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Cooperation and stakeholders

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UCM cooperation is an important indicator and instrument of the quality of higher education at UCM.
University cooperation takes place mainly in the areas of education provision, creative activities, and other related activities and evaluation and development of their quality. 

Stakeholders are the actors of cooperation with UCM. Stakeholders are persons, communities, or organisations that can influence or be influenced by the process of education, creative, and other related activities. Internal stakeholders are UCM students and staff. External stakeholders are employers and other representatives of relevant sectors of the economy and social practice, UCM alumni, UCM’s domestic and international partners, etc.

UCM’s collaboration with UCM partners and other stakeholders is realized, evaluated, and developed in accordance with clearly defined principles.

  1. Relevant stakeholders are involved in quality assurance at UCM.
  2. The powers, scope, and responsibilities of stakeholders for quality assurance of higher education and related activities are defined in the VSK UCM.
  3. Stakeholders at UCM are mainly students, experts from the academic and research environment, practitioners, employers’ representatives, and graduates.
  4. The Quality Assurance Policies are binding for all UCM contractual partners and other third parties that contribute to or have an impact on the quality of education, creative activities, and other related activities.
  5. All relevant stakeholders are involved in the regular monitoring, evaluation, and revision of the VSK UCM.
  6. The VSK UCM is easily and publicly accessible to all relevant stakeholders and according to their needs.
  7. All stakeholders are involved in the collection and processing of information about the VSK UCM.
  8. Students, employers, and other relevant stakeholders are involved in the creation, modification, and approval of SPs.
  9. The content of studies and the level of qualification of graduates meet the sector-specific expectations of employers and other external stakeholders.
  10. UCM publishes clear, accurate, adequate, and up-to-date quantitative and qualitative information about the SPs and their graduates, as well as other related activities in line with UCM’s mission that are relevant to stakeholders.
  11. The SPs are continuously monitored, periodically evaluated, and periodically approved, with the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the VSK UCM.
  12. The delivery of the SP, student assessment, and learning outcomes are aligned with the needs and expectations of stakeholders.
  13. Modifications to the SPs resulting from their ongoing monitoring and periodic evaluation are proposed with the involvement of relevant stakeholders.
  14. The degree of support for the internationalisation of educational, creative, and other related activities shall be commensurate with the needs of stakeholders.
  15. The degree of support for the internationalisation of educational, creative, and other related activities corresponds to the mission, focus, strategic and conceptual documents of UCM.
  16. Education and creative activity are adequately interlinked and internationalised at UCM.

Cooperation, partnerships, and external relations

The establishment, implementation, and evaluation of UCM cooperation and partnerships (including all stakeholders) are defined by the relevant policies, in particular the UCM Statute, the UCM Long-term Plan, the UCM Internationalisation Strategy, and the VSK UCM Directive. Furthermore, in particular, the rules and procedures defined in the Long-term Plan Action Plan, the Internationalisation Strategy Action Plan, the Erasmus+ Programme Administration Directive, the Directive governing the process of concluding bilateral agreements at UCM, etc.

UCM cooperation and partnerships are coordinated, monitored, implemented, recorded, administered, and evaluated by the relevant structures at the institutional level (Vice-Rector for International Relations, International Relations Office, and Public Relations Department), at the level of UCM division (relevant vice-dean/designee at the institute, relevant department/clerk), at the level of departments (head of the department, designated person/coordinator).

More information on the websites of the UCM divisions and the departments.

The processes of UCM’s cooperation with partners are primarily the selection and assessment of potential partners, the selection of partners, the establishment of cooperation, the maintenance of cooperation, the termination of cooperation, and the acquisition of funds for cooperation.

The establishment, implementation, and evaluation of collaboration with partners can be initiated and proposed by a UCM staff member (especially a teacher), a head of the department, the relevant vice-dean/designee at the institute, a dean/director, the vice-rector for international relations, the rector, or a stakeholder or potential stakeholder. The approval, coordination, and conclusion of contracts, agreements, memoranda, declarations of cooperation, and other UCM cooperation documents of varying degrees of legal binding force are the responsibility of the Rector or his/her designees, in particular the Vice-Rector for International Relations.

