Quality Management (QM) and System Accreditation

The system accreditation is a process introduced for the entire University of Göttingen to ensure ongoing internal quality assurance and further development of study programs. Here, individual study programs are clustered and checked against a binding catalog of criteria. Information on the university's overall QM concept can be found here: Quality Management Student and Academic Services.
The implementation at the decentralized level within the Faculty of Chemistry takes place in the framework of the concept for the decentralized QM system. The study programs of the Faculty of Chemistry are summarized in a single cluster.

Decentralized Quality Management at the Faculty of Chemistry

The decentralized quality management of the faculty is carried out within the framework of a concept based on the university's framework guidelines (see PDF).
It relies on intensive exchanges between students and teachers in status group-specific discussions as well as joint discussions with representatives of various status groups. The aim is to provide both protected spaces for (self-)critical questioning and broad discussion forums. This takes place in a concentrated workshop format as a typically one-day quality round with a student theme day, beforehand, with a focal point being addressed each year.
At the end of each QM cycle, the improvements made and the status quo are discussed together with external experts, professionals, and evaluators. The study commission is responsible for the planning and execution of the quality rounds as well as for implementing the improvement proposals.

Cycle of Decentralized Quality Management at the Faculty of Chemistry:

Grafik QM-Regelkreis aus dezentralem QM-Konzept

QM Responsibles at the Faculty of Chemistry

The Study Commission's duty is to decide on measures identified in the quality round, as well as designate responsible individuals and timelines for the implementation. The faculty's decentralized QM concept regulates the handling of potential conflict cases. The Dean of Studies and the Dean's Office are responsible for the supervision of measures and processes. This is carried out in regular consultation with the Study Commission.

Dr. Ingo Mey, Scientific Advisor in the Dean's Office for Studies, has been appointed by The Faculty of Chemistry as the contact person for complaints, suggestions, and criticisms regarding the decentralized part of the quality management system.

What issues have been reviewed so far?

Quality rounds, as a crucial tool of decentralized quality management, have taken place at the Faculty of Chemistry on various topics determined by the Study Commission. These topics relate to groups of criteria and/or individual criteria from the catalog of criteria for the accreditation of study programs and consider current requirements and foci. Technical and didactic aspects of teacher training studies are always included. Overarching and educational scientific aspects of teacher training are considered within the scope of the ZEWIL's quality management.

Year Topics discussed
11/2024 AI in chemical education
11/2023 Integration of international Students, the promotion of diversity and gender-equitable teaching/learning situations
11/2022 development of a faculty-specific teaching mission statement (see PDF)
05/2021 Quality round with external evaluators (all accreditation criteria)
10/2020 Cooperations, transparency/documentation, diversity/equality of opportunity, and quality assurance
11/2019 Study feasibility and equipment
10/2018 Didactic Concept
As part of the quality rounds, numerous improvement measures were developed and subsequently approved by the Study Commission, with timelines and responsibilities established. It is important that both comprehensive structural changes (example: restructuring and content revision of the internships in Organic Chemistry) are tackled, as well as smaller, atmospheric aspects (example: plants in the learning area) are taken into consideration. There may be measures that are completed after implementation, but also measures that remain present as ongoing tasks after implementation. A detailed overview of the measures decided so far with the current state of implementation can be found here