Biomedical Engineering
June 2007
Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities (QANU) Catharijnesingel 56 PO Box 8035 3503 RA Utrecht The Netherlands Phone: +31 (0)30 230 3100 Fax: +31 (0)30 230 3129 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.qanu.nl © 2007 QANU
Text and numerical material from this publication may be reproduced in print, by photocopying or by any other means with the permission of QANU if the source is mentioned.
Table of contents
Foreword
5
Part I
General Part
7
1. Structure of the Report 9
2. General remarks 11
Part II
Programme Reports
15
1. The Master programme Biomedical Engineering offered by the
University of Groningen 17
2. The Bachelor and Master programme Biomedical Engineering offered
by the University of Twente 47
3. The Bachelor and Master programme Biomedical Engineering and the Master programme Medical Engineering offered by the
Technical University Eindhoven 87
Appendices
131
Appendix A: Curricula vitae of the Committee members 133
FOREWORD
This report is part of the quality assessment of university Bachelor and Master degree courses in the Netherlands. The purpose of this report is to present a reliable picture of the results of the degree courses submitted for this review, to give feedback to the internal quality assurance of the Institutes concerned, and to serve as the basis for accreditation of the degree courses by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO).
The Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities Foundation (QANU) aims to ensure
independent, unbiased, critically constructive assessments using standardised quality criteria as far as possible, while taking specific circumstances into account.
The QANU Review Committee Biomedical Engineering has fulfilled its tasks with great dedication in a period marked by the transition to the Bachelor-Master structure. The courses are evaluated in a thorough and careful manner within a clear framework. We trust the judgements and recommendations will be carefully considered by the course providers, the management of the faculties and the Boards of the Universities concerned.
We thank the Chairman and members of the Review Committee for their willingness to par-ticipate in this assessment and for the dedication with which they carried out this task. We also thank the staff of the university departments concerned for their efforts and for their co-operation during the assessment.
Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities
Mr. Chris J. Peels Dr. Jan G.F. Veldhuis
1.
Structure of the report
In this document, the Biomedical Engineering Evaluation Committee (in this report referred to as ‘the Committee’) reports its findings. The report consists of two parts: a general part and a part which contains the results of the evaluation and assessment of the degree course
concerned.
This report is based on an assessment of the period 2000-2006, in accordance with the assessment protocol of QANU, including a degree of extrapolation into the future by taking into account formally documented actions and adaptations. The report is structured in accordance with the accreditation criteria prescribed by the NVAO (Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders).
2.
General remarks
Task of the Committee
The task of the Committee was to evaluate and assess the following degree programmes: Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences & Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of Groningen • Master programme Biomedical Engineering (CROHO 60621)
Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Twente
• Bachelor programme Biomedical Engineering (CROHO 56226) • Master programme Biomedical Engineering (CROHO 66226) Faculty Biomedical Engineering of the Technical University Eindhoven
• Bachelor programme Biomedical Engineering (CROHO 56226) • Master programme Biomedical Engineering (CROHO 66226) • Master programme Medical Engineering (CROHO 60344)
This evaluation and assessment fully comply with the accreditation requirements of the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO).
The composition of the Committee
The Committee was constituted formally on November 1, 2006, prior to the start of the site visit and consisted of:
• Prof. dr. ir. A.F.W. (Ton) van der Steen, Professor and Head of Biomedical Engineering at Erasmus University Rotterdam, chairman;
and as members:
• W. (Wouter) Beerepoot, Master student Biomechatronics at the Technical University of Delft;
• Prof. dr. G.A. (George) Truskey, Professor and Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, USA;
• prof. dr. ir. P.A. (Peter) Wieringa, Professor Biomechanical Engineering and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical, Marine and Materials Engineering at the Delft Universiy of Technology;
• prof. dr. P.G. (Peter) Katona, former president CEO Whitaker Foundation and Professor Electrical and Computer Engineering at George Mason University, USA. A short curriculum vitae of each of the Committee members is included in Appendix A.
N. (Nik) Heerens, QANU office, was appointed secretary of the Evaluation Committee. After he took up a new appointment abroad, the reports were written by drs. A. (Annet) Silljé and finished by drs. R. (Remco) van der Dussen.
The composition of the Committee was formally approved by the QANU Board. All members of the Committee signed a declaration of independence as required by the QANU protocol to assure that:
• the panel members judge without bias, personal preference or personal interest, and • the judgement is made without undue influence from the institute, the programme or
other stakeholders.
Materials presented to the Committee
The faculties offering the degree courses prepared a self-evaluation report in accordance with the new NVAO accreditation criteria1 and the QANU Protocol2. Study guides of the
programmes were provided as part of the self-evaluation report. As part of the self-evaluation report the faculty also provided lists of the Master's theses of the programme concerned. The Committee selected theses for review and assessment.
Representatives of the degree programmes developed a domain-specific reference frame, given in Appendix B, and this was adopted by the committee. The reference frame was used as a guideline together with the elaborated exit qualifications for the Master's programme as defined in the self-evaluation report.
Working method adopted by the Committee
The Committee used the ‘QANU protocol for the assessment of the Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes’2. This QANU protocol is an elaboration of the assessment criteria of the
NVAO and meets all NVAO criteria.
The Committee held a preparatory meeting on November 1st, 2006. Based on study of the
self-evaluation report, the Committee compiled a list of questions about the programmes concerned, in addition to the test questions specified in the QANU protocol.
The first site visit took place on November 1-3 in Groningen. The second visit took place on November 5-7 in Enschede and the last visit took place on November 7-10 in Eindhoven. The visit started with a 3-hour preparatory meeting in which each of the Committee members reviewed a selection of the documentation related to the degree course. Interviews with representatives of all relevant parts of the MT organisation were held during the site visit. The programme of the site visit is included in the part of the degree courses. The Committee interviewed lecturers, students, members of Education Committee (Opleidingscommissie) and of the Examination Committee (Examencommissie), study coordinators, student coaches and members of the (support) staff. Finally, the Committee toured the facility. An informal get-together was organized to meet representatives of the university board and the faculty management. A part of the day was reserved by the Committee for review, to summarise the observations made and to prepare for the close-out meeting. Prior to the close-out meeting,
1 Accreditation protocol for academic educational programmes, NVAO, 14 February 2003
which was open to all staff and students of the faculty, a no-surprise meeting was held attended by the Dean, the manager of the faculty and the Director of Education.
