Designing a Framework for Internal Quality Assurance of Research in a Flemish University of Applied Sciences
Quality assurance in Flemish professional higher education has traditionally focused mainly on teaching and learning processes. Given the threefold mission of universities of applied sciences, however, their internal QA system should cover research and services to society as well as education.
Up to now, QA for applied research has largely been a question of peer review of individual projects. In order to stimulate quality culture on the more encompassing level of research units, HOGENT (University College Ghent) is designing a new QA framework to be used by its departments.
The framework is not an instrument for rating or ranking research activities, but seeks to stimulate reflection on research by adopting an appreciative approach. In this paper, we discuss the main features of the framework, the co-creation process leading up to it, and the preliminary findings of a pilot project.
This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.
ISSN: 1375-3797
