Beschluss der FIBAA- Akkreditierungskommission für...

Beschluss der FIBAA-Akkreditierungskommission für Programme

89. Sitzung am 28./29. November 2013 Projektnummer: 11/105 Hochschule: Avans Hogeschool, Breda Studiengang: International Business and Management Studies ("IBMS") Die FIBAA-Akkreditierungskommission für Programme beschließt wie folgt:

The accreditation of the programme is subject to two conditions and is valid for five years.

Duration of accreditation: November 29th 2013 to end of summer semester 2019 Conditions: 1. An ECTS grading table has to be introduced (see chapter 3.1).

The condition is fulfilled. FIBAA Accreditation Committee July 11th 2014.

2. The Lisbon Convention has to be implemented in the Education and Examination

regulations, especially in terms of the recognition as a general rule as well as the burden of proof on the part of the HEI (see chapter 3.1).

The condition is fulfilled. FIBAA Accreditation Committee July 11th 2014.

Das Premium-Siegel wird vergeben.

FIBAA – Peer Reviewers Report 2

FOUNDATION FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ACCREDITATION

FIBAA BERLINER FREIHEIT 20-24 D-53111 BONN

Assessment Report

Higher Education Institution (HEI): Avans Hogeschool, Breda Bachelor programme: International Business and Management Studies ("IBMS") Qualification awarded on completion: Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)


Brief description of the study programme: The International Business and Management Studies (IBMS) programme is a four-year programme leading to the degree of a bachelor of business administration (BBA) which has been set up to cater for the growing demand for graduates to assume international commercial and economic management positions. The teaching programme focuses on the four areas of international business environment, international general management, on the international key areas marketing, operations management, accounting and financial management, and on human resource management. The programme is taught entirely in English, and it offers practical training in international companies. It includes an obligatory selection of a Major (from 3 options), and a mandatory second foreign language. The programme is offered as double degree programme with seven partner universities. Date of opening of the procedure: January 11th, 2012 Date of filing the self documentation: July 6th, 2012 Date of the site visit: September 17th & 18th, 2012 Type of accreditation: Initial accreditation Type of Programme: Undergraduate Intended length of programme: 4 years Mode of study: Full-time Initial Start of the programme: September 1st, 2001 Student intake: 400 Programme cycle starts in: Winter semester Planned number of parallel cohorts: 1 Number of ECTS point assigned to programme: 240 Hours (workload) per ECTS point: 28 Date of the Meeting of FIBAA-Accreditation Commission: November 29th, 2013


Resolution:

Recommendation of the panel members: The accreditation of the programme is subject to two conditions and is valid for five years.

Duration of accreditation period: November 29th 2013 to end of summer semester 2019 Conditions: 3. An ECTS grading table has to be introduced (see chapter 3.1).

4. The Lisbon Convention has to be implemented in the Education and Examination regulations, especially in terms of the recognition as a general rule as well as the burden of proof on the part of the HEI (see chapter 3.1).

Evidence of fulfilment of these conditions must be provided by August 29th, 2014. Project Manager: Dr. Alexander Merck Panel members:

Prof. Dr. János Csirik Szeged University, Hungary (Analysis of algorithms, pattern recognition, medical image processing, natural language processing) Country expert Hungary Prof. Dr. Christian Joerges Bremen University Zentrum für Europäische Rechtspolitik (European Private and Economic Law) Guest lecturer in U.S., Canada, Italy Prof. Dr. Suman Modwel École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, Paris (International Business, International Economics, Strategic Management, Finance) Country Expert France Prof. Dr. Johann Strassl Fachhochschule Amberg-Weiden (Business Informatics, Information management) Guest lecturer in the UK Prof. Dr. Jean-Pierre Izaac Van der Rest Hotel school The Hague (Business Studies, including management accounting, managerial economics, corporate finance) Country expert Netherlands Kai Müller Fachhochschule Düsseldorf Student of Business Administration


Summary

The panels’ assessment takes into account the self-assessment, the results of the on-site visit and comments of the HEI to the assessment report received on November 13, 2013.

The Bachelor programme "International Business and Management Studies" ("IBMS") of Avans University, Breda fulfils the FIBAA quality requirements for Bachelor programmes with two exceptions and can be accredited by the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) under two conditions. It is in accordance with the National and the European Qualifications Framework in the version valid upon signature of the accreditation agreement. It has a modular structure, it includes the assignment of ECTS points, and it leads to the academic degree of a Bachelor of Business Administration. The degree is awarded by Avans University. The panel members have identified required action in the areas of application of the ECTS system, and of the Lisbon convention. They recommend accreditation of the programme subject to fulfilment of the following conditions: 1. An ECTS grading table has to be introduced (see chapter 3.1).

2. The Lisbon Convention has to be implemented in the Education and Examination regulations, especially in terms of the recognition as a general rule as well as the burden of proof on the part of the HEI .(see chapter 3.1).

Evidence of fulfilment of these conditions must be provided by August 29th, 2014. The panel members have identified potential for improvement of the programme in the following areas: • The assessors recommend that rules for disabled students to compensate for

disadvantages as defined in the examination regulations should explicitly also apply in the admission process (s. chapter 2).

• Although feasibility of the programme is warranted, the assessors recommend that the HEI keeps an eye on student evaluation results regarding workload (chapter 3.1).

• The assessors recommend that spelling out the didactic concept of the programme should be finalized and documented in programme documentation (chapter 3.5).

Measures taken by the HEI to address these recommendations should be assessed in the event of a re-accreditation.


The following remarkably high number of quality criteria has been assessed as exceeding the requirements: • The Logic and Transparency of Programme Objectives (s. chapter 1.1), • The entire chapter "Positioning of the Programme" (chapter 1.2) with all its sub-items

"Positioning of the Programme on Education Market", "Positioning of the Programme on Job Market (Employability of Graduates)" and "Positioning within HEI's overall Strategy",

• The International Dimension of the Programme (s. chapter 1.3), • Gender equality and equality of opportunity (s. chapter 1.4), • Transparency of Admission Decision (s. chapter 2.6), • The Logic and conceptual Coherence of Programme / Curriculum (s. chapter 3.2), • The Performance in Examinations and Thesis (s. chapter 3.2), • The entire chapter "Internationality" (chapter 3.3), and in particular its sub-chapters

"International and intercultural aspects", "Internationality of Student Community", “Internationality of Teaching Community” and "Foreign language content"

• The entire chapter "Additional Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills" (chapter 3.4), with sub-chapters "Generic Skills", and "Communication skills and public speaking skills / Team-work and conflict handling",

• The accompanying course materials (s. chapter 3.5), • The Skills for Employment / Employability (s. chapter 3.6), • The Provision of Student Support / Coaching by Teaching Staff (s. chapter 4.1), • The Process Organisation and administrative Support for Students and Teaching Staff (s.

chapter 4.2), • The Cooperation with HEIs and other academic institutions or networks (s. chapter 4.3), • The entire chapter "Facilities" (chapter 4.4.), and in particular its sub-chapters "Quantity,

Quality and Media and IT Facilities of Teaching Rooms", "Library Resources" and "Number of Technical Equipment at Library Workstations for Students",

• The Individual Counselling and Welfare Services for students (s. chapter 4.5), • Quality Assurance and Development of Programme Content, Processes and Outcomes

(s. chapter 5.2), • The Programme Description (s. chapter 5.4).

All assessments are summarized in the quality profile at the end of this report.


Details on the institution Avans School of International Studies (ASIS) is one out of 19 schools of Avans University of Applied Sciences. At present, i.e. in the academic year 2011/2012, Avans University is one of the largest in the Netherlands, with 25.000 students, over 50 programmes and approximately 2.200 employees. Avans is situated in three cities and on six locations: • 12.700 students in Breda (3 locations) • 9.950 students in 's-Hertogenbosch (2 locations) • 1.400 students in Tilburg (one location) At these 19 schools, students can take bachelor degrees in the following subject areas: • Economics (43% of all students) • Technology (22%) • Social Work (12%) • Health (7%) • ICT (5%) • Art and Design (5%) • Law (3%) • Education (3%) Avans has 24 research groups which conduct different research programmes. For the facilitation of the schools and the Board of Directors, Avans holds five shared service centres and two staff units. The organisational chart is as follows:

Within Avans University of Applied Sciences, ASIS offers the full-time bachelor’s degree programme "International Business and Management Studies" (IBMS) leading to the title of a Bachelor of Business Administration, and the full-time bachelor’s degree programme "Finance and Control" equally leading to the title of a Bachelor of Business Administration.


In its mission, ASIS puts high emphasis on personal coaching of students (see ch. 4.1) and on internationality, and it aims to build up a reputation as an initiator, facilitator and knowledge partner for international education and internationalisation. Since June 2010, ASIS has been a member of the Network of International Business Schools (NIBS), see ch. 1.4. ASIS takes part in the national benchmarking exercise MINT (Mapping Internationalisation) launched by the Dutch institute for internationalisation in Higher Education (Nuffic), see ch. 1.4. ASIS offers double degree (DD) programmes i.e. the option to acquire a bachelor degree at a foreign partner university or business school together with the Avans bachelor degree. All information on these DD partnerships can be found below in ch. 3.1. Further development of the programme, implementation of the recommendations from previous accreditation, statistical data and evaluation results The following changes to the IBMS programme have been implemented over the last years: The role of the Examination Board in quality assurance has shifted from adherence to procedures towards enhancement of the quality of examinations. An Assessment Committee has been established, and further improvements of the assessment system were made as described in ch. 3.2. Teaching facilities were improved through the move to the current building erected in 2008 (see details in ch. 4.4). Further improvements targeted the Quality Assurance system and the role of the Quality Coordinator (see ch. 5). The curriculum has been modified in line with a review of the educational vision within Avans University, through an enhanced focus on entrepreneurship and sustainability, and through the introduction of Business Research skills and methodology, and addition of the subject Human Resource Management. The basics of didactics and pedagogy have been improved by alignment of the curriculum content with the taxonomy of Bloom (see ch. 3.1. for details). Through its participation in the "International Classroom", ASIS aims to create an innovative pedagogic model for international education and to increase intercultural competence of teachers and other staff (see ch. 1.3 for further details). The HEI presents some initial statistical data on student numbers and on success rates/drop-out rates for the totality of its bachelor programmes over the period 2004 - 2010.


Appraisal As this is an initial FIBAA accreditation, no formal appraisal has been carried out in the area of programme development and statistical data. The assessors believe that steps taken in reaction to findings at the initial NVAO accreditation in 2006 are adequate, and that Avans is constantly working on the programme, and they have reasons to believe that measures taken in the recent years are showing fruitful results. They suggest that the HEI takes measures to improve the rate and the quality of returned evaluation sheets (see chapter 5). Still, feedback from students on measures taken by Avans management was positive. Changes of the curriculum were stimulated a.o. by feedback from and benchmarking with partner schools abroad. The assessors suggest that Avans addresses particular attention to carefully managing the high speed of growth in student numbers (e.g. by 20% in 2012) and to avoiding the related risk of excessive faculty workload. The assessors consider work of the Examination Committee with its new responsibility in quality assurance and in management of change measures as quite successful and recommend it being continued. Altogether, they consider the Avans change process as a strength and as a success story.


Description and appraisal in Detail

1. Strategy and Objectives

1.1 Logic and transparency of programme objectives (Asterisk Criterion) "International Business and Management Studies" (IBMS) is a four years' programme leading to the degree of a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). In line with the National Qualification Framework, the main four components of the programme are • International Business Environment, • International General Management, • International Key Areas: Marketing, Operations Management and Accounting/Financial

Management, • Human Resource Management. The IBMS is a broad generic programme with emphasis on process orientation. Main characteristics of the programme are: • internationality; • all lectures are given in English; • traditional study areas of marketing and sales, finance and management are all covered; • focus on international trade and commerce; • practical training in international companies; • incoming foreign students contribute to internationality; • the entire programme is geared to employability. The IBMS curriculum has been benchmarked against other international programmes. The focus on internationalisation reflects the ASIS policy.

