The Quality Assurance Policy of the School of Architecture is fully aligned with the Quality Policy of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), as approved by the Senate of the University, and reflects its core values.

The School ensures and promotes the quality of its teaching, research, and administrative work through the continuous improvement of all its operations and the active participation and contribution of all its members.

The School designs and implements Postgraduate Studies Programs (PSPs) of high standards in the most important fields and domains of architectural science, oriented towards contemporary trends and demands, thus reinforcing its academic identity. Furthermore, the School is committed to fostering a creative research and work environment for all its personnel — academic, research, and administrative — as well as a creative academic environment for its students.

Quality is recognized as a fundamental element for realizing the School’s vision and achieving its mission; therefore, cultivating a culture of quality is considered of utmost importance.

Implementation of the Quality Policy – Quality Assurance

The School of Architecture and, specifically, the Postgraduate Studies Program (PSP) in “Environmental Architectural and Urban Design“, are committed to implementing the Quality Policy, which strengthens the academic identity and orientation of the Postgraduate Studies Programs, promotes their scope and objectives, supports the realization of their annually defined strategic goals, determines the means, actions, and methods for their achievement, ensures the participation of stakeholders, and applies the appropriate internal and external quality assurance procedures with the ultimate goal of their continuous improvement.

In addition, the School is committed to cultivating a climate of communication and cooperation among all its members (staff, students, and stakeholders).

The School of Architecture and the Postgraduate Studies Program (PSP) in “Environmental Architectural and Urban Design” apply the institutionalized quality assurance procedures described in the Quality Manual of the Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS) of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), with the necessary specialization at the PSP level. The implementation of the IQAS procedures is carried out in collaboration with the Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) of the University.

These quality assurance procedures constitute a valuable tool for the School and its individual PSPs to carry out their teaching and research activities, ensure the achievement of their objectives, and enhance their overall academic work.

To implement the Quality Policy, the School of Architecture and the Postgraduate Studies Program (PSP) in “Environmental Architectural and Urban Design” commit to applying quality procedures that demonstrate:

• the suitability of the structure and organization of the PSP,
• that the intended learning outcomes and qualifications are consistent with the European and National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education,
• the promotion of the quality and effectiveness of the PSP’s teaching and research work,
• the adequacy of the qualifications of the teaching staff involved in the PSP,
• the formulation, implementation, and review of specific annual quality objectives for the improvement of the PSP,
• the level of demand for the qualifications of PSP graduates in the labor market,
• the quality of the support services provided,
• the efficient use of PSP resources, including those derived from tuition fees,
• the conduct of an annual internal evaluation and review of the quality assurance system of the PSP in cooperation with the Internal Evaluation Group (IEG) and the QAU of AUTh.

Procedures for Monitoring and Continuous Improvement of Quality

The procedures applied for monitoring and continuously improving the quality of the PSP include:

• application of a Quality Assurance Policy for the PSP and its periodic review and revision (when necessary),
• design of the PSP in accordance with the current legislation and AUTh regulations, taking into account — where feasible — the views of students, alumni, and collaborating stakeholders,
• compliance with the current legislative and regulatory framework,
• implementation of PSP Regulations and other relevant AUTh Regulations and Decisions,
• submission of the Individual Academic Record and Course Description Form to the QAU information system by teaching staff,
• evaluation of courses and instructors by students,
• application of diverse student assessment methods,
• efforts to monitor the professional development and employment of PSP graduates,
• monitoring and support of teaching staff performance (selection, regulations, achievements, support),
• allocation and management of PSP resources (infrastructure, equipment, etc.),
• collection, processing, and analysis of quality data (complete, accurate, and up-to-date) to ensure the PSP’s quality and guide its improvement,
• monitoring, analysis, and benchmarking with national and international indicators,
• publication and dissemination of PSP-related information,
• systematic updating of the PSP’s website (in Greek, English, and possibly other languages) to ensure the publication of accurate and timely information,
• implementation of feedback mechanisms for strategy and goal-setting, review, and corrective actions (where required),
• conduct of the annual internal evaluation (monitoring, review, and revision of the PSP), in accordance with the guidelines of the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) and the QAU,
• support of external evaluation and accreditation procedures in cooperation with the QAU.

Quality Objectives

The quality objectives on which the School of Architecture will focus its efforts for the Postgraduate studies Program (PSP) in “Environmental Architectural and Urban Design” are as follows:

• continuous adaptation and updating of course syllabus,
• high employability of graduates in both professional and academic contexts,
• production of high-quality research output,
• high level of satisfaction of postgraduate students with the courses offered.

Accordingly, the related actions are organized as follows:

• monitoring evaluation results,
• monitoring trends in the professional and academic labor market,
• monitoring international developments in the relevant scientific fields,
• supporting research laboratories and units of the School utilized by its PSPs,
• monitoring and recording the career progression of PSP graduates, as well as collecting their feedback for possible program evaluation,
• organizing seminars, conferences, and lectures that enhance the competitiveness of PSP graduates.

Dissemination

The Quality Policy of the Postgraduate studies Program (PSP) in “Environmental Architectural and Urban Design” is communicated and disseminated to academic and administrative staff, students, and other stakeholders. It is also published on the PSP’s official website.

Internal communication channels have been developed to promote the dissemination of the principles of the PSP’s Quality Policy. These channels are structured around specific committees and governing bodies, namely:

• the AUTh Postgraduate Studies Committee,
• the Internal Evaluation Group (IEG) of the School of Architecture, responsible for course evaluations by PSP students and the monitoring of improvements,
• the School Assembly (for Postgraduate Studies Programs) or the Program Committee (for Interdepartmental/Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies Programs),
• the Coordinating Committees of the PSPs,
• the Divisions/Tracks of the PSPs (where applicable),
• the Head of the School of Architecture and the Directors of:
  i) the School’s Sectors,
  ii) the PSPs,
  iii) the Laboratories, and
  iv) the Research Units.