An efficient Programme Committee runs the study programme, with every member actively involved in decision-making and students contributing to quality assurance processes. The ultimate goal is to foster a quality culture in the study programme. The study programme actively communicates on all aspects of its education strategy and quality assurance.

Ghent University’s Education and Examination Code defines the Programme Committee's role, competences, and membership. Lecturers and students constitute the core members of the Programme Committee. Membership may be extended to include alumni and/or representatives from the professional field.  

The Programme Committee is a permanent advisory body that plays an indispensable role in general education policy and in the organisation of education. Following a programme-specific vision, it determines programme-specific learning outcomes and implements the curriculum for one (or more) study programmes. In doing so, it adheres to Ghent University’s six strategic education objectives.  

An efficient Programme Committee monitors the quality of education, identifies concerns, and makes adjustments where necessary. The Programme Committee implements the eight quality features of the Flemish Quality Code, which every Ghent University study programme must follow.

A Programme Committee’s efficiency also depends on the involvement of its members: their active contribution is needed for reflection on the education and improvement policy of the study programme.  

The Programme Committee informs students and teaching staff, including non-members, of its education and education improvement policy. Common practices include organising an annual programme-specific education day, or holding more frequent meetings, e.g., with the professorial staff.

Regardless of programme-specific modalities, a Programme Committee always operates in a way that suits its context and complies with the provisions of the Education and Examination Code and the quality features in the Flemish Quality Code. 

Why?

Study programmes are the primary ‘owners’ of their education (improvement) policy and quality assurance. They implement their curricula and shape academic teaching daily. They are, so to speak,  the first in line to implement an active education (improvement) policy in compliance with existing legal and university frameworks. An efficient Programme Committee, in other words, is indispensable.