term of office for any reason whatsoever a new member is appointed by the commission in compliance with the same principles. The chairperson of the commission is elected from among the members of the commission themselves.
Term of Office for the Members of the Commission
Article 10 – The term of office for the commission members is three years. A member completing his/her term can be elected for one more term. But, he/she cannot sustain his/her membership for more than two terms.
Duties of the Commission
Article 11: The responsibilities and duties of the Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission are as follows:
a) To determine the strategies, processes, rules and regulations, and if necessary update all the activities regarding the evaluation of administrative services, quality improvements and the approval of their level of quality.
b) To share best practices of quality improvement activities selected by the university’s Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance committees with administrative units.
c) To participate on behalf of the administrative units in international mutual recognition and quality development activities in line with the university’s strategic plan and vision, and to assist the Coordination and Evaluation Committee and the Rectorship in pursuing these activities at a national and international level.
d) To carry out the “internal assessment” of the university’s administrative services and to prepare or have prepared the administrative internal assessment report.
e) To make the necessary preparations and to provide all the support to the evaluating committee or organization, should the university have an “external evaluation” of its administrative units.
f) To announce the decisions of the Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission to the university’s academic and administrative units, follow up the practices and monitor the results.
Participation of administrative units in activities of academic assessment and quality improvement
Article 12 – Administrative units support the activities of the Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission. They coordinate the quality improvement actions of their units in parallel with the Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission, and monitor their performance. They submit the results of the assessment to the Administrative Units Evaluation and Quality Assurance Commission.
PART FIVE
Scope of Internal Evaluation
Article 13 – Internal evaluation of the quality of service and the improvements in quality of all teaching, learning and research activities conducted at the pre-undergraduate, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and evaluation of the outcomes of external evaluations.
Areas of Internal Evaluation
Article 14- For the internal assessments, the processes, methods, and principles specified by the Quality Assurance Commissions along with the evaluations conducted by the commissions and by academic and administrative units are taken as a basis for proposed solutions, recommendations and targets to be formulated within the areas specified below:
a) Mission, vision and strategic objectives of the institution, within the framework of the strategic plan and objectives defined by the commissions.
b) The measurable objectives of academic units, determination of performance indicators regarding these objectives, and periodic review of these indicators.
c) The effective use of financial resources of the institution for education, training, research and academic services.
d) Education and training processes, course programs and curriculums, and processes relevant to quality and performance of students, with particular emphasis on effectiveness of education programs, and student participation as well as satisfaction.
e) Processes especially relevant to participation and satisfaction of academics in institutional activities as well as academic activities and their effectiveness.
f) Information technologies and infrastructure and academic services (laboratories, library etc.)
g) Research and development activities of academic units.
h) Participation and satisfaction of administrative staff in institutional activities as well as administrative and support services.
i) Alumni management.
j) Public access and services.
k) Life-long education activities.
l) Activities regarding the points needing improvement that were revealed during the previous internal assessment.
PART SIX
External Evaluation
Process and time schedule of external assessment
Article 15- The university may conduct its internal institutional assessment process together with independent associations, establishments and councils that hold “the
Registration Certificate for Quality Assessment” as deemed appropriate.
Scope and issues of external assessment
Article 16- The external assessment of the university is conducted within the scope specified in Article 14.
PART SEVEN
Post-Assessment Actions and Periodic Reviews
Strategic Planning
Article 17– Taking annual internal or external assessment reports and their outcomes into consideration, an annual strategic plan for the succeeding calendar year is prepared, which constitutes and executes the relevant annual action plan for implementing improvements up to the beginning of the succeeding calendar year.
Action plans for the improvements
Article 18- Academic units or programs prepare the annual action plans to improve the areas revealed through the internal or external assessments. In addition to defining responsibilities, estimated time frames for the commencement and completion of the relevant actions is specified in these plans. The administrators of the relevant academic units are responsible for the execution of these plans.
Periodic reviews and their frequency
Article 19 – Academic and administrative units conduct their work to the end of each academic year. The Academic and Administrative Commissions for Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement organize periodic review meetings and present their review results after the completion of its evaluations latest in two weeks to the GAU Academic Units Evaluation and Quality Improvement Council. The results of the evaluation meetings are presented by the commissions to the academic and administrative units.
Article 20- Results of all internal or external assessments carried out are open to the university. The outcomes are published on the university web-site.
Budgets required within the scope of Quality projects
Article 21- Within the scope of these regulations, financial expenditures with regard to actions to be carried out covered by the university budget.
PART EIGHT
Accessibility to the Results of the Assessment
PART NINE
Miscellaneous and Final Articles
Article 22- These regulations go into force on the date of their approval by the University Executive Council.
