Annex X: The principles of quality assurance of doctoral schools in the quality assurance system of the University of Debrecen
The University defines its quality assurance system based on the stipulations of the National Higher Education Act, as in effect, the criteria of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee, and also in consideration of the European standards of quality assurance in higher education. The administration of the University is committed to operating and developing the quality assurance system.
The objective of the administration with the development of the University’s quality assurance and quality verification system is to ensure that the University provides skills and knowledge for its students that can be used on the Hungarian and international labour market in a high quality and in a way that provides a solid basis for further development.
The quality assurance system of the University, in consideration of the tasks specified in the Deed of Foundation, constitutes a conscious and organized activity involving the University as a whole, which serves the realization of the objectives specified in the quality policy of the University and which primarily focuses on satisfying the needs of direct and indirect partners, especially those of the students in general (irrespective of their form of financing and the programme in which they participate), the employers, clients of research and other services, and the international and Hungarian professional and academic communities. The documentation system of the quality assurance system is prepared by the rector's quality assurance commissioner and approved by the Senate, taking into consideration the opinion of the Quality Improvement Committee of the Senate.
The quality assurance system of the University of Debrecen is based on organisational self-evaluation. The University builds on the following documents and standards in the process of developing and operating its quality assurance system:
- the stipulations of the National Higher Education Act, as in effect at the time;
- the resolutions and guidelines of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee;
- international guidelines for quality assurance, in particular the European standards for quality assurance in higher education, the „“Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area” adopted in Bergen in 2005 (hereinafter: ESG).
The quality assurance system of the doctoral schools is also linked to the quality assurance system of the institution. The system of the doctoral schools is in line with the system of criteria adopted by the Board of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee (MAB) by way of its resolution no. 2019/6/VIII/1 and amended by resolution 2020/5/VIII/1.
The quality assurance characteristics of the doctoral schools of the University of Debrecen
The doctoral schools at the institution develop their quality assurance systems in accordance with MAB's expectations and in line with the institutional system.
The quality managers of the doctoral schools are appointed by the heads of the doctoral schools.
The Quality Improvement Committee of the University of Debrecen invites the quality managers of the doctoral schools, at least once a year, to review best practice and to improve the quality assurance system of the doctoral schools.
From a quality assurance point of view, doctoral schools shall follow MAB’s self-evaluation guidelines.
Within the framework of the institutional quality assurance system, they shall take into consideration the following recommendations.
3. The doctoral school has a quality assessment system that effectively supports the pursuance and further development of its teaching and research/artistic activities, the professional development of its faculty and doctoral students, and the appropriate level of participation in the international academic/art community.
All doctoral schools shall have a quality assessment system in place. To this end, they shall set quality objectives at least every two years, in line with the objectives set annually by the Doctoral and Habilitation Council of the University, which shall be prepared by the quality manager and approved by the head of the doctoral school. The indicators shall be defined by the doctoral school, but it is recommended that the results of the following measurements be reviewed:
- the results of measurements of doctoral students’ satisfaction;
- the results of the student’s evaluations of the teachers;
- the results of measurements of dissertation supervisors’ satisfaction;
- the number of successful dissertation defences;
- the number of students admitted to the programme;
- the length of time spent in the doctoral programme; etc.
The quality objectives of doctoral schools shall be in line with the criteria set out in the Institutional Development Plan (IFT) and in the document titled “Fokozatváltás a felsőoktatásban” (Shifting Gears in Higher Education).
All doctoral schools shall introduce a performance evaluation system. Doctoral schools shall continuously monitor the active publication performance of their members.
Doctoral schools shall also carry out a student evaluation of the teaching activity, the results of which shall be reviewed by the leaders of the doctoral schools and corrective action shall be taken where necessary.
5. Each doctoral school shall have an officially approved, regularly reviewed and documented quality assurance subsystem, developed with the involvement of external and internal stakeholders, which is integrated into the quality assurance system of the institution.
The quality assurance system for the doctoral schools shall be prepared by the quality manager of the doctoral school, reviewed by the head of the doctoral school and approved by the Doctoral Council of the Disciplinary Area (TDT).
The operational management of the quality assurance system of the doctoral schools shall be the responsibility of the quality managers of the doctoral schools. The head of each doctoral school shall be responsible for supervising the operation of the quality assurance system. The rector’s quality assurance commissioner shall be responsible for the development of the quality assurance system of the doctoral schools, as well as for ensuring that the system of the doctoral schools operates in accordance with the guidelines of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee.
The quality assurance system of the doctoral school is in line with the University’s quality assurance system, as it is developed in accordance with the requirements of the ESG and the Hungarian Accreditation Committee.
Doctoral schools shall take stakeholders’ views into account when developing their quality assurance system. For this purpose, all doctoral schools shall continuously introduce satisfaction surveys conducted among their doctoral students, as well as the evaluation of teachers by the students. This annex contains a “sample questionnaire” that doctoral schools may use, with the support of the EvaSys software and with the assistance of the rector’s quality assurance commissioner and his/her staff.
Key principles for quality assurance systems in doctoral schools:
- The principle of professional control and quality-focus: the control of the international and Hungarian academic community shall be enforced throughout the process of the doctoral programme and the degree-awarding procedure.
- The principle of publicity: the main phases of the quality assurance system are widely open to the professional and academic public; in other words, publicity must be enforced throughout the entire process of the doctoral education and the degree-awarding procedure (before the public debate, the opponents’ reviews are published on the website of the doctoral school).
- All events of the degree-awarding process are published on the website of the doctoral school (the dates of the comprehensive examination, the closed and the open debate). The dissertations and thesis booklets submitted to the public debate, as well as the opponents’ reviews are available on the website of the doctoral school. The dates of the public debates shall be announced on the website of the National Doctoral Council, where the dissertations and the thesis booklets of those receiving doctoral degrees shall also be uploaded.
- The principle of taking the requirements of academic ethics into consideration: In the course of the establishment and operation of the quality management system, the relevant positions of the Academic Ethics Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences shall be enforced.
- The principle of the feedback: all persons involved in the operation of the doctoral school, i.e. the teachers, dissertation supervisors, as well as members of the various bodies of the doctoral school shall receive continuous feedback on the quality of their activities, and shall have opportunities for feedbacking their experience.
- The principle of the protection of intellectual property: the doctoral programme is in fully harmony with the laws of the European Union and Hungary on the protection of intellectual property.
- The principle of individual responsibility: in the doctoral programme it can be clearly seen who has what tasks and responsibilities.
- The principle of the documentation of the processes: All decision points related to the doctoral programme and the degree-awarding process are documented; at the same time, the doctoral school strives to impose only a minimal administrative burden on the instructors and researchers participating in the programme and in the degree awarding procedures in connection with the operation of the quality management system.
6. Procedures that put quality assurance policies into practice are effective in protecting the integrity and freedom of higher education and academic life, and in combating fraud, intolerance and discrimination.
The quality assurance systems and procedures of the doctoral schools are developed in line with the University’s quality assurance system. Each doctoral school shall send a description of its quality assurance system to the rector’s quality assurance commissioner, they shall consult, and once a year the best practices of the doctoral schools shall be reviewed at the meeting of the extended Quality Improvement Committee.
All doctoral schools shall require a plagiarism declaration from their doctoral students, and the verifications customary at the institution shall also be carried out with respect to the dissertation.
In any issue of academic honesty that may arise, the requirements of the Code of Ethics of the University of Debrecen shall be applicable.