EU-based Quality Assurance System
The development and introduction of Internal Quality Assurance Systems in PC HEIs aligned with EU standards has gone through several stages:
– Mapping internal quality assurance policies and processes used in EU universities.
– Adopting common criteria to quality in academic training programmes in the field of ecotourism and interpretive nature guiding.
– Developing a Quality Assurance System and a User Guide.
– Training administrative and teaching staff at PC HEIs in quality assurance, based on the developed Quality Assurance System.
– Applying the developed QAS at Partner Country universities, in order to ensure high level of quality in NATOUR programme implementation.
>> Download the QAS User Guide
The Quality Assurance System developed within the NATOUR project provides different benefits to stakeholders:
PC HEIs introduce EU-based Quality Assurance Systems as a way to enable: joint delivery of the NATOUR programme with EU partner universities; transfer of credits between PC and EU HEIs; as well as joint recognition of learning outcomes and award of qualifications (certification).
Teaching staff can use the NATOUR QAS as a reference tool to ensure quality of the teaching/learning process and transparency in the assessment of learning outcomes during the implementation of the NATOUR programme.
Students can use the NATOUR QAS to: understand what they should expect from the NATOUR programme in terms of quality of learning content, teaching/learning process, and assessment of learning outcomes; as well as understand the requirements they should comply with in order to qualify for the award of a diploma.
Public bodies can benefit from the EU-based QAS, as it provides an instrument for strengthening harmonization of Partner Countries’ higher education system with EU’s, which could spur internationalization of higher education and intensify scientific and academic exchange.
