Thursday, 16 April

 08.30-09.30        Registration at the University of Iceland, Main building, entrance hall

 09.30-10.30        Opening ceremony

                               Einar Hreinsson, Co-ordinator of the Conference
                               Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Minister of Education, Science and Culture, Iceland
                               Kristín Ingólfsdóttir, Rector of the University of Iceland
                               Christian Möller, Senior Advisor - Nordic Council of Ministers
                               Tove Blytt Holmen, Head of Office, NOKUT - The Norwegian Agency for Quality
                               Assurance in Education – Moderator for the Conference

10:30                    Coffee break

10.45-13.00         Nordic Masters - and quality assurance for joint degrees in general

Joint masters programmes between higher education institutions in the Nordic countries have existed only for a relatively short time, but it is not until recently that a special attention has been paid to them in a national or supranational context. This development creates a general need for both HE institutions, QA agencies and governments for a common Nordic way to ensure the quality of these joint degree programmes as a whole and not only as detached parts offered in different countries that at the same time satisfy local legislative framework and ensures pan-Nordic legitimacy.
The aim of the session is to stress the problems and solutions for Quality assurance of joint masters programmes in general and ultimately the quality of such programmes.

Speakers:            Staffan Wahlén: Project Manager, Swedish National Agency for Higher Education: 
                              Joint Programmes - Joint Evaluation                               
                               Sigrún Jónsdóttir, Project Manager, University of Iceland – Joint Nordic Masters 
                               Project in Gerontology: NORDMAG - Structure, Quality
                               Josep Grifoll, ENQA Board Member, Head of the Quality Assessment Area of AQU 
                               Catalonia: Joint University Programmes: looking for a European dimension in QA

Moderator:           Eiríkur Smári Sigurðarson, Adviser, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture

The demands of the Bologna-process influence higher education in the Nordic countries. This session aims to explore what the implementation of learning outcomes means for quality assurance in higher education and what opportunities it offers for both internal and external evaluation.

Speakers:             Guðrún Geirsdóttir, Assistant professor, University of Iceland:  LO as a tool in
                                curriculum development: Mind the gap
                                Lena Adamson, Project manager, Swedish National Agency for Higher Education:
                                Learning outcomes - what, why, and how can we use them in QA?
                                Julia Holte Sempler, Adviser, University of Tromsö, Norway:
                                The implementation of learning outcomes - challenges and experiences 
                                from Tromsö
                                Riitta Pyykkö, Chair of FINHEEC, Finland. Learning outcomes as a tool for quality 
                                assurance of university education Case: Finland
                                Arne Kjær, associate professor, vicedean, Aarhus University, Denmark: LO and
                                QA - experience from a university

Friday, 17 April

During the winter 2006-2007 NOQA, the Nordic Quality Assurance Network in Higher Education, conducted a project, resulting in a report on Quality Audit in the Nordic Countries. The report was based on the experience of on-going projects including auditing of HEIs in each country. The aim of this session is to reflect on these projects and their results.

Speakers:               Ásta Bjarnadóttir, Executive Director of Human Resources and Quality,
                                  Reykjavik University, Our first steps in accreditation: Influence and learning points
                                  Irene Häggström, Quality director, Karolinska Institute, Sweden: Practices and
                                  experiences from Quality audits at three different levels
                                  Sirpa Suntioinen, Quality Manager, FINHEEC, Finland, The Finnish Audit Model -
                                  Facts and Feelings
                                  Magnús Diðrik Baldursson, Director of QA, University of Iceland, Quality Assurance
                                  and Quality Culture - the case of the University of Iceland
                                  Wenche Froestad, Senior Adviser, NOKUT - The Norwegian Agency for
                                  Quality Assurance in Education: Change of focus in audit? Comments on
                                  experiences and challenges

Moderator:              Einar Hreinsson, Adviser, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture

13.45 – 17.00         Quality assurance of Higher Education in a Globalized World – 
                                  The Nordic countries as the good example?
 
Higher Education Institutions are responsible for developing and offering world-class education. The institutions are also responsible for establishing mechanisms for controlling the quality of the education. A global market for higher education poses increased demands on transparency, demands the individual institutions can not meet on their own. There is therefore a need to develop transparent instruments that document the quality of the degrees offered by each institution but there is also an increased demand for an international acceptance of quality assurance. This need could be met by internationally based quality assurance followed by automatic international or regional accreditation. Automatic accreditation could be based on quality assurance conducted by any internationally recognised quality assurance agency. The aim of the session is to discuss areas where there is a need for international accreditation and where the Nordic countries could take a lead.

Speakers:                 Mogens Hørder, Professor, Senior Adviser, South Denmark University:
                                    An Integrated Approach to Quality Development and Assurance the Danish way?
                                    Ulf Ölund, Adviser, Sweden: Universities and globalisation -
                                    reflections on quality in cross border provision of Higher education
                                    Emmi Helle, Secretary General of ENQA: Going global - regional QA networks
                                    at a glance

Moderator:                Friðrika Harðardóttir, Adviser, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture

17.00-18.15              Panel discussion:  Is it time to make the Nordic Countries a common Area for
                                    Quality Assurance?

                                    Jón Atli Benediktsson, Professor, Vice-Rector of Science and Teaching and chair
                                    of UI Quality Board.  
                                    Helka Kekäläinen, Secretary General FINHEEC, Finland
                                    Norman Sharp, Director of QAA Scotland
                                    Staffan Wahlén, Project Manager, Swedish National Agency for Higher
                                    Education    

Moderator:                Tove Blytt Holmen, Head of Office, NOKUT - The Norwegian Agency for Quality
                                    Assurance in Education        
                               
A farewell coctail and a happy gathering