Standard 2: Quality Assurance

Standard 2: Procedures for Quality Assurance for All Program

The Commitment
The University with all the academic, administrative, and supporting units have long committed to ensure the implementation of proper and high- standard quality assurance programs. The quality assurance system at UPI combines quality assurance and quality management. It is implemented into a higher education quality assurance system (SPM DIKTI). The SPM DIKTI is stipulated through the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture Number 50 of 2014 and updated by the Regulation of the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education Number 62 of 2016.

To give practical guidance, The Directorate of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education and Culture published the Handbook of Quality Assurance of Higher Education Institution and a book of Best Practices, signifying that quality assurance is ultimately aimed at contributing to the national competitiveness in quality, access and equity, and autonomy.

UPI continues to strive to meet higher education standards both meeting the National Standard for Higher Education (SN DIKTI) and standards set by the University. In addition to referring to SN DIKTI, which is regulated in the Regulation of the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Number 44 of 2015 updated by The Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture Number 3 of 2020 on National Standard for Higher Education, UPI also develops standards regulated in Rector’s Regulation Number 7565 UN 40/HK/2019 on the Quality Standards of UPI. This regulation was setting the nine interconnected standards, including those of education, research, community service, student affairs, informational system, facilities and infrastructure, human resources, planning and development, and reporting.

These regulations have expanded the number of standards that have been introduced; previously, only 24 SN DIKTI standards had been implemented; now, UPI has implemented 57 quality assurance standards. UPI surpassed SN DIKTI by adding standards besides the required ones, such as education, science, and community service.

The Structure and Procedures
To guarantee quality of the University and all its units, including that of the study programs, the University established Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) whose responsibility includes all the necessary stages of the University’s Quality Management System (QMS): coordinating all the University’s units in implementing their QMS, coordinating the Internal Quality Assurance Audits (IQAA) and External Quality Assurance Audits (EQAA). IQAA is conducted annually, while EQAA once in five years. To get a clearer idea on the position of QAU in the University’s structure, see

 

From the diagram above, it can be seen that QAU reports directly to the Rector and under its responsibility. At the faculty and study program levels, quality assurance is performed by the Quality Control Unit (QCU) and Quality Control Group (QCG) respectively. In practice, QAU plays coordinating function while QCU and QCG are executive in nature. QCU is responsible for management and administrative aspects and QCG for the academic and teaching and learning aspects of the programs. In other words, human resources, facilities, finance, and other administrative works are under QCU and and teaching and learning, research, and students learning activities are under QCG.

The procedures run by all levels of the QMS organization follow the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Action) cycles. This is cyclical, starting with planning, in this case, setting the Key Performance Indicators (KPI or IKU-Indikator Kinerja Utama) by the University and faculties, followed by the implementation of the plans, the evaluation, and the follow-up activities. The second stage is doing, i.e. the execution of the planning in various activities such as teaching, supervising, doing research projects, community service, etc. The third stage is checking or assessing whether the ‘doing’ is going well, and the last is action, usually in the forms of corrective actions and improvement program as follows- up of the results of the third stage.

This quality assurance process is carried out continuously as an effort by UPI to provide optimal performance as well as a form of institutional accountability to the community and stakeholders both internally (students, lecturers, and educational staff) and externally (graduate users and society). SPM implementation is a series of activities and processes including Determination, Implementation, Evaluation of implementation, Control (implementation), and Improvement, which form a continuous PPEPP (Perencanaan, Pelaksanaan, Evaluasi, Pengendalian, Peningkatan = Planning, Implementation, Evaluation, Control, Improvement) cycle. The results of the following cycle of PDCA may illustrate the procedures. Upon the completion of ‘doing’ (D) required activities for each of the KPIs, checking (C) is then administered, documented and reported in a LPTM (Laporan Pencapaian Target Mutu/Quality Target Achievement Report, henceforth QTAR).

Evaluation of the quality assurance process is conducted through audits quality by internal and external parties. Internal quality audits are carried out through the Internal Quality Audit (IQA) conducted regularly by QAU. External quality audits through Study Program Accreditation for Higher Education is conducted by BAN-PT. QAU refers to IQA checklists, which refer to BAN-PT standards and UPI standards in conducting the IQA audits. The audit output is a recommendation for improvement contained in a corrective action requesting form document that must be discussed in a management review meeting. It is used as the basis for the preparation of the audit program for the following year. These findings will then become the basis for evaluating the IQA in the following year.

Accreditation by BAN-PT is conducted in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture Number 5 of 2020 on Accreditation of Study Programs and Higher Education. In particular, the guidelines for preparing self-evaluation reports and guidelines for preparing study program performance reports are contained in BAN-PT Regulation Number 2 of 2019. The Study Program Accreditation Instrument in the form of a self-evaluation report assessment matrix and study program performance reports is regulated in the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education Regulation Number 5 of 2019. The evaluation of study programs through Study Program Accreditation is conducted every five years starting from the time accreditation results are published.

In addition to quality assurance, all study programs have implemented a quality management system through ISO 9001: 2015 in the scope of implementing academic processes, administration, and academic services. All study programs are ISO 9001: 2015 certified which are contained in the certificates issued by the United Registrar of Systems (URS) and CERT TUV Rheinland Germany. Compliance audits are conducted twice a year, internally and externally, to ensure compliance with established procedures.

The success of the study program’s quality assurance process is determined by the involvement of both internal and external stakeholders, namely lecturers, students, graduates, graduate users, and professional associations, and other related institutions. Regarding the procedures and results of stakeholder involvement, several alternatives are carried out, starting from face-to-face, websites, meetings, or workshops as well as tracer studies.

Lecturers also play an important role in the the quality assurance process especially through the Research Groups (RG or KBK). They serve as a vehicle for developing joint scientific expertise, encouraging further study for lecturers to takes doctoral degrees, applying active learning and e-learning models, and improving lecturer competence with various training and dedication, strengthening the academic supervisor function, and monitoring and evaluating the academic service process.

The procedure of the quality assurance process has been socialized to students through several media, namely face-to-face meetings in class, through the study program websites, and optimization of the role of the academic supervisor. Students also play an important role in providing assessments related to learning activities for every semester. They can fill out an online student satisfaction questionnaire at the university level via the http://sino2.upi.edu/evaluation-pbm/kuisioner.php to measure the quality of teaching staff services, facilities, and infrastructure. Student satisfaction surveys are conducted by the academic subdivision, and the feedback results are used for evaluation in the next semester’s learning planning.

Graduates can provide assessment and input through a tracer study. Tracer Study is an activity to trace alumni after they graduate from university. This tracer study can provide information about the graduate profession, the work-waiting period, the relevance of the knowledge learned, the working experience as for the study program improvement. The study program’s alumni tracking is carried out online on the official website of the study program and other online applications, as well as off-line through alumni meetings, discussion forums, and friendship between alumni. The university also conducts tracer studies online via the website: http://alumni.upi.edu/. Apart from graduates, graduate users can evaluate employee performance and provide feedback for the Study Program through tracer studies, which are conducted regularly.

Currently, all study programs are (1) Economic Education (Undergraduate), Economic Education (Master program); (3) Accounting Education, (4) Business Education, (5) Islamic Economics and Finance, and (6) Accounting has been accredited A by BAN-PT. In line with the policies contained in the UPI 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, one of the targets that must be achieved in 2025 is the number of internationally accredited study programs of 30 units, which currently is still at 12 units.

The quality assurance process that is carried out refers to quality standards that are fair, non-discriminatory, and intolerant. For example, one of the requirements for passing a student in a course is that attendance must be met at least 80 percent and this requirement applies to all students.

The professional association plays a role in controlling the quality of graduates. Professional associations and users are involved in curriculum preparation and discussions in developing the latest developments faced by the Study Program and formulating strategic steps to improve the quality of learning so that graduates have national and global competitiveness. To provide information to stakeholders related quality assurance procedures and outputs, the study program publishes information through websites, brochures, and formal and informal meetings.

Information on labor market requirements for graduates is adjusted to learning outcomes, among which Learning Outcomes study programs are encouraged to become prospective teachers or professional candidates. Complete and clear descriptions related to the field of work of graduates have been described in the guidelines of UPI education and related to other regulations. The program organized by the study program is following the opportunities and requirements of the existing world of work. One indicator of the success of quality assurance carried out by study programs is the absorption of graduates in the labor market in education. Regarding career development, the university has also routinely provided career guidance for prospective graduates.

Employability of the graduates
Graduates of the six study programs can work as prospective teachers or work as professionals according to the learning outcome in the curriculum of each study program. The following is the results of the tracer study and in coordination with the Alumni Association.

Students Satisfaction
Quality of information systems is an integral part of higher education quality assurance. UPI has provided various academic services that can make it easier for lecturers and students to carry out learning activities, progress and study success rates, student satisfaction, student population profiles, learning resources, and other key performance indicators. Satisfaction with lecturer performance in the learning process is carried out through the evaluation of PBM at Sino (at figure 3 below), while the academic office carries out broader satisfaction that includes all services.

From the diagram above, it can be seen that QAU reports directly to the Rector and under its responsibility. At the faculty and study program levels, quality assurance is performed by the Quality Control Unit (QCU) and Quality Control Group (QCG) respectively. In practice, QAU plays coordinating function while QCU and QCG are executive in nature. QCU is responsible for management and administrative aspects and QCG for the academic and teaching and learning aspects of the programs. In other words, human resources, facilities, finance, and other administrative works are under QCU and and teaching and learning, research, and students learning activities are under QCG.

The procedures run by all levels of the QMS organization follow the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Action) cycles. This is cyclical, starting with planning, in this case, setting the Key Performance Indicators (KPI or IKU-Indikator Kinerja Utama) by the University and faculties, followed by the implementation of the plans, the evaluation, and the follow-up activities. The second stage is doing, i.e. the execution of the planning in various activities such as teaching, supervising, doing research projects, community service, etc. The third stage is checking or assessing whether the ‘doing’ is going well, and the last is action, usually in the forms of corrective actions and improvement program as follows- up of the results of the third stage.

Effectiveness of teacher
The information systems provided by the university include (i) Application for lecturer workload reports through http://bkd.upi.edu/Login.aspx; (ii) input system for lecturer scores through https://siak.upi.edu/sinndo/Login.aspx; (iii) online-based learning application program for lecturers and students through https://spot.upi.edu/; (iv). Staffing information system for the attendance of employees and lecturers through http://simpeg.upi.edu/; (v) application for tuition contracts and academic guidance through https://siak.upi.edu/perwalian/; (vi) the administrative information system for trial submissions through https://siak.upi.edu/sias/; and (vii) application UPI file directory via http://file.upi.edu/browse.php?dir=Directory

Profile of student population
The number of students in 2020 is 3,350 students with details of Economic Education (453 students), Accounting Education (493 students), Business Education (508 students), Accounting (481 students), Economics and Islamic Finance (453 students), as well as Masters Level Accounting (11 students).

Learning Resources
Information systems for students include (i) course syllabus information services through http://silabus.upi.edu/; (ii) a questionnaire application for evaluating lecturers’ teaching through http://sino2.upi.edu/evaluasi-pbm/kuisioner.php; (iii) application of the field experience program information system through http://sippl.upi.edu/; (iv) online-based learning application program for lecturers and students through https://spot.upi.edu/; (v) the administrative information system for trial submissions via https://siak.upi.edu/sias/; and (vi) online application for community service (KKN) through http://kkn.lppm.upi.edu/.

Institution’s Key Performance Indicators (IKU)
All programs and activities refer to the achievement of the IKU, which is contained in the UPI Strategic Plan document, which is then translated into the Strategic Plan of each faculty. The vision and mission of UPI in 2021-2025 are translated into 6 policies, 16 programs, and 88 IKU.

Workload and assignments in courses are assessed by applying the semester credit system (SCS). The semester credit unit load for each course is determined according to the learning process (lecture form) being carried out, which can be in the form of lectures, seminars, and practicum. The calculation of the credit load for students is the load of 1 (one) credit in the learning process in the form of lectures consisting of 1) face-to-face activities of 50 (fifty) minutes per week per semester; 2) 60 (sixty) minutes per week per semester structured assignment, and 3) 60 (sixty) minutes of independent activities per week per semester.

The study load per semester for students is determined based on academic achievement and time availability. In general, students have a study load of 18-21 credits per semester. Academic Advisors/supervisors and Heads of Departments/Study Programs use the previous Semester Achievement Index (previous semester GPA or IPS) as a benchmark to determine the maximum number of credits that can be taken by students. For students who earn a GPA of <2.50, they can take a maximum of 16 credits; students with a GPA of 2.50 ≤ IPS <3.00 can take a maximum of 21 credits; students having a GPA of 3.00 ≤ IPS <3.50 can take a maximum of 23 credits, and those who have a GPA of ≥ 3.50 can take a maximum of 24 credits. The results of students’ workload assessments are used for program improvement and study planning flexibly according to their respective conditions. The example is used for graduation acceleration and evaluation of related lecturers performance.

The UPI assessment system includes both student learning processes and outcomes. Related failures in examinations in the study program can occur when they do not meet the standards set by the university. Students who have not reached the learning completeness criteria must take a remedial program under the standards developed. In the study program, all courses have an equal presentation.

All study programs strive to be able to help students complete their education. It is expected that no student will drop out. The effort made to reduce the dropout rate is to optimize the role of PA lecturers in mentoring.