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- 9. Faculty Qualification Criteria
9. Faculty Qualification Criteria
In achieving our goal of obtaining an AACSB accreditation, teacher qualifications are an important requirement for success. Faculty Qualification Criteria (FQC) are criteria needed to map and show each teacher's competence and qualifications. The fulfilled criteria are the basis for how all teachers can be classified into one of the four competence categories specified by the AACSB.
The School of Business and Economics' process towards accreditation requires certain changes, for example in our way of working with teacher competence. The purpose of the accreditation is to ensure the quality of our education and thus become a more attractive university for both students and in collaborations with other universities. A very important factor for quality is the employee's competence and skills.
Traditionally in academia, we mainly measure scientific publications. With the accreditation, we now have the opportunity and willingness to document, measure and value more competences and achievements. The AACSB specifies guidelines for how teachers' competence and intellectual contributions should be categorised. The categories can be visualized in a matrix, see figure below.
It has two dimensions: Basic competence (PhD or Master with professional experience) and development focus (Academic or Applied/practical). The dimensions result in four different teacher categories: Scholarly Practitioners (SP), Instructional Practitioners (IP), Scholarly Academics (SA) or Practice Academics (PA) (see figure below). Also, in Lnu’s appointments procedure there are requirements for scientific competence for teachers of different categories. For example, a lecturer should have at least a master’s degree in the relevant field. The basic principle is that the teacher must have a degree at least one level higher than they teach, see Vice-Chancellors decision (2016 / 5875-1.5).
In order to categorise different qualifications, Faculty Qualification Criteria (FQC) developed by AACSB will be applied. These criteria highlight and value both scientific achievements and practical experience, including what is currently only reported as secondary jobs, research applications, pedagogical portfolios and other intellectual contributions. Based on AACSB’s original criteria, we have developed and adapted our own criteria and these reflect what contributions which currently are valued, see attachment for FQC.
It is the achievements of the last 5 years that will be taken into account. In the spring of 2017, data was collected through a questionnaire to all teachers, and this information has been updated for 2018. Based on these FQCs, all teachers with different qualifications have been placed into one of the four categories. Information about which category the individual teacher is assigned is given by the respective head of department.
According to AACSB, the distribution for the faculty should be: SA> = 40%, and SA + PA + SP> = 60%, and SA + PA + SP + IP> = 90%. The same distribution principle applies to the individual programmes. Thus, there is no ranking of the different categories. What is optimal depends, for example, on whether the programs are first-cycle or second-cycle level or, alternatively, focus on a professional degree or a general academic degree.
The employees who currently do not meet the FQC for any of SA, PA, SP or IP, are called Other qualified teachers (Other). The goal is that these teachers, through competence development and / or by other support, will reach one of the categories shortly. In this way, FQC can provide a good basis for employee dialogs to discuss the individuals need for appropriate competence development. This process has already started.