The STQ programme is closely aligned with the daily practice of senior lecturers and offers support with contemporary issues. The lecturer’s work environment (supervisor and colleagues) and the context of the work are included in the programme. The objective of the STQ programme is to confirm senior lecturers or potential senior lecturers in the various roles they perform in the field of education. The programme incorprates the various roles senior lecturers play within the organization: visionary, connector, developer, organizer and supervisor. All senior lecturers fulfil these roles – they all have a vision on education; they coordinate parts of the curriculum or groups; they are supervisor to junior lecturers; and they develop new courses. The contents and specific interpretation of these five roles is clarified in this figure.
Procedure within VU Amsterdam
In groups of no more than 14, participants are guided through the various roles they fulfil within the educational organization. A major component of the STQ track is developing and implementing an improvement or innovation track in the department or programme, also referred to as a ‘STQ project’. This includes the following themes: improvement of first-year students’ academic success, design of an interdisciplinary programme, design of a consistent test structure for the entire programme and improvement of quality assurance within the faculty. Such a track normally takes longer than one year. In the context of the STQ programme, intensive guidance is offered for part of the track. Another important aspect is the individual learning objective. This objective concerns personal skills a candidate needs to carry out the project.
The STQ programme covers a period of twelve months during which participants receive intensive guidance in developing the five STQ roles and their individual learning objective. The programme consists of the following:
- an individual intake interview:
to assess the extent to which the candidate meets the requirements, the extent to which the candidate’s expectations correspond with the objectives of the track and whether the candidate has enough time to complete the track. - three individual coaching sessions:
in which there is time and attention for the candidate’s individual learning objective and the progress of his/her project. - six programme days:
in which the different roles are further developed with the help of guest speakers, assignments and exercises. - four peer group meetings:
in which participants in groups of three or four students work on assignments in their own programme. - interim assignments:
aimed at vision development, project planning, curriculum analysis, network reinforcement, supervisorship, 360 degree feedback and file development. - final assessment:
in which the candidate is assessed on STQ final attainment levels on the basis of their STQ file and assessment interview.
a festive conclusion.
Assessment and completion
During the STQ programme, candidates work on two final products that form the basis of the assessment:
1) a reflection document in which the candidate clearly demonstrate his/her qualities and skills as a senior lecturer.
2) a report of an improvement track developed and implemented by the candidate in his/her programme.
Both final products are included in a file, in which the common theme is formed by questions about the candidate’s personal development during the STQ track and the added value the candidate’s project has created for the organization. The candidate clarifies his/her file in the assessment interview. The assessors pose in-depth questions to assess whether a candidate meets the requirements of the senior level.
Note: there is an obligation to attend. The candidate may not miss more than a half day of the six plenary STQ days to be able to achieve the STQ certificate. See contact and information for the timetables.
