Quality leadership at Metropolia is supported by a clear division of responsibilities, harmonised structures and systematic procedures, as well as shared ways of working that guide everyday activities. This systemic whole functions as Metropolia’s quality system, see the figure below. Its purpose is to support the achievement of strategic and operational objectives and to help members of the Metropolia community produce quality that is valued by different stakeholder groups.
The quality system harmonises Metropolia’s operations and ensures that they are goal oriented, effective and well managed. Management responsibilities, together with practices for setting objectives and monitoring and evaluating results, form the foundation of the quality system.
The knowledge base of quality management, including foresight information, monitoring data and feedback, as well as procedures for using this information in planning, evaluation and development, enable knowledge-based management, risk management and continuous improvement of operations. In this way the quality system supports Metropolia’s continuous renewal.
A characteristic feature of Metropolia’s quality culture is the aim to promote broad participation. This is reflected in opportunities for multi-level, inclusive and community-based dialogue and influence that invite all members of the higher education community to participate.
Metropolia’s quality system
The procedures of Metropolia’s quality system are structured in accordance with the principle of continuous improvement into four areas.
For Metropolia, quality means responding to the needs and expectations of our stakeholders in an appropriate, effective and impactful way, in line with our strategy. At Metropolia we believe that the realisation of quality requires strong interaction with our stakeholders. These relationships are characterised by mutual activity, open dialogue and commitment to jointly defined objectives.
Our stakeholders include students in degree oriented studies as well as other forms of study, customers and partners in research, development and innovation activities and business operations, our own personnel, and society with its institutions and working life actors with whom and within which we operate.
You will gain sustainable future working life skills and expertise that working life needs. You can study flexibly according to your own situation. You will gain connections to working life and guidance that responds to your needs.
You will receive solutions tailored to your needs that help you renew your operations and strengthen your competence. This will improve your competitiveness and your ability to succeed.
The basic conditions for working are in place at Metropolia. You will be part of a work community where you feel well and can develop your competence.
Metropolia creates solutions that support and strengthen society’s ability to respond to future challenges. Metropolia operates in an impactful, effective and transparent manner.
The quality objectives of Metropolia’s operations are based on the quality promises made to stakeholders. We continuously develop and improve our activities in order to renew ourselves and to deliver the quality we promise to our stakeholders. We monitor and evaluate our operations through diverse feedback channels, indicators and evaluation procedures, and we use the information obtained as a basis for decision making and development.
At Metropolia, responsibility for quality belongs to everyone. Each person is responsible for the quality of their own work and for its continuous development.
In line with this principle, quality management responsibilities are linked to management responsibilities.
Metropolia’s quality management is supported by a quality group that includes representatives from Metropolia’s key functions and from the student union. Quality management in the core functions is supported by internal service units within the functions.
Together these form a structure separate from line management responsibilities, see the figure below, which evaluates the effectiveness of quality management and defines and implements development measures related to the quality system.
Organisation of quality management at Metropolia
The diagram illustrates the organisation of quality management at Metropolia by distinguishing between responsibilities for quality leadership and the structures for developing quality management. Quality is led through the President and CEO and the management group. From them, direct lines of responsibility extend to the three core functions and to shared services.
The core functions are Education, within which the different Schools operate, business operations, and research, development and innovation activities, within which the different Innovation hubs operate. The fourth function is Shared services.
The structures for developing quality management consist of the quality group and the development units. The quality group is connected to the President and CEO and the management group, as well as to all four functions.
Within Education, there is a development unit called Learning Development. Within research, development and innovation activities, there is a corresponding unit called RDI and Project Services. These units support quality management in the core functions and in business operations.
The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre has conducted an audit of Metropolia and has awarded it a quality label that is valid for six years from 31 March 2023.
The European Commission awarded the ECTS Label to Metropolia University of Applied Sciences for 2013-2016. The label certifies that the higher education institution applies the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and its quality criteria correctly in all respects.
