Go to the University of Bologna homepage
Department of Political and Social Science - SPS

Quality of Research and Teaching

The Quality Assurance System management system consists of four interrelated processes: planning, management, self-assessment and improvement.

Quality of Research

The approach dictated by the Quality Assurance Committee consists in introducing quality principles in the department: transparency, information sharing, and verifying results with indicators or documentary evidence. It facilitates self-evaluation, offering support to the Departments in defining improvement goals according to their own specificities and in line with the goals of the University Strategic Plan.

Single Annual Report on Departmental Research (SUA-RD) 

The Single Annual Report of Departmental Research (Scheda Annuale della Ricerca Dipartimentale, SUA-RD) collects information on research and the third mission and is drawn up by the department. During the annual review meeting, the Department analyses qualitative and quantitative information relating to goals, organisation, quality policies of the department, research groups, and third mission and public engagement initiatives. The SUA-RD is also used for the annual verification of research results for the purposes of periodic evaluation and accreditation conducted by ANVUR - Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes.

SUA-RD continuous improvement cycle

Quality assurance in research and third mission activities:

Planning

  • Defining the three-year objectives for research and third mission activities, in line with the University’s strategic plan and with monitoring indicators (SUA-RD Quadro A1)
  • Third Mission strategy: The department’s main strategy in line with its specifications (SUA-RD Quadro I0)

Managing

  • Department Organisation (go to Organisation)
  • Research Groups (go to Research groups)
  • QA management system research: Duties and responsibilities when conducting reviews, resource distribution criteria. (SUA-RD Quadro B2)

Assessing

  • Analysis of the monitoring results: In-depth self-evaluation (AV) and assessment of progress in the three-year goals (SUA-RD Quadro B3 Review)

Improving

  • Definition and scope for improvement: Defining the areas that require improvement as identified by the self-evaluation (SUA-RD Quadro B3 Review)

Quality of Teaching

The quality of teaching represents the ability to adequately respond to the expectations of anyone who is interested in the learning service offered, including students, families and the world of work.

Specifically, both at university and department level, it involves setting up objectives, tools, actions and checks so as to implement a quality policy with the aim to constantly improve the programme catalogue.

The Continuous Improvement of Degree Programmes

University strategies and actions for the implementation, activation and evaluation of the programme catalogue:

Planning

  • Degree programmes planning: definition of the learning programme demand and of the professional profile (SUA-CdS Quadro A1 and Quadro A2), of the learning objectives and expected outcomes (SUA-CdS Quadro A4 and Quadro F)
  • Annual planning of the teaching process, regulations and course structure diagram (SUA-CdS Quadro A3, Quadro A5 and Quadro B1 and planned programme catalogue)
  • Teaching programme for resources (SUA-CdS Provided educational offer)

Management

  • Organisation of learning activities (SUA-CdS B2)

Self-assessment

  • Analysis of the monitoring results (SUA- CdS, Quadro B6, Quadro B7, Quadro C1, Quadro C2, Quadro D Review of the Joint Committee's Report)

Improvement

  • Defining and implementing improvement initiatives (SUA-CdS, Monitoraggio Annuale)