Date: in 12 pts
Quality Assurance and
the Social Dimension:
Exploring the role of QA agencies in access, retention and employability
22 November 2013
DAVID CROSIER
Eurydice
Education
and Training Education
and
Training
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Overview
• What is the social dimension?
• Status quo on access, retention and employability (from work in progress)
• Role of QA
• 2 Questions to think about & discuss..
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
What is the Social Dimension?
• Mentioned in Bologna Process, 2001 (Prague), but not defined until 2007 (London)
• Bucharest Communiqué – countries agree to pursue national measures to widen access by 2020
• EU – Council Conclusions, May 2013
"the student body entering,
participating in and completing
higher education at all levels should
reflect the diversity of our
populations" London Communiqué
2007
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
More than a decade of rhetoric has passed…
focus on
« formal
equality »
Funding: few
changes to main
fee & support
framework Lack of holistic
thinking: issues
rooted much deeper
than higher
education
Reality is not simple….
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Policy Approach to widening participation Under-represented groups are identified and targeted measures are taken
General policy approach to increase and widen participation in HE
Countries not reflecting the goal of widening participation
Data not available
Source: BFUG questionnaire
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Status Quo: more students, but is there more diversity?
Increasing diversity among students
No change in diversity of students
No information on changes to diversity of students
Not available
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Dropout: are completion rates measured?
At the end of 1st year
At the end of each year
Not systematically measured
Not applicable
Not available
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Dropout: Impact on funding
Funding formula
Performance-based mechanisms
Purpose-specific funding
No impact
Not applicable
Not available
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Typical involvement of employers
Curriculum development
Teaching
Decision-making or consultative bodies
Little or no involvement in
these areas
Not available
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Quality Assurance: completion rates
Not a criterion in QA procedures
Optional criterion
Requirement in the evaluation process
Not applicable
Not available
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Quality Assurance: Employability
Requirement in the evaluation process
Optional criterion to be considered
Not considered
Not available
(a)
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
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Are policies effective? (or which ones are effective?)
• We don’t really know….
• Few countries have set targets or benchmarks related to participation of under-represented groups
• Monitoring systems weak
• Insufficient data systematically collected, & analysis even less robust
• Difficult to attribute changes to specific policy interventions
• QA involvement peripheral
Date: in 12 pts Education
and Training
Eu
ryd
ice
Questions 1) Should social dimension challenges be tackled as a serious agenda for change? Or is this just….