Institutional Self-Assessment: Challenges, Limits and Prospects:

a Case Study at the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA)

Abstract

The research addresses the theme institutional assessment. Have centrality in the proposed assessment of the National Assessment of Higher Education (SINAES). Analyzed through a qualitative research, the case study, how was the process of implementation of institutional self-evaluation proposed by SINAES UFRA in the period 2005-2006, revealing: the actions taken by the committee for Assessment (CPA) for the implementation of self-assessment, the meanings and purposes attributed to the self-assessment by institutional managers and members of the CPA and the main challenges and perceived limitations in the process of development and implementation of self-assessment, as well as their perspectives on the process. The documentary analysis and interviews were the instruments used for data collection. The research revealed that UFRA did join the proposed self-assessment SINAES by running it through actions planned by CPA / UFRA. Passive participation of the university community was highlighted as one of the major challenges faced in the implementation and development of self-assessment in UFRA, allied limitations shortages of infrastructure, financial resources, the term short for the development of the whole process in the institution , beyond the difficulties of retrieval of information and the lack of qualified personnel in technical evaluation in CPA. Among the prospects generated, include: the consolidation of a culture of institutional evaluation in UFRA, incorporating the results of self-evaluation to the institutional development plan of the University and the effectiveness of institutional changes signaled in the report of self-evaluation. However, these views were partly frustrated because there was no proper treatment of information identified in the report of self-assessment by the university management.