What exactly is the Institutional Audit of Quality Assurance, or ITK?
‘The NVAO conducts this audit every six years, similar to programme-level assessments. The ITK focuses on evaluating quality assurance at the programme level and how UT has organised this across all layers. It only concerns our education; research is assessed separately.’
So as long as you’ve done your homework, there’s nothing to worry about?
‘That’s essentially it: our homework needs to be in order. The audit mainly examines how aware we are of our position regarding quality assurance – from internal measures within a programme to central processes, such as HR and CELT support for teacher professionalisation. In practice, we have things under control, but we also need to demonstrate this to the review panel. In fact, we’ve been preparing continuously since the so-called midterm in 2023.’
Has anything changed compared to the previous audit?
‘I think we’re more relaxed than last time around, when the panel visited at the end of 2019. We could hardly complain about the outcomes, but the run-up was quite demanding for some people. Back then, the ITK focused more on internal governance, such as the role of the University Education Committee. In this ‘ITK 3.0’, the emphasis is on quality assurance within programmes.’
More relaxed, then – why is that?
‘The primary responsibility lies with the programmes, but quality assurance remains a top priority across the board. Over the past five years, we standardised several processes and Strategy & Policy established a Quality Assurance team. We review relevant legislation annually and maintain a clear planning cycle, so we approach programme audits less ad hoc. We also introduced internal audits – so-called quick scans. Interestingly, programmes are eager to have their education reviewed, in particular after curriculum updates. Another advantage this time is that we can nominate four programmes ourselves for the audit, which makes preparations easier.’
Couldn’t that mean you’re just putting your showpieces forward to impress the panel?
‘That doesn’t really have a lot of benefit. Some people question the need for these audits and believe universities can safeguard quality themselves. But the ITK is a great opportunity to show our peers that we have things in order. The panels consist of experienced professionals – let’s call them critical friends. They’ll spot it if it turns out to be hot air. They don’t expect perfection, but they do expect programmes to have a plan and a clear awareness of their educational quality. In short: show that you’re in control. An honest story will always serve you best.’
What happens if UT fails the audit?
‘We don’t expect that. If it does happen, it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong with the programmes. It could indicate that underlying processes need improvement. A negative outcome would mean that for every programme-specific audit after this ITK, we’d have to provide additional information to prove that quality is safeguarded.’
Finally, what will the coming months look like?
‘We’re starting with a self-evaluation, which is nearly complete. In autumn 2026, the review panel will visit over two weeks. The first visit focuses on the programmes and their processes for safeguarding educational quality. The second visit involves participation bodies: the programme committees, the university council, and ultimately the supervisory board. Shortly after, we’ll hear whether a positive assessment is expected. The final report and decision will most likely follow in May 2027.’
