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Quality Office

Welcome to the Quality Office at DKIT

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Academic Policies and Procedures

Management of Policies and Procedures

Quality Assurance Framework

DkIT operates an integrated system for quality assurance and enhancement which contributes to the achievement of the Institute's Strategy. The strategic plan is aligned to the Institute’s Mission-Based Performance Compact between Dundalk Institute of Technology and Higher Education Authority (HEA) (https://hea.ie/higher-education-institutions/dundalk-institute-of-technology/performance/).

Figure 1: Quality Assurance and Enhancement System

Quality Assurance and Enhancement System

Figure 1 illustrates the Quality Assurance and Enhancement System, which must be agile, responsive and effective/fit-for-purpose, and its relationship with Institute strategy. The Institute is responsible for the academic standards of awards made in its name, and for ensuring that the quality of the student learning experience, both undergraduate and postgraduate is exemplary, in order to enable students to achieve these standards.

DkIT assures and enhances the quality of its core activities of teaching, learning, research, engagement and service delivery through its regular review and continuous improvement process, its Quality Assurance and Enhancement Framework (Figure 2a).

Figure 2a: Quality Assurance and Enhancement (QAE) Framework

Figure 2b: Quality Assurance and Enhancement (QAE) Framework — Internal Monitoring and Internal Periodic Reviews

Mechanisms for Assuring and Enhancing the Quality

The mechanisms for assuring and enhancing the quality of provision include (Figure 2b):

Regular review of Quality Assurance and Enhancement (QAE) processes.

Approval

Robust programme approval and curriculum review processes (including collaborative taught programmes).
Monitoring
- Academic School Monitoring: Programme Board reporting (including PRSB annual reports), Student Feedback (programme-level (QA3) and StudentSurvey.ie), External Examining, programme changes).
- Postgraduate Research Monitoring: DCU-DkIT Graduate School annual reporting to DCU’s Graduate Research Studies Board (GRSB), postgraduate research student feedback (including PGRStudentSurvey.ie), Designated Research Centre annual reporting.
- Professional Support Unit Monitoring (e.g., Student Services, Examinations Office, International Office, Library, etc.).
- Annual Quality Report (AQR) and QQI Periodic Quality Dialogue (bi-annually).
Periodic Review(s)
- School Programmatic Reviews including Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body Reviews (PSRBs)) Reviews.
- Postgraduate Research Reviews. DCU-DkIT Graduate School Quality Reviews conducted in accordance with the DCU-DkIT Collaborative Partnership Agreement, Designated Research Centre/Group Reviews.
- Professional Support Unit Reviews (e.g., Student Services, Examinations Office, International Office, etc.).
- Thematic Reviews. Systematic and focused examination of a particular theme or topic across the Institution. This type of review aims to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and overall quality of processes, practices, or policies related to a theme.

Cyclical Institutional Review (CINNTE Review).
Systematic student engagement with Quality Assurance and Enhancement processes.
Established procedures for the appointment of staff and a range of supports for their ongoing professional development (Human Resources and the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT)).

Contributing to the Culture of Quality

DkIT’s Quality Assurance and Enhancement (QAE) Framework, and the quality assurance activities, that underpin it, enable DkIT to identify areas for improvement and is an enabler for a continuous improvement culture. All staff within the Institute contribute to the culture of quality and there is acceptance that this is a ‘continual process’ as new challenges and new ways of educating students and developing faculty and staff continue to be central to the work of the Institute. Areas of improvement are typically captured in actions plans which are developed, approved, implemented and monitored in a continuous improvement cycle. This in turn enhances the student experience and support students to succeed and contributes to the achievement of the DkIT Strategic Plan.