How did the student influence in the university chancellor's institution reviews go? In a new report, the SFS Quality Committee, SQC, has analyzed student laws for the past evaluation cycle which was from 2017 to 2023.
In the report, we have chosen to look at ourselves in the mirror and reflect on how student influence comes into play. The report has intended to study when, where and how student influence emerges in the student submissions for the University Chancellor's office's university reviews. Within the framework of the university review, the relevant student union(s) at the university are given the opportunity to write a document, called a student submission, which the assessment group can include in its assessment of the university's quality assurance system. The student submission is not a mandatory part of the review process. UKÄ describes that the aim is to give the student body an opportunity to present their views on and experiences of the university's quality assurance work. It can be about, for example, how student influence works in practice and how it is felt in the quality work.
In the conclusions, SQC recommends that the emphasis on systematics needs to increase, that is, to be careful that it is the system that is studied and not necessarily the content of the education. Here both UKÄ and SFS can make efforts to strengthen the student unions in their work. This applies to information, training and talking to student unions about the student contribution.
Camilla Åsberg, member of SQC, about the results in the report:
- It has been useful to reflect on what we students can do to contribute to quality development in the best way. We hope that the analysis can develop student influence in UKÄ's future processes. We see that there is work to be done, both by us student unions, but of course also by the universities and UKÄ.
The report was launched and discussed during a breakfast conversation organized by SFS on 25 January 2024. The following panel commented on the report.
- Karl Kilbo Edlund, PhD student with experience in quality assurance, student influence and author of a student paper.
- Viveka Persson, acting head of department at the evaluation department at the University Chancellor's Office.
- Liselott Lycke, head of department Academy and management support and quality manager at Högskolan Väst.
The call can be viewed afterwards SFS page on Facebook.
SFS quality committee, SQC, can be contacted at [email protected].
Read the full report below.