Teaching quality

The Universitat Politècnica de València has regained the DOCENTIA certification, which was awarded by ANECA to universities for teaching quality evaluation models that meet high standards of excellence.

This achievement was made possible “in record time” thanks to the participation and commitment of the entire university community, explains Marival Segarra, Vice-Rector for Organisation of Studies, Quality, Accreditation, and Languages.

Self-assessment

DOCENTIA is the teaching quality evaluation program for university faculty led by the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA). At the UPV, the evaluation model implemented following ANECA’s guidelines is DOCENTIA_UPV.

According to Vice-Rector Marival Segarra, the DOCENTIA_UPV model aims to ensure faculty members develop their teaching competencies, facilitate recognition of all their activities, simplify accreditation processes, and reduce bureaucratic procedures in reaccrediting undergraduate and master’s programs.

DOCENTIA_UPV includes a voluntary self-assessment by faculty members, which is essential for evaluation. In the 2023-2024 academic year, 80% of faculty participated in this process.

Driving Improvement

The DOCENTIA_UPV model evaluates all faculty activities that contribute to improving their teaching competencies to enhance them further.

An additional advantage is that only universities following the DOCENTIA program will be eligible to benefit from the "sexenio docente" (a potential six-year teaching evaluation incentive) if implemented by the Ministry.

“This is a quality certification that helps us improve both as educators and as a university,” says Marival Segarra. “It includes faculty self-assessment and encourages reflection to keep progressing.”

The Universitat Politècnica de València pioneered in obtaining DOCENTIA accreditation in the 2011-2012 academic year. After three and a half years of dedicated work, it has regained the certification.

The DOCENTIA program certification is valid for two years, after which the agency will conduct another review of its implementation at the UPV. The university must conduct annual follow-ups, and at the end of the period, it may apply for renewal if the review reports are favourable.

As Vice-Rector Segarra explains, DOCENTIA_UPV is a dynamic evaluation model that must continue to improve and adapt to changes. “All improvement suggestions proposed by the university community will be analyzed annually by the Quality Commission. Continuous improvement is part of the UPV’s DNA.”