Through all the procedures and policies outlined above, MACTT commits itself to provide a learning experience of the highest standard. As explained throughout this handbook, educational methodologies and knowledge are constantly being updated and it is critical for MACTT to keep up with the changes and continuously improve its services for the best interest of its clients. Based on the NCFHE’s overall Quality Cycle, MACTT’s Quality Assurance Policy follows the same basic steps:
1. Planning
2. Implementation
3. Evaluation
4. Review
The Academy, in consultation with the trainers, plan the best possible programme for the students. They deliver the programme as planned. Following the delivery, the Academy, the trainers and the students have the opportunity to evaluate the programme and improve the product for next iteration. In addition to a programme-by-programme review, MACTT also reviews its full course offered annually to ensure that the syllabi are up-to-date and the training methods conform to the current evidence-based best practices (see 6 above).
Every aspect of the training is carefully monitored for quality at MACTT from identification of the students’ needs all the way the assessment and accreditation of the trainees. MACTT strives to offer more than an accreditation, it wants to impart the knowledge available to the students in the most effective way possible, so that they can make an immediate impact with the skills gained. Therefore, the constant assessment of the programmes is critical to validate the training with evidence of success.
MACTT endeavours to update the Internal Quality Assurance document in the case of new online or blended learning courses to include the published Quality Assurance policies related to such learning. Moreover, it is pertinent to note that, should the Institution grow, opt to submit more courses to the NCFHE for accreditation in the future, the provider shall amend the IQA document to reflect the changes in relation to this Standard.
Entities shall implement the Quality Cycle by monitoring and periodically reviewing their programmes in terms of their IQA policy and standards. The objectives of this exercise shall be:
- to ensure that they achieve the objectives set for them;
- to review the content of the programme in the light of latest research/practice in the sector to ensure that the programme is up to date; and to respond to the changing needs of students and
Such reviews shall include input from students and, where applicable, input from EQA reports. They shall also include other stakeholders that are benefiting from the outcomes of the programme; in the case of employment-oriented programmes this includes stakeholders from industry. These reviews shall lead to continuous improvement of the programmes. Any action planned or taken as a result shall be communicated to all those concerned during meetings and by email and/or web portal.
MACTT trainers and staff report to the Quality Assurance expert who, as indicated in the organisation chart at page 6, is a third party. The Quality Assurance expert, in cooperation with the Head of Institute and the Director of Studies, is responsible for the annual review of the programmes and the review of each individual programme as explained throughout this handbook. In fact, the below shall be interpreted in line with all the policies and procedures outlined above.
As far as the collection of feedback is concerned, MACTT is very committed in ensuring that all stakeholders could influence teaching, learning and feedback practices. In compliance with the policies and procedures already outlined in the document, the following tools have been identified as most successful to collect information:
- MACTT has a course completion evaluation form that is sent by e-mail and/or web portal at the end of the course and students are requested to The form is meant to evaluate the performance of the trainer, the relevance of the topic, and the quality of the training information and venue, the quality of the support received. Additionally, the form offers an opportunity for students to highlight the most valuable aspects of the training and offer suggestions for future courses. The identification of valuable aspects and suggestions play an important role in the review of the course as these provide a clear indication of what is relevant to the students.
- When courses are provided to companies, also private stakeholders, such as employers, are requested to fill in a feedback forms at the end of the course aiming to evaluate the overall quality of the training programme provided in-house as well as the quality of support After two months from the end of the training programme, stakeholders will be invited to fill in a performance feedback form to highlight any improvement in their employees’ job performance related to the learning outcomes of the course and provide suggestions also.
- As far as public stakeholders are concerned, it is mentioned in Section 3 External Stakeholders for Quality Assurance and throughout this document, MACTT will liaise with them, only if and when there is the need, in order to receive specific feedback for the quality improvement of training programmes.
- MACTT staff is also invited once per year by the Head of Institution to provide feedback, through a questionnaire, on the organisation and delivery of educational
The collected feedback is then recorded in electronic format, for each training programme delivered, by the Director of Studies, with the support of the Coordinator of Studies when required. The analysis of the data is conducted with the support of useful IT analytical tools. At a later stage, the data are presented and assessed during restricted meetings of the ad-hoc Commissions (one for each training programme) with some members of the Academy staff, identified experts and the programme responsible trainer/s. These meetings are organised on an annual basis, also ensuring that delivered programmes and institutional policies undergo a cyclical process of planning, implementation, evaluation and review. They can be done also via web. Recommendations and changes resulting from these meetings influence MACTT action plan, issued yearly to improve teaching, learning and feedback practices for future intakes. The final version of the document is finally shared via e-mail and/or web platform with trainers and staff members for their perusal.
The trainers are at the heart of MACTT’s quality assurance and as active professionals understand that learning does not end when the course is completed. MACTT focuses on the important aspect of research in each of its courses, thereby providing the students the tools to continue developing their skills once they have completed the course. Furthermore, the trainers themselves are expected to stay up-to-date in their areas of expertise and are expected to continue their professional development through participation in conferences and seminars. This includes assessors, as they are required to be familiar with existing testing and examination methods and are encouraged and given the opportunity to develop their skills in this related area as well. The Quality Assurance panel is responsible for guiding the trainers in the conferences and seminars relevant to the trainers.
MACTT encourages its trainers to pursue scholarly activity to strengthen the link between education and research, where applicable and offers guidance in the identification of further training opportunities and the funding mechanisms to do so such as the Erasmus+ programme and different Jobs Plus schemes.
MACTT works in strong synergies with local public and private stakeholders active in the field of education as well as in various business sectors. More specifically, with respect to public stakeholders, MACTT liaises through regular meetings with NCFHE for accreditation purposes of programmes and it is willing to collaborate with Jobsplus for funding programmes of MQF level 5 and Malta Enterprise for the approval of courses from MQF level 5 to 7 under the Get Qualified 2014-2020 initiative. Furthermore, to ensure that training programmes are in line with industrial needs and skills gaps, the Academy holds regular meetings with personnel from the Chamber of Commerce and the Malta Business Bureau. Consultations are also held with External Experts on Legal Studies as well as on technology related topics, such as Blockchain and Crypto Currency in order to ensure an updated, innovative and relevant educational offer.
With regard to the private stakeholders, MACTT is intentionally backed up by the Corporate services provider Malta Business Agency which conducts, among other things, industry surveys in relation to skills gaps, training needs analyses, while offering business advisory and legal services where it has garnered significant experience. We believe that this process for developing training tailored to industry requirements, which links the needs of industry groupings to the training that we design and eventually deliver offers our clients the possibility to get access to the specific set of skills that is being demanded by his/her industry, and the ability, after undergoing basic to advanced training, to choose the specific module(s) that appeal(s) best to the needs of the individual trainee in line with the performance improvement(s) being targeted. Therefore, we have at our fingertips key experts in various sectors of industry that actively contribute as important external stakeholders to the quality assurance system, with whom we hold meetings before we identify a new programme as well as after the iteration of a programme, to discuss the feedback received from students, both verbally as well as through evaluation forms.
Consequently, the students remain instrumental to our quality assurance system. To ensure this we invite students to provide us with feedback throughout the course they enrolled in, as well as evaluate the training programme at the reaction stage using the Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model, which is a Four-Level Training Evaluation Model to analyse Training Effectiveness, that enables MACTT to objectively analyse effectiveness and impact of the training being delivered for the training to improve in future programmes.
Moreover, institutional partners are also involved in the IQA system to ensure that the trainings provided by MACTT comply with national and European requirements and priorities.
