An institution reviewed by IAQA may request a reconsideration of the review outcome. The appeals procedure demonstrates how the agency processes appeal requests by institutions under review. Its purpose is to ensure the just treatment of institutions and to guarantee that decision-making is fair regarding review outcomes.
This procedure is applicable to any review conducted by IAQA, including IWRs, follow-up reviews, and any other commissioned reviews.
The complaints procedure demonstrates how IAQA processes complaints. Its purpose is to ensure that IAQA can provide the best possible service by committing to working in an open and accountable way. One of the ways in which IAQA continues to improve its services is by listening to the views of stakeholders. This includes responding positively and respectfully to complaints and putting mistakes right.
This procedure is applicable to any complaint which is an expression of an individual’s dissatisfaction with their experience of dealing with IAQA. It may be a personal complaint or a complaint on behalf of the individual’s institution.
Outside of the operation of institution-wide reviews, IAQA’s remit does not include acting upon individual complaints about Icelandic Universities. Further information about the IAQA‘s remit may be found in the Statutes and the Quality Enhancement Framework.
IAQA conducts institution-wide reviews (IWR) every six years at each of the Icelandic universities. The main objective of the institution-wide review is to provide independent external assurance that Icelandic higher education institutions are equipped to secure and enhance the quality of their activities. The IWR is designed to support institutions in reflecting on their specific approach to the management of quality and enhancement. The IWR evaluates the effectiveness of the institutions’ quality management and evidence of enhancement
During IWRs, each visit programme will include an Open Meeting for anyone from the institution’s community, staff or student, to meet individually or in groups with the review Panel. The goal of the Open Meeting is for those who have not had a chance to meet with the Panel to have their voice heard in the review, and for those who have already met with the Panel to add anything they were not able to communicate in previous meetings. The purpose of the Open Meeting is therefore to provide an opportunity for any issues to be raised with the Panel which are felt to be relevant and important for the Review, and which have not been aired elsewhere in the visit programme. The Open Meeting is a part of the formal, documented IWR process. However, it is not intended as a forum for staff or students to air their individual grievances with their respective Universities.
Review Panels cannot accept any evidence, written or verbal, outside of materials submitted by the institution and information gathered or during formal meetings. If the IAQA Secretariat or any IWR Panel member receives unsolicited information about the university, whether positive or negative in nature, the person offering the information will be referred to the above Open Meetings that the Panel hosts with staff and students.
IAQA refers students to published complaints processes at their respective universities. This applies to any type of student complaint or grievance. In such a case when a student has exhausted all published complaints and grievance processes at their university they can contact “Áfrýjunarnefnd í kærumálum háskólanema” (the Appeals Committee for University Student Grievances), whose role is defined in the Higher Education Act no. 63/2006 and rules no. 550/2020.