Education planning and administration handbook - Chapter 5

Quality assurance

5.1 Quality assurance
5.2 Course evaluations
5.3 Programme evaluations
5.4. Student welfare follow-up

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5.1 Quality assurance

The purpose of SLU's systematic quality work is to ensure that research, education and environmental monitoring and assessment at SLU are of high quality and to identify development needs through structured and systematic work, which is carried out in a coordinated manner at different levels of the organisation according to established procedures. The systematic quality work covers both the conditions and the content of the activities. The quality system is designed to ensure that all SLU activities work appropriately and effectively to fulfil the requirements of the Higher Education Act and the Higher Education Ordinance, that national and European standards and guidelines are followed and that the objectives of SLU's strategy are achieved.

During the period 2026-2031, all degree programmes at SLU will be evaluated on the basis of an established process for quality assurance of education based on defined quality areas. The central parts of the process consist of current situation analyses, external peer reviews and quality dialogues at various levels within SLU. The process aims to assure the  quality of programmes and to identify development needs in relation to the different quality areas. The work results in a quality report describing the implementation of the quality assurance process, action plans containing programme-specific development measures and general development measures linked to the operational support for education.

The purpose of systematic quality management is to

• analyse - the current situation of the activity in relation to a standard (i.e. an internal target) for each quality area
• identify - quality-enhancing actions for improvement/development
• implement - decided actions
• monitor - the implementation of agreed actions and results on an annual basis.

SLU rules

SLU's quality system and systematic quality work are described in the following documents, only available in Swedish:

Policy för sammanhållet kvalitetssystem och systematiskt kvalitetsarbete vid SLU 

Plan för systematiskt kvalitetsarbete inom utbildning på grundnivå och avancerad nivå (plan för tillämpning av policyn)

Tidplan för utvärderingar 2026-2031

Who is responsible for what?

Formal responsibility for systematic quality assurance of first- and second-cycle education is based on SLU's central delegation of authority and the faculties' delegations of authority. The division of responsibilities is described in more detail in the document Plan för systematiskt kvalitetsarbete inom utbildning på grundnivå och avancerad nivå.

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5.2 Course evaluations

Policy

Course evaluations must be followed up and used as a tool in the quality development of courses. They must be handled in such a way that both student and teacher integrity is preserved. Therefore, students must have the right to be anonymous when writing course evaluations.

Good higher education presupposes well-designed and implemented course evaluations. This in turn presupposes reciprocity. The course evaluation system is based on enabling students to give constructive feedback on courses and teaching. Teachers must then use the evaluations as a valuable instrument for quality development. Students should feel that their opinions are met with interest and respect.

Student feedback is part of the course, and they are not reimbursed for their time. Since course evaluations are not compulsory, it is important that the responsible department provides information on and organises course evaluations with the aim to receive as many responses as possible. SLU appreciates the information provided by the student unions to students about the opportunities to influence their studies by responding to course evaluations. It is a good idea to invite the student representative who takes part in compiling the results to also take part of the work described above as well as in scheduling the course evaluation session.

National regulations

'The higher education institution must provide students participating in, or who have completed, a course, with the opportunity to present their opinions about the course through a course evaluation organised by the institution.'

'The higher education institution must compile the course evaluations and provide information about the results, as well as any actions prompted by the course evaluations. The results must be made available to the students.'

SLU rules

Results and conclusions from course evaluations must be reported in the common electronic course evaluation system (Evald). This should include, where appropriate, information on adjustments to the course, and/or reasons why a criticised content and approach may remain. The results presented in the summaries are numerical responses to questions common to all courses and summaries of students' and teachers' views.

The next time the course is offered, the results of the previous course evaluation should be presented, as well as information on any changes resulting from the course evaluation.

A student has the right to represent the student group and participate in the compilation of comments for a course evaluation, a work that is compensated with 400 SEK per course. The remuneration is taxable and part of the cost of organising the course, which means that the department concerned does not receive specific resources for that purpose. The amount is the same regardless of the number of credits of the course and the number of students.

Who is responsible for what?

SLU's teachers and students have a shared responsibility for carrying out course evaluations. The department responsible for the course must:

• compile and follow up their respective course evaluations, unless the responsible faculty has decided otherwise;
• report the results and conclusions of course evaluations in the common electronic course evaluation system Evald;
• pay a course evaluation remuneration, but only once to one student per course instance.

Instructions

The responses are reported regardless of the number of responses (UKÄ's report 29 November 2018: Supervision of the application of rules at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, only in Swedish). However, the assessment of the results must be made taking into account the number of responses and the proportion of respondents.

The student representative participating in the compilation fills in a form (see below) and submits it to the department responsible for the course in order to be reimbursed.

Links

Evald
Student reimursement form

5.3 Programme evaluations

Policy

The student participating in or having completed a degree programme will be given the opportunity to express their experience and views on the programme. SLU aims to carry out programme evaluations on an ongoing basis and in connection with students applying for degrees. Programme evaluations are to be followed up and used as a tool for quality enhancement in education. In addition, procedures should be in place for the follow-up of programme students (completion rate and drop-outs).

Who is responsible for what?

The programme boards are responsible for carrying out evaluations of the programmes (SLU Board's delegation of authority). The programme directors are responsible for monitoring students' results, both qualitatively and quantitatively (vice-chancellor's delegation of authority). The Division of Learning and Digitalisation provides system support for monitoring (university administration's delegation of authority).

Links

Lens (management information system, requires login)

Programme evaluations

5.4. Student welfare monitoring

Policy

SLU conducts a regular student welfare survey among all students.

Who is responsible for what?

The Student Welfare Council (Strå) is responsible for the implementation of the student social survey (vice-chancellor’s delegation of authority, in Swedish only).

Links

Student welfare surveys

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