Quality policy, quality understanding, and quality management guidelines

In 2014, the University of Hohenheim Senate decided to introduce the following basic guidelines for quality management.

Self-perception

The University of Hohenheim is one of the smaller state universities and has a unique profile due to its three faculties: Natural Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, and Business, Economics and Social Sciences.

In the focus of research and teaching are complex biological and economic systems. At their intersection is Bioeconomy, which is the profile sector and research field for the University. The scientific challenge is to comprehensively understand the systems being researched and to develop new possibilities to change and design them. Building on this, the University’s goal is to provide key contributions to urgent global and regional challenges in the areas of agro-economic systems and biodiversity, food security, and health as well as their economic and communicative aspects and to become one of the leading universities in these areas.

The terms innovation and sustainability characterize the value orientation of the University and denote at the same time one of the primary fields of tension in which research occurs. For the University of Hohenheim, excellent research means visibility and recognition of its scientists’ work in the international scientific world but also the relevance and importance of the results for society. From this it follows that research and teaching are once again to be viewed as a unit. Under consideration of the highest scientific standards, research and teaching are marked by internationality and interdisciplinarity.

All members of the University work in cooperation on these goals to benefit the entire institution. Equal opportunity is a key element of strategic decisions and lived culture for the University of Hohenheim. The support of equal opportunity is a cross-departmental task in all areas of the University in the sense of gender mainstreaming.

General and permanently valid intentions and objectives of the University regarding quality

In line with this self-image, the University achieves its goals through consistent strategic orientation and by ensuring superior quality in all areas of academic performance in comparison to the competition.

The University’s quality development and quality assurance is aimed at fulfilling the demands of its internal and external target groups in the best possible way and at making the service processes effective and resource-efficient.

The University's target groups include

students (current, future and former),
scientists (in their functions as teachers and researchers),
technical and administrative staff, and
the public as part of the University’s awareness of its responsibility to society as a whole.

With regard to the students, the University pursues the goal of imparting specialist knowledge and key qualifications in a competence-oriented manner through excellent teaching, motivating and enabling students to carry out scientific work and engage in interdisciplinary exchange, and enabling them to pursue a career in science, business, and society.

With regard to the scientists, the University aims to be an attractive place to work - especially for early career researchers. It aims to offer good conditions for excellent research in order to help the scientists and the University as a whole to achieve international visibility and a reputation in the "scientific community," the business world, and society.

With regard to all employees, the University promotes a culture of partnership and performance orientation with the aim of offering them good opportunities for development and advancement.

With regard to the public interest, the University pursues the following objectives: With basic and applied research, it contributes to the further development of the disciplines in an interdisciplinary and international context. By focusing its research on socially and economically relevant issues, it provides insights that help to solve globally and regionally significant problems.

Therefore, the University sees its social responsibility in the consistent support and further education of young scientists. It sees this as an indispensable contribution to a high-performance research landscape that can develop solutions for the challenges of the future.

Definition of quality

The University of Hohenheim’s understanding of quality is based on two points of reference:

on the understanding of quality development by focusing on its own goals
Quality is determined by formulating desired goals and monitoring the achievement of these goals. Thus quality development is understood as continuous improvement.
on a normative understanding of quality
Quality is determined by specific standards, such as those set by the legislator, professional associations, or third-party funding bodies. These standards are incorporated into the formulation of the quality objectives for the respective areas.

For the University of Hohenheim, quality therefore also has a dynamic component. Standards change over time, and the quality objectives set by the University reflect the demands made on it by all internal and external target groups.

The University sees the individual skills and motivation of the actors as a prerequisite for quality. Furthermore, quality is decisively influenced by the successful interaction of the individual players. In this respect, the structural prerequisites of cooperation and adequate process organization are of decisive importance for quality.

Based on this understanding of quality, the University is gradually establishing a quality management system for its various areas.

Directing and managing the University with regard to quality

The Hohenheim quality management system is an important instrument for implementing strategic planning and for sustainable medium and long-term quality development and assurance.

It is based on a university-wide perspective and on the following guidelines:

Central responsibility
The responsibility for quality development and quality assurance lies with the University Management.
Decentralized Organizational Form
The structure of quality management is organized in relation to the respective areas. The three areas each develop an adequate structure for quality development and quality assurance in teaching and studies, in research, and in supporting services.
Coordination and Information
The QM unit in the Executive Management Office coordinates and documents the activities and supports the responsible actors with the aim of developing consistent strategies and measures.
It brings together the information on quality-related activities in different areas of responsibility at different levels into a comprehensive monitoring system for quality development and quality assurance.
Transparency
The quality management system serves the University to create transparency regarding its performance and thus supports consistent quality development and assurance. The basic motivation is to provide the best possible support for all those involved in quality development. Transparency serves to facilitate a quality culture and not to institutionalize performance monitoring.
Participation
The respective service providers and the affected target groups as service recipients are involved in quality development and quality assurance across all organizational areas.
Efficiency
The University views its manageable size on a compact campus as an opportunity for the most direct communication possible between all those involved and integrates its quality management into existing structures to the extent possible.

The time and workload required for evaluations or the provision of key figures is kept to a minimum for all those involved.

Quality policy, quality understanding, and quality management guidelines

Self-perception

Contact

System accreditation

Additional information

Evaluation