Impact evaluation of institutional evaluation and programme accreditation at Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (Romania)

ABSTRACT

The article reports on a case study of impact evaluation of external quality assurance, i.e. institutional evaluation including programme accreditation, which was carried out by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education at Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest in the form of a methodological before-after comparison. The impact evaluation exhibits a marked stability of the attitudes towards quality assurance of different stakeholders on a high positive level. The analysis also shows that teachers, on the average, perceive better and perceive more effects of quality assurance in learning and teaching, and that they experience university leadership as highly supportive for quality assurance. The study further demonstrates that for teachers the perceived amount of benefit surpasses the perceived expenditure. Finally, a series of open answers gives indications for possible improvement of the university’s quality assurance and organizational structures.

KEYWORDS:

• Before-after comparison
• external quality assurance
• higher education
• impact evaluation
• institutional evaluation
• programme accreditation

Acknowledgement

The authors did part of the work on this article in the context of a project on impact evaluation of quality assurance in higher education institutions, which is co-funded by the European Commission (Grant no.: 539481-LLP-1-2013-1-DE-ERASMUS-EIGF) between 2013 and 2016. This publication reflects the views only of the authors and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Andrei-Stelian Bejan is a Ph.D. student in the Thermo-Hydraulic Systems and Atmosphere Protection Department at the Faculty of Building Services Engineering within Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, Romania. During the bachelor studies, Andrei was one of the student’s representatives in the university, member in the faculty council and volunteer in the local student association.

Radu Mircea Damian is Emeritus Professor of Hydraulics at Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest. He is former Vice-Rector of the university and former Council Member of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, where he currently is Director for International Relations, Projects and Cooperation. He published numerous scientific papers and also served as a Board Member of the European Association of Quality Assurance in Higher Education.

Theodor Leiber is Scientific Advisor and higher education researcher with Evaluation Agency Baden-Wuerttemberg, Mannheim (Germany) and Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Augsburg (Germany). He earned doctoral degrees in Theoretical Physics and Philosophy. His research focuses on evaluation, impact studies, performance measurement and governance, quality management and organisational development in higher education as well as philosophy of science and ethics.

Iohan Neuner is Professor at the Faculty of Geodesy, Topography and Cadastre Department at Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest. He is former Rector of the university and currently the President of the University Senate. He has a vast experience in the field of higher education and published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals and international conference proceedings.

Lidia Niculita is Professor at the Faculty of Building Services Engineering, Thermo-Hydraulic Systems and Atmosphere Protection Department and Director of the Quality Assurance Department within Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest. She is the author of several books and scientific papers in both technical and quality assurance fields, and she is consultant for national research and development programmes and Quality Auditor.

Radu Vacareanu is Professor of Structural Reliability and Risk Analysis at Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest and Rector of the university. He has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences proceedings. He is the National Delegate of Romania at the International Association for Earthquake Engineering and President of the National Commission for Earthquake Engineering of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration of Romania.

ORCID

Andrei-Stelian Bejan http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8543-9041

Theodor Leiber http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7218-2603

Radu Vacareanu http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6329-7540

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by European Commission; Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency [grant number 539481-LLP-1-2013-1-DE-ERASMUS-EIGF].