Education at Radboud University is characterised by its high quality and its closeness to the research that's being carried out. To maintain the high quality of our programmes, Radboud University works continuously to strengthen its culture of quality. A healthy culture of quality generates a climate in which it is natural for lecturers, students and management to work together to improve and renew education.
Through our quality assurance system, we ensure optimal quality of our teaching by examining whether we can improve/adjust our education. The core of quality assurance consists of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle (PDCA). Each organisational level has its own PDCA cycle. A distinction is made between the institution (Executive Board and Supervisory Board), faculty, education and research institute, programme and a course.
At each level within the university, management information is used to determine the progress of the goals set and/or whether the policy is having the desired effects. A similar review, aimed at improvement, takes place in response to the outcomes and recommendations from the accreditation reports, the results of the National Student Survey (NSS) and on the basis of the results of the course evaluations.
Institutional level
Within the internal annual cycle, the Executive Board steers the education policy at an institutional level. This is based on the institutional plan and its implementation plan. The board reports on the steering and makes plans to improve it. The Supervisory Board approves and supervises plans. In the external six-year cycle at institution level, the institution's quality assurance is assessed. The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders decides on the institution's accreditation after inspection by an external committee. Among other things, the university prepares for this inspection by organising a mid-term review.
Faculty level
Within the internal annual cycle, faculties report on the performance of their educational tasks and make plans for improving them. This is done in Periodic Consultations, such as between the Executive Board and faculty deans (twice a year) or between deans and directors of education or research institutes. The Executive Board approves plans and supervises.
Programme annual reports
From 2022, the annual programme reports will take on a new form, with more emphasis on the cyclical character of quality assurance. The annual report will take the form of a dynamic overview of recommendations and action points per programme. This overview may include recommendations from various sources (strategy, internationalisation strategy, programme committee, NSS, alumni monitor, etc.). Once every two years, the programme draws up an analysis in combination with a reflection. As a further addition to the documentation, there is an annual educational year meeting between the director of education and dean in which the rector is present once every two years.
Test inspection
Many faculties organise test inspection in preparation for the real inspection. During this test, all delegations that have a role during the inspection are questioned by a test inspection panel. A test inspection provides an opportunity to practice together and come up with concrete examples for the real inspection.
Educational level
Education manager
Each programme has a director/chair or coordinator who is responsible for the quality of the programme.
Programme Committee
Every programme has a programme committee (PC) with students and teachers. The PC monitors the quality of education. Its agenda includes, for instance, course evaluations and the Education and Examination Regulations (EER).
Examination Board
An examination board includes members of the academic staff who teach within a programme. The examination committee has the legal task of supervising the quality of degrees and examinations. The examination committee draws up guidelines for assessing and determining exam results and assesses applications for electives and exemptions. The examination committee can make recommendations to improve the quality of education.
Reflection at course level
At course and education level, teachers bear an important responsibility in ensuring teaching quality. At course level, there are a number of actions and moments of reflection that contribute to ensuring teaching quality, as they help to implement improvements in teaching and test design.
External accountability is through the programme accreditations and the institutional quality assurance assessment by The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). You can consult NVAO's accreditation decisions on its website.
Inspection and accreditation
Part of the quality culture is that all Radboud University programmes are assessed once every six years by external visitation committees.
Institutional test
The institutional quality assurance assessment is carried out by NVAO. The institutional quality assurance test assesses the extent to which the university's quality assurance system is in order. A positive assessment confirms confidence in the institution. Programmes at institutions with a positive Institution Test Quality Assurance go through a limited assessment at accreditations.
In 2017, Radboud University participated in an Institution Quality Assurance Test. This resulted in a positive decision by the NVAO, based on an advisory report by a committee chaired by Professor Van Haaften. The NVAO's decision is valid until 20 November 2025.
Manual quality assurance
A manual has been drawn up as a guide for everyone involved in quality assurance. This manual serves as a 'guidebook' for ongoing quality assurance and contains all kinds of tips and useful formats.
Participational bodies
At every level in the organisation, students and staff think about policy and give advice to improve the quality of education. At university level, employee participation consists of the University Joint Assembly (UJA), at faculty level of the Faculty Joint Assembly (FJA) and, per programme, of the study programme committees.