Advancing a student-centred culture: DBS Cinnte Review published

Dublin Business School (DBS) is the first independent/private higher education institution (HEI) to complete the CINNTE review process - an institution-wide review process – which assesses and reports on the effectiveness of internal quality assurance systems. To date, only publicly regulated HEIs have undertaken CINNTE reviews. In 2024, DBS was the first of four independent/private HEIs, to be reviewed.

Through its CINNTE cycle of reviews, QQI assesses and reports on how effectively HEIs are maintaining and enhancing quality in education.  The reviews explore how institutions have improved their teaching, learning and research systems, and how well institutions have aligned with their own mission, quality indicators and benchmarks. 

An independent team of national and international experts completed a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the QA system in DBS, recognising instances of good practice which deliver impact for students and staff, and making recommendations on areas for improvement.

The review report is now published by QQI.

The institution was recognised for its activities in a number of areas including:

• its approach to creating a sense of community for all students and a culture of collegiality wherein staff and students are responsive to each other and the staff in particular take pride in advancing a student-centred ethos.
• its commitment to continuous improvement and to developing a quality culture across the entire organisation through self-reflection, collaboration and inclusive approaches.
• its multi-layered approach to identifying areas for improvement at programme level which when aggregated can affect systematic change under particular themes at discipline level.
• the dedication and enthusiasm of the ASC staff and the comprehensive structure of supports throughout the student journey, including library support for both students and teachers.
• The comprehensive validation process in DBS that includes a wide range of stakeholders who are encouraged to engage fully in the programme development and decision-making processes thus fostering greater transparency and inclusiveness.

The review team also made a number of recommendations for improvements by the institution:

• DBS should improve its system for internal and external communication and feedback with a particular emphasis on student feedback to ensure a consistent student experience and enhance the learning experience.
• DBS address the gaps in supports provided to students to fully align with the most critical stages of the student journey.
• DBS continue to monitor the effective use of GenAI in assessment strategies and provide formalised guidance on GenAI to staff and students with explanations of acceptable and unacceptable uses.
• DBS ensure that all policies and procedures relating to assessment are: (i) consistent and evident in practice across the institution and (ii) communicated to and easily accessible by all relevant stakeholders.
• DBS further develop its QA system by including specific and measurable quality indicators that are informed by quantitative and qualitative data.

Speaking on the publication of the report, Professor Sander Svaeri, Rector at Oslo New University College, Norway, who chaired the DBS review team said, 

“DBS did an outstanding job hosting the committee; they were well prepared and professional. When meeting representatives from each section, it was evident that quality practices and preparations for the visit were rooted throughout the entire organisation. The review team was especially impressed by DBS's ability in advancing a student-centred culture. It was obvious to us that they take pride in caring for the students' learning and well-being. We could also see a quality culture focused on paying attention to and continuously improving different aspects of quality throughout the institution.”

Responding to the publication of the report, Tim Bicknell, DBS President said, 

"DBS is delighted to see the publication of the QQI CINNTE report. The process was constructive, searching and enabled a highly valuable process of self-reflection. That process has enabled DBS to strengthen further in our absolute commitment to our students, their journey through DBS and beyond and quality in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment. The review also reinforced the value being generated by the strong governance framework we have in place locally through our Board and internationally through our parent, Kaplan. We are in a strong place as we celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2025 and look to grow further in Ireland and abroad. The review team's observation that we are "creating a quality culture with faculty and staff who care for their students" was heartening to see. That focus sits at the heart of our culture.

I would like to thank the panel for the positive approach they took and the insights they generated through their approach. Many thanks to QQI too who have guided us constructively through this process. I would also like to thank the entire DBS team who engaged professionally and with genuine pride throughout the process.”

Finally, Dr Padraig Walsh commended DBS on its engagement with the Cinnte review process, remarking,

“QQI's CINNTE review cycle plays a crucial role in ensuring and overseeing the quality of higher education in Ireland. The publication of this report is an important milestone for the larger independent/private higher education institutions as they are now included in the cycle of institutional reviews. QQI welcomes the findings of the review team highlighting DBS’s student-centred ethos, their approach to creating a sense of community and commitment to continuous improvement of the quality culture across the organisation. Equally, the report outlines recommendations which will help DBS to further strengthen its education offerings and continue to deliver high-quality outcomes for all its students.”

CINNTE reviews are one element of the broader quality framework for institutions which also includes Quality Assurance Guidelines; each institution’s Quality Assurance Procedures; Annual Quality Reports (AQR); and Dialogue Meetings. 

The CINNTE review cycle has run from 2017-2024, having been extended by a year to include four newly established technological universities and the four largest independent/private HEIs. During this period, QQI has organised and overseen the independent reviews of each of the universities, technological universities and institutes of technology.