ASOMI COLLEGE OF SCIENCES
INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE DOCUMENT

The ASOMI College of Sciences is based on the experience of an educational model that combines the effectiveness of the training developed within the academic context.

Our goal is to provide innovative educational models that can develop effective results and grant quality to students, professionals and people who have decided to implement their education, building a learning environment in which they become the protagonists of the learning experience.

We develop a pathway that transfers knowledge, strengthens it and transforms it into skills, allowing people to achieve concrete results.

Our vision is to increase synergies, which take resources from decades of experience, results on the field, and academic partnerships and accreditations such as the one with a renowned British institution, the Swansea University.

The ACS project addresses its educational offer at national and international level by developing academic partnerships able to provide opportunities for the enrichment of its students.

The lecturers and mentors, involved in the projects and educational activities, have acquired an important professional reputation and will make their expertise available to learners. In fact, in each academic path, professionals of recognised value and ability will take part as lecturers and through a blended education model (residential in-house and e-learning). We will provide a product that is intended to be pragmatic and grounded, but also aware of the importance of innovation.

The attention regarding the international guidelines in the educational environment finds its place in a pathway fully designed to meet the students’ aims and expectations.

ASC develops its work considering its students, collaborators and staff at the centre of the training process giving them new opportunities and investing in their growth, training and development. Particular attention is given to all the processes of inclusiveness and equality of treatment, regarding both students and staff.

Therefore ACS will set and develop a qualified staff that will correctly comply with the management of the administrative activities necessary to offer a wide range of services to students and the ability to be highly responsive and operating in any kind of situation.

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1.0 - STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

ASOMI College of Sciences will be led by a strategic management board headed by Dr. Dario Silvestri. The strategic management board (SMB) will be responsible for all the strategic decisions, planning and implementation of Higher Education Institution (HEI).

In order to be able not only to face issues and implementations, but also to improve the quality of the programmes, the SMB is responsible for the decision-making process.
This process starts with a proposal that can arise within the SMB or could be identified by any other member of the Institution.

The proposal will be assessed from the SMB, considering the possible benefits and negative sides of it, taking into account all the existing policies and procedures already in place in the Institution.

The SMB will then decide to apply or not the proposal, and in which specific terms.
The whole process will be reported to make sure that a consequent evaluation is possible, in order to be able to discuss further implementations, having all the documentation at disposal.

The structure of the HEI will be composed as shown in the organigram below.

internal quality assurance
Figure 1: Organisational Structure of ASOMI College of Sciences

The organisational structure depicted above defines five (5) clear headship positions under the strategic management board. The Head of Quality is required to possess a Masters level of qualification (MQF Level 7) and 10 years of work experience in a headship position in education and training. The Head of Quality (HOQ) will play a critical role and will respond directly to SMB and work in close proximity with the Head of Institution (HOI) to ensure that ASOMI achieves all the necessary quality standards. In particular, the HOQ will be directly responsible for Standard 1 (Policy for Quality Assurance), Standard 10 (Ongoing and Periodic Review of Programmes) and the overall monitoring of all the other quality standards as defined in the National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF).

The Head of Institution (HOI) is required to possess a Masters level of qualification (MQF Level 7) and 3 years of experience in a headship position in education and training. The HOI will be responsible for the overall operational management of the HEI which will be structured into three, namely:

  • Academic direction
  • Registry and student services
  • Administration services

The above three operational lines will be in turn managed by three (3) separate directors that are required to possess at least a Masters level of education (MQF Level 7) and 5 years of work experience in their respective field of operation.

The Academic Director (AD) will respond directly to the HOI and will be responsible for:

  • the processes for the design and approval of programmes (Standard 3)
  • the delivery of programmes and to ensure student-centred learning, teaching and assessment (Standard 4)
  • the competence of teaching staff engaged with ASOMI (Standard 6)

The Registry and student services Director (RSSD) will also respond to the HOI and will be responsible for:

  • student admission, progression, recognition and certification (Standard 5)
  • the appropriate funding for learning and teaching activities (Standard 7)

The Adminstrative Director (AdD) will also respond to the HOI and will be responsible for:

  • ensuring that relevant information is collected, analysed and used for the effective management of programmes and other activities (Standard 8)
  • the publishing of objective and updated information of activities and programmes (Standard 9)

The SMB will also be responsible for the overall financial probity of the institution. ASOMI will have audited accounts on a yearly basis by a certified auditor and regular budget plans (see paragraph 1.1) that cover all areas of operation outlined above. This will ensure that sufficient resources to deliver all of the academic programmes are in place and firmly placed at the strategic core of the institution.

