The Quality Policy of the Department of Food Science & Technology was approved at the 6th Session of the General Assembly of the Department which took place on 17 December 2021 and was updated at the 10th Session of the General Assembly of the Department that took place on 28 March 2022.

QUALITY POLICY

Department of Food Science and Technology

Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Ionian University

The Department of Food Science and Technology of the Ionian University is committed to provide students of any level of degree course with high quality education and scientific training in the field of Food Science. Since its establishment, the Department of Food Science and Technology aims to generate competent professionals in the food sector. Its operation is governed exclusively by academic criteria, irrespective of the gender, sexual orientation or religious beliefs of all members of its academic community.

The Department of Food Science and Technology comes from the successive evolution of the departments of Organic Agriculture and Organic Agriculture and Food, which has conferred interdisciplinarity to its curriculum, and the ability to link the primary sector (food production) with modern trends in the development of sustainable food systems. The Department emphasizes the "Farm-to-Fork" strategy directed to ensure food quality, access for all citizens to adequate and safe food and food products, as well as the strategy of bioeconomy and the development of sustainable food production systems. It attends the subject of primary food production, processing and distribution, while at the same time focusing on the application of biotechnological tools required for the development of the bio-economy, and the subsequent management and utilisation of waste and by-products.

The Quality Policy of the Department of Food Science and Technology is fully harmonized with the quality policy of the Ionian University, and is part of the broader framework of the strategy of the Institution, developed in collaboration with the Quality Assurance Unit of the Ionian University (MODIP), considering the principles defined by the HQA (HAHE) for higher education.

The Quality Policy of the Department of Food Science and Technology includes four main strategic objectives and eleven quality objectives (whereby the respective targets-values, observations about them, actions to be taken for their achievement, as well as the responsible bodies for the control of the actions to be carried out, are reflected in detail in the relevant Table ("Quality Targeting of the Department") and is based on the following main axes:

• Continuous restructuring and upgrading of the Curriculum and the provided educational, scientific, research and administrative work, aiming to update the provided knowledge and enhance the learning outcomes in accordance with the developments in the food sector, the modern-day requirements, and the current institutional framework.

• Development and implementation of: (a) documented procedures and regulations for all Study Programmes, and (b) academic qualification certificates based on the current institutional framework, with the aim of achieving the learning objectives and ensuring the acquisition of qualifications, in accordance with the European and National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education.
• A student-centered approach, expressed by: (a) the assessment of student satisfaction through appropriately defined methodology and questionnaires, (b) the high academic qualifications of the teaching staff to ensure the provision of high quality educational services, (c) the application of a variety of teaching methods, (d) the reliable and unbiased evaluation of performance and (e) the reinforcement of organized and integrated learning by level of study.
• Continuous improvement of the quality of education and services provided by the Department through the adoption of the findings of the annual self-evaluation. The annual self-evaluation is carried out by the Internal Quality Assurance System in collaboration with the QAU (MODIP) and in accordance with the guidelines of the HQA. It includes the evaluation of the educational process by students (course attendance, participation in examinations, participation in committees and representation in departmental bodies, etc.), assessment of the research performance of teaching and scientific staff, as well as the degree of support for the operation of the curricula.
• Performing high quality interdisciplinary research and linking it to teaching, through the promotion of excellence and innovation, promotion of the Department's research laboratories and the implementation of research projects by faculty members.
• Staffing of the Department with teaching and other personnel of high scientific level, constantly proactive and with dynamics that establish the prospect of academic development in the respective subject.
• Dissemination of knowledge, interaction of the Department with society and internationalization. Enhancing the Department's extroversion through the implementation of academic initiatives that address the societal needs and publicly promote the academic and research work performed. Development of collaborations with local and national institutions, promotion of social contribution, lecture organization on current and relevant issues related to the Department's subjects, reinforcing of international collaborations with international and national institutions, student and teaching staff mobility, etc.
• Continuous improvement of the building infrastructure and laboratory equipment, digital infrastructure and the provided administrative services, the teaching and learning environment for academic staff and students, and the working conditions for administrative and other staff.

The Quality Policy is approved and revised by the General Assembly of the Department of Food Science and Technology and is implemented/monitored by the Internal Quality Assurance System, which is composed by faculty members, whereas its work is assisted by administrative and other scientific staff of the Department.

The Internal Quality Assurance System is responsible, among other things, to supervise, review and formulate proposals for the improvement of the quality assurance policy and system, to collect the required data and to ensure their accuracy and updating. In addition, the Internal Quality Assurance System has the authority and responsibility for the Accreditation of Study Programmes, the preparation and submission of the annual self-evaluation reports, documented with quantitative data for students, teaching and scientific staff, the curriculum, the administrative staff and any other issue that - in accordance with the institutional framework - concerns the academic operation of the Department of Food Science and Technology. The aforementioned, in addition to the accreditation file and the self-evaluation reports, are submitted to the Ionian University's MODIP.