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Quality Assurance

Quality Policy of the BA Programme “Eastern Mediterranean Studies. Archaeology-History-Culture”

The BA Programme “Eastern Mediterranean Studies. Archaeology-History-Culture” of the Department of Mediterranean Studies: Archaeology, Linguistics, International Relations (DMS) of the University of the Aegean, through the policy it implements, ensures the provision of high-quality, foreign-language higher education to international students enrolled in the programme.

The structure of the Curriculum has been designed in accordance with international academic standards and provides scientific training in English in the fields of Archaeology, History, and Linguistics of the Eastern Mediterranean.

A central objective of the academic staff of the DMS is the application of modern interdisciplinary approaches and the promotion of critical thinking and free expression, with the aim of cultivating a scholarly body capable of understanding in a holistic manner the formation of the history and cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Implementation of the DMS Quality Policy in the BA Programme in “Eastern Mediterranean Studies. Archaeology-History-Culture”

The School of Humanities of the University of the Aegean and the DMS apply the fundamental principles governing the Institution’s Quality Assurance framework. The Department’s quality policy strictly follows the requirements of the national legislative framework for the evaluation of Higher Education Institutions (Law 3374/2005), which concerns the coordination and support of all internal and external evaluation procedures of the Institution, based on the standards set by the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE).

The teaching and administrative staff of the BA Programme “Eastern Mediterranean Studies. Archaeology-History-Culture” are committed to serving the key objectives on which the DMS’s quality assurance strategy is founded for higher education in archaeological sciences and linguistics.

The quality objectives of the Programme coincide with those of the Greek-taught Undergraduate Programme of the DMS and are applied in their entirety. To achieve these objectives, the DMS is committed to ensuring the provision of excellent education and the conduct of high-level research with the aim of contributing to society.

For the successful implementation of this policy, the Programme undertakes to apply quality procedures that demonstrate:

  • the appropriateness of the structure and organisation of the curriculum,
  • the necessary training of administrative staff to support international students,
  • the operation of required infrastructures,
  • the pursuit of learning outcomes and qualifications in accordance with the European and the Hellenic Qualification Network for Higher Education,
  • the promotion of the quality and effectiveness of teaching,
  • the suitability of the teaching staff’s qualifications,
  • the enhancement of the quality and quantity of research conducted by the Department’s academic members,
  • the ways in which teaching is linked to research,
  • the level of demand for graduates’ qualifications in the international labour market,
  • the quality of support services,
  • the annual review and internal audit of the Programme’s quality assurance system, in collaboration with the Internal System of Quality Assurance and the University’s Quality Assurance Office.

Responsibilities of the Programme Committee

The Programme Committee of the BA Programme “Eastern Mediterranean Studies. Archaeology-History-Culture” is required to implement quality procedures focused on continuous improvement and to demonstrate the following for the effective operation of the Programme:

  • Appropriateness of the structure and organisation of the curriculum.
  • Establishment of measurable goals to ensure and improve the quality of services offered by the Programme.
  • A rationally structured curriculum that ensures smooth student progression through the stages of study and alignment of course syllabi with the ECTS guidelines.
  • Achievement of learning outcomes and qualifications aligned with the European and the Hellenic Qualification Network for Higher Education.
  • Promotion of teaching quality and effectiveness. Teaching effectiveness is evaluated annually through student participation in electronic questionnaires on courses and academic experience.
  • Suitability of teaching staff qualifications. The Programme fully complies with legal requirements regarding the selection of permanent and adjunct academic staff. The qualifications of instructors are examined thoroughly, fairly, and transparently.
  • Promotion of the quality and quantity of research conducted by the teaching staff. The Administration encourages research activity and, where financially possible, supports staff participation in conferences, scientific meetings, and academic training, either independently or in collaboration with other institutions.
  • Linking teaching to research through various means (e.g., continuous syllabus updates, research-oriented specialised courses, encouraging student participation in departmental publications on international relations in the Mediterranean, etc.).
  • Monitoring labour-market demand for the Programme’s qualifications. The annually updated curriculum considers the needs of the international labour market.
  • Ensuring the smooth operation of support services available to international students. The University’s Foreign Students Support Unit operates under the Central Directorate of Studies and Student Welfare and was established by the University Senate decision no. 7484/23.03.2023 (61st session), published in the Government Gazette Issue 2169/B/03.04.2023, in accordance with Article 212 of Law 4957/2022.
  • Conduct of the annual review and internal audit of the quality assurance system, guided by the Internal System of Quality Assurance and the Quality Assurance office.
  • Annual submission of quality data and indicators to the National Quality Information System of the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE).

Purpose of Implementing the University’s Quality Policy

The implementation of the Quality Policy across all study programmes of the University of the Aegean aims to ensure a high level of higher education, as demonstrated by:

  • the continuous improvement of higher-education standards in Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Linguistics in line with international standards and innovations in these scientific fields,
  • the strengthening of the international profile of instructors through participation in international conferences, scientific meetings, collaborations, and mobility programmes among foreign Higher Education Institutions,
  • the education of graduates according to international academic standards and the needs of the global labour market in Archaeology, Linguistics, and the Humanities more broadly,
  • the promotion and protection of the cultural heritage of Greece and the politically sensitive region of the Eastern Mediterranean at a time when archaeological sites, monuments, and communities are threatened by armed conflicts.
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