Quality Management

Quality Management Strategy

Modul University relies upon a diverse set of policies, organizational bodies, and reporting mechanisms to ensure quality in its various operations. This framework has been developed as a product of MU’s commitment to quality assurance and continuous institutional improvement.

The quality management strategy currently in place at MU serves to satisfy several broad objectives:

  • Ensuring the university’s academic offerings, courses, and study programs are of the highest possible quality
  • Ensuring that research is conducted according to the highest ethical and academic standards
  • Encouraging continual improvement to all areas of the university’s operations through cycles of self-evaluation and subsequent improvement
  • Encouraging broad participation by various stakeholders within the university towards continual building and maintenance of a quality-focused culture
  • Demonstrating a commitment to the quality assurance frameworks set out in the European Standards and Guidelines, the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria, and other accrediting agencies with which the university is affiliated.

External quality assurance is provided by AQ Austria. Indeed, after the initial accreditation in 2007, MU has had to renew its accreditation every six years, while submitting accreditation proposals for newly developed study programs. Moreover, MU has to provide the AQ Austria with an annual report to report on the changes that happened at the university, especially in terms of quality management. Finally, MU also has a Quality Management Handbook, which supports faculty and staff to implement all quality management processes.

Figure: Organs of MU involved in quality management at the campuses of Vienna and Nanjing
Figure 1: Organs of MU involved in quality management at the campuses of Vienna and Nanjing

The Quality Management System at Modul University consists of different components displayed in Figure 1, which are also used in the Global Campuses.

The development of the quality management system at MU is the primary responsibility of the University Board, which works with the university’s various committees and decision-making bodies in carrying out the university’s quality management-related initiatives. The University Board is supported by the following members:

  1. The Quality Support Manager, who is tasked with administering the university’s course evaluation system, assisting with QM matters relating to the global campuses, and advancing other QM-related initiatives assigned by the University Board.
  2. The President's Office & Accreditation Manager, who assists with various QM-related matters and is responsible for overseeing applications and reapplications for accreditations and advancing new and already existing QM processes
  3. The Sustainability Manager, who provides general leadership on the university’s sustainability goals and initiatives.

The university’s quality management strategy requires input from a range of stakeholders.
To facilitate this, the University relies on multiple decision-making bodies. These groups and their quality management functions are described below:

The University Board
The University Board consists of the Managing Director, University President, and the University Vice-President and meets on a regular basis to provide direction on matters of academic and operational importance. The UB is the leading decision-making body at the university and is responsible for defining and directing the university’s quality management policies and priorities.

The University Senate
The University Senate is the primary community forum for discussing all matters of concern relating to institutional effectiveness and quality assurance. Formal responsibilities of this body include approval of nominations by the President for habilitation, nominating candidates for election to the University Board, and electing representatives to serve on the Studies and Examinations Committee.

The School Conference
The School Conference is an advisory forum for deliberating matters of academic interest to each individual study program such as study regulations, examination procedures, and other program-specific topics. At the Nanjing campus, the Study Program Conference holds a similar advisory function and is attended by the campuses local counterparts.

The Semester Conference
The Semester Conference is convened each semester to deliberate over whether students, who do not meet the university’s academic performance standards, should be granted a continuation or recommended to the University Board for expulsion. The semester conference members include relevant program deans, members of the teaching faculty, and two student representatives. The body plays an important role in upholding the university’s academic standards. Semester Conferences are mandated to take place every semester for each academic program. At the Nanjing campus, members of the Semester Conference are the Dean for International Programs, all program Area Directors for the respective study program, members of the teaching staff of the respective study program, and two student representatives (who are only allowed an advisory vote).

The Studies and Examinations Committee
The Studies and Examinations Committee is tasked with ensuring overall compliance with the university’s examination regulations and reports regularly to the University Board on all topic of interest as they pertain to its mandate. If necessary, the committee formulates and suggests amendments to the examination regulations. An equivalent committee exists at the Nanjing campus.

Industry Advisory Boards
In order to support the tasks associated with the mid- and long-term planning of the study programs and departments, MU maintains Industry Advisory Boards for following subjects:
• Tourism and Service Management
• New Media Technology
• International Management

The results of these meetings are provided to the University Board for consideration in the university’s quality management initiatives.