Quality Management in studies and teaching

The responsibilities of the Quality Management in Studies and Teaching include:

Advice and support: Subject-specific and department-specific advice on quality criteria, and support with programme development and accreditation.

Coordination and communication regarding accreditation procedures: Coordination of (re-)accreditation procedures, including communication and consultation with internal and external stakeholders, as well as documentation of the process’s progress and deadline management.

Further development of the QM system: Conceptual and substantive further development of the QM system in studies and teaching, as well as its tools

Preparation for and follow-up on QM boards and committees: Substantive and organisational preparation, support and follow-up for the central QM boards and committees (including the Internal Accreditation Commission and the Quality Advisory Board).

Liaison tasks: Exchanging information and communicating on QM-related topics amongst all stakeholders.

If you have any questions or comments regarding quality management, please do not hesitate to contact us. Together, we can create a vibrant and sustainable culture of quality at the Hochschule Niederrhein.

The QM Manual Moodle course is the information and guidance platform for lecturers, staff, students and anyone else who is interested. It provides a structured overview of the university’s quality management system and clarifies interrelationships, responsibilities and processes.

In the Moodle course, you will find, amongst other things:

• a clear introduction to the Quality Management System for Studies and Teaching Education,
• information on key stakeholders and their roles,
• descriptions of key processes and procedures,
• relevant documents, regulations and legal frameworks,
• further resources and useful links.

This Moodle course helps you to find your way around quickly, apply quality processes with confidence and actively contribute to the further development of studies and teaching education. We recommend that all target groups use the course regularly and keep up to date with the latest developments in quality management.

Enrolment code: Qualität

The aim of the quality management system is to ensure, assess and continuously improve the quality of studies and teaching education. A key aspect of this is to give the relevant stakeholders the autonomy to shape effective quality development at a local level.

The quality management system in studies and teaching at the Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) has been successfully certified by the Accreditation Council of the German Federal States. The positive assessment was issued without any conditions and forms the foundation for the HSNR to make the transition from programme accreditation to system accreditation. It is therefore now authorised to evaluate and certify its Degree programmes independently and to award them the Accreditation Council’s quality distinction. The system accreditation is valid for a period of eight years.

System accreditation is a quality assurance procedure for higher education institutions. Unlike programme accreditation, where individual degree programmes are assessed externally, the focus here is on the institution’s internal quality management system. An independent accreditation agency assesses whether the internal structures and processes ensure that all programmes meet academic standards and statutory requirements.

The assessors emphasised that the Hochschule Niederrhein has established a well-thought-out and structured quality management system that is ideally suited to safeguarding and further developing studies and teaching education. They were particularly impressed by the close integration of the long-term eight-year development and accreditation cycle with a shorter evaluation cycle, which allows for greater agility.

The University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein (HSNR) has been working since 2021 on expanding the quality management system for studies and teaching education – which forms the foundation for system accreditation – and has successfully completed all the steps required for a decision by the Accreditation Council.

The Accreditation Council, established by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK), is the central body for quality assurance in the German higher education system. Its remit is to ensure that higher education institutions and degree programmes meet academic standards and legal requirements.