Information about UCM’s cooperation with partners is recorded and published on the UCM website. They are regularly discussed as part of the annual Report on Scientific and Research Activities at UCM in the VR UCM.

Quality assurance of higher education at UCM through stakeholders

UCM’s Quality Assurance Policies for Higher Education, which guarantee and define stakeholder involvement, are the procedures, rules, and criteria for the selection of stakeholders in the quality assurance and quality assessment processes at UCM in the areas of education, creative activities, and other related activities. They are defined by generally binding regulations at the national and international levels and by the internal regulations of UCM, in particular the UCM VSK Directive, the relevant statutes, and rules of procedure of all relevant structures, the principles, and procedures for the implementation and evaluation of the processes of educational and creative activities and other related activities.

They form a comprehensive system of implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and development of educational and creative activities and other related activities at UCM. The powers, scope, and responsibilities of the stakeholders in each structure are defined by the relevant internal regulations (in particular statutes, rules of procedure, organisational rules and structures, charters, directives, policies, and procedures). The VSK UCM is three-level system in both vertical and horizontal planes.

Vertical-level structures, which include stakeholders, are primarily responsible for the implementation of policies and the delivery of relevant learning, creative activities, and other related activities.

  1. The UCM Rectorate is an institution-wide structure. The person responsible for the policies, structures, and processes in the field of quality assurance of higher education at UCM is the Rector. The university-wide administrative, self-governing, academic, and advisory bodies of the Rector of UCM in the field of quality assurance according to the powers, responsibilities, and competencies defined by internal regulations, with the participation of stakeholders, are:

In addition to permanent university-wide structures with stakeholder participation, temporary structures with stakeholder participation are also created at the level of the UCM Rectorate, in particular the inauguration committee, the committee to evaluate the outputs of certain types of projects, and other committees, external experts, and consultants.

  1. The division of UCM (faculty/institute) is a lower-level structure. The person responsible for policies, structures, and processes in the field of quality assurance of higher education at UCM is the Dean of the Faculty/Director of the Institute. The self-governing, academic and advisory bodies of UCM with competence at the level of the UCM division in the field of quality assurance according to the powers, responsibilities, and competencies defined by internal regulations, with the participation of stakeholders, are:
  • Academic Senate of the Faculty,
  • Scientific Board of the Faculty
  • Disciplinary Committee,
  • Quality Board at UCM division,
  • other advisory bodies and committees of the Dean/Director.

In addition to the permanent structures of UCM divisions with stakeholder participation, temporary structures with stakeholder participation are also created at the UCM division level, in particular, habilitation committees (in the case of faculties), committees to evaluate the outputs of some other types of projects and other committees, external experts and consultants.

The relevant agenda of the institutes as university-wide divisions of UCM is discussed by the Scientific Board  UCM (hereafter referred to as the “VR”), the AS UCM, and other relevant university-wide structures within the meaning of the internal regulations, with the representation of representatives of stakeholders from the institutes being ensured.

  1. The workplace (department) is elementary level. The person responsible for the policies, structures, and processes for quality assurance of higher education in the department is the head of the department. Stakeholders involved in quality assurance at the workplace, according to the powers, responsibilities, and competencies defined by internal regulations, are mainly consultants, external advisors, providers of the practical part of teaching, external lecturers, tutors, and student thesis supervisors (in particular Student scientific, professional and artistic activities), theses, dissertations, and qualification theses, external members of committees for the defence of student theses (especially Student scientific, professional and artistic activities), theses, dissertations, and qualification theses, external members of the Doctoral Study Committees, external assessors/reviewers of the outputs of creative activities, etc.

Horizontal-level structures, which include stakeholders, primarily ensure the creation and evaluation of policies, structures, and processes through which UCM continuously monitors and periodically evaluates educational and creative activities and other related activities, further assesses and approves the creation, modification, implementation, and cancellation of SP, OHIK, the status of UCM’s VSK and proposes measures to the vertical level structures to improve the quality and development of UCM.

