EFFECTIVE SELF-ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Effective self-assessment, supported by a well-planned procedure that takes into account the outcomes of inspection, is the key to quality improvement of teaching, learning, research and administration in high education. It is an important tool in determining the extent of threats and opportunities, strength and weaknesses to the quality and delivery of provision and therefore further planning of successful process of education. The requirement for Georgian Universities to undertake self-assessment began as a preparation for authorization and accreditation process which is led by the National Centre for Educational Quality Enhancement in Georgia. It is developed to meet the dual purposes of serving the Universities' needs as well as for inspection. It covers the aspects like effectiveness of an action plan, focus on the learner, and research and meeting the needs of employers. At universities the principal responsibility for quality improvement remains with the Quality Assurance Service that does required annual self-assessment report serving several purposes and enabling the universities to devote more of their resources and energies to meeting the needs of learners, employers and communities, and to improving quality. This is derived from the continuous process of self-assessment. At Akaki Tsereteli State University we do permanent interviewing of our students, staff members and the administration, as well as stakeholders, alumni and analysis of the learning outcomes and giving the correspondent recommendations. In spite of the fact that not all the bodies are yet ready to do an objective self-assessment the process goes on and more and more is done in order to improve the quality of teaching, learning, research and administration.