Teachers' Features in the Degree of Building Engineering at the University of Alicante

Abstract

All new university degrees (implemented a few years ago) are undergoing a process to renew the accreditation of qualifications (ACREDITA program) by quality assessment and accreditation agencies. This process aims to "check whether the results of the degree are suitable and guarantee the continuity of their teaching until the next reaccreditation"; to do so, the assessment is structured in two main phases. First, a self-evaluation is performed where each university describes and assesses the situation of the degree considering several guidelines and criteria. Second, there is an external evaluation in which an accrediting agency makes a valuation of the situation to verify the degree of compliance with the conditions mentioned above. There are three internationally recognized quality principles which are valued in the ACREDITA program: title management, resources and results; at the same time, these dimensions are subdivided into seven criteria. One of these criteria is to assess the academic profile of teachers who teach in every university degree, a key feature throughout the entire teaching process. The present research aims to contextualize the evolution and current situation of the academic staff who teaches and has taught in the Degree of Building Engineering at the University of Alicante, to establish proposals for the improvement during the monitoring of the title. To this end, we have analysed the results of the main indicators used by quality agencies, as well as other characteristics proposed by the authors to draw conclusions about the reality of university teachers.