QualityFunding

Invitation to apply for Quality Funding 2015 for development of first and second cycle education

Dnr C 2014-1712 Process 1.1.3

Background

Chalmers has been allocated quality-based extra funding over a period of four years (2014-17) as a result of UKÄs (the Swedish Higher Education Authority) evaluations. The decision of the Ministry of Education and Research regarding how much quality-based funding Chalmers will be awarded 2015 is expected by the end of December 2014. We expect that the funding will be of about the same magnitude as in 2014 i.e. about SEK 40 million. If the quality-based extra funding will continue into 2016-17 will be dependent on political decisions.

Announcement 2015

The Vice President of undergraduate education hereby invites you to apply for Quality Funding. The funding will be announced at one occasion in 2015.

The overall goal is that the projects to be financed are the ones assessed to best contribute to the objectives of Chalmers Priority Operational Development by creating opportunities for better student learning.

To achieve this, applications addressing the following aspects will be prioritised:

Courses and programmes with known problems regarding achievement of students’ intended learning outcomes and throughput
The impact of the funding shall benefit many students
Projects with long-term effects
Development of methodology, which can be applied in many situations (good practices), in order to analyse and take measures to improve the conditions for students ' learning
Purchase of technical laboratory equipment to further enhance students’ learning

Standards for allocating funds will be used for the following types of projects:

Course development: SEK 125 000
Course development with "blended learning": SEK 200 000
Programme development SEK 200 000
Costs for study tours with the purpose of benchmarking, in connection to course and programme development: SEK 10 000

Funding will normally not be granted for:

Development of new courses or programmes
Teacher’s study tours; longer travels or without connection to course/programme development
establishment of parallel equipment or facilities if shared Chalmers resources can be co-used.

Funding may be allocated tentatively for multi-annual projects during 2016-17, with the reservation for political decisions which could imply that quality funding might be reduced or discontinued.

How to apply

Please use this template for your application. Download and save the template and name the file with your name and add a number if you submit more than one application.

Please note that the application must be approved by the involved Vice Head for education, viceprefekt (corresponding) and the responsible Programme Director, or the Head of the Division (avdelningschef) for projects to be carried out within the Administration and Service or the Library. However their signatures are not required on the application form. Please send your application by e-mail to Quality Assurance co-ordinator Ulla Rilbyulla.rilby@chalmers.se, (with c.c. to the Programme director and Vice Head for Education or Head of the Division), not later than 2015-01-30.

Decision process

Vice-President Maria Knutson Wedel decides on funding of projects (based on this announcement) after consulting with the Executive Committe for education. The decision will be made not later than 2015-03-13.

Follow-up

Projects granted funds will be followed up with respect to that:

funds have been used as intended
Chalmers use of quality funds have contributed to the fulfilment of the goals for first and second cycle education according to the Priority Operational Development i.e. increased goal fulfillment and/or throughput
experiences have been shared, for example through participation in the KUL Conference

A report on activities and on the use of resources as well as a status report of goal achievement shall be submitted on February 1st, 2016. For multi-annual projects, decisions about continued funding will be made with this report as a basis.

A report on project goal-fulfilment for development projects on courses given in 2015-16 shall be submitted on October 1st, 2016.

At the start of the project contact can be taken with Tom Adawi, EER for help with the methodology to follow up on how the project contributes to strengthening the conditions for student learning.

Other uses of quality funding

In addition to funding of projects decided upon as a result of this announcement, quality funds will also be used for projects prioritised by the Dean of Education at the educational areas “utbildningsområden” that attained the assessment Very High Quality (EDITI, KFM, MATS).

The Vice President will also explore the opportunities for joint Chalmers projects funded with special provisions from the quality funding. The purposes of these projects are to

Find synergies for projects that can be implemented on a larger scale and reach a large number of students
Implement established methods in a large scale
Spread knowledge and awareness of our development work also outside of Chalmers through major projects
Create endurance through multi-annual projects (assuming the quality funding will continue after 2015)

Common Chalmers support for "blended learning" projects

A Common Chalmers Project of blended learning is being formed. This aims to deliver technology support as well as support in pedagogy. The project will provide equipment and expertise. The intention is to get a Chalmers common standard and jointly take advantage of experiences. If you intend to develop such elements you are invited to cooperate in this Project. It will, in conjunction with course development of such elements, be possible to simultaneously fulfill the course module Learning in Digital Media and/or the Project course in Diploma of Higher Education. (Conditions for this fulfillment will be announced by the decision on the allocation of funds).

