Logo of the University of Passau
Information for... Faculties & facilities
Support Login

Programme-related complaints

Would you like to complain about the quality of your degree programme? In your opinion, your degree programme does not meet all the quality standards of the Bavarian Study Accreditation Ordinance (BayStudAkkV)?

All members of the University of Passau can lodge a complaint in writing at any time about the non-fulfilment of quality criteria in a degree programme.

Complaints not related to degree programmes that focus on deficiencies in the systems, processes, etc. of the University of Passau should be addressed to the relevant representatives and interest groups or ombudspersons and persons of trust.

Process for programme-related complaints

Complaints process

  • The Coordination System Accreditation (KSA) checks the complaint for formal requirements (degree programme and at least one quality criterion of the BayStudAkkV are named, non-compliance is justified).
  • Admissible complaints are forwarded by the KSA to the Vice President for Studies, Teaching, Ethics and Quality Assurance, the Student Parliament, the responsible Dean of Studies and the responsible Dean.
  • Inadmissible complaints are rejected with reasons and the applicant is informed.
  • StuPA, Dean of Studies and Dean are given the opportunity to comment on admissible complaints.
  • The accreditation committee decides on the complaint at the next regular meeting (two meetings per year, usually in March and September).

Possible decisions of the accreditation committee

  • Introduction of quality assurance measures
  • Initiation of a new accreditation procedure
  • Revocation of existing accreditation
  • Rejection of the complaint
To the complaint form
To the complaint form

Handout Quality Criteria of the BayStudAkkV

The degree programme-related complaints procedure allows members of the University of Passau to lodge substantiated complaints in the event of a suspected violation of a criterion specified in the BayStudAkkV. This handout serves as a condensed overview and as an orientation aid for the legal text via key questions. Abbreviations and condensations are due to the desire for better comprehensibility - only the contents of the BayStudAkkV are valid. The handout is also available as a PDF document.

This quality criterion refers to the (tiered) structure of degree programmes with Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Specifically, this includes determining the standard period of study and the conditions under which a degree programme is considered undergraduate or consecutive.

  • Does the structure of the module areas result in a coherent overall structure?

This quality criterion regulates the basic orientation of degree programmes (e.g. with regard to application orientation, research orientation, teaching orientation) as well as the necessity of writing a thesis.

  • Does the degree programme in its entirety correspond to the specified profile (Bachelor's/Master's)?

This quality criterion includes formal and possibly special admission requirements that must be proven by prospective students when starting a degree programme.

  • Are the admission requirements for the degree programme described coherently and do they allow for transitions to the degree programme and to subsequent degree programmes or professional fields?

This quality criterion includes specifications and guidelines on the conditions under which certain degree titles (e.g. Bachelor of Arts) can be awarded and how (scope, content) the associated degree documents must be structured.

  • Is the academic degree to be obtained appropriate to the course content of the degree programme?

This quality criterion refers to the individual study units (modules) into which the degree programme is divided thematically and in terms of time. This lists, for example, the specifications that a module description should contain and the conditions under which the module can be used in different degree programmes.

  • Is the scoring of all modules consistent?
  • Are the relevant contents of the module descriptions (e.g. qualification objectives, ECTS credits) up-to-date and accessible?

This quality criterion refers to the distribution of credit points to the individual study units of the degree programme as well as the total number of ECTS credits to be acquired. There are also regulations on the appropriate scope and processing time for Bachelor's and Master's theses.

  • Is the workload appropriate given the number of credit points awarded?
  • Has the final thesis been graded according to the specifications?

This quality criterion is intended to ensure recognition and crediting procedures.

  • Are recognition and crediting processes clearly regulated and described?

This quality criterion does not currently apply to any degree programme at the University of Passau.

This quality criterion does not currently apply to any degree programme at the University of Passau.

This quality criterion includes the requirements placed on the formulation of qualification objectives (e.g. clarity, comprehensibility, description of the competences and skills to be acquired, etc.) as well as the requirements placed on the students themselves, which are linked to the competences to be acquired. On the other hand, this quality criterion ensures the level of competence and requirements associated with a particular degree.

  • Are the intended qualification objectives of the degree programme coherently presented and achievable?
  • Is the orientation of the degree programme fundamentally aimed at acquiring the competence requirements described?

Within this quality criterion, the implementation of the coherent study programme concept is regulated by the design of the curriculum.

  • Does the curriculum design enable the desired qualification objectives to be achieved?
  • Are the degree programme title, degree level, qualification objectives and module design sensibly coordinated?
  • Are students actively involved in the design of teaching and learning processes and is there scope for self-directed study?

