Butlletí

A bimonthly publication of AQU Catalunya

54

May 2011

EDITORIAL

AQU Catalunya and the ex-ante assessment, monitoring, modification and accreditation of recognised degree programmes in Catalonia

As a result of the passing of Royal Decree 861/2010, of 2 July, which amended Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, concerning the structuring of recognised university degree courses, AQU Catalunya regained jurisdiction over the ex ante assessment of proposals for recognised awards from Catalan universities for the purposes of accreditation. As such, the Agency is now fully responsible for all ex-ante assessment, monitoring and accreditation processes in Catalonia.

AQU NEWS

• AQU Catalunya maintains ISO 9001:2008 certification29.04.2011
• INQAAHE Conference 201118.04.2011
• Results of the second call for applications in 2010 for the accreditation of research and advanced research13.04.2011
• Towards an understanding of quality in higher education: the ELQ/AQA08 model as an evaluation tool08.04.2011
• Call for contributions: 6th European Quality Assurance Forum06.04.2011
• The first ex-ante assessment reports on proposals for recognised degrees are issued01.04.2011
• AQU Catalunya participates in the training of reviewers from Bosnia and Herzegovina30.03.2011
• Results of the second call of 2010 for the issue of the reports of tenure-track lecturer and collaborating lecturer16.03.2011
• AQU Catalunya to review the modifications to all recognised degree programmes in Catalonia14.03.2011
• AQU Catalunya takes part in the Catalan Open University/UOC’s course to promote student participation in university quality assurance11.03.2011
• Deadline for the submission of monitoring reports on Bachelor and Master's degrees: 1 to 20 April11.03.2011
• A delegation of the Romanian QA agency visits AQU Catalunya09.03.2011
• AQU Catalunya participates in the Course on Student Representation at the University of Lleida03.03.2011

ARTICLES

• Fourth survey on the labour market outcomes of graduates from universities in Catalonia
  Surveys on the labour market outcomes of graduates (graduate employment outcomes) are of fundamental value for any higher education system. Firstly, they provide information on the match and trends between supply and demand, and the figures are highly dependent on the situation in the labour market. Secondly, they provide indicators of the quality of education in terms of the prospects of graduates in the labour market, which is fundamental information for the design and monitoring of study programmes, particularly those that are professionally orientated. Thirdly, the data gathered in these studies is highly useful for career and professional guidance purposes and services, with the information that they provide being of particular relevance at a time of economic crisis like the present.
  Lorena Bernáldez Arjona - Manager assistant adviser of AQU Catalunya
• Indicators for monitoring recognised degree programmes in Catalonia
  The monitoring of recognised Bachelor and Master's programmes is to begin this year in Catalan universities. The monitoring process itself, which is described in the Framework for Ex-ante Assessment, Monitoring, Modifications and Accreditation being set in motion by AQU Catalunya, is based on two sound aspects that go a long way to ensuring the success of this stage of the process that is starting now.
  Carme Edo Ros - Project manager of AQU Catalunya

OPINION

• The graduate labour market outcomes survey, On the other end of the phone
  

  Marta Cañizares Bullón
  BA History of Art, UB

  I finished my degree studies in History of Art at the University of Barcelona (UB) three years ago. I could say that I belong to various different cohorts, as my studies got prolonged over time, between Erasmus and combining my studies having a full-time job, and it was difficult to relate to any specific cohort or complete my studies in the set period. I have to say that, strictly speaking, getting a job hasn’t been a problem, I’ve been working for more than ten years now. In more specific terms in relation to getting a job related to my studies, however, this is where there has been a few problems.

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