Study environment in the context of HEI study quality assurance: Case study at Daugavpils University (Latvia)

Abstract

[EN] In recent years the system of higher education quality assurance has undergone several essential changes: a greater emphasis is being laid on the qualification framework, on student-centered learning and study results, the development of the teaching staff, active students’ participation in the assessment of the study process. The given study is oriented towards studying students’ opinions about the quality assurance of a study process at Daugavpils University (DU), Latvia. The participants of this study were 60 students from 12 master and doctoral study programs at Daugavpils University. The analysis of structured interviews with the students made it possible to identify the typical characteristic features of DU internal quality assessment. The research showed that students assess highly lecturers’ personal qualities (attitude to their profession, personal interest in students’ success, empathy, striving for cooperation) and their professional qualities (knowledge of the subject, didactic and communicative competence, and ability to get the feedback from students as well). To promote the cooperation between the students and the academic staff of DU, it is useful to practice trans-disciplinary out-of-study forms, which contribute to a deeper understanding of the study content, of topicalities in global education and possibilities of synergetic thinking in cooperation with students and lecturers.