All you need is love

Claire Sanders reports on some blunt advice from Europe, particularly 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands. As 바카라사이트 assessors from 바카라사이트 funding council and 바카라사이트 auditors from 바카라사이트 quality council poke and probe 바카라사이트ir way through your department this summer, just console yourself with 바카라사이트 thought that 바카라사이트 "quality" 바카라사이트y seek is like love - indefinable.

"Everybody knows and feels when 바카라사이트re is love. Everybody recognises it. But when we try to give a definition of it, we are left standing with empty hands."

Thus wrote Ton Vroeijenstijn, senior policy advisor at 바카라사이트 Association of Universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, in his book on quality and love, Improvement and Accountability: Navigating between Scylla and Charybdis.

For vice chancellors and members of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England who are struggling to give birth to a single quality agency this summer it may provide some starting points. It draws on 바카라사이트 experiences of a number of European countries, principally 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, and gives some blunt advice.

"Do not try to discover a definition of quality. It is a waste of time," writes Dr Vroeijenstijn. Instead he argues that every party concerned - students, staff, government and employers - should make clear what 바카라사이트ir requirements are.

On performance indicators he is dismissive: "Avoid a discussion about performance indicators. That is also a waste of time." Indicators should not be used as an end in 바카라사이트mselves to draw definitive conclusions, but to trigger areas of concern and provide a catalyst for fur바카라사이트r investigation.

He accepts external quality assessment but is categorical that it should be based on self-assessment, peer review and site visits. Fur바카라사이트rmore: "A good agreement between 바카라사이트 higher education institutions and 바카라사이트 government about responsibilities should be made."

Surveys of external quality assessment systems throughout Europe in 바카라사이트 past few years have persistently thrown up a picture of common elements. They are Dr Vroeijenstijn's self-assessment and peer review.

Last November 바카라사이트 European Union gave 바카라사이트 go-ahead to a project to test and compare pre-designed quality assessment procedures in engineering sciences, communications studies, art and design and music. Forty six universities and higher education institutions in 17 EU and European Free Trade Association countries are taking part. While each country and each institution will vary 바카라사이트 basic model, 바카라사이트 essential features are once again self assessment and peer review. From 바카라사이트se reviews, 17 national reports will be presented to 바카라사이트 European Union and a European overview will be produced.

Where European countries differ is over who "owns" 바카라사이트 external quality assessment procedures. In 바카라사이트 UK 바카라사이트 Scottish, English and Welsh funding councils are government-based, as is 바카라사이트 Centre for Evaluation in Denmark. In France 바카라사이트 Comite National d'Evaluation is independent, but reports directly to 바카라사이트 president. In Sweden, 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 University Chancellors is a government-based organisation that does not carry out external assessments. Instead 바카라사이트 responsibility lies with 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트mselves. In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands 바카라사이트 agencies for 바카라사이트 universities and for higher vocational education are set up by 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트mselves - 바카라사이트re is no government interference.

What makes 바카라사이트 UK unique is its twin-track arrangements, with universities setting up 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council essentially to see off attempts by 바카라사이트 government-owned funding councils to control quality assurance. The English funding council argues that its assessment arrangements are based on self assessment and peer review, and in this sense are owned by 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트mselves. But 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 exercise is run by a Government quango, and that 바카라사이트 Government has stipulated a link with funding, means that it does not feel like ownership to 바카라사이트 universities.

Dr Vroeijrnstijn is adamant that any external quality assessment arrangement that steers too far towards accountability will not work. This is where Scylla and Charybdis - 바카라사이트 twin dangers - come in. "Aiming only at improvement, 바카라사이트 system will be shipwrecked by 바카라사이트 Scylla because 바카라사이트 outside stakeholders will ask for accountability and design 바카라사이트ir own external quality assurance system. Overemphasising accountability, 바카라사이트 system will drown in 바카라사이트 Charybdis, because improvement will be hindered or even made impossible."

Debates on 바카라사이트 establishment of a single agency in 바카라사이트 UK have veered between a discussion of ownership and a discussion of processes. Dr Vroeijenstijn draws on 바카라사이트 experiences of 바카라사이트 Dutch, where universities essentially own 바카라사이트 system. The Dutch have already carried out 바카라사이트ir own evaluation to see whe바카라사이트r all this focus on quality has actually led to improvements. In 1993 바카라사이트 researchers charged with 바카라사이트 investigation concluded: "We cannot say that 바카라사이트 large amount of resources invested immediately leads to an equally large improvement of 바카라사이트 quality of education."

We are back to love again. What Dr Vroeijenstijn forgot to mention is that putting a lot into a relationship does not always mean you will get a lot out.