QAA in international evaluation of chemistry with Danish counterparts
Danes to receive £55m funding for labs following report
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and its Danish counterpart, the Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut (Danish Evaluation Institute (EVA) have published an international, comparative evaluation of nine chemistry programmes in Denmark and the UK.
The main objectives of the review were to identify and assist dissemination of good practice within the area of chemistry teaching in Danish and UK universities and develop and apply a method for peer review and supporting quality assurance mechanisms. The Royal Society of Chemistry is a key partner through its interests in chemistry teaching.
The basis of the evaluation was a set of criteria agreed upon by QAA, EVA and the participating departments. The criteria are based on the European standards for quality assurance in higher education which were adopted by 45 European ministers of education in May 2005. The Danish chemistry programmes are the first Danish university programmes to be evaluated against the European standards.
As part of the evaluation, QAA and EVA also formulated guidelines for self-evaluation focusing on the student learning experience and quality assurance. The review showed that chemistry programmes in Denmark and the UK provide students with a good student learning experience and are characterised by high motivation from teachers and students.
A number of structural and technical differences in programme organisation and quality assurance were highlighted and it is anticipated that these will help lead to significant future improvements.
Nick Harris , Director of Development and Enhancement, QAA said: ‘We believe that the UK departments involved found this an interesting and valuable experience, and certainly feel that, as far as QAA is concerned, working with organisations responsible for quality assurance in higher education across the world helps us develop our knowledge and skills for the benefit of UK higher education in general'.
The report also revealed that the majority of Danish laboratories did not meet international standards as a result of a lack of funding. In an immediate response to these findings, the Danish government has announced that it will provide new funding worth 600 million Kr. (£55 million) to the laboratories.
Dr Tony Ashmore, Education Director, Royal Society of Chemistry, commenting on the outcome of the review said: ‘We are very impressed with the additional funding the Danish Government is making available to just five institutions. We hope that the UK Government will be similarly generous to address the current under-funding of chemistry in this country’.
Copies of the report are available from www.eva.dk
Ends
13/10/06
For further information please contact Susan Hogan, Communications,
tel: + 44 (0) 1452 557047, email: s.hogan@qaa.ac.uk
Notes to editors
QAA
QAA was established in 1997 and is responsible for safeguarding the public interest in sound standards of higher education qualifications and informing and encouraging continuous improvement in the management of the quality of higher education in the UK.
For more information about QAA please visit www.qaa.ac.uk
EVA
EVA was established in 1999 to undertake systematic and mandatory evaluation of teaching and learning at all levels of the Danish educational system, including higher education.
For more information about EVA please visit www.eva.dk (the website is available in both Danish and English)
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