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QVM

Use of quality improvement funds at the faculty

Stepped stairs protrude from a gray wall. © Sergey Nivens​/​Shotshop.com

Since the winter semester 2011/2012, tuition fees have no longer been charged in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The money still collected from the winter was spent according to purposes already decided. As financial compensation, all universities receive the so-called "quality improvement funds" in roughly the same amount. The legal basis for this is the Study Quality Act and the Study Quality Ordinance. 

On 01.02.2012, the Quality Improvement Commission of the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering was elected to decide on its use. Student representatives have an absolute majority here.

Quality assurance at the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering

In July 2011, the Faculty Council of the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering adopted a paper on quality assurance in teaching for the first time. The goals, structures and measures for quality assurance in teaching and studies were defined. Some points from the content:

  • Establishment of a quality improvement commission
  • Evaluation of compulsory internships (also outside the department)
  • Compulsory tutorial sizes of up to 60 students by the 4th semester or supplementing larger tutorials with tutorials
  • Project work for all first-year students
  • Ensuring the quality of exams (of equal difficulty, sufficiently covered topics)
  • Opening of a learning center with 50 places by the end of 2011
  • Teaching criterion for new appointments verifiable through trial lectures and discussions with students.

Since 2013, the quality report, which is prepared every two years and adopted by the Faculty Council, has included an assessment of the department's current situation as well as quality assurance goals and measures in teaching and learning. Details can be found under the relevant years.