After the site visit a report was drafted by the Committee. The version of the draft report sent for review to the universities was approved by the Committee after in-depth discussions. This version was submitted to the Faculty for the correction of misinterpretations and factual errors.
The facet scores in this report follow the scale prescribed by the NVAO and have the following meaning:
• Excellent means that the quality level for this facet is very good in all respects and holds its own against international benchmarking. It is an example of best practice.
• Good means that the quality level for this facet exceeds expectations and is the result of a well-considered policy;
• Satisfactory means that for this facet the level meets the basic standard of quality. • Unsatisfactory means that the level for this facet is below the basic standard of quality. The score ‘satisfactory’ means that all basic requirements for academic education are met and that nothing noteworthy has been observed, either in a positive or in a negative sense, relating to a particular facet.
The subject scores are expressed on a 2-tier scale per topic: ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’. All assessments are based on the status at the time of the evaluation.
1.
The Master programme Biomedical Engineering offered
by the University of Groningen
Administrative data Master programme:
Name: Biomedical Engineering
CROHO number: 60621
Level: Master
Orientation: Academic
Study load 120 EC
Grade: Master of Science
Variants: Full-time
Location: Groningen
Expiry date of accreditation: 31-12-2007
1.0. Structure and organization of the faculty
The Master's degree programme in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Groningen started as a cooperation between two faculties, Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMNS) and Medical Sciences (FMS). The idea was to create a BME programme related to market demands. During 1996 the Executive Board (EB) of RUG invited Professor A. Hoekstra (FMS) to present a proposal for a BME school. In 1997 Prof. H. Duifhuis – later the first Programme Director – became involved as coordinator. After consultation with several potential partners within and outside the university, in 1998 a special working group presented a plan that was accepted by the EB and the faculties involved (FMNS and FMS). The plan proposed a three-year specialization within the five-year Applied Physics
programme. The BME programme started in the academic year 2001-2002. In 2002 the University accorded with the European development towards a Bachelor/Master degree programme, and the curricula were adjusted accordingly.
In the original plans three main output streams were presented: biomaterials, medical instrumentation, and medical imaging. The selection was motivated by local expertise and interest. The student intake made clear that a reduction was necessary. Therefore, the streams with the most similar basic profiles were combined, i.e., medical instrumentation and medical imaging were combined to form medical instrumentation and imaging (MI&I).
The majority of students who chose to follow the BME Master had graduated as a Bachelor of Physics. The BME Master started as a specialization of Applied Physics. Nowadays, students with different Bachelor's degrees can start their BME Master.
BME is currently an interfaculty programme. BME is anchored in the Life Sciences (LS, a School within FMNS) and is a ‘guest’ at the FMS. There are many arguments in favour of this situation, conceptually, regarding contents, etc. Difficulties could arise, however, concerning personnel management (see Facet 12). Another potential problem is ensuring that the students have sufficient engineering content in their educational programme.
1.1. Introduction of Bachelor-Master structure and phasing out of the old one-tier programme: current situation.
Criterion:
The deconstruction of the old one tier programme doesn’t cause problems for the students. The one tier programme is not subject of assessment.
Plans are being developed for a Bachelor's programme. More staff and an increase in the number of students are needed, especially for the benefit of the University Hospital UMCG. It is important to have a study programme which is dedicated to BME from the beginning of university studies.
A separate BME Bachelor would have some overlap with other Bachelor's programmes, especially in the first year. An increase in diversity would take place after the first year. Shared courses with the Bachelor's programme in Life Sciences and Technology would supply students with enough time to choose the appropriate specialization.
Currently, also a Bachelor in the field of Life Sciences is under development. It is not yet clear how strong BME will be within the future programme, but it is expected that it will create greater opportunities for students to prepare for the BME Master, both in qualitative and quantitative (student numbers) terms.
A BME Bachelor will affect the BME Master and could change its contents, like possibly less emphasis on physics. The BME Master has obviously been set up based on existing strengths present in Applied Physics.
The Committee recommends that the BME Bachelor be independent and not based upon the present structure which has to deal with three faculties. Let the structure be clear.
The Committee wants to stress that with BME, RUG is ‘sitting on gold’. The setting is very beneficial for a BME programme, and the potential is considered to be high.
1.2. Assessment protocol
1.2.1. Aims and objectives of the degree course
F1: Domain-specific requirements
The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the requirements made to a degree course in the relevant domain (field of study/discipline and/or professional practice) by colleagues in the Netherlands and abroad and the professional practice.
RUG has clarified its mission with regard to the BME Master's programme as follows: “Our objective is to educate Masters of Biomedical Engineering who are able to resolve the increasing demands for more advanced equipment, for new ways of administering drugs, for products that increase the quality of medical care and decrease the cost. These engineers are specialized in solving technical problems that require knowledge of the functioning of the human body. They combine knowledge of analysis and synthesis methods from physics and chemistry, computational methods from mathematics, design and mechanics from mechanical engineering, measurement and control from electrical engineering and applied physics, with
adequate basic knowledge of biology and medicine, and knowledge of applicative regulations. They learn to cooperate with medical specialists, other engineers, biologists and biochemists.” Programme development is mainly done by the Programme Committee. Objectives have been compared by the Committee to Dutch and foreign standards3. Teaching staff was
recruited after the objectives were defined according to their current state of expertise. Teaching staff from many disciplines are available from various faculties. A wide variety of expertise can be called upon.
The domain-specific requirements are clear. They have been specified by the Universities of Groningen, Twente and Eindhoven (see Appendix B) and adequately elaborated into qualifications of the BME Programme at RUG.
