Uppsala University´s Programme Reviews

Lärare som förklarar något för två studenter vid en dator

UU:s model for programme reviews consists of internal annual systematic follow-up and external reviews every six years. Uppsala University’s Model is based on academic quality culture and builds upon the following starting points. Uppsala Universiy’s Programme Review Model includes all programmes, main fields of study and freestanding courses. The Vice-Chancellor has adopted Guidelines for the Programme Review Model. Programme reviews are to assure and enhance quality in education in a systematic way.

The aim is to encourage teachers, programme coordinators and students to create an education of the highest national and international quality.

The reviews will include a comprehensive assessment of the quality of the programmes – the strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement – and supplement the ongoing quality enhancements that have already taken place at the university. Every review will cover eleven different aspects grouped in five themes.

Uppsala University’s model is based on academic quality culture and is:

  • decentralised and based on continuous quality assurance and quality enhancement. This means that responsibility for design, implementation and follow-up is allocated to the responsible board, allowing the Model to be shaped and adapted to suit local conditions
  • based on external peer review and collegial working forms;
  • promotes quality and includes student participation. Teachers, students and doctoral students participate in the reviews.
  • stringent, i.e. able to identify and remedy deficiencies;
  • as simple and cost-effective as possible.

Reviewer reports and planned actions are published after a programme review.

Uppsala University’s model for review of study programmes is decentralized, and each disciplinary domain/faculty board is responsible for quality assurance, enhancement and follow-up in their respective fields.

The disciplinary domains/faculty boards have developed their own forms and routines for review of study programmes and annual follow-up, within the framework of Uppsala University’s model for review of study programmes.

There is a timetable Pdf, 511 kB. (in Swedish) for the disciplinary domains/faculties reviews of study programmes for the cycle 2023-2028.

The document Support and Advice for Programme Reviews Pdf, 523 kB. gives support when planning and conducting a programme review. There is also the document Idea bank - review questions based on the aspects Pdf, 242 kB. for support when formulating questions for e.g. self-evaluations.

In 2018, a Student Barometer was conducted for the first time at Uppsala University. It is a survey going out to all students registered the semester when the survey is being sent out. The questionnaire relates to the eleven aspects in the guidelines, and the results and potential actions can be used in self evaluation work and annual follow-ups. Some questions concerning psychosocial study environment are also included in the questionnaire.

To further support the work with follow-ups and reviews of programmes, some indicators concerning education at Uppsala University can be found in Glis.

Uppsala University organises a conference for review of study programmes. Aims with the conference are to inspire, disseminate results and experiences within the University, as well as to stimulate collegial discussions across the lines of Disciplinary Domains and Faculties for quality enhancement purposes.

Target audience: education managers (programme coordinators, directors of study, course coordinators, heads of department, deans, pro deans, committees, boards), teachers, student unions, doctoral students, faculty programme officers, pedagogical and other support functions.

Aims with the conference are to inspire, disseminate results and experiences within the University, as well as to stimulate collegial discussions across the lines of Disciplinary Domains and Faculties for quality enhancement purposes. The internal annual conference is a part of the Uppsala University’s Model for Review of Study Programmes.

The Conference will take place the 2nd of April 2025 in Ihresalen at Engelska parken. The program can be found in the staff portal.

The Conference 2024 in April, in the University Main Building. The conference was given in half-day format and consist of theme sessions with opportunities to exchange experiences and discuss with colleagues.

Uppsala University’s Model for Review of Study Programmes includes the annual compilation of a University-wide quality report based on completed reviews. The aim of the quality report is to summarise what the reviews of the study programmes shows and which actions that are planned, to provide an overview and to contribute to the dissemination of knowledge and experience across the University. The report is written in Swedish but contains a summary in English.

In all 226 programme evaluations were carried out during the period 2017–2022, either within the framework of the University’s model or that of the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ).

Evaluations within Uppsala university’s model

  • A total of 204 programme reviews were carried out during the first six-year cycle (2017–2022). The majority of these related to Bachelor’s or Master’s programmes (n=166, 81%), while 38 related to doctoral programmes.
  • A total of 128 assessment panels reviewed programmes under the University’s model
  • 50 of the assessment panels included at least one international assessor (39%)
  • Almost a fifth (18%) of the assessment panels had a working life representative.
  • In total, 314 external subject experts (including 66 international assessors), 138 students/doctoral students and 118 internal assessors (teachers from another faculty at UU) have reviewed the programmes.
  • About a dozen internal assessors have participated in more than one review. During the period, most departments contributed at least one internal assessor to an assessment panel.
  • A total of five assessment panels did not have a student representative (due to late withdrawals or the student union’s inability to recruit a student representative). In 21 assessment panels (16%) there have been two students/doctoral students.
  • Three benchmarking-based programme reviews were carried out with higher education institutions in Scotland, the Netherlands and Germany.
  • 34 programmes (17%) were given a board decision on special follow-up of a necessary measure.

All programme reviews have resulted in planned actions that have been followed up in the disciplinary domain or faculty’s annual review. The disciplinary domains and faculties have reported during the course of the period that they have strengthened their annual follow-up in various ways.

UKÄ’s evaluations

  • UKÄ has evaluated 22 programmes at UU, including 12 doctoral studies subjects (computer science, psychology, economics, history, art history, education, ethics, history of religion, literature, physical chemistry, organic chemistry and analytical chemistry), all of which were rated as high quality.
  • Evaluations were also conducted of the teacher education programmes for primary education (preschool and school years 1–3, and school years 4–6), the upper secondary school teacher education programme (educational science core, mathematics, Swedish and social sciences), the nursing programme, the specialist nursing programme (pre-hospital emergency care and psychiatric care).
  • In summary, the majority of programmes evaluated by the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) have resulted in a rating of high quality, while four programmes (18%) were initially rated as being of questionable quality but got high quality after follow-up.

There is more information about UKÄ’s evaluationsin the staff portal.

Contact

For questions or information about programme reviews and support in relation to these contact Maria Wolters, Maria Magnusson or Therese Ljunghammar

FOLLOW UPPSALA UNIVERSITY ON

facebook
instagram
twitter
youtube
linkedin