Every three years Aarhus University conducts an assessment of the teaching environment.
The assessment of the teaching environment is an assessment of the university's physical, psychological and aesthetic environment, in which the students' perception of the teaching environment is included to ensure a good teaching environment that meets proper health and safety standards.
The basis for assessment of the teaching environment is a mapping of the psychological, physical and aesthetic environment at Aarhus University. The mapping is based on a selection of results from the most recent national student survey completed: the Danish Student Survey.
The selected results cover the following themes and headings:
Psychological environment:
Physical environment:
Aesthetic environment
A special Power BI view of the selected results is established for use in the assessment of the teaching environment.
Based on the mapping, Denmark’s colleges and universities can discuss and identify areas in which special efforts are needed to develop and ensure a good teaching environment for the students.
The faculties determine at local level the process by which the data mapped is included in the ongoing quality assurance, whilst paying attention to involving the key stakeholders and ensuring student involvement in discussions. It is also crucial that both management and boards of studies are involved to ensure coherence with day-to-day quality assurance and managerial priorities.
All themes are addressed in connection with quality assurance, and in continuation of this, the need for action must be considered.
An action plan for the assessment of the teaching environment is prepared at degree programme level and at faculty level, after which AU’s Committee on Education will decide on the need for an action plan for the assessment of the teaching environment at university level.
Action plans at programme level are followed up at the annual status review meetings of the degree programmes, and the responsibility for ensuring resources and implementation is allocated. The action plans are followed up annually as a minimum.
On the basis of the action plans at degree programme level, the faculty management team follows up with an action plan for initiatives at faculty level. The action plan is included in the faculty's annual education report.
The education reports with action plans at faculty level are discussed by the Education Committee. On this basis, the Education Committee draws up a education report with an overall status of degree programme quality, which may include an action plan for assessment of the teaching environment at university level.
The assessment of the teaching environment is made available to students and other interested parties.
