Faculty of Pharmacy

Anchieta Campus

Quality Assurance System

Faculty of Pharmacy

Presentation

The Faculty of Pharmacy has committed to implementing the AUDIT program (Program for the Recognition of Internal Quality Assurance Systems for University Education) through its Internal Quality Assurance System (SGIC), the design of which was approved in March 2010 by the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) (ANECA Report). The scope of the Faculty of Pharmacy's SGIC includes all current degree programs and their respective administrators, as well as those to be implemented in the future.

The design of the SGIC of the Faculty of Pharmacy consists of procedures that consider the following criteria, aimed at continuous improvement:

  • Quality policy and objectives
  • Design of the training offer
  • Development of teaching and other student-oriented activities
  • Academic and teaching support staff
  • Material resources and services
  • Training results
  • Public information

The documentation for the Internal Quality Assurance System (SGIC) consists of a manual defining the system's general characteristics and a Procedures Manual comprising a series of procedures aligned with the "Criteria and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area," developed by the European Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency (ENQA) and adapted by ANECA. The documentation is supplemented by several annexes, including the Center's Quality Policy and Objectives and the Process Map.

Responsible

The Center's Management Team, and in particular its Dean, assumes responsibility for establishing the Center's quality policy and objectives proposal, will appoint a Quality Officer to represent it in all matters relating to the monitoring of the SGIC and will propose to the School Board the review of the composition and functions of the Center's Quality Commission (CCC).

To advise and assist the Dean in the tasks related to the design, implementation, maintenance and improvement of the SGIC, there is the figure of the Center's Quality and Innovation Coordinator.

Regardless of the responsibilities indicated in the corresponding appointment or subsequently assigned, the Quality and Innovation Coordinator has sufficient responsibility and authority to:

  • Advise the Management Team on the development of institutional plans for teaching quality and innovation.
  • Advise the Management Team on the design and implementation of new degrees adapted to the European Higher Education Area.
  • Supervise the implementation, maintenance and monitoring of the procedures established in the SGIC.
  • Inform the Center's Quality Committee about the development of the SGIC and the improvement needs required by the Center's degrees.
  • Supervise the execution of preventive and/or corrective actions derived from the review of the SGIC.
  • Channel suggestions, complaints and claims to the Center's Quality Commission and coordinate response actions.
  • To act as an intermediary with the Quality Assessment and Improvement Unit for the organization of specific training activities for the teaching staff of the Center.
  • To carry out dissemination work that promotes awareness of the scope of the SGIC in all the Center's stakeholders.
  • To perform any other functions within their area of expertise that may be entrusted to them by the Dean of the Center.

It is an advisory body to the Center's Management Team, participating in the planning and monitoring of the Internal Quality Assurance System (SGIC), and serving as one of the internal communication channels for the Center's policies, objectives, plans, programs, responsibilities, and achievements. It is composed of the Dean/Director, who acts as Chair, the Quality Coordinator, one representative from each degree program (undergraduate and postgraduate), one representative from each department with a teaching load exceeding 7% at the Center, two representatives from the Administrative and Service Staff (one administrator and one other), and one student representative (preferably a graduate or postgraduate student). Up to two members external to the University may also be part of the CCC, provided their expertise in the Center's degree programs is deemed necessary for the optimal achievement of the objectives outlined in the SGIC. The Center's Secretary will serve as Secretary of the CCC.

The functions of the CCC are:

  • Design the SGIC of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the ULL.
  • Receive information from the Dean about the proposed modifications to the Center's organizational chart and take a position on them.
  • To be informed by the Dean regarding the Faculty's Quality Policy and General Objectives and to disseminate this information to all the Centre's stakeholders, as specified in Chapter I, section 4.2.
  • Verify the planning of the SGIC of the Center.
  • Monitor the SGIC.
  • Develop processes for reviewing and improving training programs.
  • Monitor the effectiveness of the processes established in the SGIC.
  • To study and, where appropriate, approve the implementation of the SGIC improvement proposals suggested by the other members of the Center.
  • Control the execution of corrective and/or preventive actions, actions derived from the review of the SGIC, actions in response to suggestions, complaints and claims and, in general, any project or process that does not have a person specifically assigned to monitor it.

Center Quality Policy and Objectives

Quality Policy refers to the overall intentions and direction of an organization regarding its commitment to quality service for users and stakeholders. Quality objectives, on the other hand, are the set of aspects, proposals, and intentions to be achieved in order to improve service delivery to stakeholders. This chapter describes how the Faculty of Pharmacy defines, reviews, and maintains its quality policy, formulated by the Management Team based on information from university policy and the Center's stakeholders. This information provides a framework for establishing quality objectives.

The Faculty of Pharmacy recognizes the need to consolidate a culture of quality, based on a publicly known and accessible quality policy and objectives. To this end, it issues a public, written statement of its quality policy and objectives, which apply to the official degree program offered at the Faculty and for which it is therefore responsible. The Faculty's Quality Policy and Objectives will be aligned with the ULL Quality Policy.

Quality Manual

The Quality Manual is the basic document that serves as a reference and from which all the necessary actions emanate to ensure that the teachings provided by the Faculty of Pharmacy are in accordance with the guidelines that define them and satisfy the needs and expectations of the stakeholders.

The Quality Manual systematically outlines the scope of the Section's Internal Quality Assurance System, and therefore constitutes its documentary basis.

Quality Assurance System Manual

Procedure

To fulfill the functions established in this chapter, the Faculty of Pharmacy has established the following procedures:

Reports and results

TRENDS
Verification Memory Data Course 10-11 Course 11-12 Course 12-13 Academic Year 13-14 Academic Year 2014-15 Academic Year 15-16
Graduation rate 15
Dropout rate 30 18,3 18,5 15,2 15,1 21,4
Efficiency rate 80 96,7 90,2
Dropout rate 80 76,9 78,2 78,1 76,2 82 82

LEVEL OF SATISFACTION OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy Course 12-13 Academic Year 13-14 Academic Year 2014-15 Academic Year 15-16
Overall student satisfaction with the degree 3,29 3,20 3,22 3,15
Level of student satisfaction with the teaching staff 3,12 2,96 3,09 2,97
Level of student satisfaction with the resources 3,05 2,94 2,96 2,95
Level of teacher satisfaction with the degree 3,75 3,64 3,73
Graduate satisfaction level with the degree 3,47 3,47
Employer satisfaction level with the degree 4,00 4,38