1.1 - INSTITUTIONAL PROBITY

In particular, the SMB will ensure that ASOMI deploys all the appropriate measures and procedures to ensure institutional probity.

The SMB is responsible for the approval of the annual budget plan, that is discussed and approved by the Board twice a year, in September and in March.

The model used for the drafting of the budget plan covers all significant revenue and expenses categories, such as tuition and fees, salaries, programme expenses, utilities etc.
The purpose of the strategic budget model is to ensure long-term stability for the HEI, in fact, the objective is to maintain a balanced budget not only in the upcoming year, but over a five-year period.

In order to be able to allocate proper funds to the departments, each Head of Department will present to the SMB a budget strictly related to his department, the SMB will then discuss the needs and priorities, defining the final allocation.

2.0 - QUALITY MANAGEMENT

As stated in the previous section, the overall management of quality will be the responsibility of the Head of Quality (HOQ) that will be directly responsible for Standard 1 (Policy for Quality Assurance), Standard 10 (Ongoing and Periodic Review of Programmes) and the overall monitoring of all the other quality standards as defined in the National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF).

In order to be able to maintain and elevate the quality standards, ASOMI will follow the steps of the Quality Cycle as follow:

PLAN: This step includes goal setting and planning of the necessary actions in order to achieve the goal.

DO: Apply all the actions planned in the previous step. An essential part of this operation is to gain data that will be useful for the next step.

CONTROL: During this phase it is essential to analyse the data collected during the previous step, in order to test the results and focus on the plan to make its realisation possible, as planned.

ACT: This is the step which modifies and implements the original plan and goal, considering the information gained in the process, this is crucial to improve and reach the goal in an effective way.

 

This cycle will be applied as many times as necessary to set an adequate procedure.

2.1 - POLICY FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE

The overall quality organisation quality assurance system is led by the HOQ and transcends to all members of the institution. All the respective departments, academic and administrative are all responsible for top quality assurance mechanisms as will be outlined in this IQA document. ASOMI College of Science will also link applied research into education and training, by providing new knowledge and skills to its students.

The link between education and research is promoted through the involvement of both the teaching staff and the students in the process of understanding the importance of research in the context of education.

Teaching and research are often seen as different compartments, but we believe in the promotion of the link between these two aspects of education.

Research is crucial in finding evidence and teaching is crucial in applying it. The involvement of lecturers, researchers and students is focused on the application of the research in the educational context.

 The institution will adopt a policy of academic integrity and freedom by allowing its learning and teaching community to operate with the required autonomy, within the boundaries of effective quality teaching and learning.

2.2 - POLICY AGAINST PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is defined as taking some one else’s work or idea and passing them off as one’s own.
This is a practice that is defined as academic misconduct and will be prosecuted by the Institution.

The tools that ASOMI is going to use in order to discourage plagiarism are:

  • Good information and support about plagiarism, academic writing and paraphrasing.
  • Matching software (eg. Turnitin or similar)

In case of suspected academic misconduct, the case will be managed directly by the Academic Director, who will analyse the originally submitted work, the Turnitin report and any other relevant documentation. If consistent the student will be invited to a meeting with the Academic Integrity Officers to discuss further implications.

The decision about the outcome of the academic misconduct case will be made by the Academic Integrity Officers and the Academic Director

2.3 - POLICY AGAINST INTOLERANCE AND DISCRIMINATION

Discrimination is defined as a negative attitude towards someone, because of specific characteristics, such as age, gender, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexuality etc.

ASOMI will not tolerate any kind of discrimination, that could create an unpleasant environment for our students and staff.

To prevent discrimination, ASOMI and all its representatives will always use an inclusive language and organise trainings on diversity and communication.

We deprecate any kind of discrimination in the hiring process of the staff, in the inductions for the students and any other process related to the inclusion of a new member into our Institution.

In case someone considers to be victim of any kind of discrimination or harassment can directly refer to anyone in the management of the Institution (this is to encourage to speak about any possible event) that will have the commitment of reporting and referring the episode to the SMB, that will analyse the situation and take strong measures against it.