Appraisal In the assessors' view, programme objectives are set out consistently and fit with potential areas of employment. Standards of scientific work are taken into account as well as employability, together with education for democratic citizenship, and generic personal skills. In programme documentation, the description of the programme objectives is logical and clear, and demonstrates their alignment with the students' intended skills and competencies. The study objectives are set in terms of both scientific and generic and personal competencies which are adequate to the aspired academic degree. Programme objectives and competence goals are spelled out clearly, are mutually aligned, and their alignment with the Dublin Descriptors is documented in a very structured way. A comprehensive, convincing explanation of the rationale behind programme objectives is given. In addition, accomplishment of the aspired competence goals is verified systematically and on a regular basis. The assessors appreciate that the relatively ambitious competence goals are spelled out clearly, and that ASIS seeks feedback on their quality from 3d parties, like cooperating firms, double degree partner universities, and its own advisory board. In the view of the assessment panel, the Programme Objectives exceed quality standards, and the intended learning outcomes reflect the programme objectives appropriately. Programme content and modules are geared to defined learning outcomes and are aligned to the strategic objectives of the programme in an exemplary manner.


Quality Ratings Exceptional Exceeds quality

requirements Meets qualitiy requirements

Does not meet quality requirements

not relevant

1. STRATEGY AND OBJECTIVES

1.1* Logic and Transparency of Programme Objectives X

1.2 Positioning of the programme ASIS aspires to differentiate itself from competitors through a number of distinctive features which can best be described along the lines of internationalisation, double degrees and programme content. The ASIS policy on internationalisation addresses the issues of creating an international environment for Dutch students, international mobility of both staff and students, and international collaboration with partner universities abroad. Through its research in the area of the "International Classroom", ASIS aspires to further increase programme quality (see ch. 1.3). ASIS offers double degree programmes i.e. the option to acquire a bachelor degree at a foreign partner university or business school together with the Avans bachelor’s degree. To that end, the partners need to provide evidence to each other that their study programmes are compatible, and in particular that those students who study on both sites fulfil the requirements of the bachelor's degrees of both partners and can therefore be awarded both degrees. A second foreign language is mandatory for all students. Students must select a major right at the start of the programme. Being embedded in the region, ASIS promotes the spirit of entrepreneurship among students through initiatives like e.g. Starterslift and Avans Ondernemerscentrum. The ASIS target areas in the Education Market focus on the regional and the international market more than on the national market (see details of the major-minor structure of the programme in ch. 3.1). The HEI presents a list of some 10-20 actual examples of entry level positions of IBMS graduates, drawn from its alumni database 2010. 87% of alumni responses state that they found jobs with international companies, mostly in marketing, accounting and sales. 60% were following Master programmes, in parallel to their jobs, or on full time basis. In 2012, 42% of the alumni continued studying after their IBMS programme. To 77% of those who entered the labour market immediately, it took less than three months to find their first employment. In its strategic plan for 2011-2014, Avans University has defined a.o. the following strategic focus areas: • sustainable basis in the region, • internationalisation, • modern education in an up-to-date environment, • image and branding ("be seen and recognized"). The IBMS programme fits with all of these and contributes to all of these.


Appraisal Due to its attractive profile and its a.m. distinctive features, the competitive position of the programme in the education market appears to be stable and robust. The market position has been analysed in detail. Symptoms of its attractiveness are that it attracts students from many countries and that the growth in student numbers is high (e.g. 20% in 2012). The described profile and the competence goals are such that the programme has a very good competitive position on the job market. This is a.o. underpinned by analysis of alumni surveys. Also, ASIS analysed the programme’s position on the job market in detail, and its competitive advantages are demonstrated in a convincing manner. As a result of continuous benchmarking and systematic quality enhancement, in the assessors' view,

o the intended learning outcomes now exceed international requirements,

o the skills required of students are adapted dynamically to the needs of today's and tomorrow's job markets,

o graduates are thereby perfectly enabled to reach employability in those professional areas which the programme is geared to,

o set-up and positioning of the final qualifications, in particular through the programme's major-minor structure, its internationality, including the acquisition of a second foreign language, set IBMS Breda apart from its competitors,

altogether, the intended Learning Outcomes can therefore serve as an example also to other HEIs' study programmes in the field of Business Administration. This is further underpinned both by the remarkable increase in student numbers, and by the programme's excellent position in national ranking. Detailed, convincing reasons are given for the way in which the programme is embedded into ASIS's strategy through its emphasis on cooperation with international academic institutions, its internationality in general, and its strong focus on industry practice through co-operations with enterprises both in the region and in foreign countries.


requirements

Meets qualitiy requirements


not relevant


1.2 Positioning of Programme

1.2.1 Positioning of the Programme on Education Market X

1.2.2 Positioning of the Programme on Job Market (Employability of Graduates) X

1.2.3 Positioning within HEI's overall Strategy X

1.3 International orientation of the programme (Asterisk Criterion) In the field of internationalisation, ASIS has identified seven strategic objectives: 1. develop students’ intercultural and international competencies;


2. develop international and intercultural competencies of staff. ASIS will have an internationally mixed staff with international experience, international research competence and language proficiency;

3. increase the number of international students;

4. establish and maintain close relations with the international business world;

5. build and strengthen international partnerships;

6. build and maintain international reputation. ASIS intends to create brand awareness in Europe as an international business school of recognised quality;

7. create a truly international student experience for incoming students.

See ch. 3.3 for details on the implementation of this strategy.

Appraisal Internationality is an essential constituent of the programme. ASIS has formulated seven strategic objectives to achieve its vision on internationalisation. The emphasis of the programme design on internationality in teaching and study is high, and the programme, by means of its targeted knowledge and skills development, clearly enables graduates to perform the tasks required in a highly international environment. See ch. 3.3 for details on the implementation of internationality in the programme.


requirements

Meets qualitiy

requirements


not relevant

1.3* International Dimension of the Programme X

1.4 Gender equality and equality of opportunity ASIS has drawn up policies on equality of opportunity incl. gender equality that apply to all its schools: a policy for students with physical restrictions (Protocol Studeren met een Functiebeperking), a policy on handicap and study (Beleidsplan 2010-2013 Handicap en Studie), and a code of conduct for equality between Dutch and international students (Code of conduct with respect to international student in Dutch higher education). All students addressed in these policies will receive care and guidance at the University and its schools. ASIS thereby aims to offer students with a physical restriction equal opportunities in obtaining their diploma, by providing tailor made facilities including clear provisions on their application and allocation, and to eliminate inequalities in all regulations and provisions, in accordance with Dutch law (Wet Gelijke Behandeling op grond van handicap of chronische ziekte (WGBh/cz 1-12-2003)).


Appraisal

ASIS promotes gender equality and bans on discrimination through comprehensive policies and concrete measures. Provisions on the application procedure, on courses and on examinations are in place and apply throughout the programme, with the objective of creating equal opportunities through compensation for disabilities, and in the areas of discrimination of sex, race and religion. ASIS is able to demonstrate the effectiveness of these provisions. Statistics presented by ASIS show that the ratio of male to female students is approx. 50:50, both among students and faculty members.


requirements

Meets qualitiy

requirements


not relevant

1.4 Gender equality and equality of opportunity X

2. ADMISSION (ADMISSION PROCESS AND PROCEDURE) Admission criteria for European students are a VWO or HAVO or MBO or similar diploma as regulated in the Dutch Act on Education and Professional Training, or a final examination certificate of an HEI, or, for students over 21, an entrance examination testing general capabilities and English language skills. Holders of a VWO diploma are granted 30 CPs i.e. only need to acquire 210 CP of the core programme. ASIS offers an intake programme for entering students plus a voluntary monitoring process for students (called Hippocampus) which includes a personal talent and motivation analysis. Double degree students from cooperation partner institutes abroad qualify for admission if they have satisfied the progress requirements set by their own institutions and obtained their first 2 years at the home institute, and they are thereby exempted from the year 1 and year 2 courses. ASIS has no further formal selection procedure, as acc. to Dutch legislation, HEIs are not allowed to refuse Dutch students who meet all formal admission criteria. That same legislation, however, installs the propaedeutics (see details in ch. 3.1) instead of a selection process, in which, on the basis of the intake, students receive a green, yellow or red "card" and are thereby advised on their success perspectives in the programme. Students are not obliged to follow this advice, but the majority does. Professional experience is not an admission criterion for the IBMS programme. All IBMS modules are exclusively taught in English. For non-EU students, ASIS has set a minimum IELTS score at 6.0 (for the year 1) and at 7.0 (for the year 3), or comparable standards (e.g. TOEFL). All other students need to pass a language test before starting off there studies, and must take language courses to fill gaps as needed. Admission decisions are exclusively based on the criteria described above and communicated to applicants in writing.


Appraisal Admission requirements are defined and transparent. The national standards are explained and taken into account. Procedures for students entering the programme from other study courses are defined. Also, the International Office deals with the admission of foreign students following a transparent protocol which ASIS presented to the assessors. The assessors recommend that rules for disabled students to compensate for disadvantages as defined in the examination regulations should explicitly also apply in the admission process. ASIS reports that approx. 90% of applicants fulfil the formal criteria and are enrolled. Still, an entry test is carried out to check basic knowledge of e.g. mathematics or language skills, and those who have gaps receive special training for which no credits are granted. The assessors acknowledge that the absence of a formal selection process, as imposed by law, is the reason for the relatively high drop-out rate of the programme at the end of the first year. ASIS points out that its drop-out rate of 25% is still the lowest in the Netherlands. Admission requirements ensure that students are able to follow lectures in English. The standard level is set as an IELTS score; however, other comparable standards like TOEFL are recognized as well. The procedure and the criteria are considered as appropriate by the assessors. In summary, the admission procedure is described, explained and documented in a logical and transparent manner, and is accessible to the public. The admission decision is based on objective and transparent criteria and is communicated in writing. In addition, the HEI has demonstrated that it includes detailed information regarding the results of the admission procedure.


requirements



not relevant

2. ADMISSION (REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURE) AND OBJECTIVES

2.1* Admission Requirements X

2.2 Selection Procedure (if available) X

2.3 Professional Experience X

2.4* Ensuring Foreign Language Competence X

2.5* Transparency of Admission Procedure X

2.6* Transparency of Admission Decision X

3. Implementation 3.1 Structure


The IBMS study programme has a study load of 240 ECTS, with propaedeutics going over one year (60 ECTS) and the post-propaedeutics over three years (180 ECTS). One ECTS equals a study load of 28 hours. The full time study programme has a nominal length of four years. Each year consists of 42 weeks, has a study load of 60 ECTS and is divided into 4 periods, according to the ASIS academic calendar. This study load is spread over the academic year as evenly as possible. In Years 1 and 2, ASIS uses the quarter system, and in Years 3 and 4 the semester system. The course programme is subdivided into units, or blocks, each with a study load of 15 ECTS, equivalent to 420 study hours. The Work Placement and Graduation Assignment have a study load each of 30 ECTS. One block consists of 7 weeks of classroom work, including project-based activities, followed by three weeks for examinations. With the start of the Work placement, the programme is structured in semesters of 14 weeks of classroom work and two weeks for exams. The average number of contact hours is decreasing from 19 to 15 hours per week from year 1 to year 4. The IBMS programme is set up according to a "major-minor" model. This means that it offers • a "professional profile", in the form of one major of 210 ECTS, for the overall

competencies in the area of Business Administration which must be selected out of the 3 possible majors "International Business Studies (IBS)", "Asian Business Studies (ABS)" and "Cross-cultural Management and Languages (CML )";

• an "individual profile", of 30 ECTS, as an elective which may or may not be related to the

IBMS competencies, which can be chosen from o the ASIS minors, o the Avans minors provided in English, o minors of another Dutch university as described on the Kies op Maat platform

(www.kiesopmaat.nl), provided in English, o a study programme abroad: Erasmus Exchange or Free Mover Programme.

