We are Odisee

Quality of Education

At Odisee, high-quality education is our top priority. We shape our education co-creatively by continuously and actively involving students, staff, the professional field, and external peers. In doing so, we build a professional organization with a lived quality culture that not only makes quality measurable but also noticeable.

Odisee takes the lead as a learning organization. We share expertise, exchange experiences, evaluate and adjust, both in the short and long term, with involvement as a cornerstone. We use co-creation as a lever to tackle complex challenges sustainably, inclusively, and lean.

Organisatie en management header

Institutional Review: a good report

In the fall of 2016, under the supervision of NVAO, Odisee received an international review committee to assess the institution's education policy and the way Odisee itself ensures the quality of its programs (the so-called 'regie'). The result? An excellent report for our university.

Odisee thus gained the trust of the Flemish government to monitor the quality of its programs 'in its own control.' The next institutional review is scheduled for the academic year 2022-23.

All of our programs are accredited.

All of our undergraduate programs are currently recognized by the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organization (NVAO) or, in other words, 'accredited.'

Co-operation with VLUHR

In collaboration with the Quality Assurance department of the Flemish Universities and Colleges Association (VLUHR), Odisee is developing an independent, external assessment of the quality of its education.

Quality assurance under own control.

VARiOSO-cycle

All programs go through a multi-year quality cycle consisting of several reflection moments, where internal and external stakeholders play an active role. Quality assurance is strongly intertwined with our innovative education policy 'Odisee 2027' in our undergraduate programs.

The VARiOSO cycle has been running since 2019-20. The explanation of the six steps in the process is provided below.

As VARiOSO is a dutch-acronym, the words will not exactly match in English. 

  1. 1

    V = Verkennen - EXPLORE

    We identify opportunities and needs in a focus conversation with our key stakeholders or interested parties.

    We engage in dialogue with students and representatives from the professional field.

  2. 2

    A = Analyseren - ANALYSE

    We zoom in on the available data and map out how they are used to make clear and well-founded decisions.

    Critical friends (colleagues, students, and representatives from the professional field) screen the education quality of our programs. We review selected courses to see if they meet the predetermined quality criteria. Improvement opportunities and learning points are listed.

  3. 3

    Ri = interne Reflectie - REFLECTION (internal)

    Each team participates in a workshop where they collectively reflect on what is going well and what could be improved. We use the SOAR analysis to link strengths, opportunities, and ambitions to concrete results.

    During this process, the team also develops its own quality profile in relation to our vision "Odisee 2027". Five strengths and five challenges are selected that will be the focus for the coming years.

  4. 4

    O = Optimaliseren - OPTIMIZE

    We identify a particular theme or core process that we want to improve. In co-creation with experts, we develop an action plan.

  5. 5

    S = Spiegelen (extern) - MIRRORING (external review)

    An external committee visits our programs and gives feedback on the quality profile. They acknowledge strengths and provide recommendations for improvement.

  6. 6

    O = Opvolgen - FOLLOW-UP

    The programs start working with the feedback from the external committee. They create a follow-up report in which they list the actions taken.

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