2.4 - ONGOING MONITORING & PERIOIDIC REVIEW OF PROGRAMMES

The HOQ will constantly monitor the operational management of the HEI in terms of adherence to quality standards. In order to monitor this activity a number of tools and mechanisms will be deployed in order to ensure that an effective quality management system is in place. The table below outlines the tools, mechanisms and frequency of use that the HOQ will deploy.

AREA TOOL FREQUENCY

OUTPUT

 

Strategic Management

Review of management meeting minutes

 

Review of Audited Accounts

Quarterly

 

 

Yearly

Recommendations Report

 

Recommendations Report

 

Curriculum Design and Approval Document review Per Programme Developed Programme Report

Learning, teaching and assessment

 

Sampling of assessment design

 

Sampling of assessment decisions

 

Review of appeals board minutes

 

Per Programme Running

 

Per Programme Running

 

Quarterly

Verification Report

 

 

Verification Report

 

 

Recommendations Report

 

Registry functions

Review of admissions process

 

Review of certification process

Sample of total cohort

 

 

Sample of total cohort

Verification Report

 

 

Verification Report

 

Teaching staff Observation visits Per programme running

Peer Report

 

 

Learning resources and student support

 

Review of student support meetings

 

Review of student feedback forms

 

DOCEBO stats report

Sample of total cohort

 

 

Yearly

 

 

Yearly

 

Verification Report

 

 

Verification Report

 

 

Recommendations Report

Information Management

Review of information management output

 

Quarterly Recommendations Report

Public information

 

Review of public information output

 

Quarterly Recommendations Report

Ongoing monitoring and periodic review of programmes

 

Annual QA audit Annually Internal Audit Report

A verification report analyses the single aspects that are required for that specific field, pointing out which standards were eventually not matched.

A recommendation report suggests which actions should take place in the future, in order to improve.

The annual QA audit is conducted by the HOQ, with the support of the SMB. The reports, feedbacks and any other relevant information raised during the academic year, from the SMB, the staff, the academic support, the students and the stakeholders will be taken into great consideration in this report.

The final report will be available, upon request, to all internal stakeholders, management, teaching and administrative staff and eventually students and eventually to other stakeholders.

The report, following the quality cycle, will include relevant information for implementations and actions to undertake, in order to keep up with the standards set.

3.0 - OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT

As outlined in section 1 of the IQA document, the HOI will be responsible for the overall operational management of the HEI which will be structured into three, namely:

  • Academic direction
  • Registry and student services
  • Administration services

In order to manage effectively the internal operations, the HOI will conduct weekly management meetings with the Academic Director, Registry and Student Support Director, and Administrative Director. Meeting minutes will be recorded accordingly.

3.1 - ACADEMIC DIRECTION

The Academic Director (AD) will respond directly to the HOI and will be responsible for:

  • the processes for the design and approval of programmes (Standard 3)
  • the delivery of programmes and to ensure student-centred learning, teaching and assessment (Standard 4)
  • the competence of teaching staff engaged with ASOMI (Standard 6)
3.2 - DESIGN AND APPROVAL OF PROGRAMMES (STANDARD 3)

The design and approval of programmes will follow a two stage approach. In the first stage, the academic director will conduct the following tasks , following the steps of the quality cycle, described in paragraph 2.0, under the direction of the HOI for each of the programmes:

  1. Conduct market research
  2. Set and conduct meetings with employers to gather input and feedback
  3. Involve students in the design or programmes (with both anonymous surveys and focus groups, in order to know their experiences and opinions on the programmes)
  4. Determine the target audience
  5. Determine the workload and structure of the programme in terms of ECTS
  6. Outline the broad learning outcomes of the programme
  7. Outline the appropriate learning dynamics and assessment method/s
  8. Indicate the appropriate resources
  9. Indicate the minimum requirements of teaching staff
  10. Engage curriculum writers

 Once the first stage tasks described above are conducted, the Academic Director will then co-ordinate with the respective curriculum writers to conduct the following tasks in the second stage of the process:

  1. Develop learning outcomes for each study module
  2. Develop knowledge, skills and competencies
  3. Outline indicative reading and further resources
  4. Compile NCFHE programme accreditation template
  5. Share the outlined programme with the SMB
  6. Optimise application on the basis of quality review, conducted by the HOQ, who reviews the programme in order to match it with the quality and standards of the Institution.
3.3 - STUDENT-CENTRED LEARNING, TEACHING & ASSESSMENT (STANDARD 4)

ASOMI will ensure that the programmes that it will deliver encourages students to take an active role in the learning, teaching and assessment processes.

