System-wide analysis

On the basis of the calendar listing the topics to be covered by the system-wide analyses, NVAO sends out invitations once a year, stating the deadline for applications. Institutions or programmes interested in participating may indicate so and delegate a contact person to take a seat on the working group responsible for the analysis. In the event of insufficient participants, the intended topic may be modified in order to encourage potential participants to put forward a candidate. The first step in setting up a system-wide analysis is to determine the research question(s) that will underpin the analysis, and the input that can be used to this end. The analysis does not cover aspects that fall under the heading of generic quality and whose presence is thus regarded as self-evident in any institution or programme. A system-wide analysis commences with the formulation of an exploratory memorandum by NVAO. This memorandum comprises an initial analysis of the available and relevant information in (international) practice and in the literature. NVAO will perform any preparatory work. If it does not command the required expertise, NVAO will enlist the services of an expert to this end. NVAO will publish the exploratory memorandum on its website. Subsequently, participants discovering that the topic has less of a bearing on their own practice than expected have a period of 30 calendar days to withdraw their participation. The working group is allowed the same period of time to have new participants join.

NVAO appoints a working group consisting of the representatives of the institutions involved and/or their relevant programme(s). Participants are expected to provide active input, based on their (positive or negative) experience with, or expertise in, the topic and the related quality aspects. Preferably, the participants are attuned to the international context in order to be able to venture beyond the Flemish reference framework. Students who command or are developing expertise with respect to the topic may also sit on the working group. The working group designates a chair and a deputy chair to oversee its activities. The working group is assisted by a member of the NVAO staff who also acts as its secretary. Furthermore, the working group may invite students to conduct part of the research within the framework of their bachelor’s or master’s examination, work placement, or any other programme component. NVAO publishes the composition of the working group on its website. The mandatory participation of universities and university colleges is thus registered. The representatives of the participating institutions / programmes set down agreements on the expected output and assume ownership of the next steps in the analysis. They share their expertise and, wherever possible, they put forward their own good practices in order to build on the information contained in the exploratory memorandum. The aim is to retrieve the broad outlines, to take stock, to identify trends and developments, and to identify strengths and points for attention. Existing practices are scrutinised and mapped out. Wherever necessary, the working group will interview relevant discussion partners.

A peer-to-peer event with international peers and experts places the insights of the working group in a wider international perspective. The aim is to collectively identify good practices and expand the insights gained within the working group, testing the Flemish practice against international developments. This enables the participants to learn from one another. During the event, the working group will elaborate the output of the system-wide analysis in more concrete terms. It will formulate its conclusions, if any, regarding quality aspects and present potential recommendations. To this end, NVAO will appoint a minimum of two international experts commanding thorough and up-to-date knowledge of the topic and the related quality aspects. Optimum account will be taken of suggestions from the participating institutions / programmes. A criterion for the selection of such experts is that they must be capable of propagating the Flemish practice abroad.

The NVAO staff member will collect the results of the analysis in an overview report. This report provides readers with a transparent answer to the research question(s). The report is primarily intended for the entire higher education community in Flanders and, by extension, for its external stakeholders and society at large. It is a self-contained document that outlines the current state of affairs regarding the topic, with attention being paid to good practices and the context in which such practices flourish. In addition, it may hold an assessment of expected developments and trends. The overview report also places the Flemish practice in an international perspective. Wherever possible, conclusions or recommendations are formulated with respect to the quality aspects related to the topic of the analysis. The system-wide analyses thus focus attention on the quality of education and provide an added value in the purview of continuous quality improvement. Once all the working group members have approved the contents of the overview report, the working group chair will endorse the report. The draft overview report is forwarded to NVAO no later than eight weeks before the public announcement event. NVAO verifies the internal consistency of the report and the feasibility of its recommendations. If need be, it suggests amendments to the working group. Ownership of the overview report remains vested with the working group. The overview report is submitted to the NVAO Board for endorsement.

The outcomes of the system-wide analysis are presented during a public announcement event. During this event, ample room is created for testimonies and sharing good practices. NVAO takes on the organisation of this event. Every Flemish institution and all the programmes that have participated in the analysis receive the final overview report, no later than on the day of the public announcement event. Subsequently, NVAO publishes the overview report on its website and forwards it to the Education Minister of Flanders. If possible, the overview report will generate publications in (international) specialist literature, while the results will be presented at international forums. This will enhance the visibility of Flemish practices abroad and focus attention on the educational quality in Flemish institutions. The system-wide analyses thus constitute a tailpiece for the quality assurance system.