  1. The Internal Quality Evaluation Board of the UCM (hereinafter referred to as “RVHK”) is the university-wide structure for quality assurance of education at UCM. The RVHK is an independent advisory body to the Rector. The composition, competencies, responsibilities, and powers of the RVHK are defined in the Statute of the RVHK and the Rules of Procedure of the RVHK. For the assessment of the education agenda, the RVHK establishes temporary working groups in accordance with the Principles for the Establishment of the List of Assessors and Temporary Working Groups at the RVHK at UCM.
  2. The UCM Division Quality Board (hereafter referred to as the “UCM Division RK”) is a structure for quality assurance of higher education at the UCM Division level with the participation of stakeholders. The UCM Division RK is an independent advisory body to the person responsible for the UCM Division (Dean/Director). The composition, responsibilities, competencies, powers, procedures, and rules for the selection of stakeholders in the UCM Division RK are defined in the Statutes of the UCM Division RK.
  3. Study Programme Board (hereafter referred to as the “RSP”) is a structure for quality assurance of higher education at the level of the department with the participation of stakeholders. The RSP is the body for monitoring, designing, adapting, and developing the SP. The composition, responsibilities, competencies, powers, procedures, and rules for the selection of stakeholders in the RSP are defined in the Statutes of the RSP at UCM. Each third-level study programme is monitored and evaluated by the relevant Field of Study Committee for Doctoral Studies (hereinafter referred to as the “OK”). The responsibilities, competencies, powers, procedures, and rules for the selection of stakeholders in the OC are defined in the Directive on UCM Doctoral Studies.

The VSK UCM processes for quality assurance of higher education involving stakeholders are structured into the following areas:

  1. Creation, modification, and approval of SPs.
  2. Implementing lifelong learning.
  3. Teacher selection.
  4. Admissions, studies, recognition of education, and award of academic degrees.
  5. Approval of dissertation supervisors and supervisors.
  6. Student Assessment.
  7. Continuous monitoring, periodic evaluation, and internal accreditation of SPs.
  8. Stakeholder involvement in the development, modification, approval, monitoring, and periodic evaluation of SPs.
  9. Investigating complaints by which a student seeks protection of his/her rights or legally protected interests, as well as pointing out specific deficiencies in the University’s activities.
  10. Student-centred learning, teaching, and assessment.
  11. Maintaining scientific integrity and adherence to academic ethics, ensuring protection against any kind of intolerance and discrimination against students, staff, and applicants.
  12. Promoting the internationalisation of educational, creative, and other related activities.
  13. Providing resources for student learning and support.

  1. Implementation of creative activities at UCM by teachers, scientific and research workers, and students, especially in the third level of studies, in terms of fulfilling the requirements for creative activities defined by the relevant internal regulations of UCM.
  2. Continuous monitoring and periodic evaluation of creative activity by area and assessment period:
    • evaluation of the level of creative activity of groups of persons responsible for quality and development in accordance with the requirements of SAAVS and internal regulations of UCM, in particular the Directive on the evaluation of creative activity at UCM,
    • evaluation of the level of creative activity of groups of persons providing profile subjects of the SP, including the person having the lead responsibility for the quality and development of the SP in accordance with the requirements of SAAVS and internal regulations of UCM, in particular the Directive on the evaluation of creative activity at UCM,
    • evaluation of the level of creative activity of teachers, scientific and research staff of UCM in accordance with the internal regulations of UCM, in particular the Directive on the evaluation of creative activity at UCM,
    • evaluation of the level of creative activity of groups of teachers, scientific and research staff of UCM according to the areas of assessment (SPs, SOs, scientific fields, scientific areas, departments, divisions of UCM, UCM), in accordance with the internal regulations of UCM, in particular the Directive on the evaluation of creative activity at UCM,
    • evaluation of the fulfilment of minimum indicators of creative activity at UCM according to the functional classification of the employee,
    • evaluating creative activity beyond the minimum indicators in order to reward creative activity.
  3. Demonstrating the level of criteria for evaluating the fulfilment of the conditions for obtaining the title of associate professor and the title of professor at UCM.
  4. Determining the overall quality profile for the relevant assessment area