This student-centred approach is ensured by a constant process of feedback from students and good communication strategies in place (such as the relationship with the support personnel).

The students will give feedback related to every course attended, through forms that are collected electronically and will be taken into consideration both by the HOQ and the AD, for further implementations.

In order to achieve this broad goal, the academic director will carry out the following critical tasks, namely:

  • Ensure that teaching staff use a variety of delivery methods, depending on the module of study, including traditional, instructional teaching, project-based learning, experiential learning and problem-based learning
  • Enables flexible learning paths through the development of learning plans and projects
  • With the guidance of the HOQ, evaluate and adjust modes of delivery through peer observation visits (the visits are planned twice a year, the feedback from the peer is written and kept by the HOQ, who shares the feedback and plans any further implementation directly in a one-to-one conversation with the lecturer)
  • Guide students of the HEI through targeted intervention by meeting students on a regular basis directly or per the Academic Mentors (support personnel) that can assist the students, with advice and guidance, throughout their academic pathway. The meetings are not formal, but the AD or the Academic Mentor should keep a record of the meeting, for quality assurance purpose. The HOQ should review a sample of these records at the end of the academic year, to make sure that the procedures are in place and in order to implement any change for the future.

The assessments will always be conducted considering the specific of the subject taught, the different modes are:

  • Essay writing
  • Presentation (with the support of a poster or slides)
  • Closed-ended questions
  • Open-ended questions
  • Interview
  • Practical assessments

The modality of the assessment will be specific for each course and will be clear since the presentation of the course itself.

The assessment guidance will be available for the student on their VLE and they will be able to search support for a better understanding.

With the assessment guidance the students will also have access to the marking grid that the assessors will use for the marking.

In order to ensure that the marking is fair, ASOMI will adopt a double marking strategy. After the first assessors has completed the marking, a second assessor will double check a sample of the assessments, to make sure that the evaluations match the criteria descripted in the marking grid.

All the assessors will receive an induction at the beginning of the academic year, to make sure they’re confident with the marking system.

Students won’t just receive a mark, but also a complete feedback based on the areas pointed out in the marking grid. If they have any further need of clarification, they can seek support through the VLE.

In case a student fails an assessment, he will have a chance for a re-sit, according to the specific regulations of the programme.

In case of mitigating circumstances, the students are allowed to ask for a deferral of the assessment, providing evidence for the circumstance. 

The students have the possibility to present a complaint to their Academic Mentor or directly to the AD. The SMB will take every complaint seriously and discuss it, the student who made the complaint will not face any kind of disadvantage (unless the complaint was made frivolously or vexatiously).

The complaint would normally be considered eligible for being taken into consideration within 3 months from the event.

Once the complaint is received, the Institution should solve it as rapidly as possible, most of them can be solved on an informal basis, but if a formal answer or procedure is requested, the complainant will receive a specific communication directly from the AD.

In case of online assessments we will use online systems to check on plagiarism in case of written assignments. To prevent cheating in case of online assessment we will use softwares that abilitate proctoring and monitoring of students during the exam, browser locks and other technologies. At the beginning of each examination the student will be asked to verify his identity with an ID card (through the webcam) and to show the environment in which the examination will take place.

3.4 - TEACHING STAFF (STANDARD 6)

The Institution will seek to recruit the best candidate for the job based on merit. The recruitment and selection process should ensure the identification of the person best suited to the job and the Institution.

All teaching staff need to possess, as a minimum, an MQF Level higher than the actual programme to be delivered in the field they’re teaching or in a related field, and a minimum of three years of experience.

The teaching staff of the HEI will be engaged by the Head of Institution, under the guidance of the Strategic Management Board.

