Institute

Quality Policy and Management

ISMAT's quality policy is based on the principle of continuous development and improvement. The improvement cycle (PDCA) is incorporated into all activities and processes.

Members of the ISMAT Community are encouraged and resourced to::

Strive for excellence in all activities;
Share and actively contribute to the common mission;
Evaluate and continuously develop and improve all activities;
Use systematic and shared methods to ensure quality improvement and effectiveness in activities.

Internal Quality Assurance System (AIGQ)

The development of the SIGQ is constantly focused on an efficient and effective response to internal quality requirements and standards, integrating into its formulation the provisions contained in the ‘Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area’, under the terms of the recommendations issued by A3ES (2016), the ISO 9001 standards, the legal regulations in force, the good practices of other higher education institutions and, of course, the Institute's own culture.

Consisting of a vast and comprehensive set of manuals, regulations, standards and procedures covering the various areas of the mission of the Instituto Superior Manuel Teixeira Gomes, formally approved by the statutorily competent bodies, the SIGQ is supported by the flows that feed the information system, and by a set of other instruments for collecting and processing information (surveys, scripts, indicators, metrics).

The SIGQ involves the regular assessment of the adequacy of processes and results to ISMAT's mission and planning and is organised as a continuous process of assessment of the Institution, Departments, Courses, Curricular Units and Support Services, so as to identify in advance the areas that need intervention in order to ensure their continuous improvement.

The SIGQ involves the participation of all stakeholders, namely management bodies, students, teachers and researchers, non-teaching staff, former students, the community and employers.

The strategic coordination of the SIGQ is ensured by the Administrator and the Director, in close liaison with the heads of each Department, Cycle of Studies and Support Services, based on consultation with the bodies, namely the Scientific and Pedagogical Councils and the General Council.

The Administrator and Director monitor the SIGQ, specifically with regard to: the degree of implementation of the system's various procedures; the collection of indicators and the application of surveys; the effectiveness of the information system; compliance with
deadlines; the degree of depth and breadth of the analyses carried out; the relevance and applicability of the action plans for improvement and their evaluation.

Objectives

To support the realisation of ISMAT's strategic objectives and the targets set, and to ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of the Institute's activities and results;
Reinforce a joint quality culture and the participation of students, teaching and non-teaching staff and external stakeholders in the planning, implementation, evaluation and development of activities;
Define, clarify and harmonise procedures, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the various actors; Disseminate uniform operating methods and good practices throughout the organisation;
Ensuring the reliability of quantitative and qualitative information used for planning, managing, monitoring and developing activities;
Identify, document and develop key operational processes based on systematic feedback;
Continuously reinforce openness and transparency, both internal and external