The quality work at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts has been approved

NOKUT has approved the systematic quality work at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO). The deficiencies found in the previous inspection of the quality work have now been rectified.

Published on

In the decision made by NOKUT in autumn 2021, it was stated that KHiO had significant deficiencies in the systematic quality work, and the specialised university was given one year to address these deficiencies.

The year for rectification has passed, and NOKUT has conducted a new inspection. The expert committee now assesses that KHiO has addressed the deficiencies pointed out in 2021, and therefore, the systematic quality work at KHiO is considered satisfactory. On Thursday, December 14, NOKUT made a decision in line with the committee's recommendation and approved the quality work at the specialised university.

"The fact that KHiO now get their quality work approved, demonstrates that the university has tackled the challenges. This is also evident in the feedback from the expert committee in the inspection report. KHiO has, among other things, revised the quality system, initiated periodic evaluations, and established a new strategy. It is clear that the employees at KHiO have worked hard and achieved good results in a short time," says NOKUT Director Kristin Vinje.

KHiO has undertaken extensive work to address the deficiencies. The expert committee provides several recommendations and advice in the report, which, along with the revised quality system, will support KHiO in its ongoing quality work.

  • Norway’s national agency for quality assurance in Education (NOKUT) was established in 2003 with the mandate to review both the quality practices and the quality assurance work at the country’s higher education institutions. NOKUT abides by the European Standards and Guidelines 2015 (ESG) which are operationalised in three pieces of national legislation: the central Act relating to universities and university colleges, the ministerial Quality Assurance Regulations and NOKUT’s own Academic Supervision Regulations.

    The reviews are periodical in nature and each institution gets called upon every six to eight years. NOKUT appoints expert committees for these reviews who, in the first phase, examine targeted documentation from each institution, consisting of strategy, framework and implementation of internal quality assurance systems and systematic quality work. The second phase is a site visit where the committee interviews key stakeholders such as the leadership group, relevant faculty members, administrative staff and students. If the expert committee concludes that the institution falls short of the ESG criteria as operationalised in the laws and acts, i.e., non-compliant, NOKUT might limit the institutions’ accreditation rights.

    Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO) was established in 1996 as a result of a merger between five small university colleges of art, opera, design and theatre. KHiO offers 23 degree courses at bachelor, master, and doctoral levels within the fields of fine art, art and craft, design, dance, theatre, and opera. NOKUT reviewed KHiO for the third time in 2023, following up on NOKUT’s review in 2021 where KHiO was found to be non-compliant on several of the ESG criteria, and was subsequently given one year to rectify these failings.

    The expert committee has in the 2023 review concluded that KHiO’s quality assurance system is compliant with the national, legal framework. The committee is satisfied with the revised quality system which is now fit to support the institution’s quality work, and to manage and enhance the course portfolio. Furthermore, the committee highlights improvements in KHiO’s quality culture, signifying that KHiO has worked hard to create space for inter-departmental interaction.

    The committee concludes the review with suggestions on improving 1) the active use of quality reports in the quality work at all levels in the organization, 2) further strengthening student democracy, and 3) continuous development of the quality system itself, i.e., reviewing role descriptions, developing documentation on the quality system, and scaling the system for size.

    KHiO is founded upon an old tradition of master craftsmen teaching their craft to either small groups of apprentices or even individual apprentices. KHiO must hence adapt its quality system to this tradition. This system has many benefits, but the concern also arises on how to manage the vulnerabilities that come with close relationships between teacher and student.

Share with others