The Master Spatial Engineering was assessed by Certiked Evaluation Agency. Certiked convened an assessment panel for the audit. The panel studied the self-evaluation report of the programme and undertook a site visit at the University of Twente on 15 and 16 May 2023.

The panel would like to compliment the programme management on their strong commitment to the international and intercultural dimensions of the programme. All elements supporting these dimensions are very well to excellently covered in the programme.

Standard 1 – Intended internationalisation

Becoming an empathic spatial engineer with specific attention for various social and cultural perspectives in the world is the essential nucleus of the programme. The goals that have been formulated to enable this, are widely supported by both internal and external stakeholders. These internationalisation goals are challenging, well thought out, clear, well documented and relevant for an international career, either abroad or at an international organisation in someone’s home country.

The panel concludes that the objectives have been formulated clearly, that they are challenging and in line with the internationalisation goals and that they are verifiable and monitorable. Some objectives in the international skills learning line deserve finetuning.

The nature of some objectives makes it difficult to measure quantitative and/or qualitative elements, but the programme applies valid and effective criteria for the learning environment to safeguard the quality of the output.

The internationalisation goals relate to and are firmly embedded in teaching and learning. The wide variety of adequate didactical measures contribute to the quality of teaching and learning. This shines through in the way alumni present themselves.

The panel deems all the underlying criteria of this standard to be more than appropriately met. The panel found the programme to surpass the generic quality (basic quality) for this standard.

None of the underlying criteria have any shortcomings.

The panel assesses Standard 1, Intended internationalisation, as good.

Standard 2 – International and intercultural learning

The panel concludes that the intended international and intercultural learning outcomes (iiiLOs) correspond with the programme’s internationalisation goals.

The panel concludes that methods used for the assessment of students are suitable for measuring the achievement of the iiiLOs and that they are particularly suitable for assessing iiiLOs of an upcoming spatial engineer. The panel recommends considering assessing some of the iiiLOs in a more concrete assessment next to the portfolio (assessing next to reflecting).

The panel concludes that the graduates demonstrably achieve the iiiLOs. Both student products and careers after graduation demonstrate this.

The panel deems all the underlying criteria of this standard to be more than appropriately met. The panel found the programme to surpass the generic quality (basic quality) for this standard.

None of the underlying criteria have any shortcomings.

The panel assesses Standard 2, International and intercultural learning, as good.

Standard 3 – Teaching and learning

The panel concludes that structure, content and teaching methods of the current and the new curriculum are excellent and enable students to achieve the iiiLOs. Student products and the way students and alumni present themselves prove this convincingly.

The panel concludes that the learning environment is perfectly suitable for achieving the intended international and intercultural learning outcomes. Students are permanently immersed in an international environment.

The programme excels across the standard’s entire spectrum. This extraordinary level of attainment is explicitly demonstrated through exemplary and good practices in all the underlying criteria. The programme can be regarded as an international example for this standard.

The panel assesses Standard 3, Teaching and learning as excellent.

Standard 4 – Staff

The panel concludes that the staff is of very high quality and very diverse in the broadest sense of the word (cultural background, international experience, domains of expertise, gender, etc.) Staff members have ample internationalisation experience and are equipped with well-developed intercultural competences and language skills, in line with the international and intercultural dimensions of the programme. Further individual and collaborative development regarding international experiences, intercultural competences and language skills is actively stimulated by the faculty and the programme. With so many different professionalisation trajectories on offer in and outside the faculty and in and outside the Netherlands, tailoring professionalisation to individual needs is always possible.

The panel found that the programme systematically and substantially surpasses the generic quality for this standard. The programme excels across the standard’s entire spectrum. This extraordinary level of attainment is explicitly demonstrated through exemplary and good practices in all of the underlying criteria. The programme can be seen as an international example for this standard.
The panel assesses Standard 4, Staff, as excellent.

Standard 5 – Students

The panel concludes that the composition of the student group is very diverse and is in line with the programme’s internationalisation goals. The programme has valid and effective procedures in place to also guarantee this for the future and to make sure that all students in the programme benefit from it.
The panel concludes that the internationalisation experience gained by the students is in line with the internationalisation goals of the programme. The programme has various effective methods and rules in place to guarantee this for all students.
The panel concludes that students are serviced at an extraordinary level. This applies to services, facilities, and events as well as to personal assistance and guidance. The wide variety of what is on offer enables all students to benefit from it.

The panel found that the programme systematically and substantially surpasses the generic quality for this standard. The programme excels across the standard’s entire spectrum. This extraordinary level of attainment is explicitly demonstrated through exemplary and good practices in all of the underlying criteria. The programme can be seen as an international example for this standard.
The panel assesses Standard 5, Students as excellent.

Based on the judgment of the panel per standard (2 times ‘good’, 3 times ‘excellent’) and taking the decision rules into account, the panel advises to award the programme with the Certificate for Quality in Internationalisation (CeQuInt).