Quality-conscious SUAS
“Excellent in teaching – strong in research and well connected – regionally anchored and internationally active – familiar, social, and democratic – responsible in the use of resources and service-oriented.”
These keywords from the mission statement of Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences reflect the institution's overarching understanding of quality.
Most of these principles relate directly to quality in various areas of activity, for example, the quality expectation “excellent in teaching” in the field of study and teaching, or the guideline “strong in research and well connected” for the field of research. In doing so, university members operate in different areas of activity within the institution with different perspectives on goals, processes, and structures. A lively dialogue and an innovative environment are essential for the overarching quality goals to be achieved in the long term.
In order to continuously improve teaching and learning conditions, the requirements of the university's mission statement are specified and examined in detail in a teaching mission statement. One example is the topic of “digital teaching,” which is being pursued intensively with a view to using innovative teaching methods and formats. However, the university continues to see itself as a face-to-face university that uses digital forms of teaching to enhance the quality of face-to-face teaching, without seeking to replace it per se.
The Vice President for Academic Affairs and International Relations, the Central Quality Management team, and the quality management officers of the individual faculties are the contact persons in the university's quality management system (QM system). Joint quality efforts in our learning organization are a dynamic element that ensures the continuous development of the university's QM system. For documentation purposes and as a growing manual, all regulations, processes, and other QM-related documents are available online in the university's QM portal. There is regular exchange on QM topics at the meetings of the Central QM Commission and the Senate. In addition, all status groups receive the latest information from the field of quality management through the university's newsletter.
Since 2018, Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences has been the first university of applied sciences in Thuringia to be system-accredited.
Since then, the Central Quality Management department has been responsible for organizing not only evaluation but also other essential QM processes. The most important tasks of the CQM are accreditation and reaccreditation, evaluation, monitoring, and process documentation. Further information on QM at the university can be found on the Central Quality Management website and in the university's QM portal.
