Internal evaluation of a bachelor’s or master’s programme
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In addition to the student evaluation of teaching, UCLouvain collects students' opinions on the quality of the study programmes (Bachelor's or Master's programme in its entirety).
These surveys, knowns as EPE (evaluation of programmes by students-étudiants) are organised in two contexts:
- systematically for all programmes offered by a faculty (bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, specialised master's degrees), when the faculty starts an EFaQ process, i.e. every 6 years,
- at the request of a programme committee, at any other time (to prepare or evaluate a programme reform, for example). Collaboration with the Louvain Learning Lab can be arranged if the committee requires pedagogical support in implementing a reform.
Methodology
The survey is aimed at students in their graduation year.
The questionnaire includes a standardised section that asks students about the coherence of the programme as a whole, the links between courses and between teachers, the balance of the workload throughout the years of study, the development of skills useful for future socio-professional life, etc.
The programme committee or the GrEFF (within the EFaQ framework) may add other questions to probe more specific issues.
Using the results
When the survey concludes:
- each dean receives a raw report, presenting the results for each of the evaluated dimensions, as well as for each item;
- QOPA orally presents to the faculty a synthesis of students' comments;
- the data are integrated into the dashboard application available to deans and programme managers.
On the basis of these results, faculties are able to make decisions to improve courses. Faculties are responsible for the implementation and communication of their decisions.
Internal evaluation of a continuing education programme
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Responsibilities
The internal evaluation of a continuing education programme is initiated by the academic manager of the continuing education programme. Quality management is one of his/her responsibilities, and he/she is responsible for the programme’s scientific, pedagogical and financial aspects.
The faculty intervenes at the time of accreditation (internal accreditation process), with a view to checking that the course complies with the institution’s quality criteria and the faculty’s priorities.
Evaluation
The manager chooses an evaluation tool and informs the Continuing Education Council (COFC) during the accreditation procedure. The standard tool proposed by the Continuing Education University Institute (IUFC) is generally used.
The data collected from participants by the standard IUFC tool concerns:
- general satisfaction;
- teaching and course quality;
- relevance;
- course suitability and usefulness;
- the system for evaluating participants’ achievements;
- workload;
- course content and teaching arrangements;
- programme coherence;
- mastery of skills by course end;
- impact on participant;
- impact on organisation;
- practical and logistical organisation.
Evaluation results make it possible to:
- measure whether course objectives have been achieved;
- make decisions;
- carry out reporting.