Self-Assessment Report (SAR)

Overview

Assessment is a systematic process of gathering, reviewing and using important quantitative and qualitative data and information from multiple and diverse sources about educational programs, for the purpose of improving student learning, and evaluating whether academic and learning standards are being met. The process culminates when assessment results are used to improve student learning. A successful assessment program includes the following:

  • Purpose identification
  • Outcomes identification
  • Measurements and evaluation design
  • Data collection
  • Analysis and evaluation
  • Decision-making regarding actions to be taken.

The purpose of this document is to outline the process of conducting self-assessment(SA) of academic programs. It is HEC that requires universities to conduct periodic self- assessment for its academic programs in order to improve them and ensure high academic standards. Self-assessment is an important tool for academic quality assurance and provides feedback for faculty and administration to initiate action plans for improvement.

Objectives

The objectives of self-assessment are to:

  • Maintain and continuously enhance academic standards
  • Enhance students’ learning
  • Verify that the existing programs meet their objectives and institutional goals
  • Provide feedback for quality assurance of academic programs
  • Prepare the academic program for review by discipline councils

Each academic program shall undergo a self-assessment (SA) every year (assessment cycle). The Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) is responsible for planning, coordinating and following up on the self-assessment (SA) activities as depicted in flow chart.

SAR

In addition, the criterion and standards that each SAR for the program is assigned includes:

1. Program Mission Objectives and Outcomes

  • Standard 1-1 Measurable Objectives
  • Standard 1-2: Outcomes for graduating students
  • Standard 1-3 program improvement
  • Standard 1-4 assessment of overall performance:

2. Curriculum Design and Organization

  • Standard 2-1 Program content and program objectives
  • Standard 2-2 Program’s Core Material:
  • Standard 2-3 Curriculum core requirement
  • Standard 2-4 Curriculum major requirement
  • Standard 2-5 General education, arts and professional and other discipline requirements
  • Standard 2-6 Integration of Information Technology
  • Standard 2-7 Integration of Communication skills

3. Laboratories and Computing Facilities

  • Standard 3-1: Availability Laboratory Manuals
  • Standard 3-2 Availability of support personnel
  • Standard 3-3 Computing infrastructure

4. Student Support and Guidance

  • Standard 4-1 Course offerings
  • Standard 4-2 Effective Student-Faculty Interaction
  • Standard 4-3 Guidance on Course decisions:

5. Faculty

  • Standard 5-1 Students Admission Criteria
  • Standard 5-2 Students progress monitoring
  • Standard 5-3 Faculty recruitment
  • Standard 5-4 Emphasis on Active learning processes

6. Process Control

  • Standard 6-1 Availability of Committed Faculty
  • Standard 6-2 Professional Development Activities
  • Standard 6-3 Faculty motivation

7. Institutional Facilities

  • Standard 7-1 Infrastructure
  • Standard 7-2 Library resources
  • Standard 7-3 Adequate availability of classroom equipment and offices for faculty

8. Institutional Support

  • Standard 8-1: Sufficient support and financial resources for high quality faculty.
  • Standard 8-2 Graduating students
  • Standard 8-3 Financial resources

(As per HEC Manual)
Preparation of Self-Assessment Report
Self-Assessment Reports are one of the most extensive works which is to be performed by the institutions. Each academic program shall undergo a self-assessment every year (assessment cycle). AQEC department prepares SARs of academic programs to assess the quality of the programs to identify and remove the weaknesses of the programs for continuous improvement. SMIU AQEC has successfully completed 3 cycles of SARs.

  • AQEC initiates the self-assessment process with the approval of Competent Authority. If the program is undergoing the SA for the first time, the department will be given one academic year for preparation.
  • After receiving approval, the AQEC will ask departments to form Program Team (PT) and Assessment Team (AT). The PT will be responsible for preparing a self-assessment report (SAR) about the program under consideration. The team will be the contact group during the assessment period. AT comprises of senior faculty members who are responsible for evaluating the SARs prepared by PT members.
  • AQEC department organizes an awareness session for newly formed PT and AT members and shares the required documents like HEC SAR manual and format and give timeline to complete the task.
  • PT members prepare SAR and submit the draft to AQEC.
  • AQEC review SAR of all departments and shares its observations with PT members for correction.
  • After incorporating the changes by PT members, AQEC forwards the document to AT members for assessment.
  • After assessing the SAR, AT members share their comments, and prepare implementation plan for rectifying weaknesses identified by PT members with the approval of Chairperson and Dean of the department.
  • The chairperson will submit a soft copy of complete SAR along with the hard copy of signed implementation plan, AT comments and rubric to AQEC.
  • The AQEC will prepare executive summary on the AT findings and submit to the Vice Chancellor office.
  • AQEC will follow up the implementation plan till its completion

Responsibilities of AQEC 

  • Initiation of Self-Assessment process
  • Formation of Program Team and Assessment Team
  • Arrange trainings / awareness session for PT and AT members
  • Review of SARs for completion as per SA Manual
  • Scheduling of AT visit
  • Receiving the AT Report & Department’s Implementation Plan
  • Verification of the Rubric Evaluation done by AT
  • Submission of the Executive Summary (along with implementation Plan) to Vice Chancellor
  • Ensure timely filling of feedback forms
  • Follow up of Implementation Plan till its completion

Program Team (PT)
PT is a group of professionals which is nominated by the head of the department. It is responsible for writing of SAR and acts as a contact/focal group during the period of assessment process.
Desired Skills of PT

  • Commitment to Quality Assurance Policies
  • Power of analysis and judgment
  • Ability to work in teams
  • Time management skills
  • High standards of oral and written communication skills
  • Self-motivated and willing to work for quality improvement

Responsibilities of PT

  • Preparing the report by responding to each criterion/ standard given in the SA Manual and integrating the collected information / feedback
  • Collecting relevant data on faculty, students, libraries, laboratories and infrastructure
  • Writing a foreword giving a brief history of the program, particulars of the PT, date of starting /finalizing report writing, providing evidence of information attached as an annexure
  • The report may be signed by the convener/chairperson of the program team

Assessment Team (AT)
AT is a group of senior professionals who will review the SAR prepared by the PT and give its findings in the form of a report (AT Report).
Desired Skills of AT

  • Commitment to Quality Assurance Policies
  • Power of analysis and judgment
  • Ability to work in teams
  • Time management skills
  • High standards of oral and written communication skills
  • Self-motivated and willing to work for quality improvement

Responsibilities of AT

  • Check completeness of the SAR as per SA manual
  • Look at the comprehensiveness / relevance of responses to various
    criteria and standards
  • Verify the data / information given in SAR
  • List down the findings from the assessment exercise
  • Carry out rubric evaluation of SAR
  • Write down the AT report

List of PT and AT member’s year wise

  • 2014 – 2015
  • 2015 – 2016
  • 2016 – 2017
  • 2017 – 2018