INTRODUCTION
The Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) was established in the 2010-2011 Academic Year and operates under the Office of the President of the University College. The QAU reports directly to the President and it leads the process by which the University College ensures that high standards of educational resources and services, and outcomes are maintained to meet the guidelines or requirements of the national supervisory bodies (the National Accreditation Board and the National Council for Tertiary Education).
Through its quality assurance arrangements, the University College ensures that:
- the objectives and curriculum of its degree programmes are appropriate and meet the academic and professional standards,
- both available human and physical resources are appropriate and adequate for achieving the objectives of the University College,
- it is striving continually to improve its teaching and learning environment, and the degree programmes; and
- its resources are optimally used so as to ensure value for money.
The mandate of the Quality Assurance Unit is to ensure that good standards of development and improvement are maintained in teaching and learning, research and the general service delivery of the University College.
STAFF STRENGTH
The staff of the Quality Assurance Unit are:
- Dr. S. B Adubofour, Ag. Head of QAU
- Mr. David Kwao Sarbah
Depending on the workload of the Unit (such as during the periods of auditing examination results, and data collection and capturing for the staff assessment) the Human Resource Unit of the Offices of the Registrar assigns additional staff of the Administrative rank to the Quality Assurance Unit for short periods.
ACTIVITIES
The main activities of the Quality Assurance Unit are:
- Assisting the Examinations Coordinator in the preparation of Teaching and Examination Timetables, and formatting of Examination Question Papers.
- Monitoring teaching activities which include the review of Course Outlines and their implementation, and the preparation of Course Handouts and their distribution to students.
- Monitoring the attendance of the teaching staff and students at lectures through the Lecturers’ Attendance Records Form and Attendance Form that they are respectively required to complete and sign.
- Auditing the results of the End of Semester Examinations for both the August Admission and the January Admission students, and the Special Supplementary Examination for students who trailed Only Level 400 courses.
- Conducting teaching staff performance evaluation by students at the ends of the first and the second semesters of the academic year, and the assessment of the non-teaching staff by peers at the end of the academic year. An online mode of data collection has been adopted for the assessment and this replaces the manual administration and completion of the questionnaires.
- Evaluation of the facilities and equipment in lecture rooms and services of the institution as input into policies to enhance the teaching and learning environment of the University College.
- The Staff of the Quality Assurance Unit serve on other committees and Boards of the University College.
REPORTS/PUBLICATIONS OF QAU
The regular reports produced by the Quality Assurance Unit covering its activities in the University College are on the following:
- Assessment of Teaching Staff by students at the end of each semester of the academic year.
- Annual assessment of Non-Teaching Staff by peers and supervisors.
- Audit report on examination results at the end of each End of Semester Examination and ACCESS examination (for the admission of Mature candidates).
- Assessment of teaching facilities and equipment.
CONCLUSION
The Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) has made good progress to mainstream quality assurance in the activities of the departments/units and the general operations in the University College. The QAU wishes to acknowledge support of the members of the Management Board chaired by the President and entire CSUC community for the mainstreaming of quality assurance in the operations of the University College. It is our hope that the QAU together with the Faculties/Schools, departments/units and all stakeholders will continue to work together to achieve excellence in the aspects of teaching, research and service activities of the University College in the coming years as we implement the Quality Improvement Programme.