The following chart is a complete overview of the curriculum for 2012-2013:


Double degree partnerships Students of the IBS major can obtain a double degree (DD), i.e. upon graduation, students will receive both the Bachelor of Business Administration degree of the IBMS programme at ASIS, and a degree of one of the following partner Business Schools abroad:

The DD programme includes an internship abroad, the total stay abroad extends over 1.5 to 2 years, and the study course abroad must at least include the two subjects "International business operations" and "Strategic Business Decisions". For incoming students arriving e.g. at the end of their 2nd home year, it needs to be established beforehand that their acquired competence level is comparable with the Avans level after two years; otherwise they need to follow a gap filling program. Similarly, the DD partner university needs to establish that the program and examinations at Avans of the last two programme years meet their degree requirements. Regarding potential DD partner universities, the minimum expectation is that it has passed an international accreditation to demonstrate the validity and quality of the partner's study programme. ASIS presents a complete overview of all DD programmes, including a comparison of ECTS assignment, of standards etc., as well as descriptions of the partners' Quality Assurance (QA) systems. All seven partner institutes are accredited or evaluated by international and/or national organisations. Four partner institutes are accredited by accreditation organisations: Eastern Kentucky University, Western Carolina University and Reims Management School by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International); Reims Management School by the European Foundation of Management Development (EFMD) under the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS); and Budapest Business School by the Hungarian Accreditation Committee (HAC). A number of Reutlingen University's programmes have been accredited by FIBAA, including its programme "International Management" which matches the ASIS IBMS programme and which grants double degrees in cooperation with Reims Management School and with Piacenza University. Two partner institutes have been evaluated by an evaluation organisation: Northumbria University by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), and Reutlingen University by EVALAG (Evaluationsagentur Baden-Württemberg). Northumbria University is furthermore EPAS-accredited by EFMD. The HEIs in Reims, Piacenza and Reutlingen are members of the International Partnership of Business Schools (IPBS), consisting of nine partner schools with high quality standards in Europe, USA and Mexico. Piacenza University is a member of the International Partnership


of Business Schools, and has been acknowledged by the MIUR's Regional chamber of Education, since an Italian accreditation system for higher education does not exist as yet. IBMS management has made detailed comparisons of quality standards implemented at these organisations, and the conclusion has been that all double degree partners had been thoroughly, and positively, assessed by the above mentioned agencies. In the cooperation with Budapest Business School, there are so far only incoming students. The assessors suggest that all double degree co-operations should in the long run work both ways in terms of student and lecturer exchanges. For Budapest Business School, no accreditation report is available. However, a QM manual has been presented. The assessors confirm that the Hungarian Ministry of Education warrants that for all Hungarian HEIs, structure and number of teaching staff correspond with programme requirements and with government standards. The Hungarian accreditation warrants that both academic and didactic/pedagogic qualifications as well as business experience of teaching staff are in line with the publicly recognised standards. The QM system explicitly ensures that student support and coaching are an integral part of the services provided by the teaching staff and are offered on a regular basis. Workflow management and decision-making processes including appropriate involvement of faculty and students are described in detail in the QM manual, as well as administrative support. The Hungarian accreditation implies that quantity and quality of lecturing rooms and of their IT and media facilities are in line with the needs described for the programme, and that rooms and access are suitably equipped for disabled persons and are barrier-free. It further implies that an adequate library including sufficient work stations is available which allows access to literature, journals and digital media. In reaction to feedback from student evaluations, opening hours are adequate now and meet students' needs. Counselling and welfare services are an integral part of the HEI’s services and are offered on a regular basis. The QM system includes a system of evaluations by students, lecturers and by 3d party. ASIS presents a complete set of module descriptions. It states that overall, 35% of study time is presence time. The Education and Examination regulations (EER) describe the framework for IBMS, in particular • foundation of the programme on the acknowledged national IBMS Competency

Framework, • regulations applicable to the DD programmes, • the obligation for all IBMS students to spend one year abroad, • the role of the Examination Board, also with regard to the appeal and complaint

procedure, • complete overviews of the programme content, • examination rules and regulations. The organisation of the study programme is described in chapter 4 of the EER. The basic assumption is that students have an average workload of 40 study hours a week. Each study year consists of 42 weeks and is divided into an introduction week, followed by four quarters of 10 weeks and one extra resit week, thus spreading the study load evenly over the academic year. The study and examination regulations for the IBMS programme comply with the ASIS EER and are published and updated annually by the Education Committee and issued by the Dean. All course descriptions incl. learning objectives are accessible for students.


In an overall evaluation of the IBMS programme among graduates over the 2006-2010 period has, regarding workload, resulted in an average score of 7.5 on a scale from 1-10 (note that the nationwide score is 7.4).

Appraisal The programme consists of a well balanced mix of core subjects, of obligatory electives and of practice elements. Together, these support the programme objectives and the acquisition of skills by students. Assessors conclude that the curriculum is well analysed and supports the goals. They feel that the number of courses per quarter is somewhat on the high side, see e.g. Q1 which includes 12 topics. Overall, however, the HEI has demonstrated that workload is feasible (see below). In interviews, company representatives and students confirm that graduation theses address real practical problems in companies, and often contribute to valuable solutions, even if occasionally projects could not be closed out and rounded off. Graduates agree that all they learned turned out to be useful later in practice. An assessors' suggestion was that problem solving capabilities in practice and looking at practical problems from different perspectives could receive more emphasis. Overall, both companies and students were still fully satisfied with the programme content. Concerning the double degree (DD) partnerships, assessors conclude that they work very well. To ensure that students participating in a double degree programme can achieve the same final objectives as students taking the single degree programme, ASIS has made programme comparisons and reached agreements with the partner institutes abroad regarding the courses that students must take. From comparisons of all double degree programmes with the IBMS competencies, ASIS has been able to demonstrate that these programmes sufficiently meet the competencies and the required quality standards. Before co-operations start, a common module structure is agreed which ensures that a necessary minimum of content is warranted, and programmes are checked mutually to make sure they are compatible and that marking systems are sufficiently aligned. ASIS has appointed country coordinators who maintain contacts between ASIS and the partner institutions and who every now and then visit the partner universities. To some extent, lecturers are exchanged. Benchmarking is carried out, curricula are scrutinized for overlap. At least three meetings per year take place with all partners. When a programme is finally launched, potential difficulties between different partners or with their study programmes are analysed in detail, and amendments are suggested and discussed between partners. The programmes in France and in Italy are in local language. As a result, employability has turned out for those students to be particularly high e.g. in the US due to the knowledge of European languages. Most ECTS elements (principle of modularisation, credit points, workload specifications) have been implemented. Module descriptions are in line with the structural requirements, describing in particular the learning outcomes and the acquisition of skills in appropriate detail. They meet national requirements and contain integrated module examinations. The HEI applies a Dutch grading table which is different from the ECTS grades. It points out that the use of the ECTS table is not an obligation in the Netherlands, and it presents the corresponding Dutch Nuffic provisions. Still, awarding relative grades is a FIBAA quality


criterion. The assessors, therefore, recommend that the accreditation should be subject to the condition that ECTS grades are implemented. In further development of the programme, ASIS takes into account evaluation findings like the programme success rate and feedback from alumni. Evaluation sheets include a question per module regarding the study workload. Learning Outcomes have been nationally and internationally benchmarked and validated acc. to internationally recognised standards (see ch. 1.4). The assessors welcome the excellent quality of the module descriptions. Descriptions of competencies to be acquired (i.e. learning outcomes) are concise and clear, and the learning lines (i.e. module contents) are clearly described and concrete both with regard to content and with regard to professional orientation. A set of study and examination regulations exists. The structural requirements for the programme have been implemented taking into account national requirements. Examination frequency and organisation lead to a manageable student workload (see further details below). Rules for disabled students to compensate for disadvantages in examinations are in place. The examination regulations are long and detailed. They include a.o. the complete curricula; rules on which minors can be combined with which majors; the possibility of opting for a DD programme; language requirements; the obligation for all IBMS students to spend one year abroad; detailed descriptions of examinations per year and assessments of work placements and of thesis; resit rules; criteria for admittance to the post-propaedeutic phase; the role of the examination board (e.g. in appeal and complaint procedures). The assessors note that provisions acc. to the Lisbon convention are missing. The Convention stipulates that degrees and periods of study must be recognised unless substantial differences can be proved by the institution that is charged with recognition. Regarding the application of the Lisbon convention, the HEI presents a memorandum by its legal advisers confirming that ASIS is acting in accordance with Dutch law and therewith with the Lisbon convention. Explicit mention of the above mentioned provisions from the Lisbon convention, as a minimum, is, however, a FIBAA quality criterion. The assessors, therefore, recommend that the accreditation should be subject to the condition that an explicit reference to the Lisbon convention and especially the recognition as a general rule as well as the burden of proof on the part of the HEI are included in the EER. The quality and level of the assessment system is very convincing, is appropriate for a Bachelors' degree, and is assessed as good. The Learning Outcomes have been nationally and internationally benchmarked and validated according to internationally recognised standards. As a result, the programme has recently undergone a comprehensive renewal. In the frame of this programme renewal, programme management has taken a number of measures to improve the quality of assessments and examinations. Among other measures, an Assessment Committee has been established to monitor the quality of assessments; an assessment matrix has been introduced; assessment processes have been described, and dedicated training for teachers has been enhanced. Programme management has taken measures to assure that assessment criteria are applied appropriately, and more rigidly. Assessment principles are laid down in a policy plan. The assessment system which includes formative and summative assessments is rigid enough to ensure that degrees are awarded only to students who deserve to obtain them meeting strict end-level requirements. The use of "Bloom's taxonomy" ensures that the learning goals as well as assessment goals of the knowledge tests are formulated in line with the expected increasing level of expertise that


students must demonstrate. All assessments in the IBMS programme have to meet strict quality requirements in terms of validity, reliability and transparency. ASIS uses a very structured approach to the construction of knowledge tests, the quality of test questions is assessed using the statistical tool 'Sonate', and all tests need to be approved by the Assessment Committee. Teachers receive dedicated training at the Dutch CITO institute. The entire ASIS assessment system is subject to a very comprehensive, thorough and sophisticated quality assurance system. The resulting quality of assessments systematically surpasses the level normally expected in a BBA programme. Alumni surveys have confirmed that the validity and reliability of assessments are appropriate. The assessors find that the examination committee's role in quality development of course content and assessments is a strength of the programme and suggest that the committee should continue its work, as it has achieved valuable and essential improvements. As an example, when language teachers had been requested to guide students during their work placement, the committee insisted that teachers should first be trained for this specific task. The committee's work is compiled in an annual report and in an archive of issues. Of these, a non-confidential extract was handed out to the assessors. The alignment of marking systems with DD partners is, according to ASIS, a continuous challenge but has recently resulted in an agreement on a common conversion table. For the assessment of the bachelor thesis, one professor from both DD partners is present. Two meetings of the examination board are held per week, and at least twice per quarter with the dean or vice-dean; in these, the examination board flags what it considers as threats to quality. ASIS reported a number of examples for such issues. Taking into account the admission requirements, structure of the curriculum, frequency and workload from examinations, coaching and counselling offered, from workload calculations, from the above mentioned results from evaluations, and from own interviews with students, the assessors conclude that feasibility of the programme is warranted. Students report that the first year is quite demanding, but once passed, there is certainty that the entire programme will be feasible at least in terms of workload. Still, the assessors recommend that the HEI keeps an eye on student evaluation results regarding workload.

