Quality Assurance Policy

The Quality Assurance Policy of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment is fully harmonized with the quality policy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, making the Department committed to providing high quality Greek and foreign language higher education to the students who choose it, organizing and implementing Postgraduate Studies Programmes of high academic standards and significant added value, both in Greek and English, in the most important areas and fields of the Department’s science.

In addition, the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment seeks to develop a creative environment of research, free scientific expression and work for all staff and members of the academic community. The Department of Geology and Geoenvironment is committed to the implementation of this quality policy in all postgraduate programmes that it offers and will offer in the future, implementing the quality procedures provided for by the NQF of the Institution, with the ultimate aim of continuous improvement.

Through this Quality Policy, the academic character and orientation of the Postgraduate Studies Programmes is strengthened, their purpose and object is promoted, as well as the implementation of specific objectives set for each year, while the means and ways of achieving the above are defined and the participation of stakeholders in the evaluation and redesign processes is ensured.

In particular, for the implementation of this policy and in the MSc “Industrial and Environmental Applications in Micropaleontology”, the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment is committed to apply the quality processes/procedures foreseen and analysed in the Quality Manual of the NQF of the Institution,and implemented at the level of the Department’s Programmes of Studies with the required specialisation/specialisation in the relevant MSc, and in close cooperation with the University’s Quality Assurance Unit (MO. DPI). All quality assurance procedures of the MSc courses of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment are subject to inspection, review and revision, which are carried out annually by the OMEA, in collaboration with the Institution’s MO.DI.P. The processes – procedures implemented for the monitoring and continuous improvement of the quality of the Postgraduate Programmes of Study are as follows:

1) The implementation of a Quality Assurance Policy for the Master’s Degree Programmes, which includes specific quality assurance actions, with the aim of creating a framework within which the Postgraduate Studies Programmes must operate.

2) The allocation and management of the resources of the MSc Programmes of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment through procedures that contribute to the best choices in order to create an appropriate environment for the achievement of the objectives of the Institution in terms of ensuring the provision of the necessary resources in terms of necessary staff, funding, infrastructure and equipment, so that the MSc Programmes operate and continuously improve their effectiveness in terms of the degree of achievement of the quality objectives they set.

3) The setting of Quality Assurance Objectives on an annual basis by all the Postgraduate Programmes of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment that are operating or are about to start operating within the academic year. Specific measurable and directly observable annual quantitative and qualitative objectives are selected for each MSc, after consultation and agreement of the Departmental and MSc administration, which are assessed by specific indicators. The achievement of these objectives is considered crucial for improving the efficiency of the internal functions (administrative, educational, research) of the Postgraduate Programmes.

4) The Periodic Internal Evaluation and Monitoring on an annual basis of all the MSc programmes of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment in collaboration and with the support of the MO.DI.P. of the Institution. An internal evaluation and assessment of all the processes implemented in all the MSc’s is carried out, so that through the identification of elements and issues for correction with the implementation of improvements agreed jointly with the MO.DI.P., the objectives set are achieved, with the final result being the improvement of the MSc’s of the Department.

5) Quality data collection: measurement, analysis and improvement of the MSc programmes of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment in which effective procedures are implemented for the collection and analysis of information on the postgraduate programmes (student data, teaching staff, course structure and organisation, teaching and student services, etc.) and data are fed into the information system of the Hellenic Geological Survey of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment and the internal information systems of the Departments and the IHU.

6) The Publication of Information on the MSc courses of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment. Through this process, all the information concerning the MSc courses is made directly accessible, up-to-date and formulated objectively and clearly. The existence of a specialised area on the Department’s website for the promotion of the MSc courses, the existence of a special bilingual page for these courses and the procedures for checking and updating their content are checked.

7) The external evaluation of the MSc programmes of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment. All the MSc courses of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment are subject to a periodic accreditation procedure by the National Institute of Geology and Geoenvironment, which is carried out by external evaluation by committees of independent experts.

The implementation of the above procedures in the MSc “Industrial and Environmental Applications in Micropaleontology” will ensure a) the appropriateness of the structure and organization of the Programme of Studies of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, b) that the learning outcomes and the resulting qualifications of the graduates of the MSc are intended to correspond to the maximum extent possible with the European and National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education level 7, c) the promotion of the quality and effectiveness of the teaching work of this MSc through its monitoring by its steering committee, the OMEA, the administration of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment and the MO. DI. P, d) that the qualifications of the teaching staff and especially of the external collaborators are appropriate for the education of postgraduate students, e) the drafting, implementation and review of specific annual quality objectives for the improvement of the MSc “Industrial and Environmental Applications in Micropaleontology”; f) the level of demand for the acquired qualifications of graduates in the labour market, through the regular investigation of the labour market needs and the monitoring of the progress of graduates of the MSc ‘Industrial and Environmental Applications in Micropaleontology’; g) that the support services provided to postgraduate students – including the FMEAs are of high quality – meet their needs for effective follow-up, e.g. χ. easily accessible and available administrative services and libraries, online services, scholarships, and student care services appropriate to the MSc; h) the efficient use of the financial resources of the MSc that come from tuition fees in order to provide the necessary services to the postgraduate students and to facilitate the operation of the programmes in the facilities of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, but also in whatever else is required, e.g. on-site visits to places outside the Department for their integrated education, i) the annual internal evaluation and review of the quality assurance system for the MSc “Industrial and Environmental Applications in Micropaleonto

The Quality Objectives on which the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment will focus its efforts for the CPMP “Industrial and Environmental Applications in Micropaleontology” will be the following:

1. Specialization in modern fields of activity
2. Active participation of students and graduates in the Internal Evaluation processes
3. Activation of Academic Counselling
4. Participation of Students in Research Processes
5. Quality of the research work produced by the faculty members of the XMSC based on publications and scientific impact
6. Linking the CPD with Doctoral level studies4. Activation of Academic Advising
7. Attracting foreign students to the XMPA
8. Attracting Lecturers to the FCE from Foreign Institutions
9. Implementation of actions linking the XMMS with the labour market and society
10. Development of Management Information Systems and Digital Governance Services
11. Improvement of the infrastructure and support services for the student community of the XCMS
12. Improvement of Accessibility for People with Disabilities
13. Promotion of gender equality

The Quality Assurance Policy of the MSc “Industrial and Environmental Applications in Micropaleontology” is posted on the MSc website at the following hyperlink: https://idea-m.com/quality-assurance. The Quality Policy of the MSc is communicated electronically (by e-mail) at the beginning of each academic year to the members of the teaching, administrative and technical staff employed in the MSc, and at the beginning of each cycle of the MSc to the new students. In addition, it is presented at the reception event of the new students of the MSc, and information is also provided to the stakeholders and stakeholders with whom the MSc Industrial and Environmental Applications in Micropaleontology collaborates.