A prActicAl guide Benchmarking in european Higher education

The EADTU online benchmarking tool on e-learning
E-xcellence, a two-year project (2004-2006) of the European Association
of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) produced a web-based
instrument focusing on e-learning in higher education (www.eadtu.nl/excellenceqs).
The online tool Quickscan allows higher education institutions to benchmark
their courses and programmes in relation to e-learning aspects.
The Quality Manual for E-Learning in Higher Education provides a set of
benchmarks, critical factors, performance indicators, and assessors’
notes. It covers the six areas of Strategic management, Curriculum
design, Course design, Course delivery, Staff support and Student support.
A full assessment also includes an on-site visit by an e-learning expert.
In this case, the online tool forms the input for the self-evaluation report
which institutions write for the visiting expert. At the end of the full
assessment the expert delivers a report on overall performance and
recommendations for improvement. Universities develop an action plan
for improvement and have the experts’ support and feedback for this.
The next step is Excellence+ (www.eadtu.nl/e-xcellenceplus), where
EADTU provides support to introduce the tool both in national quality
assurance frameworks and at institutional level inside higher education
institutions.
With a commitment to go through the E-xcellence assessment every two
years, universities obtain the ‘E-xcellence’ Associates label which is a
recognition of their continued improvement of e-learning.
A Practical Guide - Benchmarking in European Higher Education
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