Questions

Questions will be answered by Ulla Rilby extension 2523, ulla.rilby@chalmers.se Office of Planning, analysis and finance.

Welcome with your application!

Maria Knutson-Wedel

Below is the 2014 call

To Deans of Education, Programme Directors, Vice Deans, Teachers, Heads of Departments

Invitation to apply for funding to enhance quality in Education

Universitetskanslersämbetet (the Swedish Higher Education Authority), UKÄ, evaluates all first and second-cycle programmes in Sweden during 2011-2014. In the autumn of 2012 UKÄ evaluated programmes leading to Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees of Science in Engineering, Architecture and 16 main subjects at Chalmers (Bachelor and Master of Science degrees).

Higher education institutions whose courses and programmes are considered to attain "Very High Quality" receives the incentive of an extra funding increment. The outcome for Chalmers was very good; 18 out of 50 educations at Chalmers were assessed having Very High Quality. The Government will thus allocate extra funds to Chalmers over a four year period. The Government allocates funds based on the number of degrees awarded that were attained Very High Quality in 2012.

Chalmers was allocated quality-based extra funding amounting to 39.6 million Swedish crowns for 2014. Chalmers will be allocated quality-based extra funding also for 2015-2017. However, the Government will recount the amount of funding each year.

The President decided in 2014-04-01 (attached, Swedish only)) that 20 million Swedish crowns shall be allocated to programmes at Chalmers that were assessed having Very high quality. 19.6 million Swedish crowns, will be announced for quality improvement projects in first- and second-cycle education. You are now invited to apply.

What projects can be allocated quality funding?

Projects aiming at sustained enhanced quality of education can be allocated funding. Projects whose impact will benefit many students will be prioritized .

The application may relate to one or more of the following categories of projects:

Students’ learning environment . Projects aiming at improving the students’ learning environment with regard to, for example, digital resources, flexible classrooms, laboratory equipment and environments that stimulate students ' creativity.
Course and programme development with regard to new elements in education and in addition to regular annual quality assurance-process, invitation of visiting committées or benchmarking. Resources are not allocated for setting up new programmes.
Increased experience of working –life outside Chalmers for teachers and students or the invitation of guest lecturers.
Improved pedagogical qualifications for teachers and increased pedagogical support for example, teachers ' participation in conferences and pedagogical courses, or enhanced support from Pedul.
Student Support aiming at improving graduation-rates.

Project scope

Your application may relate to projects for one year up to four years (until 2017).

What should the application include?

The application shall not be more than two pages and include

A description of the project and how the results are expected to lead to increased quality and suggestions of how to assess the impact in terms of increased quality of education.
Estimated costs for 2014 including and, if applicable, for the coming years until 2017.
The project must be approved and signed by the Vice Dean of Education of your department, the Head of the Library or AoS, as well as Programme Directors concerned.

Who decides and how?

Vice President for Undergraduate and Graduate Education Maria Knutson Wedel decides on the allocation of project funds after having consulted the Management team for undergraduate and graduate education. Criteria for decision are:

contribution to the fulfilment of Chalmers’ vision
contribution to the students ' ability to achieve national educational goals
pedagogical base for the project
practical feasibility

Follow-up

Projects assigned quality funding are followed up annually. First report should be submitted no later than 2014-12-31 to Ulla Rilby, Department of Planning, analysis and finance. Vice President decides on further funding with the report as a basis.

Timetable

Application for 2014 should be submitted by 2014-04-30 (round 1), alternatively by 2014-09-10 (round 2). Decisions on which projects will allocated funds will be made by around June 1 for Round 1 and October 15 for Round 2.

The application should be sent as a pdf file to ulla.rilby@chalmers.se

Questions

Questions regarding the application will be answered by Ulla Rilby, Department of Planning, analysis and finance, ulla.rilby@chalmers.se , extension 2523.

Welcome with your application!

Maria Knutson Wedel Vice President for Undergraduate and graduate education