The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) has conducted an audit of Aalto University and has awarded it a quality label that is valid for six years from 13 June 2016. The quality system of Aalto University fulfils the criteria for the quality management of higher education institutions and corresponds to the European principles and recommendations.
According to the audit team, Aalto University’s strength is its advanced quality policy, which is based on an inclusive process with internal and external stakeholders. Furthermore, there is clear evidence that Aalto University has succeed in creating a comprehensive, well-functioning quality system since its establishment in 2010.
“The audit team found that Aalto University is able to balance very well its three core missions – teaching and learning, research, and service to society. Its quality policy is comprehensive and designed to support the strategic goals of the University. The merger process has been successful and has set Aalto University on a very promising trajectory”, says Andrée Sursock, chair of the audit team and Senior Adviser at the European University Association (EUA).
The audit team also considers that the quality management of the degree education is generally well-established at Aalto University. There is a clear commitment to providing a high-quality experience for all students, and a diverse range of teaching and assessment methods are in use to support this. Additionally, three degree programmes were reviewed in more detail. Especially in the reviewed combination of the Bachelor’s programme in Business and the Master’s programme in Strategy, there are systematic and well-established quality management procedures that support curriculum planning in an excellent manner. The implementation of the programmes is learning-centred and fully functional. Two other degree programmes reviewed were the Bachelor’s programme in Engineering and the Doctoral programme in Chemical Technology.
The audit team also gives recommendations for further development to Aalto University. As a priority, the University is encouraged to establish clear aims and core requirements for its academic advising, doctoral supervision and students’ opportunities to formally receive feedback on their performance as part of the study process. In the area of monitoring, it is recommended that the University further develop suitable indicators for multidisciplinarity as well as for societal impact, as they are strongly promoted in the current University strategy.
The quality management of the tenure track system was the audit theme chosen by Aalto University. The audit team commends the University for the rigorous way in which it has introduced and fine-tuned the tenure process. The audit team found the tenure track system and its quality management process to be clear, systematic, embedded, understood and accepted by the University community and the external stakeholders.
Audits of quality systems of higher education institutions began in Finland in 2005. The audit report is available on FINEEC’s webpage at https://karvi.fi/en/publication/audit-of-aalto-university-2016/
For more details, please contact:
- Andrée Sursock, Chair of the Audit Team, tel.: +33 6 21 71 21 03, email: andree.sursock(at)eua.be
- Kati Isoaho, Senior Advisor, tel.: +358 29 533 5519, email: kati.isoaho(at)karvi.fi
- Report orders: Arja Bilund, Assistant, tel.: +358 29 533 5503, email: arja.bilund(at)karvi.fi
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