ÖzU Quality Assurance Framework

Purpose

This policy sets out Özyeğin  University’s  (ÖzU) approach to assuring the quality of its activities.

Objectives

ÖZU is committed to achieving quality in all its activities. This policy will head a quality framework to support and enable:

• the achievement of objectives, measures and targets identified in ÖzU’s Strategic Plan;
• continuous quality improvement in all activities; and
• ÖzU in meeting relevant standards and compliance obligations across all relevant jurisdictions.

ÖzU is committed to upholding standards and ensuring quality improvement of its academic and educational activities across all ÖzU points of presence and through its partnerships and other relationships.

University aims to become an institution of outstanding quality by committing to;

1. Provide high quality academic instructions;
2. Undertake high quality research to underpin and strengthen ÖzU’s academic programs;
3. Maximize student wellness by creating an environment that is conducive for intellectual and personal growth;
4. Promote equity in access.

Legal Ground  

Key legislative frameworks, external academic standards and external reference points for assuring quality in accordance with this policy are:

• Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, 2015
• The Higher Education Law No. 2547
• Higher Education Quality Assurance Council, Quality Assurance Regulations (Date of Official Gazette: 23.07.2015 No: 29423)
• The Turkish Qualifications Framework  2011;
• Other relevant legislation and legislative instruments, and relevant Turkish and International Standards;
• Relevant benchmarks for disciplines, professional standards and accreditation processes and codes of practice that apply to specific activities.

Scope

All activities of the Özyeğin University. ÖzU’s main quality assurance, continuous improvement processes and arrangements are:

• Governance and management oversight and monitoring of quality, compliance, integrity, risk and performance;
• Setting of objectives, measures and targets and monitoring of performance, achievements and outcomes through OzU’s strategic planning cycle;
• Providing benchmarks for evaluating performance;
• Articulation of a comprehensive set of policies governing academic activities;
• Comprehensive cyclical reviews of ÖzU activities including Faculties/Schools, research centres and administrative  units ;
• the involvement of external stakeholders in quality assurance;
• Frameworks for risk management and compliance management;
• Institutional monitoring of educational activities                                                     

Continuous Quality Improvement

Continuous quality improvement is supported through a cycle of “Plan, Implement, Review, Improve” (PIRI), embedded within ÖZU’s planning and management approach.The PIRI principles are implemented through a cyclical process of:

1. planning, including setting a new strategic direction or a key improvement to current practice, on the basis of internal and/or external review
2. implementing the plan and monitoring the results against agreed performance measures
3. reviewing performance against the data reported and then re-planning
4. improvement based on review as well as sustaining those areas of good practice identified as working well during implementation

Responsibilities

Responsibilities pertaining to quality and standards are embedded within ÖzU’s governance arrangements. In particular:

1. The Senate has responsibility for establishing Quality policy and is accountable to the Turkish Higher Education Quality Commission for quality assurance and compliance with higher education standards by the Turkish Higher Education Council. Responsibilities for assuring and improving quality are identified in relevant policies and procedures or the terms of reference of committees.
2. The Rector is responsible and accountable to the Senate  for quality management, quality assurance and compliance with higher education standards across the range of all University activities
3. Faculty/ School Boards are responsible for reporting to the Senate on matters referred to them, implementing policy and strategy and monitoring policy implementation.
4. The Quality Commission has responsibility for quality assurance, quality improvement and compliance with relevant higher education standards in the areas of academic governance and management.
5. The Vice-Rector (Research), in collaboration with the Senate, is responsible and accountable to the Rector for quality assurance, quality improvement and compliance with relevant higher education standards in the specific areas of research, research training and innovation.
6. The General Secretary is responsible and accountable to: the Rector for quality assurance, quality improvement and compliance with relevant higher education standards in the specific areas of financial management, operational management; safety and security, and facilities.
7. Executive Deans/Directors  are responsible for providing leadership across academic and management activities and ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place to uphold standards and support quality in accordance with their respective Faculties/Schools . Other staff in senior leadership positions are responsible for providing leadership in supporting quality and compliance within the specified accountabilities of their role.
8. The Students Dean is responsible and accountable to the Rector for quality assurance, quality improvement and compliance with relevant higher education standards in the areas of initiating and leading student success strategies, advancing and supporting higher education research, learning and teaching scholarship, and academic governance.
9. Heads of School, Directors or Managers who report direct to a member of the Executive are responsible and accountable to the relevant member of Executive for implementation of the University’s quality system, quality assurance, quality improvement and compliance with relevant higher education standards within the School or administrative unit/s or University-wide functional areas that they lead.
10. The Accreditation and Quality Assurance Office is responsible for supporting ÖZU’s quality framework, review processes legislative and regulatory compliance, and for supporting other units in achieving their accountabilities.
11. All employees of the University, through their supervisor, are responsible and accountable to their supervisor, for implementing the University’s quality system, quality assurance and improvement processes, and processes for compliance with higher education standards as they pertain to each employee’s work and area of operation as identified in policies and procedures, role statements or position descriptions
12. Students and other members of the University community have a responsibility to contribute to quality assurance and improvement at the University. Özyeğin University regulates its relations with external stakeholders with respect the External Stakeholders Policy (in Turkish).