Quality Ratings

Exceptional Exceeds quality

requirements



not relevant

3. PROGRAMME DESIGN

3.1 Structure

3.1.1 Structure of the Programme (Core Subjects / or Specialisations (Compulsory Electives) / optional Electives/ practical Components)

X

3.1.2* Application of the "European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)" and the Modularisation

condition

3.1.3* Study and Examination Regulations condition

3.1.4* Student workload X


3.2 Content According to ASIS, the programme is structured in line with the national qualification framework. Distinction is made between job related and generic competencies. Job related competencies are geared to behaviour, and to the knowledge and skills underpinning behaviour i.e. interpersonal, task-oriented and intra-personal competencies. ASIS provides a list, for IBMS, of 9 job related and 7 generic competencies: • For International Business, these are International business awareness and Intercultural

competence. • In terms of General Management Competencies, these are International strategic vision

development, Business processes and change management, and Entrepreneurial management.

• In Functional Key-Areas, they are International marketing and sales management, International supply chain management, International finance & accounting and International human resource management (HRM).

• The Generic competencies comprise � Interpersonal competencies: Leadership, Co-operation and Business Communication � Task-oriented competencies: Business research methods and Planning and

Organising � Intra-personal competencies: Learning and self-development, and Ethical and

corporate responsibility. IBMS defines three levels of competencies, with increasing complexity as the study programme proceeds and provides a description of these while putting them in relation to the levels as defined in the National Qualification Framework, and using the Dublin descriptors (Knowledge and Understanding; Applying Knowledge and Uunderstanding; Making Judgements; Communication; Learning Skills) to ensure that the level of the study programme is sufficient. The English classes help students to prepare for the Cambridge Advanced English exam at the end of year 2. In year 3 and 4, the Skills and English learning lines are increasingly integrated to enhance the learning of students in professional settings. The second foreign language is part of the year 1 and 2 programme and has its focus on acquiring oral and written skills for basic business communication purposes. Students put theory into practice by working in groups on Business Projects. Along the lines of the programme structure in "Learning Lines", theoretical module contents are applied in projects carried out for a company or organisation. The "Skills Line" enables students to actually carry out the project tasks, through modules like "Interview skills" and "Information skills". In Year 2, a practical semester is included in the form of a work placement period, providing students hands-on job related experience and professional competence while enhancing his or her personal development. In the final semester of Year 4, students do their graduation internship, in which they conduct research for an organisation. The aim is for students to demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge and skills in practice, and to provide scientifically founded advice to an organisation on how to solve a real and practical business problem.


ASIS students have the opportunity to become involved in realistic business environments through their work placement as well as the graduation internship, and through the AOC (Avans Ondernemerscentrum, or Avans Centre for Entrepreneurship). Specific attention is paid to the application of research methodology in several ways. Students acquire methodological and academic work competences through a number of modules, like � a workshop on Information Skills (year 1), � a course in Quantitative Methods (year 1 and 2), � the module Report Writing (year 2), � the course Business Research methods, advanced statistics and SPSS. This includes

writing a research plan, and teaches methods and techniques for diagnosis of a business problem, for devising a personal problem solving theory plus a plan for testing this theory. This course is designed to prepare students for the graduation internship (year 3/4).

ASIS points out that it operates a rigid and fair assessment system which aims to establish objectively whether the individual student’s study progress and learning outcomes meet the required standards, in line with learning outcomes and EER. ASIS has developed a Programme Assessment Plan which defines why, what, how and when they assess and who assesses whom, see table below.

Quality requirements that lecturers have to take into consideration are validity, reliability and transparency. Graduation reports are assessed against a required level 3 on the IBMS competencies. The roles of the Examination Board (EXBO), the Assessment Committee, the Consultative Council and the Study Programme Advisory Council in quality assurance of examinations are described in ch. 4.2. On an average, 15% of the submitted graduation reports were not fit for defense, and 10% were borderline.


Recently, the IBMS curriculum has been revitalised and re-profiled. Reasons were a.o.: 1. Modularisation as a result of the alignment of the programme with its double degree partners; 2. The need for organisational changes ensuing from the growth in student numbers; 3. Nation-wide alterations to the competency profile for IBMS programmes; 4. A recent review of the educational vision within ASIS; 5. Feedback from the alumni. The changes that have been made include the addition of the functional area "Human Resource Management" to the curriculum. Also, Business Research became an explicit Generic Skill. The new major "Cross-Cultural Management and Languages" was introduced; and the curriculum content was aligned with the Taxonomy of Bloom.

Appraisal The curriculum reflects the programme objectives appropriately. Modules are geared to defined learning outcomes, they are arranged in a logical sequence, and are aligned to the strategic objectives of the programme. The assessors are impressed by the complete and logical deduction of the overall and detail curriculum structure and its contents, including learning outcomes of the modules, from the programme objectives, while taking into account the National Qualification Framework and the Dublin Descriptors in a very structured and well documented way. The relatively ambitious competence goals are spelled out clearly. The Learning Outcomes have been nationally and internationally benchmarked and validated acc. to internationally recognised standards: Fifteen Dutch HEIs including ASIS that deliver IBMS programmes are members of the National IBMS platform. As a result of benchmarking among their programmes, the ASIS IBMS programme has undergone a renewal which was launched in 2011. The core subjects offered are aligned with the qualification and competence goals, and clearly translate the programme objectives into programme content while addressing all of the competence goals. Through its very clear major/minor structure, the programme offers a well balanced mix of core subjects and programme emphases which students can build to their personal preference.

These emphases, or specialisations, are in perfect fit with the programme of core subjects and offer attractive special skills. The assessors expect that they will be of great benefit to students as they also quite appropriately reflect recent changes on the job market. On top of this, students can select their preferred second or third language (see details in ch. 3.1). The degree type BBA is in line with the focus of the programme content and with provisions in national law. The programme denomination "International Business and Management Studies" fits well with programme objectives and content. The programme explicitly includes a combination of theory and practice in the form of a work semesters, internships, and through the thesis which is supposed to deal with finding a scientifically sound solution to a practical problem in a company. In interviews with regard to practice projects, only slightly critical remarks went in the direction of scope for improvement of the management of a dialogue between university and the companies, and with students during their stay abroad, including consideration of cultural differences. One suggestion being considered was to install skype meetings during the practical period abroad between students and their professors. ASIS appears to be aware of this but is limited by time constraints. In summary, however, company representatives confirm that students would often come up with interesting theory based ideas and different


fresh views on problems which would allow them to elaborate new and workable solutions, at an academic level at least appropriate to a BBA degree or better. To some extent, the programme promotes interdisciplinary thinking, in particular through the integrative courses in year 4. The assessors suggest that ASIS considers putting even more emphasis on research methodology in the programme. However, they acknowledge that methodological and research themes have recently been added to the curriculum so that considerable progress has been achieved in this area. Overall, they agree that the programme ensures that graduates gain methodological competence, learn to conduct academic work and can understand and assimilate specialist literature. These skills are identified as learning outcomes in the module descriptions. ASIS points out that it has considerably changed the graduation process, namely through shifting the "focus on a company's problem" towards "carrying out research for the solution of a company's problem". The curriculum as a whole is now much more focused on the development of business research methods and methodological skills. Programme management has paid extra attention to literacy skills and the use of literature sources throughout the curriculum. Examinations are aligned to the learning outcomes of the modules, and the challenge level fits with the qualification the programme is aiming to. Diverse examination methods are applied: written and oral examinations, group work, presentations, project work, and the thesis. In terms of quality development by ASIS in the area of assessments, the focus is at present on project assessment. In the frame of its comprehensive programme renewal, programme management has taken a number of measures to improve the quality of assessments and examinations. E.g. an Assessment Committee has been established to monitor the quality of assessments; an assessment matrix has been introduced; assessment processes have been described, and training for teachers has been enhanced. Programme management has taken measures to assure that assessment criteria are applied appropriately, and more rigidly. More recently, alumni surveys have confirmed that validity and reliability of assessments are appropriate. An external examiner has been involved in the assessment process, and school mentors have re-assumed their previous role as advisors and assessors, so that programme management can keep a critical eye on the level of results from graduation internships. Furthermore, the ASIS IBMS had involved external peer reviewers in the assessment of final examinations already way before other similar programme have done so. Graduation reports have been checked by the assessors. The assessors agree that graduation reports are of good quality. A few are below expectations, others are clearly excellent, and in general, marks given by Avans assessors seem plausible. The theses are in line with the programme content and the qualification objectives. The level of requirements corresponds to the qualifications which the programme is aiming to. Graduation reports are assessed against a required level 3 according to the National Competencies Framework IBMS. The alignment of marking systems with double degree partner universities has recently resulted in an agreement on a common conversion table. In the assessors' view, achievement of the targeted competence goals is continuously and systematically verified, and the level of the achieved learning outcomes is good.


The assessors find that the Examination Committee's role in ensuring that the final learning outcomes of the programme are achieved are a strength of the programme and suggest that it should continue its work. The curriculum is set up according to a major-minor model which includes an obligatory specialisation, and electives. Study and work experience semesters in foreign countries are compulsory elements of the curriculum. The "double degree tracks" offer IBMS students, and also students from seven foreign universities and business schools, the opportunity to simultaneously obtain the BBA diploma of Avans and that of the foreign university. In the assessors' view, the curriculum is well analysed and systematically supports the study goals. Modules are arranged in a logical sequence, and the curriculum and its contents are assessed as good as they are very well structured, and surpass generic quality standards also in how they demonstrate that students can achieve the intended learning outcomes. The students have provided evidence that they are capable of doing academic work. Performance in examinations is characterised by a high level of achievement when solving theoretical and practical questions through the use of demanding academic methods. Altogether, in particular thanks to the high degree of internationalisation, and as a consequence of continuous international benchmarking and of comprehensive quality improvement, the panel assesses the quality of the curriculum and of its contents as above generic standards.


requirements



not relevant

3. PROGRAMME DESIGN

3.2 Content

3.2.1* Logic and conceptual Coherence of Programme / Curriculum X

3.2.2* Rationale for the Qualification Title X

3.2.3* Reasons given for programme description X

3.2.4* Integration of Theory and Practice X

3.2.5 Interdisciplinarity X

3.2.6* Methodological Competence and Academic Work X

3.2.7* Performance in Examinations and Thesis

X

3.3 Internationality Seven strategic objectives in the field of internationalisation have been defined by ASIS (see chapter 1.3). Contributions to achieve these objectives will be made by - the ASIS Management Team which safeguards the connection between strategy, innovation, operations and educational policy; - the Coordinator Internationalisation by taking responsibility for implementation and evaluation; - by the Examination Board through focus on the study paths for incoming double degree students.


ASIS is a member of the Network of International Business Schools (NIBS). In May 2011, ASIS was awarded an international NIBS accreditation (see ch. 1.4 for details). ASIS participates in the development of the International Classroom, together with five schools in four European countries (The Netherlands, Finland, The United Kingdom, and Germany). The purpose of this project is to create an innovative pedagogic model for international education, to develop intercultural competencies for students to prepare them for the demands of a globalized working world, and to increase intercultural competence of teachers and other staff. Concerning the third point, ASIS has started using an instrument called the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) which is an assessment tool for building intercultural competence and achieving cross-cultural results and for which ASIS has two Qualified Administrators. So far, ASIS has carried out zero measurements of its student years 1-4 and among ASIS staff. The objective is for students to reach at least the "acceptance stage" when they graduate, in terms of recognition and appreciation of cultural differences and the ability to learn from them. A project plan exists for the further implementation of IDI. The programme’s international and intercultural environment features an internationally composed staff team as well as a highly diverse international student population. The student population (801 students in total in 2011-2012) comprises 31 nationalities: Dutch (63%), German (13%), French (8%), Hungarian (7%) and Chinese (3%). IBMS students come from all regions of the world with the exception of Oceania.