The steps for the recruitment are the following:

  • Complete outline of the position and profile, including job description
  • Advertisement of the position needed first within the Institution then in other contexts if necessary
  • Interviews of the candidates are conducted by the HOI, that will keep records of all the candidates and the interviews
  • The interview will clarify if the position corresponds to the profile of the candidate and meets the requested standards for the role
  • The HOI, under the guidance and with the approval of the SMB, will select the candidate for the position

Teaching staff will be engaged on a contract for service basis which will clearly stipulate the obligation of the teaching staff to include:

  • Use various pedagogies in the delivery of the programme
  • Design and develop various modes of assessment
  • Update learning content and material on a regular basis
  • Guide students professionally
  • Promote research and scholarly activity
  • Participate in academic staff meetings
  • Attend in-house training on education and training

The latter point, i.e. in-house training, will be jointly organised by the HOQ and HOI on an annual basis and will take the form of seminars and workshops to cover various themes and topics in the field of education and training such as Quality Assurance, Philosophy of Education, Assessment Methods, Data Analysis Techniques, Problem-Based Learning, and Educational Theories.

This also regards the online teaching and learning, the teaching staff is constantly updated on the best methods for online learning and they get updates on the new technologies, receiving support on the utilisation of the instruments.

Peer observation visits will also be conducted by the HOQ on a regular basis. In turn, the HOQ will formulate a recommendations report to outline key areas of strength and areas of improvement to respective teaching staff members.

The HOQ will then inform individually the teaching staff to discuss with them the results of the observation visits and consider the related application of implementations.

The teaching staff will be supported directly by the HOQ and the AD, with subsequent checks that will enable the implementation of new and better procedures.

3.5 - REGISTRY & STUDENT SUPPORT

The Registry and student services Director (RSSD) will also respond to the HOI and will be responsible for:

  • student admission, progression, recognition and certification (Standard 5)
  • the appropriate funding for learning and teaching activities (Standard 7)
3.5.1 - ADMISSION, PROGRESSION, RECOGNITION & CERTIFICATION (STANDARD 5)

The institution is committed to providing a fair admissions system.

The potential students can apply to the programme filling in the module that will be available on the website dedicated to the programme.

This form will cover:

  • Personal information (name, date and place of birth, address, contacts)
  • Previous education and qualifications, in order to recognise prior learning (as stated in 3.2.1.2)
  • Copy of ID card
  • Other relevant information to access the programme

Once the documentation has been electronically received, if the students meets the entry criteria for the specific programme (if applicable), they will be communicated the result of this eligibility check by means of an official email signed by the RSSD and HOI.

Some programmes may specifically require a personal statement in the application form, to state the interest of the candidate in accessing the programme and may call the potential student for an interview prior the confirmation of their ammission.

In this case, the interviews would be conducted by the RSSD, who will keep records of each interview.

The RSSD will conduct an induction session to all students once they are registered for a programme. During the induction session, all information on ASOMI College of Sciences and on what to expect in the actual programme will be disseminated.

This information will also be available on the Virtual Learning Environment.

The HOQ will review the admission process, especially when interviews are required, to make sure that the admission policy is effective and transparent.

On successful completion of respective programme, students will receive a certificate, signed by the HOI and RSSD which will outline the title of the qualification, the MQF Level, the total ECTS value as established by the NCFHE regulations.

The certificate will include the following information:

  • Licence number
  • Category
  • Accredited status of the programme
  • Level of the programme
  • Number of ECTS/ECVET
3.6 - RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

CONTEXT

As a licensed education and training provider, ASOMI College aims to ensure compliance with quality standards as specified in the National Quality Assurance Framework issued by the Malta Further Higher Education Authority. Specifically, within the context of recognising prior learning, ASOMI college has formulated a clear policy and procedure to ensure quality services and provision at the admission stages of its’ internal operations.

POLICY

The RPL policy at ASOMI College is guided by principles and processes through which the prior knowledge and /or skills of a person are made visible and are assessed for the purposes of certification, alternative access and admission and future learning and development.

RPL processes must be fair, reliable, valid, ethical, and transparent. Methodologies that are fit-for-purpose will be utilised. At the same time, the following the policy will:

  1. avoid unfair exclusion,
  2. empower potential learners by correctly placing them in formal and non-formal training,
  3. programmes at level which will be to their maximum advantage,
  4. recognise the diversity of knowledge, skills and learning,
  5. meet the quality standards of a particular qualification or part qualification.

The maximum amount of recognition through RPL at ASOMI College will be capped to a maximum of 50% of total programme ECTS value.

The recognition of formal qualifications, while not being specifically an integral part of this policy, will follow the requirements of MFHEA whereby potential learners will be requested to submit an MQRIC statement for qualifications that they might possess.