Specific goals of the BME specialization in Biomaterials have been formulated by RUG as follows:
Specific goals
After following the Biomaterials specialization students must be able to:
• realize restoration of body functions by designing prototypes of new, technologically innovative implants that are based on fundamental scientific research
• conduct scientific research on the functioning of implants, from biological, chemical and mechanical points of view and based on a modelling approach
• improve existing implants in relation to interaction with the body, from biological, chemical and mechanical points of view
• work in interdisciplinary teams
• follow postgraduate training in Biomedical Engineering. Specific learning outcomes
Students must have knowledge of:
• facts and concepts of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics of the human body • facts and concepts of cell and molecular biology
• facts and concepts of pathology
• facts and concepts of physical chemistry • facts and concepts of fluid mechanics
• facts and concepts of implants and tissue engineering and its application • biological failure mechanisms of implants
• materials to be used for implants and tissue engineering. Students must have an understanding of:
• scientific methods
• numerical simulation methods for the functioning of implants • measuring methods for the physical functioning of implants • evaluation methods for the biological functioning of implants • methods for realizing restoration of function
• methods regarding tissue engineering (such as those related to stem cell and gene therapy) • ethical attitudes.
Students must be able to apply: • mathematical methods • statistical methods • design methods
• methods to determine biomechanical properties • cell biology evaluations.
Students must be able to integrate:
• acquired knowledge of facts and concepts and acquired methods for realizing the restoration of function.
Specific goals of the specialization in Medical Instrumentation and Imaging have been formulated as follows:
Specific goals
After following the Medical Instrumentation and Imaging specialization, students must be able to:
• conduct scientific research on the functioning of medical instruments, both from biological and physical points of view and based on a modelling approach
• conduct scientific research on medical imaging techniques, both from biological and physical points of view and based on a modelling approach
• improve diagnosis by designing prototypes of new, technologically innovative medical instruments and imaging techniques that are based on fundamental scientific research • work in interdisciplinary teams
• follow postgraduate training in biomedical engineering. Specific learning outcomes
Students must have knowledge of:
• facts and concepts of anatomy and physiology of the human body • facts and concepts of control engineering
• facts and concepts of mathematics • facts and concepts of physics. Students must have understanding of:
• scientific methods
• methods for determining the physical functioning of measuring and control equipment • methods for performing non-invasive anatomical and functional measurements
Students must be able to apply: • mathematical methods • statistical methods • signal analysis methods • modelling methods.
Students must be able to integrate:
• acquired knowledge of facts and concepts in biomedical engineering, knowledge of mathematical, physical and information sciences and acquired methods from medicine and other life sciences.
The programme is both science and engineering oriented. The focus in the Master lies on both the medical and industrial environment. Graduates are considered to be able to work in both industry and the medical environment after graduating. Most graduates, however, find employment in medical environments like hospitals. Graduates from the BME Master can be divided into 25% medical scientists and 75% engineers.
One area for improvement is the overall view: a clear overall view of the programme should be developed, presented and shared between all the people involved. This is especially
necessary as the personnel have a different background and come from different departments within the University.
The Committee finds that the correspondence between the final qualifications of the degree course and the domain-specific requirements fulfil the criteria for
accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F2: Level
The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to general, internationally accepted descriptions of the qualifications of a Bachelor or a Master.
The relation between learning outcomes of the BME Master’s degree programme and the Dublin descriptors is described in the self-evaluation report as follows:
Learning outcomes of the BME Master’s degree
programme Dublin descriptors
Students have acquired in-depth knowledge and understanding of biomedical engineering, in a coherent set of specializations that builds on the basic knowledge acquired in the Bachelor’s phase, and that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing or applying ideas in this specialization.
Students have demonstrated knowledge and understanding that is founded upon and extends and/or enhances that typically associated with Bachelor’s level, and that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research context. Students have learned to apply and integrate advanced
mathematics, science and engineering knowledge as well as specialized knowledge to model and solve complex biomedical problems in new and unfamiliar environments.
Students can apply their knowledge and understanding, and problem-solving abilities in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study. Students have learned to make judgements by
conducting scientific research in areas of biomedical engineering and technology that are relevant to the advancement of knowledge and insight into
fundamental and applied aspects of health and disease. Students have the ability to make measurements of and interpret complex data from living systems, addressing the complex problems associated with the interaction between living and non-living materials and systems and the ability to successfully recognize and address new problems in the field.
Students have the ability to translate a complex, unclearly defined clinical or health-relevant problem or question into an experiment, system, component, or process to meet desired needs and, governed by scientific research or modelling, to advise on issues such as clinical research in biomedical engineering, diagnosis and therapy.
Students have an awareness of the potential societal and ethical implications of scientific research in Biomedical Engineering and, in this context, an ability to critically evaluate the effects of the research carried out under their responsibility.
Students have the ability to integrate knowledge and handle complexity, and formulate judgements with incomplete or limited information, but that include reflecting on social and ethical
responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements.
Students have the capability to bridge the gap between complex fundamental and applied research in
biomedical engineering and medical (life) sciences, demonstrating the ability to communicate effectively in written and verbal form in Dutch and English,
conveying the knowledge and rationale (restricted scope) underpinning their conclusions, to specialist and non-specialist audiences alike and collaborating in a multidisciplinary setting, which may include clinicians, other healthcare workers and industrialists.
Students can communicate their conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously.
Students have the ability to study international scientific research.
Students recognize the need for and the ability to engage in ongoing learning beyond the MSc level in a manner that may be largely self-directed or
autonomous.
Students have the learning skills to allow them to continue to study in a manner that may be largely self-directed or autonomous.
The Committee notes that the relation between the learning outcomes of the BME Master's degree programme and the Dublin descriptors is clearly specified.
The Committee finds that the correspondence between the final objectives of the degree course and the Dublin descriptors for the Master's degree level fulfils the criteria for accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F3: Orientation
The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the following descriptions of a Bachelor and a Master at universities:
• The final qualifications are based on requirements made by the academic discipline, the international academic practice and, if applicable to the course, the relevant practice in the prospective professional field.
• A University (WO) bachelor possesses the qualifications that allow access to a minimum of one further University (WO) degree course at master’s level as well as the option to enter the labour market.
• A University (WO) master possesses the qualifications to conduct independent academic research or to solve multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary questions in a professional practice for which a University (WO) degree is required or useful.
Since the learning outcomes for students include the ability to conduct scientific research in areas of BME and technology, including:
• performing measurements and interpreting data, including addressing the complex problems associated with the interaction between living and non-living materials and systems,
• translating a complex clinical or health-relevant problem or question into an experiment, system, component, or process to meet the attained targets,
• the awareness of potential societal and ethical implications,
• critical evaluation of the effects of the research carried out under their responsibility, students are considered by the BME staff to be prepared for a third cycle of graduate study (PhD programme level) and for comparable research activities.
