How we assure quality in teaching analytical chemistry

Abstract

Recently I was asked how teaching quality can be assured in analytical chemistry, whose definition is still disputed. A new textbook [1] summarizes definitions of analytical chemistry on four full pages. The core sentence of a recent proposal by K. Danzer is: “analytical chemistry is the science of chemical measurement.” In terms of teaching this means that laboratory exercises are key elements to assure high level teaching. The Division Analytical Chemistry (DAC) of EuCheMS had perceived this situation a couple of years ago and initiated the preparation of a set of case studies to support high quality teaching. This development is embedded in the far-reaching transformation process within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The current situation was discussed during the Symposium on Education at Euroanalysis XIV in Antwerp [2]. This report summarizes some of the results of this symposium. Curricular developments are observed around the world. Europeans dispute pros and cons of the Bologna Process, in which 46 countries participate and which covers all scientific disciplines [3]. Representatives of some disciplines fear [4] that the recent London Communique from the Ministers of Higher Education [5] imposes a university reform from top to bottom and neglects the importance of faculties, disciplines and their respective cultures. Representatives from chemistry tried to avoid this potential danger by active participation in the process from the very beginning. They formed the European Chemistry Thematic Network (ECTN) [6] and participate in the TUNING Project, which aims at tuning educational structures in Europe [7]. ECTN and TUNING are important voices for chemists to shape the Bologna Process. The strong position of ECTN was preceded by important discussions within chemistry about the required contributions from the different subdisciplines. The discussion surrounding the role of analytical chemistry in BSc curricula was particularly intense. Analytical chemistry owes its current position within the Chemistry Eurobachelor® framework [8] to a large extent to the encouraging contributions of DAC during the structuring phase of the framework. Subsequently, DAC approved Eurocurriculum II for Analytical Chemistry [9] and established in this way a reference for the required minimum in BSc curricula for the education of analytical chemistry. It has to be underscored that Eurocurriculum II for Analytical Chemistry describes the required minimum in BSc curricula, i.e., it is an important step towards harmonization of the basic quality level in education. Every university (or higher education institution in general) may exceed this level and train additional skills, but no accredited curriculum may offer less than the approved minimum level in analytical chemistry. Educational systems may vary greatly, even within a single country. The Danish Evaluation Institute and the British evaluation institute QAA reported a comparison of nine chemistry programmes in Denmark and the UK [10]. The five evaluated Danish universities show one identical programme structure, whereas as many as five programme structures are shown for the four UK universities. The report concludes: “The Danish system is far simpler... A simpler system is far easier to relate to those of others. ... A benefit of a more complex system is its flexibility...”. Obviously, the Bologna Process must not aim at unification of the rich diversity of European educational structures, it must aim at the harmonization of the outcome from the various structures and ensure comparable quality levels for Anal Bioanal Chem (2008) 390:85–88 DOI 10.1007/s00216-007-1706-0