UTAD, in order to reinforce its mission, consolidate and strengthen an internal culture of quality, is subject to external evaluations by certifying bodies.
RESULTS:
The Board of Directors of the Assessment and Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (A3ES) has decided to certify the Internal Quality Assurance System (SIGQ) of the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) for the maximum period starting on 19 May 2020.
This decision stems from the fulfillment of the conditions established in the conditional certification obtained in 2019.
This certification recognizes the institution’s work of excellence and continuous improvement.
Evolution of UTAD’s Internal Quality Assurance System
The Assessment and Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (A3ES) launched 2017, the process of Institutional Assessment, covering the institutional dimensions and the respective educational offer.
The Institutional Assessment focuses on the quality of performance of the higher education institution as a whole, as well as on each of its organic units, to provide an overall and integrated view of the institution and its organizational structures. The process of institutional assessment obeys the objectives enshrined in law (Law 38/2007 of August 16): to provide the improvement of quality of higher education institutions, to provide substantiated information to society about the performance of institutions, and to develop an internal institutional culture of quality assurance. The procedures adopted take these objectives into account, as well as some others of an operational nature, namely the pedagogical role of evaluation, focusing on the continuous improvement of the institution, and the involvement of relevant stakeholders.
The Institutional Evaluation process took place between March and July 2017, a period in which UTAD submitted the self-assessment report; in April 2018, an external evaluation commission visited the institution.
On October 21, 2019, UTAD was informed of the decision of the A3ES Board of Directors to accredit UTAD, for a period of 6 years.
Currently, and to complement the evaluation and accreditation by A3ES, UTAD has implemented management systems, contributing, through its processes, to sustainable development, environmental protection, promotion of social responsibility, competitiveness, economic development, promotion of continuous improvement, an integral part of SiGQ-UTAD.
UTAD obtained certification in NP EN ISO 14001, and NP EN ISO 50001 and is currently in the implementation phase of NP EN ISO 9001 and NP EN ISO 27001.
For the second time the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) evaluators visited UTAD’s facilities which resulted in obtaining European accreditation for the Integrated Master in Veterinary Medicine.
It is the first time that the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro has seen the quality of Social Action services (SASUTAD) be distinguished with the “Effective CAF User” seal of excellence by the General Directorate of Employment and Public Administration (DGAEP).
The Common Assessment Framework is a self-assessment model of organizational performance, which was specifically developed to help public sector institutions in European countries to apply quality management techniques, improving their level of performance and service delivery. People, partnerships and resources, processes and results of social responsibility were some of the criteria in which SASUTAD excelled . The DGAEP report also notes that results oriented towards citizens/customers and people represent opportunities for improvement.
SASUTAD includes food services, accommodation, sports, health and well-being, grants and other social support. The process to obtain the “Effective CAF User” seal was financed by COMPETE2020, the Portuguese State and the European Social Fund, within the scope of an Administrative Modernization Project – SAMA.