Anneli Lorenz

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION
Improving Quality Management in Higher Education Institution: a case study of using EFQM Excellence Model in Estonian Higher Education Institution (HEI)
The present study will provide an answer to the question whether the use of a modified business model (EFQM model – European Foundation of Quality Management Excellence Model) makes it possible to obtain feedback on the quality management processes in higher education institutions (HEIs) so that the feedback will form the basis and an important input for the further development of the HEIs and the important processes occurring in the higher education institution. All over the world there have been extensive debates as to whether the business models based on TQM philosophy can be applied to assess higher education and for further developments. The study is based on the self-analysis reports of seventeen higher education institutions or their structural units and the feedback reports of seventeen assessor teams that participated in the project. The project carried out from October 2009 to October 2012. It appears from the study that for all the seventeen higher HEIs participating in the project both the process of compiling the self-analysis report and the feedback of the assessors provided a very important input for defining the improvement projects and further development of the HEI and for the integral understanding of the HEI as an institution. The study based on the criteria of the EFQM model brings out the most important results concerning quality management from the viewpoint of the higher education institutions. The study proved that the EFQM model is a good tool for supporting the further development of higher education and conducting self-assessment processes.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Anneli Lorenz is working at the moment as Head of Department of Academic Affairs at Estonian University of Life Sciences.
She has been working more than 15 years in the area of Education.  She have worked in different higher education institutions with issues of quality since 2001. In 2001-2007 she was member of quality working group of Estonian Rectors Council of Applied Universities. During that time she started to build up quality system in Tartu Health Care College where she was also responsible for the accreditation process of curricula.
From 2008-2012 she was coordinator for quality assessment in Higher Education Institutions and curricula development. She was responsible for the process of quality assurance in higher education, which aims to: facilitate the development of an internal quality assurance system and raise the level of the performance of HEIs; determine strengths and areas for improvement in order to lay down development tasks and monitor achievements; share experiences with HEI internal quality assurance systems; acknowledge HEIs that contribute to the development of quality systems.
2009-2011 she was member of the Estonian Higher Education Quality Agency assessment committee. Her current work is responsible for curriculum development, academic quality and accreditation in Estonian University of Life Sciences.
Since 2010 she  is PhD student in University of Tartu in department of Economics and Business Administration. Her thesis title is - Quality Management in the Higher Education Institution and  its influencing factors on the example of Estonian universities.