KVASS - Roles and responsibilities

Click a role to see a description of the responsibilities for the role.

Roles

Rectorate

The Rectorate has system responsibility for quality enhancement of NTNU's study programmes and teaching. In this role, the Rectorate is to

approve the top-level process diagram and revisions of this
specify the sub-processes, activities and interfaces in the teaching process that are to be included in the quality assurance programme
submit a report to the Board every year regarding NTNU's quality assurance of study programmes, teaching and assessment

The Education Committee (Utdanningsutvalget) is the reference group/advisory group for the Rectorate in this work.

Relevant links (in Norwegian):

Director of Academic and Student Affairs

The Director of Academic and Student Affairs is the system owner of the support system for education quality at NTNU. The 'support system' is understood as the computer application with process diagrams, activity tables, and the tools associated with them.

The Director of Academic and Student Affairs establishes a link with a person who is dedicated to the task of 'system ownership', and who reports directly to the Director of Academic and Student Affairs.

The system owner holds the responsibility on behalf of the whole organization. The objective is to ensure stable operation and good availability for the users as well as continuous improvement of the system.

As system owner of the support system, the Director of Academic and Student Affairs is to

operate, maintain and develop the system
train and provide guidance to the users
have systematic and regular contact with the users and the sub-process owners as a basis for revising and improving the system
submit proposals to the Prorector for revisions of the process diagrams and the activities and interfaces that are to undergo quality assurance
budget for costs related to operations, development and training

Relevant links (in Norwegian):

Process owners

The responsibility for maintaining and improving process and sub-process descriptions, activity tables, and standard tools in the support system is allocated as follows, cf. the top-level process diagram:

Develop the programmes of study:	Student and Academic Division
Plan teaching, assessment and evaluation:	Student and Academic Division
Carry out assessment (Examination and examination marking):	Student and Academic Division
Carry out teaching:	Student and Academic Division
Evaluate courses and programmes:	Programme for Teacher Education (PLU) through the section for Educational Training for University Staff (Uniped)
Inform and advise students:	Student and Academic Division

In consultation with the system administrator and in close contact with the users, process owners are to

describe and document the process
continue the development of the activity tables and standard tools related to the process
needed, propose adjustment of the top-level process diagram
provide guidance and training within the process

Proposals for changes are to be communicated to the system administrator with responsibility for making the specific changes in the common part of the support system.

Dean

The Dean is responsible for implementing and following up the quality programme in the faculty.
Important duties are to

stimulate renewal in the academic content and the teaching approaches used in courses, programmes and programme portfolios
ensure that programmes of study entrusted to the faculty have a programme management responsible for coordination
ensure that work with quality is followed up in line with the intentions
lead initiatives to develop and introduce tools and aids adapted to the faculty's own study culture
place quality development on the agenda in relevant forums such as the executive meeting
regularly meet the heads of departments and programme coordinators to arrive at measures for improvement in the short and the longer term
prepare an annual report on the faculty's work with quality
implement improvement measures within the faculty's sphere of responsibility and bring measures into the correct decision-making procedure (curriculum revision, budget and resource allocation, professional development, infrastructure, etc.)
reward good teaching work

Relevant links (in Norwegian):

FUL (administrative committee for the teacher education programmes)

FUL is an administrative committee under the Education Committee, and deals with matters within the responsibilities described in the mandate for the Education Committee. FUL may be granted authority to resolve matters within delimited areas.
FUL is headed by a committee chair, who has the right to attend and address meetings in the Education Committee.

The administrative committee for teacher education has the following duties:

Take the initiative with respect to the Education Committee in matters concerning the teacher education programmes
Put forward recommendations regarding the structure of the teacher education programmes
Approve the curricula for practical educational training in the teacher education programmes
In collaboration with the faculties, submit proposals to the Education Committee regarding the size and admission criteria for the teacher education programmes
In collaboration with the faculties and the local programme councils, ensure that NTNU's quality work is followed up within the teacher education programmes
Submit proposals to the Rector for statements on behalf of NTNU in response to requests for comments in matters relevant to the teacher education programmes
Consider and decide on applications for exemption from Section 4 subsection 4 of the regulations for studies (studieforskriften)
Ensure that the teacher education programmes comply with national curricula and monitor achievement of the learning objectives for these programmes
Prepare matters to be considered by the Education Committee. The matters are put forward by the Director of Academic and Student Affairs.
Report to the Education Committee on decisions that have been made in accordance with authorizations.
Prepare an annual report on the teacher education activities at NTNU, emphasizing measures to improve quality
Actively promote the equal opportunity perspective in the teacher education programmes
Strive to take care of NTNU's interests regarding representation in relevant national and international forums
Provide advice to the faculties about subjects that may be included in a teacher education programme, and in collaboration with the faculties arrive at recommended programmes of study and combinations with the teaching profession in mind

FUS (administrative committee for engineering studies)

FUS is an administrative committee under the Education Committee, and deals with matters within the responsibilities described in the mandate for the Education Committee. FUS may be granted authority to resolve matters within delimited areas.
FUS is headed by a committee chair, who has the right to attend and address meetings in the Education Committee.

