Quality management
On 28 May 2021, the senate adopted the university's quality management principles, the aim of which is to establish a common quality management framework and define the quality management activities and persons in charge (in Estonian). On the other hand, the quality management principles support the development of the university’s quality culture and thereby improve the university members’ working and learning experience, as well as enhance the quality of services provided by the university.
Principles of quality management
- The principles of quality management aim to create a uniform framework for quality management at the University of Tartu (“university”) and define the quality management procedures and the persons responsible.
- Quality management is a part of strategic management, ensuring processes consistent with the university’s objectives of development and operation, and their periodic review and improvement. Quality management supports the development of the university’s quality culture and helps maintain and improve the quality of its main and supporting activities. Quality management is based on a cycle of continuous improvement, the parts of which are planning, doing, checking, and acting.
- Quality management is based on the statutes and the strategic plan of the university. Quality is defined by the mission, fundamental values, vision and tasks of the university, as defined in the strategic plan. The procedures supporting the achievement of the goals of the strategic plan and the fulfilment of the university’s tasks at all levels of management are described in the bylaws and guidelines of the university.
- The university ensures quality through continuous and purposeful improvement of all activities, taking into account the expectations and feedback of various stakeholders. The university’s stakeholders include the members of the university, continuing education learners, alumni, partners, employers, government agencies, local authorities and society at large. The university ensures that efforts to meet the expectations of one interest group do not reduce the satisfaction of other stakeholders.
- The main activities of the university are teaching, research and development, and provision of services to society based on these activities. The quality of the main activities is influenced, among other factors, by the preparedness and motivation of learners, staff competences and motivation, the clarity, feasibility and ambition of the university’s development and operational objectives, the quality of support activities, the condition of teaching and research infrastructure, and financial and other resources.
- The university’s support activities support the high-quality implementation of the main activities. The quality of the support activities is influenced, among other factors, by staff competences and motivation, the clarity, feasibility and ambition of the university’s development and operational objectives, and financial and other resources.
- Information about the quality of the main and support activities is received via feedback surveys, internal evaluation of teaching and studies, performance interviews and evaluation of employees, achievement of performance and key indicators, internal audit and external evaluations, and other means. Based on the data received, improvements are carried out.
- The hallmarks of quality culture are the commitment of employees and learners to their work and studies, shared values, ethics, cooperation, sharing best practices and the desire for continuous improvement.
- The rector is responsible for optimal functioning of quality management. All employees of the university are responsible for quality within their field of activity. Learners are responsible for the quality of their learning.
- The senate will review the principles of quality management as necessary, but at least once during the term of the strategic plan.
Quality management is based on the cycle of continuous improvement
The quality management activities and persons in charge
Planning
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Activity and process |
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University regulation, strategy document or guideline guiding the activity |
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Responsible |
Accountable
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Time/frequency |
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Planning the university’s development |
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University of Tartu Strategic Plan for 2021–2025 |
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Rector, director of development |
Rector’s Office |
Every five years |
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Planning staff recruitment and development |
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Good practice of leadership |
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Rector, |
Human Resources Office, faculty unit |
As needed |
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Planning the development of information systems |
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Digital Development Strategy (in planning stage), |
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Director of Administration |
Information Technology Office |
As needed |
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| Mapping risks |
Internal auditing rules (in Estonian) |
Rector |
Internal Audit Office |
As needed |
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Activity and process |
University regulation, strategy document or guideline guiding the activity |
Responsible |
Accountable |
Time/frequency | |
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Planning the opening of a curriculum |
Statutes of Curriculum |
Vice rector for academic affairs, dean |
Office of Academic Affairs, faculty unit |
As needed |
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Planning of the organisation of studies |
Vice rector for academic affairs |
Office of Academic Affairs, faculty unit |
As needed |
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Planning of student admissions |
Admission rules at the first and second level of higher education in the 2021/2022 academic year |
Vice rector for academic affairs |
Office of Academic Affairs
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Once a year, in October |
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Planning the development of learning environments |
Description of Office of Academic Affairs, in Estonian |
Vice rector for academic affairs |
Office of Academic Affairs, faculty unit |
As needed |
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Development of continuing education programmes |
Regulations of Continuing Education |
Vice rector for academic affairs, dean |
Lifelong Learning Centre, |
As needed |
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Activity and process |
University regulation, strategy document or guideline guiding the activity |
Responsible |
Accountable |
Time/frequency |
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Planning of new scientific research and applying for R&D funding for that |
Regulations for processing development projects |
Vice rector for research, dean |
Grant Office, |
As needed |
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Activity and process |
University regulation, strategy document or guideline guiding the activity |
Responsible |
Accountable |
Time/frequency |
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Development planning |
Strategic Plan of the University of Tartu Museum for 2019–2023, in Estonian |
Vice rector for research,
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Head of institution |
Every five years |
Acting
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Activity and process |
