The following quote depicts the ethos of the Quality Assurance Office.
“[…] is to try to ensure that what is offered and provided to students has at the very least a clear purpose, carefully designed structure and well-managed organisation, and is carried out in a way that makes best use of everybody’s time and money. Good quality assurance is not a policing activity, but an integral part of a professional approach to what is, after all, a professional endeavour. At its best (and we have some way to go to reach this position), it should offer an honest mirror to serious practitioners, a critical friendship to those who want to do their best” (Dulson, 2013 citing Williams, 2009).
Primarily, the QA Office plays a supervisory as well as a supportive role at UniSey. It is also the liaison between the university and the Seychelles Qualifications Authority.
Central to its role, the QA Office provides support and directions to establish procedures for quality assurance aimed at improving the quality of education and related services provided by the university. The QA Office monitors the management of these procedures.
The QA team comprises the Acting Director and one Senior Quality Assurance Officer of which the senior officer serves as Secretary. The Director has the ultimate jurisdiction to appoint working groups or co-opt other members of staff to perform specific QA tasks.
In addition to the minutes, the QA Office report matters of programmes, policies and procedures to the Senate and Council.
The QA Office and working groups have the following in terms of reference, to:
The QA strategic directions are guided by the Tertiary Education Act (1st May 2000: Consolidated to 30th June 2012), the Charter of the University of Seychelles (2nd May 2017), and the University of Seychelles Strategic Plan, 2017-2023.
By 2023, the QA Office will have defined and achieved academic and non-academic standards equivalent to national and international standards, and that the quality of teaching and learning, research and community involvement, appropriately fulfil the expectations of the stakeholders. Standards and quality of its educational provision are maintained and enhanced with confidence.
The Quality Assurance Office affects its roles and responsibilities by the following (internal and external) policies and procedures.
Internal:
External: