Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

The University Institution’s Improvement <strong>of</strong> Quality from a
Knowledge Management’s Point <strong>of</strong> View
Oliver Moravcik, Dagmar Caganova and Jana Stefankova
Slovak University <strong>of</strong> Technology, Faculty <strong>of</strong> Materials Science and Technology
in Trnava, Slovakia
oliver.moravcik@stuba.sk
dagmar.caganova@stuba.sk
jana.stefankova@stuba.sk
Abstract: Four years ago, <strong>the</strong> Faculty <strong>of</strong> Materials Science and Technology <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Slovak University <strong>of</strong>
Technology in Bratislava started <strong>the</strong> journey <strong>of</strong> applying up-to-date tools and control processes within its own
management in order to rank amongst excellent university institutions. In <strong>the</strong> decision-making process <strong>of</strong> how to
proceed and primarily how to bring <strong>the</strong> institution inline with <strong>the</strong> excellent faculties <strong>of</strong> this type, not only in
Slovakia but also within <strong>the</strong> <strong>European</strong> Union which Slovakia was associated with in 2004, <strong>the</strong> following <strong>the</strong>mes
have been implemented and are being considered, e.g. dynamic development <strong>of</strong> an institution in <strong>the</strong> category <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> universities optimal adaptation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> faculty’s structure relating to <strong>the</strong> system <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> university’s social
financing, diversity (Stefankova, Caganova, Moravcik, 2010), multiculturalism (Caganova, Sujanova,
Lenhardtova, 2010), up-to-date management models <strong>of</strong> public institutions (Cambal, Caganova, 2010) and quality
control models, etc. The paper does not only deal with evaluating <strong>the</strong> tools used for <strong>the</strong> general improvement <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> institution from a managerial perspective <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> faculty but also from that <strong>of</strong> employees and governing bodies
(university, ministry, rating and ranking agencies) with respect to <strong>the</strong> results <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> last four years, especially in
<strong>the</strong> area <strong>of</strong> grant fruitfulness, overall development and also <strong>the</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> faculty by <strong>the</strong> deployment <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Common Assessment Framework (CAF) model. By <strong>the</strong> faculty’s preference <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CAF model and its
experience from two successful competitions in <strong>the</strong> framework <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Slovak university institutions is highlighted.
Ano<strong>the</strong>r significant part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> paper includes <strong>the</strong> analysis <strong>of</strong> customer satisfaction and <strong>the</strong> institution’s quality
research from a viewpoint <strong>of</strong> employees and students that have carried out several years <strong>of</strong> research on
document development trends on <strong>the</strong> demarcated way to <strong>the</strong> institution’s excellence. The statistics, analyses,
and final comments for decisive quality and economic indices are included. To summarize it, <strong>the</strong> authors’
intention is to share <strong>the</strong> knowledge and experience <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> best practice in how to improve <strong>the</strong> institutional
processes with a focus on <strong>the</strong> institutional results.
Keywords: knowledge management, process management, quality, questionnaire survey, trend
1. Introduction - History
The Faculty <strong>of</strong> Materials Science and Technology (MTF) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Slovak University <strong>of</strong> Technology (STU)
based in Trnava has been applying <strong>the</strong> principles <strong>of</strong> modern management for <strong>the</strong> past five years.
Besides significant structural changes in <strong>the</strong> organization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> faculty we integrated into <strong>the</strong>
management a modernization process with innovative elements which according to our conviction will
considerably help improve <strong>the</strong> main indicators <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> institution not only from <strong>the</strong> university’s point <strong>of</strong>
view but especially in regard to international comparison. Inter alia we staked for example on
increasing <strong>the</strong> awareness <strong>of</strong> students and faculty employees via <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> modern media, on <strong>the</strong>
transparency <strong>of</strong> economic-administrative processes, support <strong>of</strong> diversity (not only gender diversity),
and <strong>the</strong> monitoring <strong>of</strong> quality. At present we are mapping <strong>the</strong> progress according to individual
indicators from <strong>the</strong> quantitative and if possible from a qualitative viewpoint.
2. Tools Applied for an Increase in Performance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Institution
The tools to increase performance <strong>of</strong> a statutory academic institution can be divided into several
groups, <strong>the</strong> efficiency <strong>of</strong> which does not always need to come up to expectations. It is necessary to
realize that at <strong>the</strong> faculty we work with students as an educational objective and also as our
customers, we prepare <strong>the</strong>m for a practical career on one hand and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand we are in
contact with teachers and researchers who analogous to students use to a large extent academic
freedom which includes important decision-making situations which do not appear in <strong>the</strong> private
business activities. Accordingly, all reform efforts in <strong>the</strong> academic environment demand previous
approvals from several self-governing panels. In regard to traditional university conservativeness, <strong>the</strong>
persuasive processes are very demanding. Students who, due to <strong>the</strong>ir age, are more disposed for
reform changes than <strong>the</strong>ir teachers, this can be an accelerator <strong>of</strong> changes. When formulating new
targets we accredited a large significance to experience <strong>of</strong> our partners in previous projects from
abroad, especially from Germany, Belgium, Ireland, France and Denmark.
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