Guideline for external evaluation of the university administration

Together with the University for Continuing Education Krems, CHE Consult has developed a guideline for the external evaluation of university administration.

In accordance with the Austrian Universities Act, the country’s universities have their own quality management system for the purposes of quality and performance assurance. External evaluation is part of this system.

The guideline for the evaluation of the university administration of the University for Continuing Education Krems was developed as part of a consultancy assignment. The evaluation procedure itself should be characterised by an innovative, goal-oriented and at the same time proven procedure with a high degree of self-control.

In order to define approaches and feasible focal points for the guideline, intensive and continuous coordination took place between Jens Engelke and Laura Wallor from CHE Consult and Dr Elisabeth Kübler-Berghammer, Head of the Quality Management and Quality Development Unit at the University for Continuing Education Krems. In addition, Jens Engelke and Laura Wallor conducted focus interviews with twelve managers from the university administration and undertook benchmark comparisons. They then drew up a draft guideline, which was finalised after a feedback loop with the Rectorate and submitted to it for approval. The guideline takes into account the university’s internal interests, fulfils the legal formal requirements and also creates demonstrable added value for the university.

“The precise clarification of the assignment was a key factor in this project for a target-oriented guideline conceptualisation. We also have extremely positive memories of the project in terms of the technical content and the cooperation with the university,” says Jens Engelke. Dr Elisabeth Kübler-Berghammer summarises the collaboration with CHE Consult as follows: “We clarified our goals and requirements with CHE Consult in several constructive discussions. CHE Consult suggested approaches that had proven successful in comparable projects internationally, but always left enough room for the framework conditions of our university.”