KI´s Biomedical Laboratory Science programme receives poor rating
[NEWS 2012-06-14] On Wednesday 13 June, the National Agency for Higher Education published its latest round of audits of the countr´s universities. KI´s study programme in biomedical laboratory science was judged to be "lacking in quality".
The audit report published on 13 June includes the study programme in biomedical laboratory science at Karolinska Institutet, which leads to both a professional or academic degree in the subject.
"We are looking very seriously at the critical appraisal made of this study programme," says Professor Jan-Olov Höög, dean of research at Karolinska Institutet.
"It´s good that the National Agency for Higher Education carries out these audits," continues Professor Höög. "Our aim, naturally, is to offer the top education programmes in the country, so we´ll be analysing the audit report carefully and rectifying the things that have downgraded us."
The biomedical laboratory science programme has two specialisations, one in clinical physiology and one in laboratory medicine. Only the latter was examined in this round of audits.
The grade awarded by the agency is based mainly on the students´ degree papers and the extent to which they attain the objectives of the programme. Also considered are the universities´ self-assessments, group interviews with students about their experiences, and alumni surveys.
This means that the Karolinska Institutet programme underwent a double evaluation, although with the same degree papers being examined both times.
"The objectives are similar, if a little more specific for the professional degree," says Maria Watter, director of the biomedical laboratory science study programme. "The objectives of the professional degree place a greater focus, as would be expected, on the patient and clinical practice."
Universities that receive a critical appraisal in the agency´s report are required to address the problems over the coming year. They are then to give an account of the remedial measures to be taken, after which the agency will decide whether or not to rescind the universitys degree-awarding powers.
The first round of audits by the National Agency for Higher Education included psychology study programmes, where KI´s Bachelor´s psychology programme was judged to be of "very high quality". Next up are the speech and language pathology, optometry and physiotherapy study programmes.