Quality label to Lapland University of Applied Sciences

The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) has conducted an audit of Lapland University of Applied Sciences and awarded the institution a quality label that is valid for six years from 22 August 2017.

According to the audit team, Lapland University of Applied Sciences has systematic and well-established procedures in place for evaluating and developing its quality system. Strategy-orientation is clearly reflected in the quality system and core duties of the institution. Degree education as well as research, development and innovation (RDI) have proper quality management procedures in place.

- The quality system of Lapland University of Applied Sciences provides an effective tool for identifying strengths and development priorities. The responsibilities under the quality system are clearly laid out and the personnel, who are committed to the quality work, consider quality management to be part of their daily work. The quality system produces relevant information for strategic management and resource planning. In addition, the institution has created excellent procedures for strengthening and verifying the integration of RDI and teaching, says the Chair of the audit team, Director Pekka Hulkko from Centria University of Applied Sciences.

In the audit, three degree programmes were reviewed in more detail. Lapland University of Applied Sciences has developed good practices for ensuring the high quality of degree programmes. Especially in the degree programme for a Master’s degree in health promotion, planning and implementation of education are supported by quality management in an excellent way.

The audit team also gave recommendations for further development of the institution’s quality system. Students and alumni should play a stronger role in the development of the quality system. According to the audit team, students should have more in-depth understanding of their role in the quality work and this could be achieved through more extensive familiarisation with the work of the institution's development teams.

The dialogue between the management and the student union should also take place on a more systematic and active basis. According to the audit team, impacts of the feedback should be more extensively communicated to the students. The audit team also recommends continuing the harmonisation work in the functioning of the quality system between individual fields of study and units.

Audits of quality systems of higher education institutions began in Finland in 2005. The second audit cycle will be soon completed and the third cycle will start in 2018.

Report:
The audit report is available on FINEEC’s webpage at: https://karvi.fi/en/publication/audit-of-lapland-university-of-applied-sciences-2017/