Quality Assurance System

 Quality Assurance System

"Quality assurance is a task of all organisational units of the University and of all University employees in their respective areas of responsibility (...). The quality culture hereby addressed is the backbone of quality assurance at the University of Vienna. The specific instruments and procedures of quality assurance shall in particular strengthen this quality culture and contribute to its further development." (Development Plan 2028, Chapter 3.8, non-official translation)

The quality assurance system affects all institutions, responsibilities and activities of the University of Vienna considering the specific characteristics of each area. The quality assurance system is not only comprised of special evaluation processes and other procedures, but the performance processes themselves include elements of quality assurance, such as reflecting on the current level of performance and possibilities for improvement. The quality assurance system also entails the periodic evaluation of faculties, centres and service units, feedback instruments from students, the further development of processes for evaluating research and publication activities, as well as quality assurance in staffing decisions, in particular regarding professorial appointment procedures and processes for the filling of tenure track positions.

For the purpose of the Quality Audit, the following core processes in particular are presented and evaluated:

• Development planning
• Target agreements
• Appointment of professors
• Personnel recruitment
• Personnel development and career support
• Evaluation of organisational units
• Research platforms and networks
• Doctoral studies and theses
• Acquisition of third-party-funding and processing
• Curriculum development
• Planning, organisation, controlling of teaching
• Student information and advice
• Examinations and master's theses
• Evaluation of courses