PROCEDURE

The procedure for the RPL at ASOMI College will be governed by an RPL internal team (RPLIT) consisting of the Head of Institution, Quality Director and Technical experts. The internal team will be responsible for the overall procedure as defined below:

PHASE 1: APPLICATION PHASE

The application phase of the RPL process aims to provide the essential information for potential students to access RPL at ASOMI College. This phase consists of the follows steps:

Step 1:                

Potential students fill in an RPL form (attached as an Annex to this document) in which they provide details of their:

  1. Work experience
  2. Other experience
  3. Formal qualifications

Step 2:                

The RPL form is then reviewed by Admin. Officer at ASOMI to check that all the required information is duly provided by the student.

Step 3:                

Admin. Officer communicates with student via electronic mail to inform of the result of the process check on RPL and to provide important guidance on the required evidence that would need to be gathered by the student.

The student is guided to develop a portfolio as a form of evidence of the work experience and other experience listed in his/her application form. The portfolio may include past projects, reference letters, links to electronic data (that is publicly available) that he/she has worked on and endorsement letters by current/previous employers.

Step 4:                

Portfolio of evidence is formulated by student and submitted on the date as specified by the Admin. Officer of Asomi College. During this step, students are offered guidance and support by Asomi on an individual basis.

Step 5:                

Once the portfolio of evidence is submitted, the Admin. Officer informs the QA director and presents to him the RPL form and the portfolio of evidence for vetting (Phase 2). This step concludes the first phase of the RPL process.

PHASE 2: QUALITY CHECK 1 – EVIDENCE VETTING

The aim of this phase is to conduct the internal quality check on the evidence provided by the learning in the application phase and is conducted by the QA director as an internal process as follows:

Step 1:                

QA director reviews all evidence as submitted by the learner together with the RPL form.

Step 2:                

QA director conducts all the necessary quality checks of the evidence provided to ascertain that:

  1. Evidence presented is authentic
  2. Evidence presented is aligned with the RPL form declaration
  3. Potential for summative RPL exists for assessment purposes
  4. Potential for Credit transfer exists for assessment purposes

Step 3:                

The results of step 2 are compiled into an internal quality report which is submitted to the Head of Institution (HOI) for approval.

Step 4:                

Once the quality report is approved by the HOI, the RPL committee is informed and is asked to convene for the assessment phase (Phase 3). This step concluded

PHASE 3: ASSESSMENT PHASE

The aims of the RPL assessment phase are to:

  1. Quantify the summative RPL outcome in terms of ECTS credit points
  2. Quantify the credit transfer outcome in terms of ECTS credit points
  3. Formulate individual learning plan for student

Step 1:                

The HOI convenes the RPL committee to conduct RPL assessments and presents to members with:

  1. Evidence collected in Phase 1
  2. IQA report (system check 1)

Step 2:                

RPL committee members evaluate all the evidence collected and conduct 2 maps as follows:

Map 1: Summative RPL map

On the basis of the portfolio of evidence, the RPL committee maps the experiential learning of the student with the competencies of the accredited programme that the learner has registered for.

Map 2: Credit Transfer

On the basis of formal qualifications presented, the RPL committee maps the experiential learning of the student with the competencies of the accredited programme that the learner has registered for.

Step 3:                

Before moving towards the outcome phase, the RPL committee has the possibility to conduct an interview with the student in order to ascertain that mapping of competencies is being conducted effectively.

Step 4:                

Once the maps have been compiled and clarifications (if any) are conducted, the RPL committee complies a report with the results of the outcome.

PHASE 4: QUALITY CHECK 2 – ASSESSMENT & OUTCOME VERIFICATION

The aim of this phase is to verify that the outcomes arrived at by the RPL committee are fit for purpose in terms of quality standard. The QA director is responsible for the verification of assessment and outcome and conduct the following steps:

Step 1:                

Review report compiled by RPL committee to check for process and procedural adherence.

Step 2:                

Clarifies any issues/unclarities directly with the RPL committee members under the direction of the HOI.

Step 3:                

Declares RPL process as fit for purpose and submits internal report to HOI.

PHASE 5: COMMUNICATION OF OUTCOME

The aim of this phase is to communicate the outcome of the RPL to the student and to the administration staff at ASOMI.

Step 1:                

Outcomes are presented to Registrar at ASOMI. The latter in turn stores the outcome of RPL on the student record files.

Step 2:                

Registrar communicates directly with student my means of an official communication informing student of the outcomes of the RPL process. In this communication, the total RPL credit points, together with the breakdown of  the Summative RPL and Credit Transfer, are presented to the student.

