The University of Trento encourages the continuous quality enhancement of programmes, of research, of the Third Mission (TM) and of Departments.

The quality assurance, as far as the University is concerned, is described in detail in the dedicated webpages. It promotes observation, over a period of time, of the results of teaching and learning, of research and of the Third Mission by using tools laid down by the AVA framework (Self-assessment, evaluation and accreditation of the Italian university system).

We invite you to contribute to the enhancement of quality by sending in suggestions to the following e-mail: adm.dem [at] unitn.it.

Quality assurance of teaching

In order to guarantee the quality framework, study programmes, together with the Department Council, the Teaching Committee, and the Joint teacher-student committee (CPDS) are organised through the following bodies: Board of Teachers, Programme Review Panel and the Programme Coordinator.
Procedures and operations of routine management and programme quality assurance observe the following schedule:

  • February-April: assistance in the planning of lectures for the subsequent academic year and upload or update of detailed information about the programme’s learning outcomes on the Annual Programme Report (SUA-CdS);
  • September: periodic review of the programme’s teaching activity performance;
  • starting in October: drafting of relevant summary information. Preparation of the documentation about quality assurance aimed at examining and monitoring the carrying out of teaching activities, pointing out critical situations and putting forward proposals for improvement. In particular, the Annual Programme Review (SMA) and, when required, the Periodic Programme Review are drawn up;
  • December: implementation of the indications contained in the CPDS Annual Report.

So as to achieve a continuous quality supervision of study programmes and of the Department’s overall activity, the Joint student-teacher committee (CPDS) meets approximately once a month before the Department Council, in order to discuss both the latter and general issues of the study programmes.
Student’s opinions about courses and their satisfaction are essential for self-assessment. Professors, study programme Review Panels and the Joint student-teacher committee can determine targeted correction measures and start enhancing teaching quality.

Sources and instruments

The bodies responsible for the quality assurance of teaching and learning periodically monitor the learning objectives achieved in the degree programmes and the general quality of courses based on:

  • data provided by the Monitoring, Statistics and Policy Development Unit on student progress
  • statistical data on career perspectives and employability from various sources (the Almalaurea database, studies, studies conducted by the Department or by the University's research groups)
  • surveys of student opinions on the quality of teaching and learning at UniTrento
  • student feedback and requests submitted through the Joint Student-Teacher Committee
  • feedback from the graduates of the programme of study checked on the Almalaurea database.

Research and Third Mission quality assurance 

The Department implements its policy for quality assurance by complying with the University quality framework, both for research and for teaching, in accordance with legal provisions and with directions set out by ANVUR (the National QA Agency of the Italian University system and Research).
Quality of research has been considered a priority for the Department since it was first founded, which explains why the Department gives great importance to the monitoring of scientific production quality, both from a qualitative and a quantitative/bibliometric point of view. The designated Department authorities (Director, Department board and, notably, Research Delegate) play an important part in raising awareness about the participation of individual researchers or of research groups in local, national and international project proposals, as well as promoting the output of publications of certified scientific relevance. Monitoring of the Department’s scientific production takes place once a year on occasion of the allocation of research funds. The procedure used for the distribution of funds has been approved by a Department Council resolution, and it consists of an allocation which is proportional to the applicant’s scientific productivity: a system which favours publications in international journals and refers to national and international rankings, available from the respective scientific community. The Department also rewards publications in renowned international journals.
The Department annual meeting, the publication of VQR results or similar national or internal research evaluation exercises represent other occasions for assessing the Department’s scientific productivity.
Since 2019 an internal call, published every two years, has been activated for the funding of research projects in order to encourage and support the basic research of the Department’s members in a perspective of interdisciplinary openness, favoring the widest promotion and dissemination of knowledge. The evaluation of the proposals is carried out by external referees selected from the REPRISE database and specialized in the research topics of the Department.
 
