Quality
Our Understanding of Quality
At the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, we follow the approach of Total Quality Management: an understanding of quality that is based on a participatory (further) development of quality of all participants and thus includes all departments.
Our Central Pillars of Quality Management:
- Processes
- Evaluation
- Reporting
In line with our culture of continuous improvement, quality management at the St. Pölten UAS follows the PDCA cycle in all areas.
Curriculum Evaluation
Curriculum evaluation is one of the central pillars of the Quality Management System at the St. Pölten UAS. It represents the intersection of evaluation and programme development.
Results and evaluations from all relevant stakeholders at the St. Pölten UAS from comprehensive regular surveys, collectively referred to as the evaluation cycle, as well as needs-based surveys are directly considered for the (further) development of the study programmes.
Each curriculum evaluation aims at an evidence-based further development of the study programme and its implementation according to the current status of the discipline and developments in the European Higher Education Area.
Curriculum evaluations at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences are carried out by the UAS service unit Higher Education Development in cooperation with the respective Academic Director. This provides useful monitoring of measures for the evaluation area and enables programme development to make evidence-based decisions.
View of the Campus St. Pölten | Photo: Orka Media/Agnesa Artner
Quality Framework Conditions
Bologna Process
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This reform process launched in 1999 is a central basis of our higher education activities. |
The St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences observes developments in the European Higher Education Area and takes into account essential recommendations in the various service areas, especially in the quality development of studies and teaching, and contributes significantly and actively to the implementation of the Bologna Process.
Legal Framework
At the St. Pölten UAS, quality assurance is carried out in accordance with the University of Applied Sciences Act (FHG) and the Act on Quality Assurance in Higher Education (HS-QSG). The European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG) provide a further basis.
Audit
According to the Austrian Act on Quality Assurance in Higher Education, universities in Austria must have their internal quality management systems audited every seven years, taking into account the standards and guidelines for quality management in the European Higher Education Area. With the audit, the internal quality management in all performance area of the higher education institution is assessed by an external group of experts and recommendations are made for its further development. A successfully completed audit provides evidence that the tasks set for the higher education institution by society, the owners and all other stakeholders in the areas of teaching, research and organisation are carried out and further developed in adherence with high quality standards.