Abstract:

Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to examine potential adaptation of the higher education system in response to new competence requirements through better identification of occupational needs, generic competences, and core subjects; through developing real life environment and providing new innovative skills.

Methodology/Approach:
The quality management authors consider represents a process of directing activities for creation and development of a system of quality assessment of study programs in higher education institutions. Methods and techniques used by the authors are SWOT analysis (establishing present and future opportunities and threats from the environment and institution’s own strengths and weaknesses) and the portfolio matrix (a technique that determines the position of generic competences and describes subject specific competences).

Findings:
A well-defined description of competences could be an efficient tool for state analysis, quality assessment, both at the level of an individual study program and at the level of the institution as a whole. The portfolio matrix illustrates the students’ learning pathways and professional development towards the learning outcomes of their degree.

Research limitations/implications:
Transparency and comparability of generic competences certificates are crucial for policymaking, industry and economy. One can make an important distinction between generic competences and subject specific competences. The basic objective of the quality management procedure is to enable estimation of the quality of learning outcomes. If the subject specific competences are properly selected and described, they enable avoiding subjectivity while making important decisions for further development of study programs for higher education institution.

Originality/Value of paper:
Learning outcomes are products quality of which is being controlled. The adopted quality management procedure should be a mechanism of assurance and control of quality of study programs in higher education institution. It should primarily enable estimation of the quality of learning outcomes. Student assessment and evaluation observes study programs as a consistent whole and supports the attainment of learning objectives and competences. At least once a year assessment should focus holistically on all learning outcomes and learning processes.

Quality of learning outcomes is a necessary instrument for monitoring and evaluating of the study programs of the universities in Serbia. In this study, authors tried to define and describe generic and also subject specific competences using a portfolio matrix.

Keywords:

Quality assurance, learning outcomes, generic and subject specific competences.