Title of publication
Audit of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Authors
Andreas Breinbauer, Birgit Kraus, Ilkka Pollari, Mari Ruadze, Marja-Liisa Saarilammi and Niina Nurkka
Self-evaluation of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences edited by Virve Kentta, Eeva Viitanen and Anna Zaikova
The Higher Education Evaluation Committee’s decision
The Metropolia University of Applied Sciences passed the audit on 31 March, 2023.
The Quality Label is valid until 31 March, 2029.
The audit team’s evaluation of the evaluation areas I-III
I: HEI creates competence: good level
II: HEI promotes impact and renewal: good level
III: HEI enhances quality and well-being: good level
HEI as a learning organisation – evaluation area chosen by Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
IV: Innovation Hubs in RDIL perspective
Theme and partner for benchlearning
Theme: Student and personnel well-being
Partner: Dutch Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA) University of Applied Sciences
Key strengths and recommendations
Strengths
- Innovation Hubs, the HyMy Village and the MINNO project provide a very good link between RDI and education, which is beneficial to the students working on it and to the working life partner as well, solving concrete problems with research.
- Metropolia has a clear focus on the aims and results of societal impact. The societal impact is firmly rooted in Metropolia’s strategy.
- Metropolia has a clear strategy, and it is well-known among employees. The quality system is based on the setting of strategic objectives.
- Innovation hubs strengthen phenomenon-based learning by combining learning with working-life solutions.
Recommendations
- Metropolia uses many surveys and feedback channels. Feedback collection should not be limited to quantitative methods but comprise qualitative methods. This mix could be more favourable to concrete enhancements, which would be more transparent and visible to create an even stronger incentive for student participation.
- The growing number of focus areas increases the risk of poor consistency. Realistic resource planning is vital for ensuring sufficient resources for strategic actions.
- Metropolia should reduce the complexity of the quality management system and
communicate goals, instruments, and roles distribution with the staff more intensively. - The staff of Metropolia is motivated by phenomenon-based teaching and learning. However, new projects and activities need resources which are not necessarily sufficiently available. The audit team anticipate the possible risk of conflicts due to resources shared between RDI, especially the innovation hubs and teaching, which should be observed carefully.