University regulation, strategy document or guideline guiding the activity |
Responsible |
Accountable |
Time/frequency | |||
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Course design |
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Vice rector for academic affairs, |
Structural unit responsible |
As needed |
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Opening of curricula |
Statutes of Curriculum |
Vice rector for academic affairs, dean |
Degree Studies and Quality Assurance Unit, |
As needed |
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Organising of teaching and studies |
Dean |
Structural unit organising the studies |
Continuous |
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| Student admissions |
Admission rules for the first and second level of higher education in 2023/2024 Admission Rules for Doctoral Studies Description of the Office of Academic Affair |
Vice rector for academic affairs |
Office of Academic Affairs, faculty's unit |
Once a year |
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Counselling and supervising of learners |
Study Regulations |
Vice rector for academic affairs, |
Office of Academic Affairs, |
Continuous |
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Counselling and supervising of teaching staff |
Description of Human Resources Office, in Estonian |
Vice rector for academic affairs, |
Centre for Professional Development, |
Continuous |
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Managing and developing of the study information system |
Description of Office of Academic Affairs, in Estonian |
Vice rector for |
Office of Academic Affairs |
Continuous |
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Development and organisation of continuing education programmes |
Regulations of Continuing Education |
Vice rector for |
Lifelong Learning Centre, |
Continuous |
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Activity and process |
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University regulation, strategy document or guideline guiding the activity |
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Responsible |
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Accountable |
Time/frequency |
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Research studies and provision of research-based services |
Code of Conduct for Research Integrity |
Vice rector for research, dean |
Grant Office, Centre for
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Continuous |
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Management of R&D infrastructure |
Principles for establishing and organisation of work of shared-resource facilities, (Intranet) |
Vice rector for research, dean |
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Continuous |
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Intellectual property protection |
Procedure for Managing Intellectual Property Created at the University of Tartu |
Vice rector for research |
Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation |
Continuous |
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Application of research results in business (startups and |
Description of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in Estonian |
Vice rector for research, |
Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, |
Continuous |
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Activity and process |
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University regulation, strategy document or guideline guiding the activity |
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Responsible |
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Accountable |
Time/frequency | |
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Maintaining the biobank |
Statutes of the Institute of Genomics
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Vice rector for research |
Institute of Genomics |
Continuous |
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Library services |
University of Tartu Library Rules, |
Vice rector for research |
Library |
Continuous |
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Maintaining of science and cultural historical collections and providing services based on them |
Statutes of the University of Tartu Museum, in Estonian |
Director of development, vice rector for research
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Director of Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden, director of museum, director of library |
Continuous |
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Maintaining of natural history collections and providing services based on them |
Statutes of the University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden, in Estonian |
Director of development
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Director of Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden |
Continuous |
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Conservation of cultural heritage |
Rules for managing cultural assets |
Rector, director of development, director of administration |
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Continuous |
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Provision of science- and technology-based hobby education |
Statutes of Youth Academy, in Estonian |
Vice rector for academic affairs, director of development |
Director of Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden |
Continuous |
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Dissemination of research results (popularisation) |
Statutes of the University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden, in Estonian
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Vice rector for research, dean, director of development, director of administration |
Marketing and Communication Office, institution, faculty unit |
Continuous |
Assessment
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Activity and process |
University regulation, strategy document or guideline guiding the activity |
Responsible |
Accountable |
Time/frequency | ||||
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Annual review of strategic and implementation plans |
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Vice rector for development, |
Rector’s Strategy Office, |
Twice a year (interim report in September and final report at the beginning of the year) |
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Annual reports |
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Head of finance |
Rector’s Strategy Office |
Once a year, in March |
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Development of the statistika.ut.ee dashboard |
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Director of development
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Rector’s Strategy Office |
As needed |
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Performance appraisals |
Good practice of leadership |
Rector, dean |
Head of Human Resources Office, |
Once a year, from December to February |
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Evaluation of academic staff |
Regulations for Evaluation of Academic Staff |
Academic secretary, dean |
Human Resources Office, |
As needed |
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Progress review of doctoral students |
Study Regulations |
Dean
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Doctoral centres |
Once a year |
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Students’ and resident doctors’ appeals |
Study Regulations |
Dean |
Vice dean for academic affairs, |
As needed |
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Employee feedback to work environment |
Description of Human Resources Office, in Estonian |
Director of administration, |
Human Resources Office, |
Once a year |
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Internal auditing |
