Quality assurance of service units
- Evaluation goals
- Legal basis
- Method: Peer Review
- Preparing the evaluation
- Starting the evaluation ("kick-off")
- Compling the self evaluation report
- Site Visit
- Expert report
- Final discussion with the Rectorat and implementation agreement
- Follow-up one year later
According to the statute (only in German: Satzungsteil Evaluierung) Evaluation serves the quality assurance and quality improvement of the goals and core tasks pursued at the University of Innsbruck. It shall effectively support the planning and decision-making processes of the University. It is carried out objectively, transparently, appropriately and non-discriminatorily.
The basis for the evaluation of the service units is first of all § 14 of the University Act (UG) 2002 ("Evaluation and Quality Assurance") and § 22 of the University Quality Assurance Act (HS-QSG). Against this background, according to the statute Evaluation, all organizational units are to be evaluated. The evaluation of the service units has been carried out since 2019, starting with three organizational units that were evaluated as part of a pilot project (projekt.service.buero, Office for Equality and Gender Studies, Finance Department). The findings from this were used for further evaluations of the service units. At the University of Innsbruck there are 21 service units, each of which is to be evaluated over a period of seven years.
The evaluation is carried out in the form of a peer review process. This procedure, originally borrowed from research, is based on the evaluation by relevantly qualified "peers" (colleagues). This is done on the basis of a self-evaluation report by the service unit and an on-site visit by the reviewers. The resulting findings and recommendations are recorded in an expert report. The procedure goes through several phases:
- Preparation phase (preliminary discussions, core topics, schedule)
- Implementation ("kick-off", on-site visit, expert opinions, statements)
- Final discussion with the rectorate and preparation of an implementation agreement
- Follow-up discussion after one year
Preparing the evaluation
In this phase, the so-called "core topics" are formulated together with the service unit management and the responsible member of the rectorate, the list of experts is compiled, and a schedule for the procedure is drawn up. Core topics are accompanying questions that are given to the experts as a guide for the procedure and that they can use as a starting point for carrying out the procedure.
Starting the evaluation process ("kick-off")
In a joint meeting with the responsible member of the rectorate and the head of department, the core topics, the experts to be contacted and the time schedule are determined. This meeting represents the official start ("kick-off") of the process. Subsequently, the Senate, the two works councils and the Working Group for Equal Treatment Issues (AKG) are informed about the start of the procedure.
Compiling the self-evaluation report
The self-evaluation report is prepared by the department within three months and subsequently made available to the evaluators (at least one month before the on-site visit). When preparing the report, the core topics are taken into account accordingly. There is also a template for the structure of the self-evaluation report. On average, the report comprises about 20-30 pages, depending on the size of the units to be evaluated.
The on-site visit of the experts lasts 1.5 days. During this period, discussions are held with the "stakeholders" of the service unit on the basis of the self-evaluation report and a list of questions that the evaluators develop independently. The "stakeholders" are in any case the responsible member of the rectorate, the management of the service unit, employees and members of those organizational units that use the services of the respective service unit and/or cooperate with it (e.g. other service units, faculties/institutes, possibly external parties, etc.). In this way, the reviewers obtain an overall view, on the basis of which they draw up a joint review.
The expert report is submitted within one month by the reviewers and sent to the management of the service unit, the works council for general staff and the Working Group for Equal Treatment Issues for comment within one month.
Final discussion with the Rectorate and implementation agreement
On the basis of the submitted documents, a discussion takes place between the management of the DLE and the rectorate, on the basis of which measures are agreed upon that are to be implemented as a result of the evaluation. These measures are recorded in a protocol ("implementation agreement").
After one year, the implementation of the measures will be reviewed in a joint meeting with the rectorate.