The Master’s degree programme also includes a research project of 40 EC, to be undertaken at one of the research departments involved in the BME Master’s degree programme at RUG. This will bring the student into daily contact with the practice of scientific research. The student has to work in a multidisciplinary team and will be trained to undertake scientific research. The research project is concluded by giving an oral presentation to an audience with ample expertise in the subject of study, followed by a discussion.
Students learn how to do research adequately in practical lab settings and multidisciplinary projects.
The committee finds that the end objectives of the Master degree course fulfil the criteria as required for accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory Assessment of Subject ‘Aims and objectives of the degree course’
1.2.2. Programme
F4: Requirements for university degree courses:
The programme meets the following criteria applicable to a degree programme at a University (WO):
• The students acquire knowledge on the interface between teaching and academic research within the relevant disciplines; • The programme follows the developments in the relevant academic discipline(s), as it is demonstrated that it
incorporates current academic theories;
• The programme ensures the development of skills in the field of academic research;
• For those courses for which this is applicable, the course programme has clear links with the current professional practice in the relevant professions.
All lecturers are active in one of the areas of BME research. Because they integrate the results of their own current research into the courses that they provide, their students are aware of recent developments in the relevant scientific fields.
When undertaking their internship and thesis project, students have a direct link with daily practice in relevant professions, both at university (Master’s thesis project) and in a hospital or industry (internship).
The Master’s degree programme aims at students acquiring fundamental scientific skills. In addition to the training given in the technical execution of BME research subjects, the programme also provides compulsory training in a number of relevant public-oriented subjects such as technology and ethics, and the multidisciplinary project. By integrating modules that focus on professional aspects of the three areas of BME (biomaterials, medical instrumentation and imaging), the programme prepares students for professions in these fields.
In general, the BME Master adequately links the teaching programmes to current
developments in the scientific field. Attention should be paid to the appropriate level of some subjects: it seems that there is not much interest in engineering in the Master's programme. In the current programme two courses are organized on biomaterials. However, more attention could be given to the subject of modelling and design in addition to eventual basic designing courses in some Bachelor's programmes at the FMNS and FMS.
A reason given during the site visit that there are no ‘hardware’ engineering courses in the BME Master's projects and also not in the staff's research topics is that ‘this is not a technical university’. It is recommended, however, to evaluate whether some action in this field
(science vs. engineering) is necessary. The focus should not just be on science, though focus on the basics of engineering could also partly be organized in the new Bachelor's programme. There are no courses on statistics in the Master's programme. There is a mandatory basic course in statistics in the Bachelor in Life Science and Technology. An advanced course is available as an elective. It is recommended to evaluate whether courses in statistics are needed for BME Master students.
Nowadays, the hospital (UMCG) is much more involved in the programme than before. The BME Master's programme in Groningen is highly geared towards creating a strong connection with the medical field. Most of the teachers come from this practical field. They are primarily technicians (clinical physicists). Most of them are doing research besides working with patients.
The BME Master's programme consists of two separate goals: 1. to prepare students for industry and 2. to prepare them for working in hospitals. Many students are more interested in working in a hospital environment (as different from the general university environment) than industry, and many students write their theses in a hospital setting as well. Employment opportunities in hospitals may be limited, however, and there is a need to establish a group of trained BMEs for a growing industry.
While working on their theses, students appear to have some interaction with the medical field. In general, more contact with scientific practice could be useful.
Some courses have guest lecturers from the industry. Students are in general enthusiastic about them. Through guest lecturers and internships students are able to make connections with the practical field.
The Faculty periodically organizes meet-and-greets with industry to foster networking between students and companies.
A Study Association (from Physics) regularly organizes excursions to companies.
Still the Committee finds that acquainting students with companies could be improved, in order to stimulate more internships in industry. Right now, as said before, most internships are done in hospital.
The industrial internship is very important and well arranged, but many students ultimately choose a hospital internship, rather than an industrial one. It is considered very positive that students can choose between two directions, but the BME staff should stimulate the choice for an industrial internship.
In general, the Committee is very positive about the professional practice within internships. The Committee finds that the programme fulfils the accreditation requirements for a university Master's degree course. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory
F5: Relationship between aims and objectives and contents of the programme
• The course contents adequately reflect the final qualifications, both with respect to the level and orientation, and with respect to domain-specific requirements.
• The final qualifications have been translated adequately into learning targets for the programme or its components. • The contents of the programme offer students the opportunity to obtain the final qualifications that have been
formulated.
The relation between learning outcomes and Master’s degree modules are formulated by the Faculty as follows (in bold: second-year modules, in italics: integrative course):
Learning outcomes of the BME Master’s degree
programme Biomaterials modules Medical Instrumentation and Imaging modules
Students have acquired in-depth knowledge and understanding of biomedical engineering, in a coherent set of specializations that builds on the basic knowledge acquired in the Bachelor’s phase, and that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing or applying ideas in this specialization.
Biomechanics 2 Biomaterials 2 Recent Developments in Biomaterials Interface Biology Colloid and Interface Science Scientific Visualization Signal Analysis Control Systems MR Physics Radiation Physics Imaging Techniques in Radiology
Students have learned to apply advanced mathematics, science and engineering knowledge as well as specialized knowledge to model and solve complex biomedical problems in new and unfamiliar environments.
Industrial
Internship Industrial Internship
Students have learned to make judgements by conducting scientific research in areas of biomedical engineering and technology that are relevant to the advancement of knowledge and insight into fundamental and applied aspects of health and disease.
Thesis Project Thesis Project
Students have the ability to make measurements of and interpret complex data from living systems, addressing the complex problems associated with the interaction between living and non-living materials and systems and the ability to successfully recognize and address new problems in the field.
Surface Characterization Integrated Lab Course Biomaterials Biomedical Instrumentation Neurophysiology
Students have the ability to translate a complex, unclearly defined clinical or health-relevant problem or question into an experiment, system, component, or process to meet desired needs and, governed by scientific research or modelling, to advise on issues such as clinical research in biomedical engineering, diagnosis and therapy.
