Approved by School Board 03/22 on the 12 July 2022

The Polytechnic School (EPS) at the University of Girona (UdG) has defined this quality policy in line with its own quality assurance system (SGQ) and in line to the quality policy of the UdG.The EPS commits to promoting continuous improvement strategies that reinforce a progressive increase in the quality and efficiency of all processes undertaken.

The EPS is a teaching institution at the UdG with the mission of providing a critical and integral education in the fields of engineering, technology and architecture and construction.This education will places the student at the centre, providing them with knowledge and skills to undertake their professional duties to the highest standard, making this a useful and enriching exercise for society.

The future vision of the EPS is to be the teaching institution of reference in its fields in the district of Girona and the surrounding environment.The aim of the EPS is to offer high-quality and innovative studies, designed in cooperation with the socioeconomic environment, providing students with the main technical skills and knowledge.The relationship with the surrounding area is conveyed in a very direct way through the Business Association of the Polytechnic School, constituted by more than 120 companies and institutions in the area of influence as well as the Professional Schools.The EPS also has a clear international vocation, offering specialist, top-quality studies, related to the excellent research carried out by the EPS staff.

This policy is reflected in the achievement of the following objectives:

1. 1. Providing an excellent education, both at bachelor's and master’s levels, in the areas of engineering, technology and architecture and construction, that responds to the needs of the socioeconomic environment and whose quality is reflected in the corresponding certifications.
   2. Overseeing the correct academic path of students, through a Tutorial Action Plan that provides support with academic, educational and professional orientation aspects.
   3. Maintaining a relationship with the environment reinforced through the Business Association of the Polytechnic School, which improves territorial development in the district of Girona.
   4. Fostering internationalisation to reinforce the status of the EPS on the international map by strengthening relations in specialist networks, promoting student and staff mobility as well as the international vision of the academic syllabus.In addition to fostering the attraction of international students through a highly-specialised course catalogue, especially at a master's level.
   5. Assuring correct work development for members of staff at the EPS, in which continued education and promotion at work are fostered.
   6. Equipping itself with the material resources and infrastructures necessary to guarantee the correct performance of activities.
   7. Implementing an SGQ as a tool for guaranteeing the quality of studies and their continuous improvement.
   8. Being governed by the ethical and social principles of the UdG, as well as including gender perspective in the activities of the EPS.
   9. Acting with transparency in all decision-making at the EPS and equal opportunities among different groups.

The School Board entrusts the Quality Committee at the centre with overseeing the fulfilment of the SGQ and this Quality Policy.

The School Board of the EPS intends on periodically revising the quality policy at the centre and amending it whenever necessary.

1.Introduction

The University of Girona is firmly committed to the pursuit of excellence, quality and continuous improvement in all its areas.This founding commitment covers the areas of academia, research, innovation and knowledge transfer, management and services, internationalisation, relations with society, and social and community engagement.

As established in its statutes, the University of Girona must guarantee levels of quality comparable with international standards, objectified through a quality management system that ensures the quality of its functions, competences and structures and offers mechanisms for improving it.

This quality policy establishes the fundamental principles for the pursuit of excellence in all areas of the university and sets out the guidelines for achieving the objectives of the of the strategic and institutional plans, and those of the centres and services, efficiently and coherently.

2.Principles of the Quality Policy

The fundamental principles that guide this quality policy are as follows:

• Quality culture: The commitment to quality and the pursuit of excellence based on continuous improvement, evidence, self-assessment and feedback, has to run throughout the university, integrating quality management into all the other management mechanisms so it is internalised by all the people who make up the university community: teaching and research staff, administrative and service staff and students.
• Commitment to educational excellence: The University is committed to offering high-quality academic programmes that prepare students to face professional and personal challenges, providing them with a solid, critical and innovative education, both in official degrees and in any other training certified and accredited by the UdG.
• People-centred approach: The University attaches great importance to the satisfaction, well-being and development of students and staff, guaranteeing an inclusive and flexible learning and working environment with equitable access to resources and services.
• Objectivity and participation: The appraisal systems will be objective, based on information systems and reliable indicators.At the same time, the University must be open to receiving ideas and opportunities for improvement suggested by any member of the community or society, as well as incorporating recognised best practices.
• Accreditation and transparency: The university will collaborate with external organisations and evaluation agencies for the accreditation and improvement of its programmes, departments, institutes and services in accordance with national and international standards, promoting transparency in communication and quality processes.

3.Main areas of action

In order to move forward and improve quality, the University believes it is fundamental to:

1. Promote a culture of quality that spreads throughout the institution and integrates quality management in all management.This institutional commitment requires everyone to play their part in pursuing the highest quality: the governing body, the technical unit responsible for quality, the quality managers and technicians in the centres and areas of study, the different quality committees and all the other players that may be involved.
2. Guarantee academic quality, ensuring that all educational programmes are relevant, up-to-date and aligned with the needs of the labour market and the demands of society, and by systematically assessing the academic performance of students and teachers.
3. Foster excellent research, by promoting innovative and competitive research, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge transfer between the university, business and society with quality accreditation of support services in accordance with national and international standards.
4. Improve management tools by establishing an information system that provides indicators for evaluating objectives and optimising administrative processes, in order to achieve greater efficiency, transparency and a rapid response to the needs of the university community, using new technologies to improve operational efficiency.
5. Know opinions and foster participation, welcoming the ideas and opportunities for improvement suggested by any member of the community or society.
6. Be accountable to society through transparency and by providing truthful and up-to-date information.

4.Quality management system

The correct functioning of the quality management systems (QMS) is essential for achieve the University's objectives, as it provides the framework and the tools to ensure coherence, transparency and continuous improvement.These features are key to establishing and maintaining quality standards in all academic, administrative and social areas, measuring compliance with standards, establishing a cycle of continuous improvement subject to periodic evaluation and also establishing shared responsibility.

The University has adopted a Quality Management System (QMS) made up of various hierarchical systems, implemented in the centres and other areas in a coherent manner, which share the following elements and characteristics:

• A Quality Policy where the main lines of action are defined in an integrated manner.
• A manual for the UdG’s Quality Management Systems.
• Policies and quality plans: each QMS includes a Quality Plan that sets improvement targets in the corresponding area, which are integrated into the Improvement Plan, as well as the planning and allocation of resources for their achievement.At an institutional level, the University will have to define and approve its own quality plan to implement this Quality Policy by defining improvement objectives and actions for achieving them.
• Review and Evaluation: the QMS will contemplate mechanisms for periodically evaluating them to ensure their effectiveness and completeness.This review will include the evaluation of existing processes and the formalisation of improvement actions, which implies active collaboration between the different centres and the unit responsible for the QMS.Likewise, external evaluations will be promoted to ensure the quality of and compliance with national and international standards.In the evaluation processes, key performance indicators (KPIs) will be used to objectively measure progress.

5.Commitment of the University and the University Community

All members of the university community (students, teachers, researchers, technical staff, management, administration and service staff) are essential actors for the success of the quality.Through leadership and active participation, the University will ensure that quality is a shared value and that all actions are undertaken in a coherent fashion in line with the established principles.

Policy approval and revision

This policy was approved by the Quality Commission at session 8/2024 on 18/12/2024 and by the Governing Council at session 2/2025 on 26/2/2025.

As apart of the QMS, this policy is reviewed with the same frequency as the QMS.The review will be carried out through the feedback process stakeholders take part in and the contributions of the internal and external evaluations of the quality processes.

Any proposals to amend the policy will be discussed by the Quality Commission and forwarded to the Governing Council for its approval.