As regards the Third Mission, DEM manages numerous relations with companies and institutions that operate in the north of Italy and in the German-speaking world, this is progressively spreading to multi-national realities so as to meet the needs for internationalisation of teaching and of student internships. Connection with the business and job world is granted by the organisation of many activities of presentation, testimony, and job placement offer, which are presented in a yearly renewed calendar of meetings and venues. Numerous DEM members are also holders of paid (by a third party) research activities,which guarantee that significant skills and expertise are transferred to the territory, whilst outside knowledge of the University Study programmes increases. Every year, Department personnel participate to more than two hundred events (meetings, conferences, study days) organized by companies, associations, schools and local communities.
The Department has activated a mailbox for the reporting by its members of the carried out third mission activities. In any case, the Department carries out an annual census of the activities with a request to its members and with the verification of the activities carried out on behalf of third parties.
When strategic policy guidelines are laid down or in case of major changes to lecturing activities, a Department consultation body is expected to go into action. High-profile entrepreneurs and directors from the north and centre of Italy take part in the consultation body.
The Research and Third Mission quality assurance framework requires the following documents/database to be periodically filled in:

  • Department Annual Research Report (SUA-RD);
  • Programme Review.

Actors in Research and Third mission Quality Assurance

Delegate for Research

The Delegate for Research assists the Director in the management of the Department's research activities, chairs the Research Commission, organizes the departmental research initiatives, monitors the activities carried out and acts as a link with the University for the activities of his competence.

Delegate for Third Mission - where provided

The Delegate for the Third Mission assists the Director in the management of the Department's third mission activities, monitors the jobs carried out and acts as a link with the University for the tasks of his competence.

Organisation for quality assurance

Tasks related to quality assurance activities are coordinated by the Programme Coordinator with the operating support of a member of the technical and administrative staff. Members of the Teaching Committee and the student’s representative are also involved.

DEM quality assurance system participants

Director

The Director coordinates the teaching and scientific policies of the Department and takes part in their implementation, he/she represents the Department, he/she chairs the Department Council and the Department board and ensures that resolutions are implemented.

Quality delegate

The Quality delegate promotes the continuous quality enhancement of the Department teaching, research and Third Mission, also by providing an ongoing dialogue about the quality assurance initiatives between the University and the Department.

The Department quality delegate is Professor Loris Gaio.

Department Council

The Department collegiate body responsible for quality assurance. The names of the members of the Department Council are published in the Governance page.

Joint student-teacher committee (CPDS)

In the Department Joint teacher-student committee (CPDS) there is the greater possible representation of students of DEM study programmes. The committee’s role is to monitor study programmes and teaching quality, to pinpoint indicators for the assessment of results and to express opinions on the activation and abolition of study programmes.
The Joint teachers-student Joint committee (CPDS) monitors the educational activity and the quality of teaching, as well as the student service activity provided by professors and researchers and ensures that the corrective actions indicated in the Programme Review report are implemented.
The Committee formulates opinions on the activation and cancellation of study courses, and expresses an opinion on the of the Study Programmes Didactic Regulations, concerning the consistency between the credits assigned to the educational activities and the specific educational objectives planned and approved by the Department Council.
The CPDS draws up an annual report on teaching, taking into account: 
student satisfaction on the various aspects of teaching and tutoring, also on the basis of the results, in disaggregated form for each individual course;

  • the questionnaires on didactic evaluation;
  • the regular performance of student careers;
  • the correspondence of the educational project to the expected learning outcomes;
  • the adequate provision of facilities and laboratories;
  • the quality and organization of services.

  The names of the members of the CPDS are published in the Governance page.