  1. Selection of other university staff.
  2. Ensuring the professional development of teachers, scientific, research, and artistic staff.
  3. Supporting the development of professional, language, digital skills, transferable competencies, and personal development for all staff.
  4. Spatial, material, technical, informational, and personnel provision for the implementation of study programmes.
  5. Generating and effectively using financial resources to provide learning and student support.
  6. Caring for students, including personal, career, social, cultural, spiritual, sporting, and other aspects of student life.
  7. Cooperation with institutions of practice and with specialised teaching facilities for practical teaching, including external educational institutions.
  8. Gathering, processing, analysing, and evaluating information for the strategic, tactical, and operational management of the delivery and development of curricula, creative activities, and other related activities.
  9. Publication of information about SPs and their graduates.
  10. Publication of information on the implementation and functioning of the VSK UCM, the results achieved, and measures taken.
  11. Creation, implementation, monitoring, and revision of the VSK UCM.

The institutional-wide process for quality assurance of higher education at UCM, which involves stakeholders, is the continuous monitoring and periodic evaluation of the fulfilment of the standards for SP, OHIK, and VSK, defined by SAAVS and the relevant internal regulations of UCM.

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Stakeholder involvement in quality assurance of higher education at UCM is formalized at the university level through membership in the SR UCM, VR UCM, AS UCM, UCM Disciplinary Committee, UCM Rector’s Board, RVHK UCM, UCM Security Committee, UCM Permanent Crisis Committee, UCM Ethics Committee, UCM Damage Committee, UCM Accommodation Committee,  and UCM Student Council.

Stakeholder involvement in quality assurance of higher education at UCM is formalized at the level of UCM divisions through membership in the UCM Faculty VR, UCM Faculty AS, UCM Faculty Disciplinary Committee, UCM Dean’s/Director’s Board, UCM Division RK or membership in another UCM division structure (available on the UCM division website).

The activities of stakeholders in quality assurance of higher education at UCM are recorded in the minutes of meetings, sessions, and resolutions of the institutional structures: the SR UCM, VR UCM, AS UCM, UCM Disciplinary Committee, UCM Rector’s Board, UCM RVHK, UCM Security Committee, UCM Permanent Crisis Committee, UCM Ethics Committee, UCM Damage Committee, UCM Accommodation Committee, and UCM Student Council.

The activities of stakeholders in quality assurance of higher education at UCM divisions are recorded in the minutes of meetings, sessions, and resolutions of UCM division structures: the VR of the UCM Faculty, the AS of the Faculty, the UCM Faculty Disciplinary Committee, the Dean’s/Director’s Board of the UCM division, the RK of the UCM division or minutes and resolutions of other UCM division structures (available on the UCM division website).

In addition, the activities of stakeholders in quality assurance of higher education at UCM are also recorded in the evaluation reports of the RSP, RK, and RVHK.

Comprehensive material on the implementation and functionality of the VSK UCM is the VHS VSK UCM.

AR – Academic Year
AS – Academic Senate
CAF – Common Assessment Framework 
DPS – Temporary Working Groups
ESG – European Standards for Higher Education
FF – Faculty of Arts
FMK – Faculty of Mass Media Communication
FPV – Faculty od Natural Sciences
FSV – Faculty of Social Sciences
FZV – Faculty of Health Sciences
IM – Institute of Management
KR – Rector’s Board
OHIK – Field of Habilitation Proceedings and Inauguration Proceedings
RSP – Study Programme Board
RK – Quality Board
RVHK – Internal Quality Evaluation Board
SAAVS – Slovak Accreditation Agency for Higher Education
SR – Board of Trustees
SO – Field of Study
SP – Study Programme
UCM – University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava
VHS – Internal Evaluation System
VP – Internal Regulation
VR – Scientific Board
VSK – Internal Quality System
VSK VHS – Internal Evaluation Report of the Internal Quality System
VUPCH – Scientific-Artistic-Pedagogical Characteristics