Information on admission criteria for foreign students can be found in chapter 2. Entry point for foreign students into ASIS is its International Office which has defined procedures, issues the letter of admission, and is in charge of housing international students. 20 teaching staff members i.e. 60% were involved in research projects for companies abroad and in practical assignments or projects that are part of the study programme. Fourteen staff members were involved in staff exchanges in the last few years. Staff members regularly go abroad to maintain contacts with the partner universities and business schools. For recruitment of new staff, practical international experience is an essential criterion. All teaching staff members are expected to have Cambridge proficiency level (C2) by the end of 2014. Currently, 76% of the staff has reached this level, while 22% have obtained an


advanced level. Gap filling agreements have been made with staff that did not attain a proficiency level yet. All course materials are in English, as well as all lectures, training sessions, coaching meetings, workshops etc. ASIS’ official language is English. English has a total amount of 24 ECTS, spread over the entire programme. ASIS offers courses in English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Italian. Obviously courses for foreign languages use their specific literature and materials in the language needed. IBMS students are obliged to take a second foreign language. Students who major in ABS must take Chinese as their second foreign language. The total amount of ECTS for the second foreign language is 12, spread over the first 1.5 years, with 18 contact hours per quarter plus self study. For students who major in CML, English and Spanish are mandatory, and they must learn a third foreign language. In basic knowledge modules in Year 1 on law, statistics and marketing, the international content is at least 50%. The percentage increases over the next years, with e.g. International Marketing Planning and International Law, to at least 85% of the courses.

Appraisal The international orientation of the programme clearly equips graduates with the skills they need to perform the tasks required in an international and inter-cultural environment. The high emphasis on international and inter-cultural content in the curriculum consistently prepares graduates for international problem-solving.

The Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) found that ASIS achieves a very high level of internationalisation. International double degree (DD) partnerships work well. In interviews with company representatives, it became clear that these support the ASIS vision of internationalisation. Lecturers are exchanged between ASIS and its DD partners. In line with the programme's aspiration, the curriculum includes intercultural elements. Students and lecturers report from misunderstandings and frictions between different national cultures at ASIS that had to be worked through. Intercultural awareness is created from the first year onwards. A significant proportion of the student community comes from abroad, student exchanges are an integral part of the programme, and graduates are equipped with the skills they need to perform the tasks required in an international environment. At present, initiatives are taken in cooperation with the international office to improve communication with international students through a "buddy project". The international composition of the student community corresponds to the requirements of the programme. It promotes the international employability of graduates. An International Office provides services to outgoing international study and placement mobility and incoming exchange and degree mobility students. Support is a.o. given in the areas of international online enrolment, verification of English language competencies, visa and residence permits, insurance, mobility subsidies and grants, housing, bank accounts, medical care. International introduction days are offered. Part of the teaching community has international experience in professional and academic fields: about one third of staff is non-Dutch, and from 16 origin countries. Fourteen staff members have been involved in staff exchanges in the last few years. The number of international publications of the teaching staff is rather limited. Still, internationality of the teaching staff exceeds the requirements of the programme. According to their CVs, 9 out of 10 lecturers have at least spent some time abroad either through work or study. When attracting new teaching staff, recruitment abroad is included. In case of equal suitability, preference is given to international candidates. ASIS uses its extensive international network


to identify and attract international staff and to create relationships with guest professors who deliver core course components in a structured approach. In surveys, alumni confirm that they are satisfied with the international and intercultural competencies of the teachers. The panel's view is that this level internationality of staff composition surpasses generic standards, and greatly facilitates the achievement of the intended international and intercultural learning outcomes. The international content of the curriculum corresponds to the aspirations of the programme and is a main constituent of the programme. All courses are held in English and a 2nd foreign language is mandatory. The programme makes regular use of international teaching material (e.g. case studies, projects, specialist literature). Study courses abroad are accompanied by examinations. Study and work experience semesters in other countries are compulsory elements of the curriculum. Lectures are all held in English, and most of the uses study material is in English as well, so that overall the predominant student workload is in English. Lectures in a foreign language, the use of foreign language material and the associated student workload predominate, promote the employability of graduates, and particularly equip them with the skills they need to perform the tasks required in an international environment. ASIS has drawn up an internationalisation plan for the period 2011-2014, in which it translates its vision on internationalisation into seven strategic objectives. For each of these, specific verifiable goals have been set, and an action plan is attached to each of these. ASIS takes part in national and international benchmarking exercises. Assessors observe that as a result of its rigid assessment system and graduation programme, students graduate only if they have achieved the intended international and intercultural learning outcomes. From evaluation data, it appears that students and alumni are quite satisfied with the international components of the programme. The composition of the student group in terms of its diversity of national and cultural backgrounds is fully in line with the programme's vision on internationalisation. The programme offers students ample opportunities to gain international experience.


requirements



not relevant

3. PROGRAMME DESIGN

3.3 Internationality

3.3.1* International and intercultural aspects X

3.3.2 Internationality of Student Community X

3.3.3 Internationality of Teaching Community X

3.3.4 Foreign language content X


3.4 Additional acquisition of knowledge and skills The following Generic Competencies are included in the programme: • Interpersonal competencies: Leadership, Co-operation, Business Communication • Task-oriented competencies: Business research methods, Planning and organising • Intra-personal competencies: Learning and self-development, Ethical and corporate

responsibility All of these are trained throughout the entire programme. ASIS presents an overview showing which skills are addressed in which module and at which level. Personal coaches (see ch. 4.1) guide students while they are developing these competencies. Year 1 of the programme includes modules on Information Skills, Interview Skills and on Business Presentations. In addition, the English language courses are geared to "Business Communication". Team work and handling issues that might induce conflicts, appear in those parts of the curriculum where students work together on projects. In year 1: Project Business Organisation, Project external Organisation, Project International marketing research, Project Business Plan; in year 2: International Marketing Plan, and in year 3: Management Game.

Appraisal Social behaviour, ethical aspects and conduct are taken into account in the programme. In interviews, students consider soft skills training as very good. Ethics and Corporate responsibility are addressed. Leadership skills are taken into account in the programme as well. The students are taught about concepts of management and applications of these in various modules. Equally, they practice communication and public-speaking skills in various modules, and these skills are strongly nurtured by means of knowledge and skills development on the programme. Students practise the techniques in projects. In many modules, students practice teamwork and conflict-handling and are expected to give presentations.


requirements



not relevant

3. PROGRAMME DESIGN

3.4 Additional Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills

3.4.1* Acquisition of application and / or research-oriented skills (only for Master programmes)

X

3.4.2* Generic Skills X

3.4.3* Communication skills and public speaking skills / team-work and conflict handling

X

3.5 Teaching Methodology Four areas are at the core of the educational model for ASIS: the student, the learning process, the educational environment, internationality and intercultural aspects:


- ASIS is offering a student-oriented curriculum with a range of study options allowing for flexibility and individual choice, and with a strong focus on study career guidance and personal coaching of students as integrated part of the programme; - elements of the learning process are a curriculum based upon both professional and generic competencies; an increasing focus on the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills; a diversity in learning methods and activities to stimulate students to learn actively; a curriculum offering different educational concepts like projects, guest lectures, work placement and graduation assignment; - an educational environment characterised by modern tools like Xplora, Blackboard and others, a variety in size of class teaching settings, with varying degrees in interactivity, and a combination of digital and traditional learning material; - internationality and intercultural aspects as described in ch. 3.3. During the 1st year, the size of student groups is limited to max 32 students. The student-teacher ratio throughout the programme is approx. 25:1. Materials used in the IBMS programme are described in the module descriptions and are available on the ASIS intranet. Since 2010, some 30 guest speakers with diverse background have delivered lectures to IBMS students. Student assistants, called "buddies" in ASIS, are students who are familiar with the cultural backgrounds of students from various countries, and help foreign students to find their way and to settle down in the Netherlands.

Appraisal The assessors appreciate that a diverse range of methods is used on the programme which is tailored to the specific modules, including intensive coaching and the opportunity for students to design their own course, and demanding practical projects. Students make their own choices on how to explore fields of their own interest. Within this didactical concept theory and practice are well integrated, in a natural manner. Examinations are arranged integratively and are characterised by a wide variety of forms – insofar as this makes sense from a teaching and methodological point of view. The level of requirements is in line with the programme objective. In interviews, lecturers did not seem to be aware of any clearly spelled out didactic concept. Development of a teaching methodology and concept is still underway, and a final concept has not been formulated as yet. The assessors recommend that spelling out the didactic concept should be finalized and documented explicitly in the programme documentation. The teaching and learning materials fulfil all quantitative and qualitative requirements. They are promptly available to students both on paper and online. Interactive elements are offered. The assessors appreciate that the materials are particularly user-friendly and encourage students to engage in further independent studies, and to use different academic approaches in these. Guest lecturers are regularly invited to teach on the programme, and the programme benefits from their experience. ASIS uses a "buddy" concept to assist students from foreign countries to familiarize with local circumstances and culture at Avans University. The concept of "personal coaches" is described in ch. 4.1. No student assistants get explicitly involved in teaching. Assessors agree with ASIS that these are not required in the well-thought-out teaching environment described above.



requirements



not relevant

3. PROGRAMME DESIGN

3.5 Teaching Methodology

3.5.1* Logic and Transparency of Teaching and Learning Methodology X

3.5.2 Accompanying course materials X

3.5.3 Guest Lecturers X

3.5.4 Student Assistants involved in Teaching X

3.6 Skills for employment / Employability (Asterisk Criterion) Elements of the study programme that contribute to employability, in addition to those described above, are • work placement in year 2: the work placement concept extends over 20 weeks and

provides students with hands-on experience and a good sense for professional life, • graduation internships, • an annual Career Day in year 4, • the opportunity for doing test job interviews and to write test CVs, • the personal coach who helps students make well-founded study and career choices (see

ch. 4.1). Furthermore, the "Personal Development Programme" is designed to guide students in a self-assessment process, with the ultimate goals of increasing self-awareness and self-knowledge. By evaluating their own competencies, strengths, and weaknesses, they can focus on further developing existing competencies and strengths, and on addressing weaknesses in a structured approach.

Appraisal The assessors conclude that graduates reach employability in professional areas which the programme is geared to in all its components. All programme objectives, learning outcomes ─ including those on generic and social skills ─ and the curriculum content contribute to this. The assessors believe that the skills required of students in the course of the programme are adapted dynamically to the needs of today's and tomorrow's job markets In line with this, the results from the Alumni Surveys together with national survey (NSE) results demonstrate that students are well prepared for their future careers.


requirements



not relevant

3. PROGRAMME DESIGN

3.6* Skills for Employment / Employability X


4. Academic Environment and framework conditions 4.1 Teaching staff ASIS presents a Teaching Cross Linking Matrix displaying the integration of teaching capacity and programme. It shows the number of hours which each lecturer is currently using for courses, and for programmes which are part of their personal development. ASIS aims at a student-teacher ratio of 25:1. For the IBMS programme, the ratio was 24.7:1 in October 2011 (772 students, 31.2 FTE). The ASIS team comprises 41 teachers, 22 of whom are male and 19 female. 1.19 FTE out of a total of 31.2 FTE are external staff. 18 teachers (44%) hold permanent positions; the remaining 23 are on temporary positions. The relatively high number of temporary staff is due to the rapid growth of the programme and the academy over the last few years. ASIS also presents an appointment procedure for lecturers. 31 out of 41 lecturers hold a doctoral, university master or PhD/DBA degree, or are pursuing it. The remaining teachers all have an HBO degree or an equivalent international diploma. Every teacher has taken or is taking the ASIS pedagogical courses ‘Docent in Ontwikkeling’ (Teacher Training course) and ‘Basis cursus Didactische Vaardigheden’ (Basic Didactic Skills course), or has taken an equivalent pedagogical course. Teaching staff is expected to integrate theory and practice so that the right balance is offered in the courses. At least 60% of all teaching staff should be closely connected through recent experience to the professional fields relevant to the study programme. 24 out of 56 lecturers have relevant professional experience in the international work field. In 2011-2012, 22 teaching staff members acted as school mentors coaching students on international work placements or graduation internships. 20 lecturers were involved in research projects for companies and in practical assignments or projects which were part of the study programmes. Fourteen staff members were involved in staff exchanges in the last few years. Staff members regularly go abroad to maintain contacts with partner universities and business schools. In recruitment of new staff, practical international experience is a crucial requirement. Quarterly meetings are held on the subjects of Finance, Marketing and the Language section. ASIS staff meetings take place at least every quarter. These can be workshops with a focus on one discipline, or kick-off sessions to mark the start of the academic year. Every quarter, ASIS invites to plenary study days to encourage staff to enrol in a wide range of subjects. The aim is to share information about the internal organisation, about upcoming changes to the curriculum, but also to involve staff in the implementation of the annual business plan. Lecturers who work out modules schedule their own regular meetings to discuss structure and course materials for these as well as the assessment methods and examinations. The committees in ASIS (Examination Board, Assessment Committee, Study Advisory Programme Council, Educational Committee, Consultative Council, ASIS Management Team) each invite to discuss their specific subjects and tasks for the sake of efficient coordination. The Examination Board has weekly meetings; the Educational Committee and the Assessment Committee each have five sessions per quarter; the Consultative Council meets twice every quarter; the Study Advisory Programme Council is scheduled once every quarter.


