NTNU’s quality system for education describes goals for the quality work and defines roles, responsibilities, tasks, and follow-up processes. This wiki provides an overview over roles and responsibilities in quality assurance.

Main page: Education Quality at NTNU
See also: NTNU's Quality Assurance System for Education - Board Decision
Norsk versjon: Alle roller - kvalitetssystem for utdanning

Student

All students are expected to actively participate in the development of the quality of the education. This is done through ongoing dialogue with the teacher, by providing input to or participating in reference groups, responding to surveys, participating in dialogue meetings etc.

• The reference group must maintain an open dialogue with all the students following the course, and represents all students in the reference group’s meetings. The reference group writes a report that is submitted to the course coordinator, including suggestions for improvement.
• The student democracy contributes to the quality improvement and represents the students at all organizational levels. The student democracy includes elected representatives at faculty and department level, an in all study programme councils. The Student Parliament (Studenttinget NTNU) has a political leadership who contributes to the processes on NTNU level and provides support to other elected representatives.
• Students who feel that their feedback or reviews are not followed up, should report this to student union representatives, a student advisor or to the administration at either department or faculty level.
• If the matter is still not followed up on, or if it is a sensitive issue that is difficult for the student to address, they may report it as a deviation of education quality and learning environment. Students who experience grave and reprehensible conditions may report this as a notification case (whistleblowing).

See also:

• Evaluate courses and programs – student
• Get involved in student government

Ph.d. candidate

• Ph.d. candidates are involved in the quality work in relevant bodies on all levels, similar to the involvement of regular students. The PhD candidates’ interest organization (DION) contributes to the processes when necessary.
• Ph.d. candidates with teaching responsibilities will also take on the role of “teacher” in the quality assurance system.

Teacher

The teacher shall carry out teaching and learning activities that contribute to the students’ achievement of the learning outcome described for the course.

• The teacher should have an ongoing dialogue with the students about the quality of the course. They should discuss with the course coordinator any academic, pedagogic, or practical matters that may improve the quality of the course.

Course coordinator

The course coordinator is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing the course.

• The course coordinator must ensure that teaching, learning activities and assessments are well aligned, so that they contribute to the students’ achievement of the defined learning outcome.
• The course coordinator must obtain input from the students, evaluate, follow up on any needs for improvement in consultation with the head of department and communicate follow-up actions to future course cohorts.

Head of department

The head of department is responsible for ensuring that the quality assurance of the courses at the department is carried out in accordance with current requirements.

• The head of department must ensure that the quality work is documented and included in the annual quality reporting process.
• The head of department approves follow-up plans and makes sure they are carried out through resource allocation and personnel management.

Academic program director

The academic program director (study program leader) shall contribute to the development of the learning environment as well as to the academic and pedagogical quality of the study program.

• The academic program director has an advisory role, and their tasks are carried out in close collaboration with the dean, the head of department, the course coordinators, teachers, and students.
• The academic program director heads the study program council and reports to the dean or head of department, depending on management model.
• The academic program director writes the annual study program report as part of the quality reporting process.

See also:

• Management of study programs
• Mandate for the study program leader

Study program council

The study program council gives advice about the quality development of a study program and provides input to the annual study program review.

• The study program council is composed of students, academic staff, and administrative staff.
• There should be external representatives in the study program council, or a provision of input from external actors.
• One study program council may serve as the council for several study programs.

See also: Study program council

Dean

The dean is responsible for ensuring that the quality assurance work of the faculty’s study programs is performed in accordance with current requirements, and that the study offers are conducted in accordance with regulations.

• The dean makes decisions about establishment and discontinuation of study offers that carry less than 60 ECTS, unless the offer is subject to one of the executive committees.
• The dean must make sure that all study programs have an appointed academic program director and a study program council, and must provide sufficient resources for study program management and quality assurance work.
• The dean may establish faculty-specific routines and arrangements as an extension to NTNU’s quality system, based on the individual faculty’s needs.
• For study programs that include practical training, the dean is responsible for ensuring that there are arrangements in place at the faculty to meet the requirements for quality in practice that are laid out in the study supervision requirements and in the regulations concerning the framework plans for professional education.
• The dean is responsible for approving follow-up plans and for making sure that such plans are carried out in consultation with the academic program director, heads of affected departments and, in the case of cross-faculty study programs, also collaborating deans.
• The dean reports to the rector through the annual quality report.

Learning environment committee

The learning environment committee (LMU) reports directly to the board and gives advice to both the board and the administration in matters concerning the learning environment at NTNU.

• LMU shall have a holistic and overarching impression of NTNU’s work concerning the learning environment.
• LMU submits an annual report to the Board and provides input to the annual quality reporting process.

See also: Læringsmiljøutvalget (in Norwegian)

Executive committees

The executive committees for the Master of Science in Engineering (FUS), the 5-year Teacher Education (FUL) and the Engineering Programs (FUI) are organizationally placed under the rector’s administration.

• FUS, FUL and FUI are responsible for the cross-faculty coordination of the above-mentioned academic subjects and for developing common quality requirements for these programs.
• FUS, FUI and FUL make decisions about establishment and discontinuation of study offers tat carry less than 60 ECTS, including study plans and learning outcome descriptions.
• FUS, FUL and FUI give advice to the rector on the development of the study program portfolio.
• In accordance with their mandates, the committees shall ensure that the quality assurance work is followed up and will prepare an annual quality report (kvalitetsmelding) with emphasis on measures to improve quality.
• The quality reports are processed by the rector in the annual quality reporting process.

See also:

• Executive committee for engineering education
• Executive committee for teacher education
• Forvaltningsutvalget for ingeniørutdanningen (in Norwegian)

Research committee

The research committee (FU) is a strategic advisory committee for the rector with focus on the research area.

• The research committee, among other tasks, provides advice to the rector on quality assurance and development of the PhD education.

See also: The university research committee

Education committee

The education committee (UU) is a strategic advisory committee for the rector within the education area.

• The education committee provides advice to the rector about quality assurance of educational activities and about the annual quality report.

See also: Utdanningsutvalget (in Norwegian)

Rector

The rector is responsible for making sure that the quality work is carried out in accordance with formal requirements and that the quality system is updated in line with new frameworks and objectives.

• The rector approves changes in the study program portfolio for study offers that carry 60 ECTS or more.
• The rector reports to the Board through NTNU’s annual quality report for education.
• The rector conducts cyclical candidate and employer surveys. These surveys are arranged so that the faculties can use the data obtained in their quality assurance processes.

The Board

The board is responsible for ensuring that NTNU has a quality assurance system for education. This includes the overall responsibility to make sure that quality assurance work is conducted in accordance with requirements and regulations, and that accreditation and quality assurance take place within the current legal framework.

• The board annually passes a resolution on NTNU’s quality assurance report that contains long-term plans for the development of the study program portfolio.