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The Quality Areas

The Academy’s quality assurance system is structured around six quality areas.

Six Quality Areas

  • Admissions Quality
  • Quality of Teaching and Learning
  • Programme Design and Societal Relevance
  • Educational Leadership and Academic Environment
  • Learning Environment
  • Learning Outcomes and Results

Admissions Quality

The Barratt Due Academy seeks to maintain a sufficient number of applicants of a high artistic and academic standard in order to fulfil its mission of educating competitive musicians and music educators. The applicants’ level upon entry is essential for achieving the intended learning outcomes and profile of the programmes, whether in performance studies, with their emphasis on ensemble and collaborative music-making, or in pedagogical studies involving teaching practice and group work.

Admissions quality is assessed through applicant numbers and academic standards, as well as through the quality of recruitment activities, admissions procedures and students’ experience of the start of their studies.

Key indicators for assessing admissions quality

  • Analysis of applicant numbers and applicants’ academic and artistic standards
  • Review of key admissions-related documents
  • Evaluation of marketing and recruitment initiatives
  • Post-audition evaluation by admissions panels
  • Feedback from applicants
  • Orientation and induction for new students

Quality of Teaching and Learning

At The Barratt Due Academy, quality of teaching and learning is rooted in highly qualified faculty, close links with the profession, and the ability to provide individual support with students at the centre. A key principle is learning by doing: students are given direct exposure to the profession through performance activities alongside professional musicians.

Teaching quality is strengthened through a variety of learning formats, including one-to-one tuition, chamber music and orchestral collaboration across instrumental groups. Quality is monitored and developed through faculty and student evaluations, students’ own engagement, and their perceived learning outcomes. In addition, the learning environment and infrastructure are important components of the Academy’s systematic quality assurance work.

Teaching quality is evaluated through

  • Annual course evaluations
  • The National Student Survey (Studiebarometeret, NOKUT)

Programme Design and Societal Relevance

Programme design and societal relevance concern the coherence between individual courses and the overall intended learning outcomes of a study programme, as well as the programme’s relevance to society and professional life. Quality in this area is ensured through periodic reviews, which are conducted every four years in two-year cycles.

This area also includes ensuring that programmes comply with current legislation and regulations through systematic monitoring and review.

Educational Leadership and Academic Environment

Educational leadership concerns the management of study programmes and the programme portfolio in ways that promote strong programme design, effective quality assurance and evidence-based development. Leadership takes place both at programme level, through clear academic leadership, and at institutional level through the Academy’s leadership and central committees.

The composition of the academic environment must reflect the profile of the study programmes. The collective expertise of the academic community should support disciplinary development and enable students to achieve the knowledge, skills and general competence described in the intended learning outcomes.

Basis for evaluation

Evaluation is carried out through an annual systematic review of the academic environment, focusing on ensuring that its composition and competence remain in compliance with the requirements set out in the Norwegian Universities and University Colleges Act and associated regulations (Universitet og høyskoleloven), including:

  • 1 §1-12 Generelle krav til fagmiljø (General requirements relating to academic environments)
  • §1-13 Særskilte krav til studietilbud på lavere grad (Specific requirements for first-cycle programmes)

Learning Environment

The learning environment encompasses the physical, psychosocial, organisational, digital and pedagogical dimensions of student life.

Work relating to the learning environment is supported through:

  1. The National Student Survey (Studiebarometeret) – annually
  2. Learning Environment Survey – every three years
  3. Student Health and Well-being Survey (SHoT) – every four years
  4. Regular meetings between student representatives, the administration and the Academy’s leadership

Learning Outcomes and Results

This area concerns the relationship between programme objectives and achieved examination results, both at course level and across each study programme.

Study completion and outcomes

  • Number of graduates completing their programmes within the standard period of study
  • Credits achieved per year in relation to student numbers
  • Number of students who withdraw from their studies and the reasons for doing so
  • Results from the fourth-year principal study examinations in instrumental and vocal performance at bachelor level
  • Courses with a failure rate exceeding 20 per cent are subject to follow-up measures