Quality assurance

At the University of Antwerp we ensure the quality of our programmes. Every programme goes through a six-year quality assurance cycle.

In year three, we review the quality assurance of the programme during the internal process monitoring and control. In spring of 2019 this was done for the Advanced Master of Governance and Development, the Advanced Master of Globalisation and Development and the Advanced Master of Development Evaluation and Management.

A peer review in year six concludes the cycle. The study programme conducts a self-reflection and has  discussions with internal and external experts and with an independent student.

On 10 and 11 May 2023 the peer review team visited the Advanced Master of Governance and Development, the Advanced Master of Globalisation and Development and the Advanced Master of Development Evaluation and Management and decided to confirm its confidence in the programmes.

Conclusions of the peer review team

The Institute of Development Policy (IOB) brings together students from many countries and different backgrounds for frank exchanges to enhance their knowledge and competences.

The quality of the three advanced master programmes of the IOB is impressive, concludes the review team. The coherence of the curriculum, the quality of teaching, the input from guest lecturers, the attention to research, the balance between in-depth focus and broad overviews and between theory and practice is remarkable. The shared value-based approach without imposing limiting paradigms creates safe spaces for respectful discussions in class on complex issues like decoloniality, growth/de-growth strategies, values, etc.

The staff are highly engaged and accessible for students. The IOB engages to further diversify the staff.

The IOB is a dynamic learning organisation that continues to discuss difficult issues like decolonisation, co-creation, values, multi-perspectivity, global challenges and the role as agents of change as a starting point for continuously revising the programmes in the direction of more globalisation, in increasing the partner network, in decolonisation and in closer connection with the work field, e.g. in the action labs.

IOB has a strong international network with civil society structures, with universities in Asia, Central America and Africa and with the alumni.

IOB counters the high workload for students by transforming assignments to become more efficient, by providing more free moments in the schedule of students and by checking the workload of courses.

IOB engages to better inform students and communicate extensively on mental health counselling possibilities and to provide more systematic support on publishing student work. More opportunities for students from southern partners for exposure at IOB (field research, internship, etc.) are being explored.

The website ‘opleiding in cijfers’ gives you more detailed information about all programmes in Flemish university colleges and universities.