In pursuit of standardisation and quality assurance of interventions, the Quality Management Directorate (QMD) is pleased to announce the success of the first and second validation cycles of the Departmental Quality Improvement Plan (DQIP).
The process which started in March ended on 2 August 2024. Gugu Mhlauli, Manager: Quality Enhancement, said the quality improvement plans emanate from quality review outcomes, and, in consultation with the academic heads of the departments, “they are developed, approved, validated, and monitored on a regular and continuous basis”. Mhlauli said the DQIP consists of plans that departments implement to address the findings from the qualification review. “Each department undergoes a quality review to ensure alignment with higher education strategic objectives and to meet the minimum requirements of higher education,” she said.
Mhlauli added that departmental quality improvement plans are a vital exercise that QMD takes pride in as it determines the department's maturity in terms of quality management and assurance. “QMD aims to continue developing, monitoring, evaluating, and validating the progress on DQIPs as it is one of the main instruments to monitor the institution's quality management. It also serves as a management tool for HoD and the faculty to make decisions. QMD is encouraged to continue to workshop the HoDs on how to update the DQIPs to allow for a better and improved way of reporting for both HoDs and QMD representatives.”
Mhlauli said this cycle is a monitoring exercise conducted by the QMD to track the progress of departments. “The process aims to report and disseminate the outcomes of quality improvement activities in a thorough, efficient, and transparent manner, while also gauging the impact on the institution's quality culture.”
She said the first validation cycle yielded great improvement across all faculties regarding the number of findings that have been addressed and closed.
Following the completion of the second validation, QMD will then analyse the DQIPs in preparation for the meeting with heads of the departments to give feedback on progress made in addressing areas needing improvement. “The final report will serve at the Quality Assurance & Risk Management (QARM) committee meeting scheduled for 26 September 2024. QARM is a joint committee of the Senate and University Council. “QMD is pleased to see the participation of HoDs in the process and how they have managed to make progress on the Departmental Quality Improvement Plans,” said Mhlauli.
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Written by Aphiwe Boyce and CPUT News |
