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Quality assurance and quality culture

We continuously work to measure and improve the quality of our education. Through the alignment of external and internal quality controls, we develop a strong quality culture. This starts with the degree programmes themselves, is shaped by lecturers and students, and extends throughout the entire institution.

Quality assurance by and for students

Students can share their feedback about the courses they follow via UvA Q. The feedback we receive through this system helps us to improve education at both course and degree programme levels. This can mean attuning a course to societal needs or ensuring that courses within a curriculum are more cohesive. Surveys such as the National Student Survey (NSE) and the National Alumni Survey (NAE) also provide valuable input for educational improvement.

Quality assurance at degree programme and faculty level

In addition to wanting to offer good education, the UvA also has a legal obligation to demonstrate to society that the education given is of high quality. All programs at the UvA are evaluated every six years by an external committee of experts. Based on the assessment of these experts, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) decides whether degree programmes receive accreditation. These assessments provide important information about the quality of education. Additionally, degree programmes conduct ‘development dialogues’ with the committee on how degree programmes can improve further.

In addition to degree programme accreditations, the UvA also formulates university-wide quality frameworks that faculties use in their degree programmes. These frameworks describe who within the organization should discuss educational quality and how this should happen. In this way, we ensure both internal and external quality checks.

Quality assurance for the entire institution

Besides the regular evaluations of individual degree programmes, there is also a Quality Assurance Institutional Assessment (ITK). During this assessment, the NVAO assesses how the UvA monitors and improves the quality of its education. Discussions are held with various stakeholders within the university, from students to executive staff. In the latest ITK, the UvA was positively assessed on all aspects: vision and policy, implementation, evaluation and monitoring, and development.

Want to know more?

For more information, contact kwaliteitszorg@uva.nl.