In addition, an individual learning plan is also sent to the student to inform him/her of the modules of study that he/she has to follow in the accredited programme of study at ASOMI College.

  • FEES

During the application phase, more specifically on submission of the RPL form, students are requested to pay € 500 for the RPL process to be initiated.

  • APPEAL PROCESS

Learners have the opportunity to appeal the outcome of the RPL process against an additional fee of € 300 which would be returned to student should the appeal result in a modified outcome.

The appeal process is initiated by the student himself/herself by communicated directly with the registrar of ASOMI. Once an appeal is filed, the registrar informs the HOI of ASOMI College. The appeal process is then reviewed by the appeals committee of ASOMI college.

3.7 - LEARNING RESOURCES & STUDENT SUPPORT (STANDARD 7)

The RSSD will ensure that students have the necessary learning resources and support to successfully complete the programme of study. This will include:

  • A Virtual Learning Environment
  • Teaching and learning pack, including notes and assessment
  • Teaching staff profile

In addition, ASOMI will also engage student support personnel to guide and assist students in other practical requirements that they might have.

The Academic Director will manage directly the support personnel in order to monitor their performance and help them, if needed, with specific cases.

The support personnel will have access to the VLE, both to communicate with students and to access resources for their personal and professional development.

All the facilities at disposal (including lecture rooms) will be easily accessible to students even with specific needs.

3.7.1 - VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (VLE)

Since 2020 there has been a global increase in the use of technology to assist education at all levels, which has led on one hand to a great increase from a technological point of view (softwares have been developed further) and on the other hand from the point of view of the human resources involved (teachers and students have gradually learned to manage these tools by integrating them into their routines).

This has meant a great increase in online teaching, which brings numerous advantages from various points of view:

– Possibility of delivering training at distance

– Greater effectiveness in reaching students who often live far from where they study

– Exploitation of technological resources

– Time advantage for both students and teachers

– Use of online resources also as a reference for exam preparation (with consequent lower costs for the student in terms of purchasing teaching materials)

The Virtual Learning Environment chosen by ACS is based on Moodle software, used by institutions all over the world.

The VLE allows students to:

    * Access didactic materials and contents

    * Access reading lists for each module

    * See progression in the programme

    * See guidelines on how to study

    * Access practical tips on education and training

    * Access formative tests (also based on gamification)

    * Contact the Academic Support

    * Communicate with other students and tutors

    * Submit assignments

Even for students with special needs, technologies can be particularly helpful, e.g. the ability to record lessons online allows to listen to them later and better assimilate the concepts, the availability of online material allows greater flexibility of use (more than the printed book), the ability to interact directly from the VLE with classmates, teachers and tutors, allows to speed up and assist communication.

The VLE will be accessible from the most commonly used browsers, through desktop and mobile devices.

Pedagogical strategies

All training delivered, online and offline, keeps the students’ needs at the centre and focuses on the best learning strategies, including:

– Quick access to all online resources through moodle

– Ability to download content for offline use for improved accessibility

– Continuous monitoring of students’ online activities

– Use of formative tests to support student learning while providing feedback to the teacher on the modulation of content and lessons

– Use of engaging content

– Interaction during lessons through presentations and dynamic or hands-on activities

– Encouragement of group work

– Flexibility of lesson times

– Planning of revision activities during the course

All materials provided to students will be under constant monitoring by the HOQ, which will ensure that the tools are always suitable, accessible and provide the best learning experience for students.

3.7.2 - TUTOR SUPPORT

Administrative

The tutor has a direct channel with the administration and accounting department.

He/she can make direct requests, or forward students’ requests by email, as well as obtain immediate telephone support from 8am to 8pm (Monday to Friday) and organise video meetings through the VLE.

A monthly meeting is also scheduled where tutors are updated on possible implementations of procedures and can share reports and criticalities.

Technical support

The tutor has a direct channel with the ICT information and communication technology department. He or she can make direct requests in real time, or forward student of students via email, via chat, as well as getting immediate telephone support from 8am to 9pm, 7/7. The ICT Team can also carry out remote audits and support the the resolution of technical issues directly.

A monthly meeting is also scheduled where tutors are updated about

possible implementations of procedures and can share reports and criticalities.

Academic Support

The tutor has a direct channel with the didactic management and secretariat.

