Goals & benefits of course evaluations

The main goal of our teaching evaluation is to maintain a high level of teaching quality at the University of Bern and to continuously advance it. Therefore our guiding question in these evaluations is:

«What is good teaching?»

Based on the findings of teaching-learning research, teaching is considered ‘good’ when three decisive factors are well aligned (‘didactic coherence’ or ‘constructive alignment’):

  • the intended learning outcomes
  • the teaching and learning activities
  • the learning outcome assessments

Drawing on these findings and the multidimensional model of teaching quality by Rindermann (2009), we have developed a model of teaching quality. The model maps the quality-relevant dimensions of a course and a performance assessment, defines the target criteria and their interrelationships. The model is the basis for our survey questionnaires.

The data obtained in the students' surveys show whether the conditions for good teaching have been met and the target criteria achieved.

If the results are insufficient, the quality representatives in the faculties take appropriate measures.

Outstanding results can be honoured with the recognition of excellence in teaching (ALL).

You can find more information here:

Criteria for the categorisation of evaluated courses

Consequences of insufficient results

Methodology and questionnaires

One benefit of the course evaluation that directly affects you as students is that lecturers receive concrete tips on how to improve the teaching/learning situations in their courses. The results of the evaluation help your lecturers to improve their teaching and to better align teaching and exams.

This also benefits you as a student. On the one hand, lecturers can use your feedback to make short-term improvements to the course. This is particularly the case after the interim evaluation, as this takes place in the first half of the semester. However, you can also benefit from lecturers using your feedback to improve their teaching during the final evaluation and the evaluation of the performance assessment - namely when you attend courses with the same lecturers again.

As students, you play a significant role in your courses' success, in your own learning success, and consequently in the successful completion of your performance assessments. Therefore, it is important that, as part of the course evaluations, you assess and reflect on your own behavior as well.This applies to both the preparation and follow-up of the teaching units as well as your exam preparation.

  • Are you satisfied with your own contribution to the course?
  • Did you study autonomously?

If you realise that there is room for improvement here, you too can contribute quite a bit to the quality of teaching in the future.

Universities are publicly funded and are therefore obliged to prove that they fulfil their mission.

Regular evaluation of teaching is one of the quality standards that every university must fulfil in order to be institutionally accredited.

Only accredited educational institutions may carry the name ‘university’ and apply for funding from the federal government.

You can use the surveys to give feedback on courses and examinations and reflect on your own learning. This means you are actively involved when it comes to improving teaching.

The right to have a say is also an important point in the quality standards for the university's institutional accreditation