Design of Implants Multidisciplinary Project Integrated Lab Course Biomaterials Thesis Project
Medical Physics for Radiation Oncology Physiological Instrument. Lab course contr systems Nuclear Medicine, SPECT, PET Multidisciplinary Project
Thesis Project
Students have an awareness of potential societal and ethical implications of scientific research in biomedical engineering and, in this context, an ability to critically evaluate the effects of the research carried out under their responsibility. Technology and Ethics Quality of Life Technology and Ethics
Students have the capability to bridge the gap between complex fundamental and applied research in biomedical engineering and medical (life) sciences by demonstrating the ability to communicate effectively in written and verbal form in Dutch and English, conveying the knowledge and rationale (restricted scope) underpinning their research to specialist and non-specialist audiences alike and collaborating in a multidisciplinary setting, which may include clinicians, other health care workers and industrialists. Multidisciplinary Project Industrial Internship Thesis Project Multidisciplinary Project Industrial Internship Thesis Project
Students have the ability to carry out scientific research in its broadest sense at an international level.
Students recognize the need for, and have the ability to engage in ongoing learning beyond the MSc level in a manner that is largely self-directed or autonomous.
Thesis Project Thesis Project
The Committee finds that the learning objectives and outcomes are adequately defined and related. All BME subjects - divided over the two streams Biomaterials (BM) and Medical instrumentation/imaging (MI) of the BME Master's programme - are adequately covered, and on the right level, though more attention must be paid to some details:
It is difficult for students to crossover between the two streams once one is chosen, as they are clearly different from each other; they mostly consist of different modules.
The programme is mainly based on the teachers' expertise, not so much on the programme's vision, even though a few people who mostly work in hospitals have been hired to assess the success of the vision (and mission) of the programme.
The ability to do an internship at a location other than Groningen or to choose among a range of faculties for a thesis topic is present and is strongly supported by the Committee. The students who were interviewed during the site visit are quite satisfied overall about the relevance of the courses. Some parts of the field of BME are not covered, however: transport processes, signal analysis, advanced mathematics, and advanced biology are missing. The students acknowledged that it would be difficult to put all these subjects into one year of courses.
Many students seem to be isolated as they are studying in a relatively solitary way. A general introduction to BME could be useful to prevent this from becoming a problem. Students usually get to know each other via multidisciplinary projects.
The alumni interviewed find that the BME Master consists of a good set of courses
(‘challenging’). An extra introductory course on BME in the beginning of the first year would, however, be useful.
The alumni are in general happy with the internships, which are considered very useful, as they make it possible to function in real working environments, and there are possibilities to go abroad. According to the alumni the aims and objectives extend a bit further than is recorded within the programme.
The multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary projects aim at integrating knowledge with different ‘disciplines’ (like medicine and biology). It is considered ideal for training people to work with and learn from other disciplines. Students from different backgrounds learn within these projects to work as a team. The projects are oriented to handling practical situations, and start with developing design processes. The main focus appears to be on the process, not much on the product itself.
It is considered a good idea to bring medical students and BME students together (e.g. in Master classes). The courses are considered to be useful for medical students, too. The Programme Committee is looking for possibilities to do this, but runs into practical restrictions like the organization of other programmes.
Furthermore, it could be interesting to involve other areas in the projects, like social sciences. In general, there appears to be not enough time for these courses among other disciplines to make the most of it.
The Committee finds that multidisciplinarity is quite limited within the programme. In the concept of BME, the multidisciplinary project is very important. Given the
opportunities BME Groningen has, it would be better to arrange this course in a different manner: it is recommended to stimulate the involvement of medical students more. BME would benefit from this in two ways: students do truly multidisciplinary work, and they create a platform among the medical students who will become acquainted with BME. This is useful since they are expected to work together in future professional practice.
Many persons interviewed during the site visit who were confronted with suggestions from the Committee seemed to respond based on limitations and boundary conditions, and not so much on an overall vision. It seems that practical issues are potentially hindering the further development of the educational programme.
The Committee concludes that the relationship between the programme objectives and its curriculum content fulfils the criteria for accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F6: Coherence of the programme
Students follow a programme of study that is coherent in its contents.
The Curriculum Committee has a role in ensuring the coherence within the two streams of the Master's programme. If there are problems with the coherence of subjects, informal discussions are used as an easy solution.
There is an almost complete separation of the two specializations (also called ‘streams’ or ‘tracks’) MI and BM (7 EC are shared). Though both can be seen as BME, a greater effort should be made to integrate these activities.
There is little space for free choice within MI. There are only a few electives, and the courses appear not to be available at the times that students want to take them. However, the staff is working on this difficulty. The problem with electives is that student numbers are low, and for teachers it is time consuming to give a course to a small group of students. Some electives could be taken in other departments/universities. This would also be useful for the further integration of programmes.
There are many mandatory courses, and this is considered essential by the students
interviewed in a multidisciplinary field. There is some overlap in courses (e.g. biomaterials). According to the students, teachers do not always know what the other teachers cover. There is apparently no real overview available. Improvement of an overall vision is recommended, as stated before.
Students find that there is not enough space in the programme for imaging. This situation could be improved.
It is recommended to look into possibilities to reduce the number of EC for some courses. Some courses seem to allow for less study load than currently calculated (see also Facet 7). Students are regularly asked for feedback on the coherence of their study. From this feedback it is known that there is some overlap between courses, but students do not always consider that as bad. The overlap can provide an opportunity for review or to view a topic from a different perspective.
In annual meetings attention is paid to the ideal order of courses.
The vision of the former Programme Director on placing internships at the end of the studies is: “Prove yourself first within university and use all your skills within the internship”.
Companies may benefit from this arrangement, as they are provided with students who are well equipped for their jobs. A disadvantage could be the late introduction of students to industry.
Prerequisites for certain courses are defined and adhered to.
The programme schedule is evaluated by the Committee as adequate. However, in general the Committee considers the curriculum rather rigid. It is recommended to allow for more elective courses (free choice) and more common courses between the two tracks of the programme. More optional modules are necessary to create a stronger crosslink between BM and MI, but even more important to facilitate a flexible intake. The Committee feels that there is room for a flexible intake. The workload at present appears to allow this.
