Andre Vyt

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION
An integrative approach in quality management
The teacher education department of Artevelde University College has received very good ratings by visitation commission. Over the past ten years a system of quality management has been developed that is completely embedded in the daily management, with a culture of spontaneous evaluation, improvement, and actions to ensure its continuity. Its excellence is recognized by external evaluations (NVAO accreditation). Teamwork is an essential aspect in core processes of teaching and learning, as well as in research and development. Systematic evaluations and self-assessments take place, involving teachers, assistants, students and alumni-students. The participation of different actors, and especially the involvement of student representatives, is crucial.
Artevelde University College uses the PROSE tool for in-depth self-assessment of input organizational factors and core processes for teaching and learning. International benchmarking is done with other institutions in Europe and the USA, based on a set of questionnaires in which criteria of national accreditation frameworks are complemented with other criteria based on integrative quality management (IQM). This results in a broad set of quality indicators which can be used for further international benchmarking purposes. Self-assessment remains the starting point in all steps.
By means of the PROSE Online Diagnostics & Documenting System (PODS 2.0) participatory self-assessment is organized with questionnaires validated by expert groups (eg the EFQM Quickscan or the E-xcellence Quickscan of the European Association of Universities Distance Education). The application is a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques, producing rich analyses. We plan and monitor improvement projects and action plans, on which we collaborate online. The system produces indicators and monitoring reports, and allows managers to put reports and policy documents online for consultation by different persons involved, within a participatory and integrative approach.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Prof. dr. Andre Vyt (born 1961) is associate professor in behavioural sciences at the departments of health care and rehabilitation sciences (Artevelde University College & Ghent University) and responsible for quality management and research in teaching and learning in the department of teacher education (Artevelde University College). He is the founding partner and managing director of PROSE (www.prose.eu), an expertise network in quality management for the sectors of Education & Training, Health & Social Care, and Public services & Agencies. During his career Andre Vyt has held different positions: researcher, lecturer, student counselor, head of teaching & learning support services, institutional quality manager, financial manager for student services and logistics, head of research & development, and academic board member. Between 1999 and 2003 he was vice-chairman of the working group on quality management of the Flemish Higher Education Institutions Council. He has managed several innovation projects in teaching & learning, has supervised more than 20 curricular reforms in higher education, and has participated as an expert in more than 50 (national and international) auditing visits in higher education and vocational training. His main focus is on integrative quality management, innovation, educational design, interprofessional education, and distance education. André Vyt has been an invited speaker on different international events and also acts as an independent consultant (www.avyt.be). He is a certified EFQM assessor/validator, E-xcellence associate auditor, and recognized PROSE expert. He is the developer of the 6P-model for quality management and the  PROSE Online Diagnostics & Documenting System (PODS 2.0) which allows institutions to build a complete quality management system by using an online platform for planning, analyzing, documenting, and collaborating.