INN University has organised the quality assurance work with coordinators at various levels who report to the level above. Different committees, councils and boards are the arenas in which quality assurance work takes place at the various levels.
The management line
The management line runs from course coordinator to programme of study coordinator, and all the way up to the Rector and the University Board. The line illustrates how everyone is accountable to someone else.
Positions of responsibility and employees in the study-related quality assurance work
We place particular emphasis on the study-related quality assurance work that takes place in connection with individual programmes of study:
- Here, the course coordinator bears a special responsibility for the individual course and reports to the programme of study coordinator. That said, all other educators and supervisors have a responsibility to ensure that the course holds a high standard of educational quality.
- The programme of study coordinator is primarily responsible for the educational equality of the programme of study and reports to the head of department or dean/vice-dean. The programme of study coordinator is not responsible for personnel/staff.
Faculty and institutional managers
The study-related quality assurance work is linked together across programmes of study at faculty level:
- The head of department is responsible for employees at the department and has academic responsibility for the programmes of study offered by the department.
- Academic responsibility is coordinated at the faculty by the Dean/Vice-Dean. The dean is primarily responsible for the academic staff at their faculty.
The Rector/Pro-rector has the day-to-day responsibility for the quality assurance work across the faculty.
The University Board
The University Board is primarily responsible for the quality assurance work at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Reporting line
The university’s reporting line runs from course level to the University Board.
The annual rhythm is adapted to the university’s annual report to the Ministry.
Reporting addresses the need for documentation, and contributes to reflection and development support for individuals and the academic community. The reports made at one level form the basis for a summary and an overall view at the level above. Some specific experiences, examples and thoughts may be included at the next level, but the report at each level is mainly an extract and a summary analysis.
- The course coordinator submits a report to the programme of study coordinator after the completion of each course.
- The programme of study coordinator submits a report to the head of department/dean every autumn.
- The head of department may submit a report to the dean every autumn.
- The dean submits a faculty report to the Rector every autumn on the educational quality work at the faculty. The report is based on the programme of study coordinators’ reports and the evaluations that have been made. The Education Committee and the Learning Environment Committee also receive these reports, and will use them in their reports to the Rector/Pro-rector.
- In January, the Rector submits the university’s Education quality report to the University Board.
- The University Management uses the Education quality report as the basis for the university’s annual report to the Ministry in March.
Committees, councils and boards
The quality assurance work is organised into various committees, councils and boards. These are places where key people with expertise are brought together to make decisions and influence the way forward. Below you will find brief descriptions of the various committees, councils and boards, with links to more detailed information.
Programme of Study Committees
The programme of study committees are the central hub of our study-related quality assurance work.
Education Committee
The Education Committee has a special responsibility for following up the university’s quality assurance system and quality assurance work within the field of education. The committee approves the university’s programme descriptions and establishes programmes of study under delegation, and in accordance with decisions concerning delegation. The committee considers proposals for the portfolio of studies. The committee must have a special focus on the relevance and competence of the programmes of study for use in working life and society. The committee provides input to the university’s quality assurance report.
PhD committees
Each PhD programme has a PhD committee that has a similar function and composition as the programme of study committees have for other programmes of study. The PhD committee is chaired by the PhD coordinator and has representation from academic staff, candidates and the pro-rector of research at the faculty (or the person authorised by the dean).
R&D Committee
The R&D committee is composed of pro-deans for R&D from all faculties, The heads of all the PhD programmes and student representatives. The committee is chaired by the Pro-rector for Research. The R&D Committee is a strategic, coordinating and advisory body for the university’s research activities, the artistic and professional development work and the PhD programmes. The committee has the special task of helping to assure the quality of the PhD programmes. The R&D Committee promotes measures that assure the quality of the PhD programmes and submits annual reports to the University Board on the previous year’s activities and recommends measures that should be implemented.
Learning Environment Committee
The Learning Environment Committee is composed of 14 permanent members, of whom seven are student representatives and seven are employee representatives. The Inland Norway Student Welfare Organisation has the right to appear and speak in all meetings. The Learning Environment Committee has statutory duties. These are specified in Section 4-3, third sub-section of the Act relating to universities and university colleges.
Campus committees
Each campus has its own campus committee. The campus committees work according to the same mandate as the Learning Environment Committee, and serve as the local campus-related connection point for learning environment work. The campus committees’ cases are referred to in the Learning Environment Committee and vice versa.
Appeal Board
The Board’s main task is to process appeals from students regarding individual decisions related to admission, implementation of the programmes and examinations. The Board’s tasks are described in the Act relating to universities and university colleges.
Suitability Committee
The Suitability Committee is responsible for special suitability assessments of students in educational programmes where this is required. Suitability assessment is governed by a separate regulation on suitability assessment in higher education.
Faculty councils
The faculty councils are key forums in which individual faculties discuss major cases and perspectives. They are advisory bodies that process cases related to faculty strategies and academic activities. The councils include representation from the faculty’s management (dean) and academic community, student representatives, as well as external representatives from working life, society and trade and industry.
Committee for Cooperation with Working Life
The Committee for Cooperation with Working Life helps to further develop and highlight the university’s importance for society and working life. The committee has broad representation from the Rectorate, two student representatives and key actors from the public and private sectors.
Research Integrity Committee
The University of South-Eastern Norway and Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences have a joint Research Integrity Committee. The committee processes cases related to unethical scientific practice and research misconduct at the two institutions.