The administrative committee for engineering studies has the following duties:

Take the initiative with respect to the Education Committee in matters concerning engineering studies
Put forward recommendations regarding the structure of the programmes in engineering studies
Approve curricula for engineering studies
In collaboration with the faculties, submit proposals to the Education Committee regarding the size and admission criteria for the programmes of study in engineering.
In collaboration with the faculties and the local programme councils, ensure that NTNU's quality work is followed up within engineering studies
Submit proposals to the Rector for statements on behalf of NTNU in response to requests for comments in matters relevant to engineering studies
Consider and decide on applications for exemption from Section 4 subsection 4 of the regulations for studies (studieforskriften) with respect to the guidelines and practice in effect
Approve learning objectives for the degree and monitor achievement of the learning objectives for the various programmes in engineering studies
Prepare matters to be considered by the Education Committee. The matters are put forward by the Director of Academic and Student Affairs
Report to the Education Committee on decisions that have been made in accordance with authorizations
Prepare an annual report on the engineering studies at NTNU, emphasizing measures to improve quality
Actively promote the equal opportunity perspective in engineering studies
Strive to take care of NTNU's interests regarding representation in relevant national and international forums

Study programme management

The faculty/host faculty designates a programme coordinator and a programme council for its programmes of study. The programme management is to strive to achieve a well structured programme with academic, administrative, and practical consistency across the courses. It is to contribute to ensuring that the programmes provide competence that is needed and sought after in the labour market and society of today and the future.

The programme management is to

stimulate academic and educational renewal in the programme and in the courses that it includes
ensure that the quality work applicable to the programme is performed as intended
propose the academic structure of the programme, and in this connection consider the composition, profile of the courses, progression, fields of study and programme options
present resource requirements to the department and faculty to create the necessary completeness and consistency in the programme
each semester, convene a meeting of the course coordinators in connection with planning and implementation of teaching and assessment, cf. the clause under responsible teaching staff
evaluate the programme by
- maintaining the necessary contact with the outside world to enable assessment of the need and demand for competence
- holding follow-up meetings with course coordinators and representatives of the reference groups to check the progress and direction in relation to the objectives
- regularly evaluating the whole programme and the individual courses within it
- initiating continuous evaluation in each semester and undertake a final evaluation of the programme every year
- undertaking a more extensive evaluation of the programme each xxth year
monitoring the distribution of grades over time in the programme of study, and introducing measures as needed
on the basis of the evaluations, implementing improvement measures within the scope of its authority and proposing improvement measures in other respects to the management of the department and faculty in question
reporting on the activities undertaken for quality assurance in accordance with the requirements of the quality system

Relevant links (in Norwegian):

Head of Department

The head of the department is responsible for the academic and educational standard of the department's courses. The head of the department is to stimulate and to create an environment which encourages continuous quality enhancement through compliance with the routines and follow-up of evaluations with actions.

The head of the department is to

stimulate academic and educational renewal in the course portfolio
place the development of quality on the agenda for the department's management meeting
ensure that each course has a course coordinator
obtain resources for the courses and, in collaboration with the programme coordinator and course coordinator, adapt the programme in relation to the resources
ensure that the courses are adapted to the needs of the programmes
ensure that planning and implementation of the teaching and examinations complies with the intentions of the quality system
make the arrangements required for the staff to receive the necessary development of academic and teaching competence
ensure that the courses are systematically evaluated
monitor the grading at the department, both over time and in relation to national norms (cf. the national reference panel) and initiate measures as needed
hold meetings with course coordinators to discuss improvement measures based on evaluation reports and other information
follow-up the initiatives with respect to the appropriate entity and in suitable processes
reward good teaching

Relevant links (in Norwegian):

Course coordinator

The course coordinator is appointed by the head of the department, and is responsible for planning and implementing teaching and assessment in accordance with the learning objectives for the course. In addition, the course coordinator is to create good academic, practical and administrative coordination and consistency.

The course coordinator is to

undertake quality assurance and quality enhancement of the courses in line with the principles in the quality system
report resource requirements to the department management and allocate the resources assigned
convene a meeting of the teaching staff for the course to plan teaching, evaluation, and assessment
prepare a semester plan that, on the basis of the learning objectives, presents work methods, teaching activities and any assignments and projects to be completed during the semester
communicate the semester plan and improvement measures to the students
participate in the management meetings for the programme of study when quality and improvement measures are on the agenda
create a reference group for the course at the start of the semester, and convene meetings of the reference group at least three times during the semester
continuously evaluate teaching and learning and together with the reference group and initiate or propose measures applicable to the next implementation of the semester in question
report on the activities undertaken in quality assurance in accordance with the requirements of the quality system

Relevant links (in Norwegian):

Teaching staff

Where several staff members share the teaching for a course, they form a project group headed by the course coordinator.

The teaching staff

planning and implementation of teaching and examinations as well as the evaluation of the teaching with follow-up
shall on their own initiative raise academic, educational and practical matters that could improve the quality of the course with the course coordinator

Relevant links (in Norwegian):

Students - the reference group

It is expected that students will be included and play an active role in the evaluation of courses and programmes of study, as well as in the ensuing discussions aimed at determining suitable improvement measures.

To achieve this at the course level,: the course coordinator discusses the quality of the teaching and learning activities with the students at least 3 times during the semester: at the beginning, to review the semester plan and evaluation system; in connection with the continuous evaluation; and in connection with the final evaluation. It is important to discuss improvement measures both for the semester in question and for the next time the semester is held. The evaluation report with proposals for improvement measures is published through It's learning and is also
Reference groups:: In subjects with many students, it is a requirement that the participation takes place in the form of reference groups for the individual course. The group comprises 2-3 students who are designated by the students at the beginning of the semester as well as the member of the teaching staff who is responsible for the course.
At the level of the study programme:: Representatives of the reference groups within a programme of study meet the management of the programme in a corresponding manner, inter alia to assess the academic, administrative, and practical aspects of the programme as a whole. These meetings will also focus on improvement measures in the short and the long term.

Relevant links (in Norwegian):

Contact information

Comments and any proposals for new functionality or changes in processes and activities (both in diagrams and descriptions) can be e-mailed to utdanningskvalitet@adm.ntnu.no.

Technical questions should be addressed to the user support service Orakeltjenesten - orakel@ntnu.no.