Quality in degrees
The official Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate degrees from the University of La Laguna are subject, like the rest of the degrees from Spanish universities, to a quality control model divided into three evaluation phases, as established by the Royal Decree 822/2021, of September 28, establishing the organization of university education and the quality assurance procedure, as well as by the Royal Decree 99/2011, of January 28, regulating official doctoral studies:
- PHASE 1 – Ex ante evaluation or initial verification of the title, related to the validation of the curriculum design (VERIFICA Program – Title Verification Report and its subsequent ones modifications).
- PHASE 2 – Monitoring implementation, to be carried out during the implementation of the degree in order to guarantee the adequate development of the study plan and the achievement of the expected results (Protocol for Monitoring Official Qualifications of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands of the Canary Islands Agency for University Quality and Educational Evaluation – ACCUEE).
- PHASE 3 – Ex-post evaluation or renewal of accreditation, to be developed periodically in order to verify the suitability of the implementation of the degree as well as its results, in order to authorize the continuity of its teaching (ACREDITA Program-Evaluation for the renewal of degree accreditation). The process must be completed before the end of the sixth year for undergraduate and doctoral degrees, and the fourth year for master's degrees.
The accreditation renewal process (ACREDITA program) is the final evaluation phase of an official degree and must be completed periodically, starting from the date of verification or the date of its last accreditation. For undergraduate and doctoral degrees, it must be completed before the end of the sixth year, and for master's degrees, before the end of the fourth year.
The Organic Law 4/2007 of April 12, which modifies the Organic Law 6/2001 , of December 21, on Universities, establishes a new structure for Spanish university education and degrees, in line with the objectives established for the construction of the European Higher Education Area.
He Royal Decree 861/2010 , of July 2, which modifies the 1393/2007 , of October 29, which establishes the organization of official university teachings, and the Royal Decree 99/2011, of January 28, which regulates official doctoral studies, establishes the regulatory framework for the organization and verification of official Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral studies.
In accordance with the provisions of the Royal Decrees, the Universities design their study plans following the protocols established in the VERIFICA ProgramAs the first phase of the evaluation of the degrees, the design is submitted to Verification by the Council of Universities, after evaluation by the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) and authorization of implementation by the Autonomous Community, according to the Decree 168/2008This latter authorization requires compliance with the criteria and requirements for teaching official university courses in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, which are evaluated by the Canary Islands Agency for University Quality and Educational Evaluation (ACCUEE):
- General requirements and criteria for authorizing the implementation of qualifications
Regarding the internal quality assurance system for degrees (IQAS), the design of a study plan requires indicating the procedures and mechanisms for review and continuous improvement established to ensure that the degree is implemented in accordance with what was previously established.
SGIC Titles – Section 9 of the Title Verification Report
Article 27 of the Royal Decree 861/2010 It specifically addresses the monitoring of degrees registered in the Registry of Universities, Centers, and Degrees (RUCT). This article states that the Ministry of Education, the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA), and the Autonomous Communities will be responsible for developing the guidelines for monitoring degrees. These guidelines focus primarily on the information that universities must publish and update, and on the importance of the Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS) and the mechanisms designed to monitor these degrees and ensure their subsequent accreditation.
In line with the established guidelines, the Canary Agency for University Quality and Educational Evaluation (ACCUEE) has published the Protocol through which the monitoring of official degrees in the Canary Autonomous Community will be carried out.
Introduction
The accreditation renewal process (ACREDITA program) is the final evaluation phase of an official degree and must be completed periodically, starting from the date of verification or the date of its last accreditation. For undergraduate and doctoral degrees, it must be completed before the end of the sixth year, and for master's degrees, before the end of the fourth year.
This is a crucial process for universities, their institutions, and their degrees. The continuity of the degrees and, therefore, their renewal and official retention in the institution will depend on the adequacy of the results obtained and the final report issued after the evaluation process. Registry of Universities, Centers and Degrees (RUCT).
