Share2020 Institutional and Programme Assessment Committee activity report published
The director of AQU Catalunya and chairman of the Institutional and Programme Assessment Committee submitted this report to the Agency's Governing Council to give account of the activity carried out during the 2020 financial year
The Institutional and Programme Assessment Committee (CAIP) is the AQU Catalunya body responsible, inter alia, for activities associated with the Framework for the ex-ante assessment, monitoring, modification and accreditation of recognised degrees, and the certification of the implementation of the internal quality assurance systems and institutional accreditation of centres.
In regard to the assessment of official university degree programmes, in 2020, 71 proposals were submitted for verification – a similar number to 2019 – 93% of which were favourable; 195 proposed modifications – 35% less than the previous year – 99% of which were favourable; 51 degrees awarded verification or accreditation with conditions were monitored, 14% more than in 2019; and 130 programmes were assessed in 67 external visits. In 2020, 26 accreditation reports were issued, bringing the total number of accreditation reports issued in the period 2016-2020 to 746, 19% of which were excellent.
In regard to the implementation of the internal quality assurance systems of centres, in 2020, 11 more centres were assessed and the total number of institutionally accredited centres was 14.
Most notably, in 2020 the Institutional and Programme Assessment Committee rapidly adapted the assessment processes due to COVID-19. Protocols and guidelines were developed to guarantee assessment, deadlines were extended for verification and modification processes, external accreditation visits were rescheduled and their format adapted from face-to-face to virtual. All in all, it guaranteed the continuity of the activity while preserving quality.
Further highlights are the approval of the standards and criteria for the institutional re-accreditation of university centres, the implementation of the European Approach with the aim of simplifying joint programme external assessment processes, the preliminary assessment of short-term programmes and the start of the AQU Catalunya accreditation process by the World Federation for Medical Education.
Annual report on Institutional and Programme Assessment Committee activity 2020 [document only available in Catalan]