The following quality criterion refers to the possibility for students to spend time at other universities without time delays.

  • Does the degree programme sufficiently ensure that stays at other universities are possible without loss of time, i.e. without exceeding the standard period of study?

This quality criterion is fundamentally concerned with ensuring the level of qualification of the teaching staff involved in the degree programme, which is intended, among other things, to guarantee a sufficient link between theory and practice. To this end, the University is obliged to take appropriate measures to select and qualify staff.

  • Does teaching by professors make up the majority of the programme, and are research and practical perspectives integrated into teaching?
  • Do the teachers consistently pursue their (further) qualification?

This quality criterion refers to the provision of resources (teaching staff, learning workstations, IT equipment, teaching and learning materials, etc.) if resource-related factors have an influence on the study programme concept.

  • Are resources adequate and sustainable?

This quality criterion refers to the coherence between the programme concept and examination forms as well as the validity of the assessment of learning outcomes by means of the examination forms offered. The planned examinations and examination forms must enable students to demonstrate the extent to which they have achieved the intended learning outcomes.

  • Do the study programme concept and examination forms fit together?
  • Can learning outcomes be meaningfully assessed using the types of examination offered?

This quality criterion ensures that a degree programme can typically be completed within the standard period of study. This is due to the achievability of learning outcomes, the regular review of the workload as well as counselling services and complaints channels.

  • Can the degree programme be reliably planned and studied within the standard period of study?
  • Are the learning outcomes of a module actually achievable within one semester or one academic year?
  • Is the appropriateness of the workload reviewed regularly?
  • Do students have access to advisory services at all times?
  • Is there a significant overlap between courses and examinations?

This quality criterion ensures the fulfilment of any special profile requirements at degree programme level, such as internationality, interdisciplinarity, etc.

  • If the degree programme has a special profile claim, is this claim convincingly reflected in the programme concept?
  • Are the curriculum's content and methodological-didactic approaches regularly evaluated?
  • Are there contexts in which the curriculum's subject-specific content and methodological-didactic approaches can be further developed on the basis of the results?

This quality criterion ensures the topicality and appropriateness of the professional and academic requirements within the degree programme. This requires the teaching staff to continuously review and further develop the subject-specific content and the methodological and didactic approaches.

  • Are the professional and scientific requirements up-to-date and appropriate?
  • Are the content and methodology regularly reviewed and adapted to technical and didactic developments?
  • Are specialist discourses at national and international level taken into account?

This quality criterion does not currently apply to any degree programme at the University of Passau.

This quality criterion includes ensuring the success of the study through continuous monitoring as well as the derivation and review of measures to ensure the success of the study. Degree programmes must be consistently developed with the involvement of students and the results of monitoring must be communicated to students.

  • Is ensuring the success of the study continuously monitored?
  • Are effective measures implemented to ensure the success of the study programme?
  • Is the degree programme consistently developed with the involvement of the students?

This quality criterion includes the successful implementation of concepts for gender equality and for students in special circumstances at degree programme level.

  • Are the concepts of gender equality and equalisation of disadvantages being successfully implemented at degree programme level?

This quality criterion does not currently apply to any degree programme at the University of Passau.

This quality criterion does not currently apply to any degree programme at the University of Passau.

This quality criterion includes the quality assurance of the degree programme within the framework of university cooperation. It includes ensuring the implementation and quality of the study programme concept as well as the transparent presentation of responsibilities in the area of quality assurance.

  • Is the cooperation complete and clearly presented?
  • Are responsibilities organised transparently?

Downloads

Bavarian Study Accreditation Ordinance (BayStudAkkV)

State Treaty on the Accreditation of Studies

Accreditation guideline

Quality criteria handout

Office hours from June 2024

Consultation hours of the Coordination System Accreditation (KSA):

  • Mondays, 13:00 to 15:00, LU8 room 102
    or by appointment

Consultation hours of the student interface Quality Development:

  • Wednesdays, 13:00 to 15:00, LU8 room 103 (registration via Stud.IP)

Advice and contact

Dr. Philip Jacobi
Dr. Philip Jacobi
Raum LU8 105
Tel.: +49(0)851/509-2793
Philip.Jacobi@uni-passau.de
Luca Ienco
Luca Ienco
luca.ienco@uni-passau.de
Last updated: | Page ID: 150121
Share page
Print page
I agree that a connection to the Vimeo server will be established when the video is played and that personal data (e.g. your IP address) will be transmitted.
I agree that a connection to the YouTube server will be established when the video is played and that personal data (e.g. your IP address) will be transmitted.
Show video