EUA Main Visit to NOVA
Following the evaluation process of the European University Association (EUA) to UNL, the main visit of the evaluation team of EUA to our University took place from 18th to 20th of May 2009. NOVA’s performance was thus evaluated in an external and independent perspective. Watch the video in the page of NOVA TV.
As expected, the evaluators had meetings with the Rector, members of the main management bodies of the University, Vice-Deans in charge of the teaching area or presidents of the pedagogical councils of the Academic Units, international researchers and post-graduation students, Academic Federation and Student Unions leaders, and with the senior administrative staff of several services of the Rectorate. The evaluators also visited the ITQB, FCSH and FCM. FCT and FE had already been visited by the evaluators in their first visit to NOVA.
The visit ended with the oral presentation of the evaluation report draw that will be sent to UNL, for comments on factual errors, within six weeks. The process is expected to be concluded in the end of July, when NOVA should receive the final version of the report.
The evaluators expressed their satisfaction for the reality they observed and registered the dynamic felt in the several groups they met with in the two visits they had. They made recommendations about governance, quality management and also about research (the “special focus” chosen by NOVA). Regarding the first topic, they accentuated the importance of the elaboration of the strategic plan; on the second topic, they emphasized the need to start operating the global system warranty of teaching quality, taking advantage of the several initiatives in progress in the central level and in the Academic Units; on the topic of research they highlighted the importance of the definition of the strategic areas and suggested the creation of reinforcement mechanisms of the cohesion of doctoral programmes.
