The University of Trento promotes the constant enhancement of the quality of its Departments and Centres, study programmes, research, and third mission, using the tools indicated by the AVA framework (internal QA, external QA and accreditation of the Italian university system) and as part of the Quality assurance policy of the University.

In order to give a contribution to the Department’s Quality you can send an email to df.supportstaff [at] unitn.it.

Quality Assurance of Teaching and Learning

The Department of Physics implements its own quality assurance policy in line with the Quality Assurance Framework of the University and ANVUR’s guidelines.

Departmental Organisation of Quality Assurance

The actors in the Quality Assurance Framework in the Department are listed in the Organisation of Quality Assurance section

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 and the student’s representatives

Documents

The following documents are drafted periodically:

  • Annual Monitoring Report
  • Annual Programme Report (SUA)
  • Periodic Programme Review (every 3 years for undergraduate programmes, every 2 years for Master's programmes and whenever it occurs)

Student Feedback on Teaching and Learning

In order to improve the teaching planning of the Department, the students of the Department can help identify and address any quality issues concerning academic or support services provided by the Department/Centre/School, and report any inappropriate behaviour, through:

  • the student representatives in the Department Council (rapp.stud.fisica [at] unitn.it)
  • the coordinator of the didactic activities, prof. Gianluca Lattanzi
  • or by email to segnalazioni.studenti.fisica [at] unitn.it. All reports will be forwarded to the relevant person and treated in a confidential manner. The students who have given their feedback will be contacted by prof.ssa Marina Scarpa, who is responsible for addressing these issues.

Other university bodies that students can contact are:

  • The Student Ombudsperson, who is available to all students and can help with relations with teaching and technical-administrative staff
  • The Committee for Equal Opportunities, Well-Being at Work and Against Discrimination, which works to promote and protect equal opportunities and well-being in the working environment among the University’s staff
  • The Confidential Counsellor, who is in charge of preventing, managing and helping to resolve any cases of bullying and sexual harassment occurring in the workplace or study environment brought to his/her attention.

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

Research and Third Mission Quality Assurance

Assessment methods and criteria

The Department uses different instruments to monitor and promote the quality of research outputs produced by its researchers and research groups:

  • defines the objectives of research based on the suggestions of the Department’s Council
  • evaluates the results obtained in the different research areas based on the following indicators:
  • number and importance of research projects that have been presented and funded
  • publication of articles in national and international journals and/or the national and international rankings of scientific publications provided by relevant scientific communities
  • number and importance of seminars and conferences organized;
  • participation in national and international conferences and other research dissemination events
  • participation in conferences, workshops, seminars, schools
  • participation in programme and editorial committees in relevant scientific communities
  • international faculty exchange programmes for visiting professors
  • ability to attract external funds for research
  • collaboration with industrial and social partners.

Organisation of Quality Assurance

Actors in the Quality Assurance Framework

Director

The Director coordinates the Department's teaching and scientific policies and ensures their implementation, represents the Department, presides over the Council and the Executive Committee and enacts their decisions.

https://www.physics.unitn.it/en/22/the-director

Delegate for Quality

The Delegate for Quality promotes the constant monitoring and enhancement of the Quality of Teaching and Learning, Research and Third Mission at the Department, while ensuring constant coordination between University and Department on QA processes and initiatives.

The Delegate for Quality at the Department is Prof. Paolo Zuccon

Department Council

The Council is the collective body of the Department and is the body with overall responsibility for quality assurance.

https://www.physics.unitn.it/en/24/the-departments-board

Actors in the Quality of Teaching and Learning

Commissione for teaching activities

The teaching activities committee prepares and review all the documents concerning the teaching in the Corso di Studio, and it present them to the Department's Council for discussion an and approval.

Joint Student-Teacher Committee

Each Department has its own Joint Student-Teacher Committee (CPDS, Commissione Paritetica docenti-studenti) and ensures the widest possible representation of students from the Degree Programmes it offers. The Committee:

  • monitors the quality of study programmes and of teaching and learning
  • identifies indicators for the evaluation of programme performance
  • expresses its opinion on the activation of new and/or discontinuation of existing study programmes
  • reports the opinions and views of students to their representatives for each study programme.

https://www.physics.unitn.it/en/30/the-departments-commissions

Programme Coordinators:

  • are responsible for planning and revising the programmes of study
  • are responsible for drafting the Annual Programme Report (SUA-CdS), the Annual Programme Reviews and the Periodic Programme Review
  • carry out effective monitoring regarding programme performance, ensuring that
  • actions proposed during previous reviews are implemented
  • learning objectives are periodically reviewed
  • programme learning objectives are monitored.
  • act in a timely manner to address any issues.

The Programme Coordinators can be found on the contact page of each study programme:

Programme Review Panel/ Self-Assessment Panels

These panels hold the primary role in the monitoring and conducting the internal review, as they implement the review process. They:

  • draft the Annual Monitoring Report
  • draft the Periodic Programme Review
  • in case of critical issues, propose actions to address them.

https://www.physics.unitn.it/en/30/the-departments-commissions

Student representatives

The main role of student representatives is to report on any problematic issues and suggestions from students relating to improving the teaching and learning experience.

They also ensure full transparency and disclosure of information.

They participate in all review panels and in the Joint Student-Teacher Committee.

Actors in Research and Third mission Quality Assurance