The Evaluation and Accreditation Board of the National Authority for Higher Education (NEAE) has certified that the Undergraduate Programme of Studies of the School of Psychology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is fully compliant with the principles of the NEAE’s Quality Assurance Standard and the Quality Assurance Principles of the European Higher Education Area (ESG 2015) for level 6 of the National and European Qualifications Framework.
The Senate of the AUTH, following the recommendation of the QA-AUTH (meeting number 23/28-2-2019) at its meeting number 2981/7-3-2019 defined the Quality Policy of the Institution as follows:
- Continuous quality improvement in education and research.
- Continuous improvement of the quality of the processes and services of the AUTH.
- Continuous improvement of working conditions and quality of life at AUTH.
- Transparency at all levels.
- Demonstration to society, the state and the international scientific community of the work carried out at the AUTH.
The quality policy is implemented by:
the commitment to comply with the legal and regulatory framework of the Foundation
establishing, reviewing, redesigning and redefining quality assurance objectives, which are fully aligned with the Foundation's strategy.
This policy mainly supports:
the organisation of the internal quality assurance system
the responsibilities of the leadership of the institution, departments and other functional units, staff and students, and their respective roles in relation to quality assurance
safeguarding academic principles, ethics, preventing discrimination, encouraging the involvement of external stakeholders in quality assurance
continuous improvement of learning and teaching, research and innovation
quality assurance of curricula and their compliance with the specific HQA standard
the effective organisation of services and the development and maintenance of infrastructure
the allocation and efficient management of the resources necessary for the operation of the Foundation
the development and rational allocation of human resources.
More information on the Quality Policy can be found at the Quality Assurance Unit of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
The School of Psychology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) aims to provide high quality education and to promote basic and applied research in the field of Psychology, as well as to create an environment that will promote the development and well-being of its members. To this end, the School of Psychology formulates, improves and controls those procedures that ensure the implementation of the Quality Policy that has been set, adopting the principles of meritocracy and transparency.
The School Quality Policy is developed along the following four axes:
- High level and quality of undergraduate studies in Psychology, according to international criteria.
- Development of high quality research and its connection with the Undergraduate Studies Programme (ASP).
- Development of the School extroversion at institutional, local, national and international level.
- Development of high quality infrastructure, operations and services.
The quality policy followed by the Department of Psychology is in line with the Quality Policy of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (ratified by the Senate of the University of Thessaloniki, Session no. 2981/7-3-19), which is reflected in the following axes:
- The continuous improvement of quality in education and research.
- The promotion of the work carried out at the U.T.H. in society, the state and the international scientific community.
- The continuous improvement of the processes and services of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
- The continuous improvement of working conditions and quality of life.
- The transparency at all levels.
The Quality Policy of the School of Psychology is ensured by:
The establishment of quality objectives, which are accompanied by specific, measurable monitoring indicators and are fully aligned with the strategy of the School and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
- To inform and encourage the participation of all staff and students in quality assurance and to take responsibility for their role
- To inform and cooperate with the leadership and functional units of the institution
- The regular review and any necessary redefinition of objectives through formal procedures [e.g., Internal Evaluation Team (IEG), School Assembly] and informal ones (e.g., international departmental rankings, harmonisation with guidelines of relevant scientific bodies)
- Transparency at all levels.
Design and implementation of the Quality Policy of the School of Psychology
The design and implementation of the Quality Policy of the School of Psychology is carried out in collaboration with the members of the Teaching Research Staff (TPR), Laboratory Teaching Staff (LTS), Special Technical and Laboratory Staff (STT), Special Scientific Staff (SS), administrative staff, students and the administrative bodies of the School.
The OMEA of the Department of Psychology in collaboration with the Quality Assurance Unit (QAQU) of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is responsible for the implementation of the Department's Quality Policy.
The Quality Policy is implemented through a commitment to comply with the legal and regulatory framework of the Institution and by reviewing, redesigning and redefining quality assurance objectives in line with the Institution's strategy.
The Department of Psychology is committed to implementing the strategic objectives that have been set and to identifying how and through which processes these will be implemented and how progress towards their achievement will be evaluated. The strategic objectives, the programme for their achievement and the action plan are reference points for all functions of the School.
Course evaluation by students is an extremely important process at the School of Psychology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as their comments and recommendations are used for the continuous improvement of the content, teaching and evaluation methods of each course. Students are informed of the assessment process at the Freshmen Reception and at the beginning of the process each semester by the Department's Secretariat and the lecturer(s).
Course evaluation is carried out electronically on the basis of a questionnaire, twice a year, before the end of the winter and spring semesters respectively, through the Quality Management System of the MO.D.I.P. AUTH (https://qa.auth.gr/student). The process is voluntary and anonymous.
The students' answers are analysed by the MICS system and comparative data are presented for each course and lecturer. These data, in addition to the lecturers themselves, are available to the Department Chair and to the Coordinator of the OMS. In cases of exceptionally low evaluations, a consultative discussion with the Department Chair, the Coordinator of the OMS and the faculty member responsible for the specific course is foreseen in order to support the faculty member and improve the educational process.
Students' opinions and comments are an important tool for improving the educational work of the Department and are taken seriously by the instructor(s) when planning the course for the next semester.
From 2020 and on an annual basis, the Department's O.E.A. prepares a report, in which the educational work of each academic year is evaluated overall, conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made. These reports are discussed at the General Assembly of the School and are publicly announced on the School website.
The External Advisory Committee of the School of Psychology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki was established by decision of the Assembly of the School (457/19-12-2024). The competence of the Committee is to assist the School (in an advisory capacity) in matters of strategic planning, quality assurance of the curricula and their linkage with the labour market, thus contributing to its further development and the fulfilment of its mission. It is a new institution that sets perspectives, but also challenges, in the process of shaping the operation and development of University School at local, national and international level.