The Committee finds that the coherence in the contents of the programme meets the criteria for accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F7: Study load
The programme can be successfully completed within the set time, as certain programme-related factors that may be an impediment to study progress are removed as much as possible.
The programmed study load is used by the lecturers to determine the number of lectures and the amount of practical work. For one hour of lectures, three student hours (the hours students spend on following the courses, preparing them and evaluating them) are added, implying a total of four hours for the student. One day of practical work is taken to be equivalent to 8 hours. One EC represents 28 hours.
General rules are used for measuring the study load. Credits per course is estimated as 5 EC. Student questionnaires agree on the correctness of this measurement.
At the start of the thesis project, a plan is prepared. This plan is checked regularly to prevent undesirable delay of the project.
During each module evaluation the students are interviewed about the module load, and asked whether the actual load was in accordance with the planned load. If the evaluation outcome is unfavourable, then the Study Programme Committee (SPC) can decide that the module must be changed. Until now, no serious complaints have been reported.
However, the students interviewed during the site visit said that they spend 15 to 25 hours a week on studying and course attendance. In the final year they spend about 40 hours/week.
Student members of the OC who were interviewed stated that they spend about 30
hours/week on courses. Some students have to take extra preliminary courses, which adds to their workload. Practical periods tend to be very busy, but this differs per track.
The interviewed alumni stated that the distribution of the workload is not well balanced. They expect that students study about 30-40 hours per week including lectures. They see internship as a real job, students are expected to work at least 40 hours/week. Students often see it as a career opportunity.
The vision on workload of the staff members interviewed is that it depends on the student. They tend to find the learning outcomes more important.
According to the teachers interviewed more work could be done at certain times as students appear not to make the most of their assignments.
Most teachers think the workload is appropriate for the average student. Most students are more ‘average’ than ‘good’ at the end of their study period. Teachers assert that lots of information is presented in a short time, and they feel that students cannot absorb much more.
The Committee concludes that there appears to be a lack of knowledge on how to measure the study load. There is a difference between the impression of teachers and of students on the workload (mismatch).
The Committee finds that the study load does not seem to be very well defined and is not equally divided over the two years. The credit range is not really evaluated, and there is need for improvement.
In the end the Committee concluded that this aspect is satisfactory, since no structural obstacles were observed. The study load can be increased, especially in the first year. Space for other and more courses in the first year is available and could be filled in with e.g. optional modules and an introductory course (see also Facets 5 and 6).
The Committee concludes that the programme can be completed within the given time because the actual study load is adequate, it is distributed well over the
programme, and there are no unnecessary obstacles that hinder study. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F8: Intake
The structure and contents of the programme are in line with the qualifications of the students that embark on the degree course:
• Bachelor’s degree at a University (WO): VWO (pre-university education), propaedeutic certificate from a University of Professional Education (HBO) or similar qualifications, as demonstrated in the admission process.
• Master’s degree at a University (WO): bachelor’s degree and possibly selection (on contents of the subject).
Requirements for joining the Master's degree curriculum are a completed Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering. Students with Bachelor's degrees in Physics, Physical Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering can be admitted if any deficiencies related to BME are dealt with in the first semester. Proficiency in English is another requirement. All other students who apply to be admitted are screened by the Board of Examiners. This includes students from other universities or from higher professional education (HBO).
The number of entrants was low at first, partly because students came via the Department of Physics, which has a low number of Bachelor graduates. Later it became possible for
Bachelors of Life Science & Technology to continue on to a BME Master. In the current Bachelor of Life Science & Technology, a large part is already dedicated to BME, but this possibility appears to be unknown to many newcomers when they first arrive. This situation should be changed. In general, there is clearly a need for a well structured and separate Bachelor's programme.
From the students it is known that they choose to study BME in Groningen because they expect this education to be more scientific than technical. The BME Master's programme at RUG is expected to be very competitive, due to the proximity of UMCG and the link with biology.
Right now the number of students is relatively small, though it is rising. There is need for growth, while the challenge is to maintain the high level.
The intake requirements are: students are allowed to start the BME Master's programme before graduating as a Bachelor by university regulation, but only if they lack fewer than 15 credits. This may only consist of theoretical work, all practical work must have been finished, including Bachelor's projects.
The Medical Faculty (FMS) has a long historical connection with some universities in
Indonesia. Recently an e-learning programme started which is now in its testing phase. If it is successful, it is intended to be offered to other interested universities worldwide. Intake measures for e-learning will have to be developed separately.
There are regulations to prevent a mismatch with Bachelor's education if students have not graduated from a specific BME Bachelor. Dutch non-physics students do a ‘bridging year’. Some interviewed students stated that they could have received more education in
engineering/physics, others more in life sciences. This depended on their background. One student stated that for MI it would be very helpful to have a background in physics. It is recommended to tailor to individual needs in this ‘bridging year’.
Students are aware of what the BME Master's programme is all about, but they usually need time to get a clear picture. It is advised to produce clarity about the general picture of the BME Master's programme, internally towards staff and students, but also towards the outside world including potential Master students.
The Bachelor's programme that is under development appears to stress physics, mathematics and engineering less. This is to promote the Bachelor to students with less knowledge or interest in these studies. For promotional reasons, quite some emphasis is given to the medical part. The Committee strongly feels that this may jeopardise the success of both the Bachelor and Master. It is recommended to give appropriate space to physics, mathematics and engineering and to increase the quality of the BME Master's programme in general as much as possible and make it attractive in that way.
In a future BME Bachelor's programme, signal processing and statistics must be included since they are essential competencies for students entering the BME Master's programme. The intake is found to be reasonably well organized in qualitative and quantitative terms.
However, the publicity can be improved. The Committee recommends developing a strong recruitment strategy.
The Committee concludes that the relationship between the entrance requirements and the structure and contents of the programme fulfils the requirements for
accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F9: Duration
The degree course complies with formal requirements regarding the size of the curriculum: • Bachelor of a University (WO): 180 credits as a rule.
• Master of a University (WO): a minimum of 60 credits, dependent on the relevant degree course. The Master's degree programme is a two-year programme and comprises 120 EC.
The first year is designed to provide training which develops specific capabilities and fosters the acquisition of knowledge necessary in the field of BME. The second year consists of the industrial internship and the thesis project.