The ASIS teaching staff gets much involved in the guiding and coaching of students, a.o. through the "Personal Development Programme" set up for every student. Students have their own personal coach right from the start of their study career at ASIS. They meet on a regular basis throughout the first two years to be involved in personal coaching sessions, workshops and student counselling. At present, 11 lecturers act as coaches. In addition, ASIS has a specific student counsellor providing advice on a.o. educational issues, career planning, and information about other study programmes. For help and advice to students in the event of personal problems, see chapter 4.5.

Appraisal Assessors suggest that ASIS keeps an eye on problems that might arise from the relatively high speed at which student numbers are growing, a.o. in the area of staffing. Still, there is no doubt that structure and number of teaching staff correspond with programme requirements and the standards specified by government. A teaching cross-linking matrix demonstrates that the teaching capacity required for the programme is available. A column of the matrix displays the time that teaching staff dedicates to roles such as coordination of the programme or semesters and membership in boards and committees. The dean decides on training for teachers and administrative personnel. Every new teacher is expected to take the ASIS pedagogical courses ‘Docent in Ontwikkeling’ (Teacher Training course) and ‘Basiscursus Didactische Vaardigheden’ (Basic Didactic Skills course) or another pedagogical course. In interviews, representatives of cooperating companies confirm that academic and didactic qualities of teaching staff are high. The teaching staff's academic qualifications are in line with the publicly recognised standards. ASIS points out that Cambridge proficiency or European Reference Framework C2 is the expected English language skills level for teachers, which assessors feel could be quite ambitious. However, ASIS has done language level tests among teachers and taken gap filling action. The assessors note that the faculty's research background, according to the CVs submitted by ASIS, would appear relatively weak from an international perspective in that the majority of lecturers has a masters' degree and only a few are PhDs. The assessors, however, acknowledge that national standards, and in particular requirements of a B.B.A. programme are clearly met. They suggest that in the hiring policy for faculty staff, research background is given more weight, and that pertinent opportunities for enhancement of academic levels are fostered. Also, in past evaluations, some critical feedback has occasionally been received about the quality of individual faculty members. Still, the assessors have found that IBMS management has taken appropriate action in these cases, and that the teaching staff’s pedagogical and didactical qualifications are matching their tasks, and that the faculty is supported by the academy as needed through training. The lecturers' business experience is in line with programme requirements in teaching, and with national requirements. The department regularly hosts joint events in which all of the ASIS teaching staff, other employees and students participate. The assessors' impression is that internal communication, including integration of new members of teaching staff, works well, both through many informal contacts and through various committees. Student support and coaching are offered as a service by the teaching staff in academic and related issues. Teaching staff is available to the students beyond regular office hours as well.


Students are quite positive about this service and display a high degree of satisfaction and even upbeat optimism. Together with CVs of its lecturers, ASIS also present CVs of lecturers at double degree partner universities. As an example, at Eastern Kentucky University, when hiring faculty, advertisements state that a demonstration of excellence in teaching and scholarship is expected. Candidates are expected to prepare a research-based presentation for the faculty as part of the on-campus interview, and a terminal degree in the field of teaching is a requirement for all tenure-track appointments. The documented information about the quality of teaching staff considerably varies in detail for the different partner schools. Still, the assessors are confident that the quality matches that of ASIS, as they are impressed by the diligence with which all double degree partners have been scrutinized and selected, and that all of them are accredited or evaluated for quality (see details in ch. 3.1).


requirements

Meets quality requirements


not relevant

4. ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT AND FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS

4.1 Teaching Staff

4.1.1* Structure and Number of Teaching Staff in Relation to Curricular Requirements

X

4.1.2* Teaching Staff's Academic Qualifications X

4.1.3* Teaching Staff's Pedagogical / Teaching Qualifications X

4.1.4 Practical Business Experience of the Teaching Staff X

4.1.5* Internal Cooperation X

4.1.6* Provision of Student Support / Coaching by Teaching Staff X

4.2 Programme Management ASIS provides an overview over its internal committees and their responsibilities. The Education Committee decides on issues regarding development of the educational processes, i.e. design and policy, content and didactics of the programme. Decisions on each study programme are taken, in line with Dutch Law, by a Study Programme Advisory Council appointed by the Dean which includes students and staff members. Its role is to advise on and to assess the Education & Examination Regulations (EER). Major changes in the areas of organisation, HR matters, finance / business plan and education need to pass through the Consultative Council to which the Dean submits documents for information, advice and approval.


Minutes of both Study Programme Advisory Council and the Consultative Council are published on BlackBoard. The Chair of the Examination Board (EXBO) is appointed by the Avans Board of Directors, the other members are appointed by the Dean on the basis of their expertise in the field of the study programmes concerned. At least one of the members must be a lecturer in the students' study programme or one of the related study programmes. The Consultative Council advises on the composition of the Examination Board. Its numerous tasks are a.o. to appoint examiners, to officially determine examination results, to monitor examinations overall, to decide on students' requests concerning entrance requirements, exemptions, individual study paths that differ from the prescribed study paths, and to ensure and check if regulations and procedures are applied in accordance with the Education and Examination Regulations (EER). In addition, ASIS has installed a specific committee to screen and audit exams, including assessment of projects, internships and graduations. This Assessment Committee is mandated by the Examination Board to assure the quality of assessments and exams and to formulate rules or guidelines for their development. Upon enforcement by the Examination Board, it can issue guidelines and instructions to the examiners. Its members are appointed by the Dean. For the IBMS study programme, ASIS has appointed a Programme Coordinator who is a member of the Education Committee and whose specific task it is to ensure the execution of the educational policy, implementation and evaluation as well as the quality assurance of the programme, according to the guidelines provided for by the Education Committee. These guidelines concern the educational policy and design, organization, content and didactics, including the operational consequences. ASIS, and the IBMS programme in particular, receive and acknowledge external advice through its business relations and in particular from the Business Advisory Board (BAB) in which international trade and industry are represented. These provide valuable feedback and advice on programme goals and content.

Appraisal Required skills and responsibilities in workflow management and decision-making processes are defined and are implemented accordingly. The lecturers and students are involved in decisions relevant to them. The programme directors coordinate the activities of everyone involved in the programme and ensure that the programme runs smoothly. The assessors believe that dedication to methodical processes in programme management and decision-making processes is a strength of ASIS and is to the benefit of the study programme, even if they are somewhat concerned that the rapid growth within ASIS is apparently leading to considerable work pressure for staff. Administrative support is provided in a structured way and with transparent responsibilities. The administration acts as a service provider for students and teaching staff. It radiates optimism and enthusiasm. ASIS, through the Dean, ensures that administrative staff continuously receives appropriate training. Service and support is provided electronically. Finding internships is students' own responsibility in a first instance. However, they get assistance, if needed, by their coaches and through personal contacts of lecturers. In interviews, a few students reported that they found it difficult to find an internship and that more structured support by the university would be quite welcome, in particular also by the


international office in finding a place at an overseas university. Still, others acknowledged that ASIS support was helpful with this e.g. by providing a database of firms. Overall, the assessors think that support to students and coaching is a strength of the study programme. In interviews, students and teaching staff were quite positive about administrative support offered within ASIS. An advisory board has been installed. Rules concerning its structure and responsibilities are in place and transparent.


requirements



not relevant


4.2 Programme Management

4.2.1 Programme Directors X

4.2.2 Process Organisation and administrative Support for Students and Teaching Staff

X

4.2.3 Advisory Body (Advisory Board) and its Structure and Responsibilities X

4.3 Cooperation and Partnerships Fifteen Dutch HEIs including ASIS that deliver IBMS programmes are members of the National IBMS platform. As a result of benchmarking among their programmes, the ASIS IBMS programme started its renewal in 2011. ASIS presents a description of its policy on internationalisation under the title "Gaining insight into vanishing borders" and a business plan under the title "Crossing Borders". Highlights are the initiative "Build and strengthen international partnerships" to selectively create new partnerships with international HEIs, and the provision of 100 exchange places per semester and 40 double degree places. Foreign partners under the double degree programme offer an international business management bachelor course. The partners in Reims and Reutlingen offer their IBMS course mainly in Double Degree programmes. All DD co-operations are laid down in contracts and agreements. ASIS has drawn up a set of eight standards to assess the quality of these DD co-operations, and has appointed a Coordinator Internationalisation to ensure is. ASIS is a member of the foundation of the China Business Association (CBA) which is linked to the Chamber of Commerce in Breda and which through its networks provides support to entrepreneurs who do or intend to do business with China. As a result, ASIS became involved in a feasibility study for a World Trade Centre in Breda. ASIS is a member of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), forum for information, research, networking and debate on innovation and best practice in management development, which brings together academics and executives from business schools and companies and offers benchmarking studies and networking. EFMD also does international programme accreditation and has established the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the EFMD Programme Accreditation System for business schools (EPAS).