Internal auditing rules, in Estonian |
Head of internal audit |
Internal Audit Office |
Continuous, according to the internal audit plan |
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Institutional accreditation and other external evaluation |
Statutes of Curriculum |
Rector, vice dean for academic affairs, |
Rector’s Strategy Office, |
Once every seven years |
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| Risk assessment |
Internal auditing rules (Estonian) |
Rector |
Internal Audit Office |
Once a year |
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| Benchmarking national and international institutions with a similar profile |
International university rankings Results of the ENLIGHT programme |
Director of development |
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Rector’s Strategy Office |
Continuous |
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Activity and process |
Effective bylaws, strategy documents or guidelines |
Responsible |
Accountable |
Time/frequency |
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Internal evaluation of teaching and studies |
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Vice rector for academic affairs, |
Degree studies and quality assurance unit |
Once a year |
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Assessment of students |
Dean |
Structural unit organising the studies |
Continuous |
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Feedback to degree study courses and curricula and continuing education programmes |
Procedure for Asking and Taking into Account Feedback in Degree Study
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Vice rector for academic affairs, |
Office of Academic Affairs, |
Once a semester (Dec, May), For continuing education programmes – continuous |
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Self-evaluation of quality assurance in continuing education |
Self-evaluation report of continuing education (on the intranet)
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Vice rector for academic affairs |
Lifelong Learning Centre of the Office of Academic Affairs |
Once a year |
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| Evaluation of the organisation of admission |
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Vice rector for academic affairs |
Office of Academic Affairs, faculty's unit |
Once a year |
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Activity and process |
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Effective bylaws, strategy documents or guidelines |
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Responsible |
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Accountable |
Time/frequency |
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Open science, incl. data management, publication |
R&D results are evaluated externally, for example, by funders of scientific data collecting and publishers (more generally, publishers of research output) – peer review as quality assessment |
Vice rector for research |
Library |
Continuous |
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Evaluation of R&D, incl. regular and targeted evaluation |
The terms and conditions of evaluation of R&D are established pursuant to the Organisation of Research and Development Act by the minister responsible for the field. The university must apply for regular evaluation. Targeted evaluation is mandatory if the university has received finances from state budget funds in the evaluated field. |
Vice rector for research |
Grant Office |
Regular evaluation once every seven years. Targeted evaluation as needed. |
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Activity and process |
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Effective bylaws, strategy documents or guidelines |
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Responsible |
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Accountable |
Time/frequency |
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Management reports |
Annual reports of the University of Tartu Museum, in Estonian |
Director of development, vice rector for academic affairs, dean |
Institution, |
Once a year |
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Applying for quality label |
Activity Plan for Environmental Education and Awareness 2019–2022, in Estonian |
Vice rector for academic affairs |
Service provider |
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Feedback surveys |
In non-formal environmental education in line with the criteria for good environmental education programmes |
Vice rector for academic affairs |
Service provider |
At the end of the course |
Improvement
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Activity and process |
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Effective bylaws, strategy documents or guidelines |
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Responsible |
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Accountable |
Time/frequency |
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Supporting the development of employees, incl. |
Description of Human Resources Office, in Estonian |
Director of administration, |
Human Resources Office, |
Continuous |
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Development of leadership skills |
Good practice of leadership |
Director of administration, |
Human Resources Office, |
Continuous |
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Development of teaching and supervising skills |
Description of Office of Academic Affairs, in Estonian |
Vice rector for academic affairs, |
Centre for Professional Development, |
Continuous |
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Sharing of best practices |
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Rector, dean |
Faculty unit |
Continuous |
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Development of learning skills |
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Vice rector for academic affairs |
UTSU |
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Continuous |
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Updating of the organisation of studies |
Vice rector for academic affairs |
Office of Academic Affairs |
As needed |
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Amendment and updating of curricula |
Vice rector for academic affairs, |
Office of Academic Affairs, faculty unit |
As needed |
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| Updating of continuing education programme |
Vice rector for academic affairs, dean |
Lifelong Learning Centre of the Office of Academic Affairs, unit organising continuing education |
As needed |
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Amendment and closing of courses |
Vice rector for academic affairs, |
Office of Academic Affairs, faculty unit |
As needed |
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Updating of educational programmes (e.g. museums) |
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Director of development |
Service provider |
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As needed |
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Updating of services |
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Vice rector for research, |
Service provider |
As needed |
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Updating of bylaws and guidelines |
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Vice rector for research, |
Relevant structural unit |
As needed |
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| Adjusting the assesment of risk level |
Rector |
Internal Audit Office |
As needed |
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| Evaluation of the impact of improvement activity |
See Assessment |
Relevant member of the Rector’s Office |
Relevant unit |
After implementing the improvement activity |