Two years is considered to be appropriate, but there is space in the programme to fill it in better (see Facet 7).
The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F10: Coordination of structure and contents of the degree course
The didactic concepts are in line with the aims and objectives. The teaching methods correspond to the didactic concept.
There appears to be no clearly defined educational concept. However, a philosophy behind certain choices within the programme (e.g. interdisciplinarity, communication, balance in working methods) has been recognized by the Committee.
Students gain experience in communicating on their subjects in various ways during their study. About half of the courses include official presentations. Nevertheless, the students interviewed stated that not all courses are interactive enough.
The content/focus of the courses and the programme as a whole depends much on the individual staff members involved. When someone leaves, the programme tends to change. This means that a new teacher must start all over to develop and check the programme against the objectives.
The courses are in English, unless there are only Dutch-speaking students.
Some teachers are said to speak poor English. The slides are sometimes only in Dutch, even with foreign students present in class.
The Committee concludes that more attention should be paid to presentations and communication.
In the first year about 50% of the study load is spent on self-study. The other 50% is spent on attending lectures, lab practicals and projects. In the second year the self-study decreases to 25%.
The thesis consists of 40 EC. When arranging their thesis, students have to select a research group, and then the chairperson of the group is responsible for the selection of the topic and supervision. Sometimes students come with their own idea. Regarding choosing an
internship, it is possible to peruse a list of companies for internships, Dutch and international, on a website.
To make it easier for students to work on their theses, they are usually located within
departments. It could be useful to provide them with the opportunity to go outside their own department.
The planning of the Master's thesis is as follows. Requirements of the thesis are explained in an initial meeting in the first semester (and of courses as well). Students are pressed to start on time.
A large part of the thesis consists of literature review. This means studying independently though supervisors are there to help if necessary. Supervision differs per group. A student has weekly meetings with staff members. In general, the supervisors are easily approachable. The final version of the thesis is usually delivered after a few drafts. Some supervisors give feedback afterwards, but not all. Final presentations take place in meetings with all personnel invited. The involvement of the second supervisor is not always clear to students, there appears to be no direct contact. The interviewed alumni stated that the first supervisor gives a lot of feedback. The second supervisor also gives genuine feedback. Only a limited number of staff is allowed to act as first supervisor, according to experience.
Internships comprise 20 EC. Bachelor's programmes often contain a form of internship as well. Students appear in general to learn rather late where they can start.
Internships are usually found through thesis supervisors. One teacher supervises around 4 students/year.
More information on internships appears to be necessary for the students. Students are somewhat reluctant to go to a supervisor at an early stage. Attention could be given to providing sufficient information on the website. This is considered useful. However, detailed information about possible internships cannot be provided only through a website. It is considered more appropriate to do it in a personal way.
The BME Master internships are usually planned after the thesis. Students like the idea that it is possible to stay on at the medical institute or company afterwards.
According to the staff, students appear to make a better impression in industry when they do their internship at the end of the study, as they are fully trained by that time. They also appear to stick better to deadlines because they have learned about goal-setting, and they may wish to use the internship as an opportunity to obtain employment.
The Committee discussed whether it would be better to organize internships earlier on in the programme. A strong case can be made for both options. A solid information infrastructure would be needed for students to make a good choice about where and when to do an internship.
Thesis and internship can be linked, but often there appears to be no link between the two. The internship is of good quality according to the Committee and has an important function within the programme. There are, however, several points that need to be improved (see above).
The Committee concludes that the teaching methods and the didactic concept correspond adequately with the aims and objectives of the programme. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F11: Assessment and examinations
The system of assessments and examinations provides an effective indication whether the students have reached the learning targets of the course programme or its components.
The method of assessing a module is related to the nature of the module. Modules in which knowledge is essential are assessed by written exams (open essay). Modules which train the student’s attitudes are assessed by assignments, presentations and reports.
A thesis is assessed by a team of three people: the daily supervisor, the graduate teacher and an external member. After the first evaluation by the two supervisors, a meeting on the thesis is organized with mainly members of the research group, which also plays a role in the assessment. Final presentations in meetings take place with all personnel invited.
Assessment of an internship is carried out by supervisors, two at the university and one in the company/institute where the internship takes place. How this is done varies and is the
responsibility of the joint supervisors involved.
The Board of Examiners is responsible for the examination procedures. All results of exams are presented in public. This creates transparency, which provides the opportunity for comments and feedback by students and personnel. Any misjudgements are given adequate attention and help to improve the system of grading.
The Board of Examiners has faith in the teachers' ability to grade well. Grading is their responsibility. Previously, there were no specific guidelines for grading. However, criteria have been formulated recently for the assessment of tests/exams (percentages of different aspects forming the final grade). As to the grading of courses, the Board of Examiners only becomes involved when there is a problem/complaint.
The Committee studied several theses, every committee member read two or three theses, in total 11. The Committee members felt that they vary in quality, scientific level, level and quantity of research, clarity about aims, structure, usefulness of data, etc. Some are considered to have ‘low’ and others ‘very high’ quality. Some theses appear to be not quite finished. In general, they would have given the theses lower grades than the BME staff at RUG did. The grades given by staff range between 7 and 9.
Based on the information received on organization and contents, the exams are considered by the Committee to fulfil the appropriate demands. The Committee finds that the Board of Examiners functions relatively well and recommends paying attention to grading.
The Committee finds that the system of assessments and examinations fulfils the requirements for accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
Assessment of Subject ‘Programme’
The Committee concludes that the overall score for the Subject ‘Programme’ is Satisfactory
1.2.3. Deployment of staff
F12: Requirements for University
The degree course meets the following criteria for the deployment of staff for a degree course at a University (WO): Teaching is largely provided by researchers who contribute to the development of the subject area.
Personnel management focuses on maintaining the quality of the department, the university and the employee. It also aims to increase the number of women in staff positions. Specific arrangements concerning didactic training form an essential part of the hiring procedure. Special attention is given to the quality of teaching in English (as a second language). Personnel management and recruiting are largely centralized: salary administration and co-ordination of recruiting policies take place at the university level; career coaching is monitored centrally, but carried out at the workplace. Scientific staff members are members of a
department, which is part of a teaching and/or a research institute.
