Student evaluation of courses and study programmes

Student representatives play an important role in UiA's Quality Assurance System for Education.

The individual student is expected to take an active part in evaluation of courses and programmes in which they are enrolled. Student representatives have a special responsibility for student participation.

Student evaluation of courses

The method of evaluation, and whether courses should have a mid-term or an end-of-term evaluation, is decided by the course coordinator in cooperation with the student representative at the beginning of the semester. Alternatively, the Faculty Board may stipulate that this decision will be made by the programme council/PhD programme council.

Mid-term evaluations are typically scheduled for week 41 of the autumn semester and week 10 of the spring semester.

Normally, one of the following methods will be used for student evaluation of courses:

• Plenary discussion between student representative and students with an ensuing dialogue between course coordinator and student representative.
• Digital evaluation with an ensuing dialogue between course coordinator and student representative.
• Digital evaluation
• Dialogue between course coordinator and student representative.
• Dialogue between programme coordinator/PhD programme coordinator and student representative.
• Dialogue between course coordinator and students.

Student evaluations may be conducted for each course or jointly for courses in the same semester.

The university's Academic Affairs Committee has established a checklist and questionnaire for the evaluation of courses.

Implementation

A possible digital evaluation will be conducted in Canvas. The student representative will receive a report (excluding responses to open-ended questions) from the digital evaluation.

A possible plenary discussion between the student representative and the students will normally take place during a lesson without the lecturer present.

The report from the digital evaluation or the summary from the plenary discussion, forms the basis for the dialogue meeting with the course coordinator.

The student representative drafts the summary from the dialogue meeting in a digital form, which is then sent to the course coordinator. The summary should NOT contain any personal information, characterisations of individuals or other sensitive information.

The course coordinator adds possible comments and forwards the summary for archiving. If the summary contains sensitive information or if the course coordinator has further comments, it will be returned to the student representative, who can make the necessary adjustments and resend it to the course coordinator. After approval, the course coordinator will upload the summary under the relevant course in Canvas.

The course coordinator is responsible for following up on the evaluation with the students and attending the course lecturers’ meeting (a meeting between the programme coordinator and lecturers teaching the programme). The evaluation is also discussed in the programme council/PhD programme council, where the student representative takes part.

Student evaluation of practice

There must be at least one student evaluation for each practice period. 

The method of evaluation and whether periods of practical training should have a mid-term or end-of-term evaluation are stipulated as follows:

• For practical training governed by National Curriculum regulations: programme coordinator/head of studies in consultation with student representative.
• For practical training not governed by National Curriculum regulations: course coordinator in cooperation with student representative.

The evaluation should normally be conducted by one of the following methods:

• Digital evaluation
• Plenary discussion between all students (or students at the same place of practical training) and course coordinator or programme coordinator.
• Plenary discussion between student representative and the students with an ensuing dialogue between course coordinator and student representative.
• Discussion with a selection of students and course coordinator and/or programme coordinator.

The university's Academic Affairs Committee has established a checklist for the evaluation of practice. 

When practical training is part of a course, student evaluation of the practice can be included as part of the regular course evaluation, where this is appropriate and practically feasible.

Evaluation of practical training is followed up in the course lecturers’ meeting (a meeting between the programme coordinator and lecturers teaching the programme) and in the programme council/PhD programme council, where student representatives participate.

Evaluation of doctoral supervision

Evaluation of doctoral supervision is carried out through progress reports submitted at least once per year by both the doctoral candidate and the supervisor. 

Student evaluation of exchange

After the completion of the exchange period, a digital evaluation is carried out. The main focus is on the facilitation provided by both UiA and the exchange institution, as well as the academic content and its relevance to the study programme at UiA.

Student evaluation of study programmes

Evaluation is conducted in course lecturers’ meetings, which involve the programme coordinator and lecturers teaching in the programme. For all degree programmes, as well as the Postgraduate Certificate in Education, evaluations are also conducted in the programme council/PhD programme council. At least one student representative from each year group of bachelor’s and master’s programmes participates. In PhD programmes, a student representative and at least one other candidate participate. Student representatives may bring input from fellow students to the programme council/PhD programme council meetings.

A summary from the programme council/ PhD programme council meetings, including proposals for changes to the programme description and any other measures, form part of the basis for the annual study programme report or quality report (PhD).

Periodic programme evaluation

Periodic programme evaluation is to be carried out at least every sixth year for all study programmes. As part of the evaluation a panel is to be appointed. The panel includes student representatives and external members.