Abstract

Title of publication

Audit of Aalto University

Authors

Antoinette Perry, Mia Brzakovic, Mika Konu, Geir Øien & Sirpa Moitus, Self-assessment of Aalto University (ed.) Rediet Abebe

The Higher Education Evaluation Committee’s decision

Aalto University passed the audit on 28 April 2023.

The Quality Label is valid until 28 April 2029.

The audit team’s evaluation of the evaluation areas I-III

I: HEI creates competence: excellent level

II: HEI promotes impact and renewal: excellent level

III: HEI enhances quality and well-being: excellent level

HEI as a learning organisation – evaluation area chosen by Aalto University

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Theme and partner for benchlearning

Theme: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Partner: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne EPFL

Key strengths and recommendations

Strengths

  • The agile living strategy process provides a thorough continual analysis of trends and external conditions, which strongly facilitates systematic revision and follow-up of the educational portfolio. This gives the Aalto University an excellent means of keeping their curricula and programme provision dynamic, scientifically and pedagogically up to date, strategically and societally relevant and fit for purpose.
  • Aalto’s strategy of societal renewal creates an ethos of usefulness-driven questions, entrepreneurial mindset, and cross-cutting approaches across the university, strengthened by strategic partnerships within Aalto and external stakeholders.
  • Aalto’s systematic implementation of the Preview-Review-Dialogue process is a feedback-driven strategic process with broad community participation, enthusiasm and commitment. Specifically, Aalto has a unique University Preview process to analyse changes in the operational environment and their impact on processes.
  • Aalto has integrated equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives into all processes with a bottom-up approach across the university and campus in a timely, efficient and collaborative manner.

Recommendations

  • Systematic feedback for students should be strengthened. Firstly, formative feedback should be provided systematically and timely so that students can take action to improve their learning. Secondly, Aalto should develop more systematic procedures for informing students of changes introduced based on their feedback (feedback-on-feedback).
  • Aalto should incorporate radical creativity into capturing the impact and develop further qualitative measurements and indicators to capture impact, particularly in artistic activities.
  • Aalto should consider ways to improve work-life balance for staff and study workload for students.
  • Aalto should progress their outstanding work in EDI by continuing to raise broad awareness, building capacity and considering how to capture their achievements in this space.