Startpage for Swedish National Agency for Higher Education

 
 

2003:9 R

Renewed quality audit of Linköpings university

Quality assurance procedures at Linköping University function very effectively. The practical work of the central bodies and the use of informal contacts has led to the creation of a more explicit organisation than that which applied at the time of the previous audit. There is however a risk that the organisation could become too dependent on individuals.

The main strength of the quality assurance procedures in the university is the effective cooperation of its students with both the teaching staff and the administration. This student participation finds expression for instance in student involvement in the decision making and preparatory bodies at various levels in the university and also the students´ own effective organisations. The possibilities offered to the various degree programmes to make demands of the departments also promotes quality. Feed-back and the use of course evaluations could, however, be improved.

The greatest threat to the university´s quality assurance procedures lies in the teachers´ heavy workloads. The panel of assessors takes a grave view of the working situation for teachers and considers that in the long run this poses a threat to the quality of research and postgraduate and undergraduate programmes. There is also a risk that the time available for teachers to enhance their own skills and for contacts with students and quality enhancement will diminish as a result of increasing workloads.

The panel of assessor has observed that several quality development projects are under way at the university. Information about the good examples they provide could be circulated more effectively within Linköping university.

Swedish National Agency for Higher Education  Visting address: Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, 103 99 Stockholm
Phone: 08-563 085 00  Fax: 08-563 085 50  Email: hsv@hsv.se