Study programmes coordinators

They are the referent people for the planning and review of Study Programmes (CdS) and responsible for completing the Annual Programme Report (SUA-CdS), the Annual Programme Review (SMA) and the Periodic Programme Review. They carry out effective monitoring of the Programme’s performance, by ensuring that what was established during the review is carried out, also in order to periodically review the Programme’s learning outcomes, to verify if the proposed objectives have been achieved and to take action in a timely manner if any issue is reported.
The study programmes coordinators are the privileged interlocutors of the stakeholders.
The name of the Programme’s coordinator is available at the contact page of each programme:

Bachelor degrees

Master degrees in Italian

Master degrees in English

Master degrees in English in partnership with SSI

Programme review Panel 

They are the main participants in the Programme self-assessment process, because they represent those directly involved in its review process. By drafting the Annual Programme Review and the Periodic Programme Review, they provide monitoring of the Study, since they activate and concretely implement the review process through:
the drafting of the Annual Programme Review (SMA), which highlights the strengths and criticalities of the course of study, the objectives and short-term corrective actions to be implemented and evaluates the progress of the actions taken, using the data of the students questionnaires, of the reports from student representatives, of the summary data available at University level and from other databases related the careers of students and graduates;
the periodic drafting of the Periodic Programme Review;
any proposal for improvement actions.
 
The Programme review Panel, composed by the Programme Coordinator, who chairs it, the QA Manager of the CdS, by the Department Quality Delegate, who guarantees the uniformity of process management, and by at least one student of the course as student representative, and operationally supported by an administrative representative.

Programme review panels 

Bachelor degrees

  • Business administration and law: Marco Bombardelli, Giorgio Bolego, Eleonora Broccardo, Alessandro Gargani, Simone Guiducci
  • Economics and management: Matteo Ploner, Luciano Andreozzi, Ericka Costa, Simone Mondin, Samir Seddiqi
  • Business management: Andrea Francesconi, Pier Luigi Novi Inverardi

Master degrees

  • Economics and company legislation: Massimiliano Vatiero, Eleonora Broccardo, Ettore Cavallari, Sara Colaianni
  • Finance: Marco Bee, Sandra Paterlini, Bruno Russo
  • EMBS - European Master in Business Studies: Roberta Cuel, Caterina Pesci, Asja Boso, Matteo Ferrazza
  • Management: Emanuele Taufer, Niccolò Fratini, Anton Pintea
  • Sustainability and tourism management: Federica Buffa, Paola Masotti, Gioele Piacentino, Leonardo Tripoli
  • BEA: Roberto Gabriele, Marco Faillo, Javier Nicolas Rodriguez
  • MAIN - Innovation Management: Alberto Nucciarelli, Andrea Tenucci, Enrica Carpentiero, Samuele Dassatti
  • MIM - International management: Andrea Caputo, Marco Zamarian, Anna Ballardini, Irene Pernice

​​Master degrees in English in partnership with SSI

Student representatives

The students representatives’ main tasks are to report observations, critical issues and improvement suggestions regarding the teaching and learning course and to ensure that transparency and information sharing are guaranteed.

Students participate in all Programme Review Panels and in the Joint student-teacher committee.

Student reports

With the aim of constantly improving the Department’s organisation of teaching activities, students can send reports/suggestions in order to contribute to the identification and resolution of issues related to the quality of teaching or support services, by filling in the form in attacchment and sending it to the following e-mail: segnalazioni.studenti.dem [at] unitn.it. Please remind that the student representatives who sit in the Department Council, in the Joint student-teacher committee and in each degree’s Programme Review Panel should be your first reference for any report.

Reports can also concern inappropriate events or behaviour, which will be suitably reviewed, without breaching confidentiality rules. The following guarantee institutions can be found at University level:

The student Guarantor, an institutional figure who is a point of contact for students and for their relations with professors and with the administrative and technical personnel.

Committee for equal opportunities for the promotion of wellbeing and against discriminations, which works to promote and protect equal opportunities and occupational and organisational wellbeing of all the University personnel.

The University's Confidential Counsellor who prevents, manages and helps solving cases of mobbing and of sexual harassment during study and at work.

For information and suggestions concerning student and support services you can contact: