THE ROLE OF THE SURVEY FORMS IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF STUDENTS HIGHER EDUCATION ILLUSTRATED WITH AN EXAMPLE OF THE FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, SILESIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY IN GLIWICE

The aim of the article focuses on improvement of education quality issues with special attention to the process of learning and teaching improvement at higher education institutions. The research has been based on results of survey carried out within the last few years among students and graduates of the Faculty of Architecture, Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice. The survey methodology concerns valuation of performing teaching duties by academic staff members who conduct courses of study, as well as assessment of adjusting majors and teaching programmes to labour market under permanent dynamic changes. Surveying methodology is a part of Education Quality Assurance System (SZJK) operating at the Silesian University of Technology, an internal quality system targeted at the education process. The aim of this article is to demonstrate whether the surveying process may initiate changes in the University syllabus and in methods of teaching the Faculty of Architecture students. On the one hand, the article attempts at answering a question to what extent the surveying may influence the academic community learning and teaching process and whether it may encourage the university teachers' creativity. On the other hand, the article demonstrates whether students need the surveying, if it meets their requirements and expectations concerning the level of the academic staff competence and permanent development. Demonstration of surveying results analysis effectiveness, their reliability, adjustment to a faculty specifics and role of conclusions in improving the education quality of prospective architects, make up an additional field of the article.