Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Kosice

Internal system evaluation quality

"Being a modern and internationally established institution, UPJŠ shall continually seek ways to develop its personality and scientific potential"

The strategic aim of the UPJŠ, to fulfil the motto above, is providing a quality education based on the results of active scientific research of teachers, strengthening the unified legislative environment and the trend of "opening the University inward" to improve the employability of graduates in the labour market.
Long-term Strategy of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice for the years 2016 to 2021

UPJŠ in Košice (UPJŠ) has an internal quality system (IQS) based on the national and international quality assessment frameworks of universities which was created according to:

• European Standards and Guidelines – ESG 2015
• Generally binding legal regulations of the Slovak Republic,
• State accreditation and evaluation criteria,
• The criteria used to express the internal quality assurance system,
• Criteria of the rating agencies,
• Directives for the implementation of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).

The internal quality system of the UPJŠ in Košice (hereinafter referred to as IQS UPJŠ) is in accordance with the strategic objectives of the UPJŠ and supports their achievement within the university as well as its faculties. The IQS UPJŠ is focused on highlighting the intentions and results of the university and its faculties, as well as the formation and strengthening of the feedback between the concerned parties. The IQS initiates and encourages the involvement of students, employees and employers in the quality assessment. The system is transparent, flexible and open for constant improvements of the quality assessment indicators.

The area of quality policy and procedures at the UPJŠ in Košice is focused mainly on the following indicators of quality assessment:

• Interconnection of education and research,
• Regular monitoring and evaluation of study programmes,
• Ensuring the qualification growth of higher education teachers,
• Control and monitoring of the pedagogical process,
• Questionnaire surveys of students, graduates and employees,
• Assessment of students and teachers,
• Monitoring and evaluation of quality in the area of science and research,
• Monitoring and evaluation in the area of international relations and cooperation,
• Involving students in the internal quality system,
• Providing material, technical and information resources to support the education of students corresponding to the needs of study programmes,
• Publishing current, objective, quantitative and qualitative information about the study programmes and its graduates.

The policies and procedures of the IQS UPJŠ are elaborated in the Rector's Decision (RD) No. 9/2017 Quality Assurance in Higher Education.

The IQS UPJŠ commits all faculties and university departments to:

• meet the set goals in line with the particularities of the individual;
• regularly, at least once per calendar year, evaluate their performance in terms of meeting the aims of the internal quality system;
• take effective measures to promote quality improvement.