Evaluation process
Information and Prior Training
As a starting point, various information and awareness-raising activities are being carried out on the importance of the process and the implications of its results for the ULL: training sessions, courses, and workshops for those involved in degree evaluation, meetings with center leaders, etc.
Internal Assessment – Self-Assessment
The internal phase of Self-assessment, in which the Degree Directors and the Center Quality Committees and/or Degree Committees prepare a self-assessment report in which they describe, analyze, assess, and reflect on the implementation of the degree, its results, and proposals for improvement, following the provisions of the evaluation model for accreditation renewal. To do so, they must have the information and evidence (indicators, documentation, regulations, teaching guides, meeting minutes, satisfaction results reports, etc.) on which the analysis is based and justified. These data must be submitted along with the self-report as part of the degree accreditation dossier. This data will be reviewed and verified during the visit by the Committee of Experts appointed by the ACCUEE.
This phase of the evaluation process requires the participation and involvement of all stakeholders involved in the training programs: the governing team, the dean's/school management team, faculty, students, graduates, administrative and service staff, external tutors, employers, etc.
External Evaluation – Self-Evaluation
Phase of external evaluation, in which ACCUEE assesses the achievement of the degree objectives and the adequacy of its results: verification of the acquisition of competencies/learning outcomes by students, human and material resources planned for the development of the degree, and analysis of the evolution of the results.
This external evaluation phase consists of two distinct parts:
- Visit Panel of Experts, In this process, a group of external evaluators (ACCUEE) from the university analyzes the information and visits the center(s) where the degree is taught to verify and compare the data provided in the degree accreditation dossier.
sThey will carry out different actions: work meetings, review of teaching guides, review of exams and assessment criteria for the subjects selected by the panel, review of final degree/master's projects with different grades, interviews with various groups (teachers and students, PTGAS, graduates, employers, etc.), visit to facilities, infrastructure, etc. The Panel of Experts will prepare a provisional report, to which the university may submit allegations that in no case will involve a discussion of the assessments made. As a final result, a visit results report. - Final evaluation for accreditation, in which an ACCUEE Accreditation Committee will analyze the data and results of the evaluation, obtained in the visit report and in the degree self-assessment dossier. The Committee will prepare a provisional report, to which the university may submit any objections it deems appropriate. The final result will be a final accreditation renewal report.
Accreditation Results
The process of renewing the accreditation of a degree ends with the issuance of a final accreditation report, which may be issued in favorable or unfavorable terms with the following implications:
- Favorable Report: It allows the degree to continue to be taught in subsequent courses and its permanence in the Registry of Universities, Centers and Degrees.
- Unfavorable Report: It leads to the exit from the RUCT, and the consequent extinction of the title as an official title.
Documentation and information
The planning, coordination, and advisory work on the ULL accreditation renewal process—drafting framework documents, instructions, and work plans, organizing and compiling institutional evidence, scheduling work with external evaluation agencies, etc.—will be carried out by the Technical Quality Unit of the Vice-Rectorate for Teaching in coordination with the schools.
Based on the experience gained and the improvement proposals made during the external evaluation, the framework documentation will be updated, and the importance and implications of this process will be disseminated among the centers and various stakeholders (faculty, students, PTGAS, etc.). This information and documentation, as well as the identified best practices, will serve as a reference in the planning and organization of the degrees that will undergo the accreditation renewal process.
Each academic year, ULL centers implement their Orientation and Tutorial Action Plans (POAT) to provide students with support and guidance systems once they enroll at ULL.
The training activities included in the POAT address various topics that will help students in their academic and professional decision-making and allow them to adapt to new demands: independent learning strategies, teamwork, improving academic results, resolving difficulties, information and advice on internships, guidance on mobility programs, demands and characteristics of the labor market, etc.
By enrolling at ULL, students can participate in their school's POAT, benefiting from:
- Training and information activities provided throughout the degree
- Advice from a professor-tutor, who will support you in your intellectual, academic, and professional pursuits.
- Recognition in ECTS credits, as set out in the Regulations for the Recognition of Credits for Participation in University Activities in Official Undergraduate Studies.