A weekly meeting is also scheduled in which tutors report on teaching progress, report on teaching progress, possible requests, criticalities and their or the students’ needs, details of the use of online content and possible implementations of procedures.

Tutors are also provided with a monthly training and refresher session.

3.7.3 - STUDENT SUPPORT

Administrative support

Each student can contact the administrative department by email, phone and chat. The student has a direct contact to refer to and to receive information, updates and support regarding possible requests.

The student has access to the service in real time from 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday). They will receive a response within 24 hours of their request.

The administrative team is also available to schedule video calls, should this be necessary or requested by the student.

 Technical Support

The student has a direct channel with the ICT (Information Communication Technology) department.

ICT support is active via:

– live chat

– email

– video-calls (which must be scheduled)

Requests can be made 7/7 and the student will receive a response within 24 hours of receiving the communication.

 Academic Support

Each student can contact the teaching department by

– email 7/7

reply within 12h Monday – Friday

reply within 24 hours Saturday and Sunday

– telephone

8am to 6pm Monday – Friday

– live chat

8am – 8pm Monday – Friday

– video call

to be scheduled via email or live chat

The student has a direct contact to refer to and receive information, updates and support on possible requests regarding the provision of education, training content, deadlines and exams, as well as any other need related to support the learning process and provide effective solutions to the study.

The student has access to the service in real time from 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday). They will receive a response within 24 hours of their request.

The academic staff is also available to schedule video calls. The staff recommends the use of this modality in order to allow students to obtain a greater completeness of support and to maintain the human contact necessary for all training activities that take place online or in blended mode.

Counseling

The needs of each student are different and ACS focuses on supporting them in every aspect. For this reason, three different types of counselling are set up on the basis of a student request which can be sent via email, live chat or telephone.

Once the student’s request is received, it is defined which of the counselling types will be most suitable. There is also the possibility of scheduling a preliminary session with a qualified member of staff ((who must have at least 5 years of academic experience and an educational background in psychology, counselling or coaching), who will be able to correctly define the best support to offer the student.

– Academic counselling

Activity that aims to support the learning process, providing the student with tools related to study, such as planning and organisation, as well as providing solutions to overcome critical issues encountered by the student.

– Psychological counselling

Activity aimed at providing psychological support to students who feel they need it. For this reason, three different types of counselling are set up on the basis of a student request which can be sent via email, live chat or telephone.

– Career and orientation counselling

Activity carried out with the aim of giving support to the student in the orientation and choice of a possible educational path, postgraduate specialisation or definition of the choice of his/her professional career.

3.8 - ADMINISTRATION SERVICES

The Adminstrative Director (AdD) will also respond to the HOI and will be responsible for:

  • ensuring that relevant information is collected, analysed by the Strategic Management Board and used for the effective management of programmes and other activities (Standard 8). Students and staff will eventually be involved in the implementation of the activities, subsequent to a strategic decision of the SMB.
  • the publishing of objective and updated information of activities and programmes (Standard 9).
3.8.1 - INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (STANDARD 8)

The AdD will be responsible to maintain all the records of students and teaching staff by means of an online repository. This information will be back up using dedicated servers and back up mechanisms so that information will be kept available for 40 years. The AdD is responsible for this information and will count on the internal IT department. External consultants will be occasionally hired for the purpose of pursuing cyber-security and managing the resources. In addition, all GDPR compliance issues will be adhered to, including the right to be forgotten for students that make this requirement. 

The information that will be made available will include:

  • Admission records
  • Student details
  • Assessment performance
  • Profile of student population categorised by academic year
  • Learning and assessment content
  • Student satisfaction surveys, conducted online twice during the academic year.
  • Student participation to didactic activities, marks and success rates
  • Employment paths and rates based on tracer studies, conducted three years after the graduation

This information will be available upon request to the SMB, the administrative staff and anyone who requires it, with a specific reason and upon approval of the SMB.

3.8.2 - PUBLIC INFORMATION (STANDARD 9)

The AdD will also make the following information public:

  • Selection criteria for admission
  • Programme and module learning outcomes and MQF Level
  • Workload of programme and modules in terms of ECTS and hours
  • Teaching, learning and assessment procedures
  • Pass rates
  • Career paths

The information will be checked quarterly in order to make it always available and up-to-date.

All the data, stated above, will be publicly available on a dedicated website, that will be set up by the IT department for each specific programme.

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