Furthermore, ASIS has since June 2010 been a member of the Network of International Business Schools (NIBS). NIBS is a group of nine partner business schools in Europe, USA and Mexico which all score high on an international level and who have developed their own accreditation system. NIBS members support student and faculty exchanges and dialogue, joint teaching and research programmes, and the exchange of ideas for teaching programmes. ASIS takes part in the national benchmarking exercise MINT (Mapping Internationalisation) launched by Nuffic (Nederlandse organisatie voor internationalisering in het hoger onderwijs = Dutch institute for internationalisation in Higher Education). MINT is a digital self-evaluation to describe objectives, activities, facilities and quality assurance measures, in terms of internationalisation, of an HEI or a faculty or a study programme. In the area of work placement and graduation internships, ASIS has ca. 74 long term co-operations with firms through its work placements for IBMS students. 44 of these are in foreign countries all over the world which are coordinated by ASIS. Through the Avans Centre for Entrepreneurship (Avans Ondernemerscentrum = AOC), ASIS is involved in work placements, graduation assignments, applied research in areas like • The minor Interdisciplinary Consultancy, for module and teaching content development • a project for the development of sustainable energy deliverance for a local factory • an urban research project on the potential of a suburb in terms of socio-economical,

cultural and physical factors. • implementation of a Student Service desk • Coordination of a project for Excellent Students • a feasibility study for the development of a WTC business club, with members of the local

government in Breda

Appraisal

Cooperation with HEIs and other academic institutions and networks with effects on the programme are actively pursued. ASIS is actively involved in co-operations with HEIs and a broad range of other academic institutions and networks. These deliver valuable results like knowledge transfer and student and faculty exchanges. In May 2011, ASIS was unconditionally awarded NIBS international accreditation. Outcome of a benchmarking exercise across the nine NIBS HEIs was that ASIS is the top ranking IBMS institute in the NIBS network, and outstanding in the focus area of internationalisation. The participation in MINT (see above) allows ASIS to continually exchange feedback with its peers on a national scale as well. Cooperation with enterprises and other organisations with effects on the programme are actively pursued. ASIS presents a list of projects which are underway within these co-operations.



requirements



not relevant


4.3 Cooperation and Partnerships

4.3.1* Cooperation with HEIs and other academic institutions or networks (Asterisk-Criterion for cooperation programmes)

X

4.3.2* Cooperation with enterprises and other organisation (Asterisk-Criterion for educational and vocational programmes, franchise programmes)

X

4.4 Facilities ASIS provides a detailed description of the available teaching room space. There are rooms for groups of 85, 118, 180, 160 and 240 students, plus 14 project rooms for up to 12 students, 15 project rooms for up to 8 students, a computer room and language labs. All teaching rooms are equipped with SMARTBoard. Avans University provides free wireless internet (WiFi) in most buildings. A Student Smart Card is used for access to service functions e.g. restaurant, stationery shop, for borrowing books (see Xplora below), printing, copying, scanning, binding and laminating. Avans University has International Offices in Breda and in Den Bosch which provide services to incoming foreign students, for study, work placement or graduation abroad, for stays abroad of staff and for housing of foreign students. It contributes to the internationalisation of the curriculum and to international joint ventures with preferred universities for curriculum development and mobility. Information on programme content, scheduling, getting listed for examinations etc. is available to students through BlackBoard which can also be used as a forum platform and allows building online communities. Avans University is the first in the Netherlands to have opened so-called 'Xplora' centres in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Breda and Tilburg at which students can work on computers. These multimedia library web sites offers books, magazines, dissertations, audiovisual material, CD-ROMs etc. and are helped by staff members. At a fee, material from other Dutch libraries can be retrieved. Copying machines, scanners and printers are available as well. Approx. 1000 seats and more than 3000 computers are available for students.

Appraisal Quantity and quality of teaching rooms fulfil the requirements of the programme. Rooms and access to buildings are apt for use by disabled persons and are barrier-free, and correspond to modern ergonomics. Rooms are equipped with most modern IT and multimedia equipment. A library is available and there is a development plan for the library. Access to literature and journals as well as digital media (e.g. electronic media, databases) are geared to the programme contents and are up to date. There is a plan for further development (updating).


Assessors suggest that the use of academic literature is stimulated even more. The library is open until 22h throughout the year, and through the internet and Xplora, students get access to most documents 24h per day and throughout the year. Quality staff is available to provide ad-hoc advice. Sufficient library workstations are available to students, and technical equipment is well up to modern standards. Access to the internet is free of charge, and access to books and journals in libraries, on-line databases and inter-library loan services is user-friendly. In 2008, the programme moved to the new campus building at Hogeschoollaan. This move considerably improved the facilities' standards, and students are now offered an excellent environment for their work at school, be it individually or in groups. There are large-scale lecture halls for large groups of up to 200 students, medium-sized classrooms for seminars and training sessions, and small classrooms for group work. As non-programme-specific facilities are all housed in the same building, students have easy access to all of these. Examples are the International Office, the copy centre, and the ASIS student counsellors’ offices. Other amenities are a Grand Café, a restaurant, a student information desk and a copy centre. "Xplora" is available as a multifunctional resource centre and learning environment for students as well as for staff members. Furthermore, the ICT facilities have considerably improved in the past few years. Chalkboards and whiteboards have been replaced by smartboards. OSIRIS has been implemented as the study information system. Finally, programmes such as Skype, and social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook are making it much easier to maintain contacts with students abroad and with the international alumni network. As all double degree partner universities are accredited or at least evaluated with positive results, and as ASIS has an elaborate system to assess the quality of the corresponding study programmes at these, the assessors are confident that the DD programmes at partners' universities fulfil the quality criteria for facilities. As an example, the facilities at Eastern Kentucky University are described in its fifth year maintenance report by AACSB International (2011-2012) as follows: an addition was constructed on the BTC in 2011 that includes more faculty office space, additional classrooms, as well as a Business Library, Insurance Suite, and facilities for the PGA Golf Management Program. BTC classrooms include 26 teaching spaces. A number of these classrooms are tiered to provide excellent sightlines. Some classrooms are program specific, but most are general purpose. All classrooms allow for wired network connections, wireless network access, document cameras, computers, audio system, and data projectors.



requirements



not relevant


4.4 Facilities

4.4.1* Quantity, Quality and Media and IT Facilities of Teaching Rooms X

4.4.2* Library Resources X

4.4.3 Number of Technical Equipment at Library Workstations for Students X

4.5 Additional Services Students are responsible themselves for finding a graduation internship, and later a job. However, the back office and student counsellors, and a dedicated work placement coordinator, can be consulted for career advice and placement services, including advice on further studies, e.g. master programmes. In Year 4, Avans University invites to a Career Day. Avans University is aiming to involve its alumni in programme evaluation and development. To this end, an alumni survey is conducted once every 2 years. Alumni are frequently invited as guest lecturers. Students are also encouraged to revert to counsellors on a confidential basis in the event of personal problems of any type. Students with disabilities, with chronic diseases, with any learning impairments or in the event of harassment or discrimination will be helped. For students with two or more insufficient marks, workshops are compulsory on planning and organizing, learning styles and study methods. A complaints procedure and an investigative committee have been set up. Students who see signs of someone else being victim of harassment can report to the confidential counsellor. Counsellors are independent and accountable only to the Executive Board.

Appraisal Career advice and placement services exploit the university's existing network of corporate contacts (including alumni) and offer help and advice to students. Since the last assessment in 2006, guidance by lecturers and mentors in the areas of work placement and graduation assignment has improved. An alumni organisation has been set up with the aim of developing an alumni network. In interviews, some students suggested that the alumni network and its activities could be made more transparent for students. Avans University is aiming to involve its alumni in programme evaluation and development. To this end, an alumni survey is conducted once every 2 years. Alumni are frequently invited as guest lecturers. Social counselling and welfare services are an institution at Avans University. A dedicated psychologist (vertrouwenspersoon) takes care on a confidential basis of students with health problems, with any type of personal problems, and students who are victims of harassment.



requirements



not relevant


4.5 Additional Services

4.5.1 Careers Advice and Placement Service X

4.5.2 Alumni Activities X

4.5.3 Individual Counselling and Welfare Services for students X

4.6 Financial Planning and Financing of the programme The basic funding for the IBMS programme is on the basis of the legal structure for funding study programmes and HEIs in the Netherlands, i.e. Avans University receives government funding for the delivery of the programmes. The funding is based on the number of enrolled students and can be used for both delivering study courses and for buildings, IT facilities etc. Further funding is through the tuition fees. Regular students pay approx. €1,700.-/y, other ("non-EER") students approx. €7,650.-/y. Internal funding is received together with all 19 ASIS academies in the form of a budget from Avans University dedicated to the realization of their specific aims and objectives as stated in the business plans. This includes a fixed budget both per student and per study programme plus an ASIS specific budget to cover the expenses for the international focus of the programme. Avans University presents an annual plan and a balance sheet 2011, and short-term and mid-term plans. Student numbers went up form 459 in 2007 to 803 in 2011. The prognosis is that there will be 15% yearly increase also over the coming years.

Appraisal The presented short-term finance plan is logical and transparent. Also, the medium-term financial planning displays a reasonable degree of detail and is plausible. Spending is in balance, and all the funds needed are available. The assessors estimate that all students that are currently in the programme and those that will start in September 2012 can finish the programme. Agreements concerning the basic funding exist, and the basic funding is in place. Financial stability has been demonstrated, and is ensured for the current programme cycle and over the entire accreditation period.



requirements



not relevant


4.6* Financial Planning and Financing of Programme X

5. QUALITY ASSURANCE Both ASIS as a whole and all the academies and service units have developed QA plans, a QA handbook including processes and standards, and a QA annual plan (resources and activities). In spring 2012, new guidelines have been devised by a dedicated team including a.o. members of the Board of Directors, deans, directors of Service Units, plus a member of QA and Organisational Development. A yearly policy letter if issued by the Board of Directors in May from which ASIS develops a draft business plan. Each of internal core processes, innovation, customers and finance, is monitored by a Balanced Scorecard. The EER of the academy and results from the National Student Survey (NSE) are reviewed yearly. The roles of the Examination Board and the Assessment Committee in QA are described above (ch. 4.2). This year, ASIS has drawn up descriptions of the most important sub-processes: assessment procedure, deployment procedure, scheduling, quarter reviews, admission procedure, decision-making. ASIS presents a detailed list of the essential QA processes including review procedure and its frequency, and responsibilities, plus regulations on the assessment of teaching quality, and evaluation sheets. Each quarter or semester study block is usually evaluated using a digital student questionnaire (in Evasys) or a class representatives meeting. Students are strongly urged to participate in the surveys. Still, in the review of last year, these class representative meetings have not delivered the expected results. They will therefore be replaced by evaluations through the Study Programme Council. Evaluation results are anonymized and published on Blackboard. Measures are suggested to the Educational Committee, and those implemented are published on Blackboard. The National Student Survey (NSE) is held yearly among all Dutch students. It covers aspects like student involvement, lecturer’s capabilities, positioning of the programme, preparation for professional careers, student facilities, study workload, assessments, international aspects, student coaching etc. The score range is 1-5, with 5 being the top mark. Feedback from ASIS students was a.o.: 1. the amount of attention given to internationality in the programme: 4.27 2. the knowledge of lecturers of the professional field: 4.07 3. co-operation with other students: 4.20 4. the offer of English in the programme: 4.46 5. recommending this programme to others: 4.06 Surveys were also carried out among lecturers. ASIS receives feedback and advice from its Business Advisory Board which includes members from trade and industry. Further feedback is received from double degree partners on quality and content of study programmes. Every two years (last in 2012), ASIS alumni are asked to fill in an EvaSys questionnaire. At the end of each graduation assignment and each work placement, the companies involved are requested to fill in an evaluation form on issues like information sharing, coaching and learning outcomes.


The feedback from all these external and internal sources is scrutinized by the Educational Committee. Feedback from alumni was that they are more than satisfied with their study career. An issue raised by lecturers was that work load was considered as problematic. As a result, the Dean has taken steps, and the issue was given high priority on the Business Plan agenda. The study programme is described in the Module and Course Descriptors. Further information is provided in the Education and Examination Regulations IBMS (EER), the ASIS Handbook IBMS 2011-2012 and the Educational Framework, which are all revised annually, plus and the Assessment Policy. The Double Degree programmes are described in the document "The Double Degree Tracks of ASIS IBMS and its International Partner Institutes, 2012". Information is offered by the ASIS Front and Back Office, both physically and through email contact, and by the ASIS student counsellor. The ASIS Academic calendar displays all events and is published in the ASIS Handbook and on Blackboard.