Currently, all BME staff members are appointed by a research institute. This implies that the input of BME in the performance appraisal interviews is limited. Formally, BME can only apply the ultimate measure of accepting or rejecting applicants. In practice, informal
communication with the research institute and direct feedback to involved staff members play a useful role.
RUG aims to keep both teaching and research at a high international level. Talented new staff members are appointed for 6 years to a tenure trackposition. A positive appraisal after 5 years leads to the offer of a tenured position at the associate professor level. After another 5 years a second appraisal precedes possible promotion to full professor.
The teaching staff is actively engaged in academic research. The engineering lines of BME are covered by Applied Physics, Computer Sciences and Mechanical Engineering.
The Director of the Institute of Life Science (LS) is the person who is primarily responsible for the smooth functioning of staff members in the BME Master's programme. However, performance reviews of staff members are done by the directors of the research institutes. In these interviews, teaching evaluations are done. Since BME depends on the separate faculties for this, it has little control over personnel management. This is a potential threat to the smooth functioning of staff for BME. The Programme Director of BME is usually
‘borrowing’ personnel from faculties for teaching facilities. The deans of the faculties keep the final say in the matter.
The Committee recommends paying appropriate attention to the recruitment of personnel for the BME Faculty.
It is recommended to pay appropriate attention in the e-learning programme that is being developed for foreign universities to finding ways to incorporate role models.
The Committee concludes that the research background of the staff members is good and incorporated in the programme.
The involvement of professors within the entire programme is considered good as well. The Committee concludes that the teaching is provided by researchers who
contribute to the development of the subject area and exceeds the requirements for accreditation. The score for the academic requirements is Good.
F13: Quantity of staff
The staff levels are sufficient to ensure that the course is provided to the required standards. The staff participation is balanced between the two contributing faculties.
The number of FTE for the BME Master is 4.2, and this is spread over 45 teachers. Not all 45 people involved are effectively teaching. This number also includes staff members involved in thesis supervision.
At this moment the number of teachers appears to be adequate. However, with a growing number of students and a separate BME Bachelor's programme, an increase in teaching staff will be necessary. Resources for hiring more staff are said to be available.
Most teachers give only one Master's course. They are scattered over two different faculties and various schools. This has both advantages (input from various fields) and disadvantages (creating a connection with regard to BME).
Students acknowledge that the teaching staff is motivated. They show much enthusiasm for their subjects. However, they note that in general the teachers are not motivated to do more. This may have to do with the time available.
The Committee finds that the number of staff fulfils the requirements for accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F14: Quality of staff
The staff is sufficiently qualified to ensure that the aims regards contents, didactics and organization of the course programme are achieved.
The University exercises control over teaching quality, and whenever appropriate, offers additional, continuous training. Results are monitored for each module, discussed by the Study Programme Committee, and conclusions are fed back to the lecturer. This is formalized in the teaching staff evaluation protocol.
There appears to be room for some improvement in the BME Master's programme with regard to the depth of subjects. The faculties already intend to hire more specialists as teachers.
The programme is very much driven by the specific expertise of the staff (see F13). Didactical training is available for teachers. However, the Committee notes that many teachers do not seem to take advantage of this training, although for some it could be useful. It is not mandatory to take didactical training, not even for new teachers, who can be PhD students. The English fluency is checked. There are English courses provided by the University. Although some teachers have no real problems with teaching or English, others do. English skills require attention.
The Committee recommends that teaching and language skills be taken seriously and that teachers are advised more strongly to follow courses (especially English) when necessary. The Committee finds that the quality of staff fulfils the requirements for accreditation. The score for staff quality is Satisfactory.
Assessment of Subject ‘Deployment of Staff’
The Committee concludes that the overall score for the Subject ‘Deployment of Staff’ is Satisfactory
1.2.4. Facilities and provisions
F15: Material facilities
The accommodation and material facilities are sufficient to implement the programme.
The multidisciplinary nature of BME means that the programme employs facilities from both FMNS and FMS/UMCG. All lecture rooms are equipped with blackboards and whiteboards and modern IT facilities. Laboratories provide the basic equipment required for the Master's degree programme. All students receive a RUG account which provides connection to the internet and libraries.
The students interviewed by the Committee evaluated the facilities as ‘very good’. They see possibilities for improving the equipment in the library. The Committee recommends taking any necessary action to correct this situation.
In general, the ICT facilities are considered to be adequate.
Students remarked during the interview that the virtual learning environment Blackboard is not often used. It is recommended to take action to increase the use of this facility or solve the communication needs in another way.
The Committee finds that the material facilities fulfil the requirements for accreditation. The score for this Facet is Satisfactory.
F16: Student support and guidance
The student support and guidance, as well as the information given to students are adequate for the purpose of students’ progress.
The student support and guidance, as well as the information given to students meet the requirements of the students. A rule has been set that the results of interim examinations must be communicated within 10 working days of the examinations. There is no information available on experience with this point.
During the first year of the Bachelor’s phase, students from several FMNS Bachelor’s degree programmes can take an introductory course in BME.
Students from both NST (Natural Science and Technology) and LST (Life Science and Technology) have to take a specific minor programme during their second and third year, and must complete the Bachelor’s thesis project in a BME-related topic to qualify for the BME Master’s degree programme.
Student counselling in the Master’s degree programme starts with support information from the BME office and from the Student Counsellor. In the course of the first semester, students have to choose a supervisor and tutor who will assist with the selection of the specific topics, the external internship and final project.
Student members of the Study Programme Committee (SPC), which meets six to eight times per year, give effective feedback if any problems arise.
The students interviewed are in general happy with guidance and counselling.
The Committee is positive about the student guidance. Guidance of the internship can be improved, although it is considered as functioning adequately.
Information on guidance and counselling happens to be available only in Dutch and will have to be translated into English when more international students are recruited.
It is noted by the Committee that the communication between students and
teachers/management is direct. The teachers/management are easily accessible. This is considered as important and good.
The Committee finds that the student support and guidance exceed the requirements for accreditation. The score for this Facet is Good.
Assessment of Subject ‘Facilities and Provisions’
The Committee concludes that the overall score for the Subject ‘Facilities and Provisions’ is Satisfactory