Appraisal ASIS hands out a Quality Assurance (QA) policy plan, a Quality Management (QM) handbook, and a QA annual plan. In its self documentation, ASIS provides an extensive description of its QA system. The assessors feel that with the Assessment Committee which is now responsible for QA, ASIS is on the right track, and should continue. It decides which changes to implement. Its members spend 20h per quarter on this. Benchmarking has started recently; in a next step, partners will now be contacted in order to benchmark against from students abroad, from partner schools across the world, and to collect external stimuli. The Assessment Committee looks into all examinations and into graduation projects to ensure completeness and consistency of competency levels. The assessors find that the Examination Committee's role in quality development of course content and assessments are a strength of the programme and suggest that it should continue its work. The assessors even suggest that more management support should be given to the Examination Committee to let it monitor and verify continuously the quality of the programme, in order to not only highlight problems after they have occurred, but to support management with addressing causes before problems arise. Examples of areas to which this could apply are monitoring the quality of realised learning outcomes, stimulating the development of research skills of the faculty, investing in training to improve examinations, and changing HR policies. As described in ch. 3.1, all double degree partner institutions are accredited or evaluated by internationally renowned institutions. Budapest Business School is the only one with a national accreditation, but ASIS has submitted a quality handbook of Budapest Business School describing its processes and its quality control structure, including a “Quality Control and Evaluation committee” which reports to the Rector, and a Quality Control Office. The assessors have verified that organisation and structure of the quality control are appropriate and up to European standards. QA functions of double degree partners are not directly cooperating with the ASIS QA, as the system structures are not fully compatible, and as all relevant action is taken at the country coordinator level. Upon implementation of actions, however, each QA department does a local double-check for compatibility with local requirements. Evaluation by the students, and equally by ASIS employees, is carried out on a regular basis and in accordance with a described procedure. Outcomes are communicated to students and provide input for the quality enhancement process. Each teacher receives individual


feedback. If necessary, both students and the teacher are invited to a separate discussion. The assessors suggest that when more than one lecturer teaches in a course, evaluation sheets should allow attributing students' feedback individually to these. Feedback meetings take place also with students from double degree partner universities, though evaluation feedback is not evaluated separately. In interviews, students report that upon feedback collected in evaluations, ASIS does react to criticism, and concrete action is taken by management. Examples are the improvement of language skills of teachers, and the addition of HR Management to the curriculum. Even if response by management to constructive criticism is assessed positively, the assessors suggest that the benefit of evaluations could be made more transparent to students. Assessors found that a multitude of internal evaluation sheets had not been filled in properly, or evaluations could not be carried out due to low response rates. The assessors suggest that ASIS thinks about ways and means to keep up students' motivation to fill in questionnaires, and they suggest involving students more closely in Plan-Do-Check-Act cycles. The assessors noticed that in internal evaluations by students, in the past critical remarks had appeared in the areas of teaching quality, and of workload, somewhat in discrepancy with early positive results from other surveys (like NSE). Evidence has, however, been provided to the assessors that the quality assurance loop in the event of criticism and problems addressed in evaluations works properly, that management has taken appropriate follow-up action, and that no serious problems are left unresolved. The assessors recommend that upon re-accreditation, assessors scrutinize if the above mentioned discrepancy has vanished i.e. if results from internal evaluations have become more consistent with those from other feedback and evaluation tools. ASIS states that evaluation by teachers and evaluation by 3rd parties are intended but not formalised yet, and the EvaSys system is not yet used in the same way as for students. Still, the assessors appreciate that the HEI seeks feedback on their quality from 3rd parties, like cooperating firms, double degree partner universities, and its own advisory board. In evaluations, and occasionally in interviews, work overload was mentioned several times. Some reported that it may result from the high diversity of activities going on in parallel. The HEI reports that the issue of work overload is now on the Business Plan agenda, but no decisions have been taken as yet. The assessors advise that ASIS should establish what the exact work load is, try to find out what the reasons are, to address the issue, and to communicate conclusions. Results of last staff satisfaction survey have not yet been worked through. In the previous one, time pressure had been a main issue among staff. In reaction, they were given extra budget, and training, and their jobs were defined more strictly, e.g. they would get involved in only one committee. It was decided that meetings would be scheduled and prepared much more in advance. As pointed out in ch. 3.1, overall workload is not considered by assessors as a serious issue at present, but should be monitored. In summary, however, the assessors estimate that the above mentioned points of criticism are relatively minor, and that quality control at ASIS is appropriate and effective, and Plan-Do-Check-Act cycles are working well. ASIS has formulated quality targets for the enhancement of programmes and verifies their implementation on a regular basis. Its QA system is comprehensive and takes account of all relevant areas. Responsibilities are clearly defined. A quality assurance and enhancement procedure is used to systematically and continuously control and monitor the quality assurance of content, processes and outcomes. Teaching staff and some students are involved in the planning and assessment of quality assurance and enhancement procedures in the appropriate committees. Equally, ASIS has assured itself, that quality control at its partner universities is effective. External evaluation by several third party groups and stakeholders is carried out on a regular basis. Representatives of employers providing practical experience are involved in the planning and assessment of


quality assurance and enhancement in appropriate committees, and opportunities for improvement are determined and implemented systematically. Feedback is used as input to the quality enhancement process, and the assessors appreciate the high quality of evaluation reports on feedback from the alumni. The programme structure and content incl. examinations are documented in detail and in a clear and transparent way. Assessors appreciate that documentation is updated regularly, and is readily available to the public both in hard copy and electronically, and through the counselling functions. All essential activities of the academic year are documented and published in an annual report. The assessors suggest considering publication not only in Dutch but also in English.


requirements



not relevant

5. QUALITY ASSURANCE

5.1* Quality Assurance and Development of the HEI and collaboration between the HEI management and Faculty/Departments as well as programme management in the programme development

X

5.2* Quality Assurance and Development of Programme Content, Processes and Outcomes

X

5.3 Instruments for Quality Assurance

5.3.1* Evaluation by Students X

5.3.2 Quality Assurance by Teaching Staff X

5.3.3 External Evaluation by Alumni, Employers and third Parties X

5.4 Programme Documentation

5.4.1 Programme Description X

5.4.2 Documentation of Activities during Academic Year X


Quality Profile

Institution: Avans Hogeschool, Breda (NL)

Bachelor programme: International Business and Management Studies (BBA)



Does not meet quality

requirements not relevant


1.1* Logic and Transparency of Programme Objectives X

1.2 Positioning of Programme

1.2.1 Positioning of the Programme on Education Market X

1.2.2 Positioning of the Programme on Job Market (Employability of Graduates) X

1.2.3 Positioning within HEI's overall Strategy X

1.3* International Dimension of the Programme X

1.4 Gender equality and equality of opportunity X

2. ADMISSION (REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURE)

2.1* Admission Requirements X

2.2 Selection Procedure (if available) X

2.3 Professional Experience (* for Master Programmes of the "further Education" Type)

X

2.4* Ensuring Foreign Language Competence X

2.5* Transparency of Admission Procedure X

2.6* Transparency of Admission Decision X






3. PROGRAMME DESIGN

3.1 Structure 3.1.1 Structure of the Programme (Core

Subjects / or Specialisations (Compulsory Electives) / optional Electives/ practical Components)

X

3.1.2* Application of the "European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)" and the Modularisation

condition

3.1.3* Study and Examination Regulations condition

3.1.4* Student workload X

3.2 Content

3.2.1* Logic and conceptual Coherence of Programme / Curriculum X

3.2.2* Rationale for the Qualification Title X

3.2.3* Reasons given for programme description X

3.2.4* Integration of Theory and Practice X

3.2.5 Interdisciplinarity X

3.2.6* Methodological Competence and Academic Work X

3.2.7* Performance in Examinations and Thesis

X

3.3 Internationality

3.3.1* International and intercultural aspects X

3.3.2 Internationality of Student Community X

3.3.3 Internationality of Teaching Community X

3.3.4 Foreign language content X

3.4 Additional Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills

3.4.1* Acquisition of application and / or research-oriented skills (only for Master programmes)

X

3.4.2* Generic Skills X

3.4.3* Communication skills and public speaking skills / team-work and conflict handling

X






3.5 Teaching Methodology

3.5.1* Logic and Transparency of Teaching and Learning Methodology X

3.5.2 Accompanying course materials X

3.5.3 Guest Lecturers X

3.5.4 Student Assistants involved in Teaching X

3.6* Skills for Employment / Employability X


4.1 Teaching Staff

4.1.1* Structure and Number of Teaching Staff in Relation to Curricular Requirements X

4.1.2* Teaching Staff's Academic Qualifications X

4.1.3* Teaching Staff's Pedagogical / Teaching Qualifications X

4.1.4 Practical Business Experience of the Teaching Staff X

4.1.5* Internal Cooperation X

4.1.6* Provision of Student Support / Coaching by Teaching Staff X

4.2 Programme Management

4.2.1 Programme Directors X

4.2.2 Process Organisation and administrative Support for Students and Teaching Staff

X

4.2.3 Advisory Body (Advisory Board) and its Structure and Responsibilities X

4.3 Cooperation and Partnerships

4.3.1* Cooperation with HEIs and other academic institutions or networks (Asterisk-Criterion for cooperation programmes)

X

4.3.2* Cooperation with enterprises and other organisation (Asterisk-Criterion for educational and vocational programmes, franchise programmes)

X






4.4 Facilities

4.4.1* Quantity, Quality and Media and IT Facilities of Teaching Rooms X

4.4.2* Library Resources X

4.4.3 Number of Technical Equipment at Library Workstations for Students X

4.5 Additional Services

4.5.1 Careers Advice and Placement Service X

4.5.2 Alumni Activities X

4.5.3 Individual Counselling and Welfare Services for students X

4.6* Financial Planning and Financing of Programme X

5. QUALITY ASSURANCE 5.1* Quality Assurance and Development of

the HEI and collaboration between the HEI management and Faculty/Departments as well as programme management in the programme development

X

5.2* Quality Assurance and Development of Programme Content, Processes and Outcomes

X

5.3 Instruments for Quality Assurance

5.3.1* Evaluation by Students X

5.3.2 Quality Assurance by Teaching Staff X

5.3.3 External Evaluation by Alumni, Employers and third Parties X

5.4 Programme Documentation

5.4.1 Programme Description X

5.4.2 Documentation of Activities during Academic Year X


Auswertung für Premium-Siegel-Vergabe

Avans Hogeschool, Breda

International Business and Management Studies (BBA)

Anzahl der Punkte Basispunkte Anteil in %

Ziele und Strategie

36 36 100%

Zulassungsverfahren

13 20 65%

Konzeption des Studienganges

69 112 61,61%

Ressourcen und Dienstleistungen

69 97 71,13%

Qualitätssicherung

27 40 67,5%

Summe

214 305 70,16%


Grundsätze für die Vergabe des Premium-Siegels Für die Verleihung des Premium-Siegels an einen Studiengang setzt die FIBAA in allen fünf Kernbereichen (Ziele und Strategie, Zulassungsverfahren, Konzeption des Studienganges, Ressourcen und Dienstleistungen, Qualitätssicherung) besondere Anforderungen voraus. Zunächst wird jedem Beurteilungskriterium ein Punkt zwischen 1 und 4 zugeordnet („je höher die Punktzahl, desto besser“). Die Punktzahl der Prüfkriterien ist dabei von der Frage geleitet, welche Aspekte des Studiums für den Erwerb berufsbezogener Kompetenzen zentral sind. Die Punktzahl wird jeweils mit einem definierten Faktor, abhängig von der Bewertung durch die Gutachter, multipliziert. Die Gewichtung für die Beurteilungsstufen ist wie folgt definiert: x 3 x 2 x 1 x -1 x 0 Da alle fünf Kernbereiche wichtig sind, ist die Vergabe des Premium-Siegels daran gebunden, dass in jedem der fünf Kernbereiche die jeweilige von der FIBAA als Hürde gesetzte Punktzahl mindestens erreicht wird. Die Bewertung „Exzellent“ wird nach bisheriger Erfahrung nur selten erreicht. Insofern wird für die Kalkulation der zu setzenden Hürde, die 100%-Marke bei „Qualitätsanforderung übertroffen“ gesetzt. Die Vergabe des Premium-Siegels setzt voraus, dass in allen fünf Kernbereichen mindestens 60% der Punkte erreicht werden Die Vergabe des Premium-Siegels erfolgt, wenn darüber hinaus insgesamt eine Punktzahl erreicht wird, die größer ist als die Summe der Mindestpunktzahlen in den einzelnen Bereichen (z.B. mindestens 70% der Gesamtpunktzahl).

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