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SELF-EVALUATION
Name of higher education institution: University of Split School of Medicine
Name of university of which the institution is a constituent: University of Split
Year of establishment: 1997.
Address: Šoltanska 2; 21000 Split
Phone: 021 557-902
Fax: 021 557-895
Web-address: http://www.mefst.unist.hr
E-mail:
Title and name of the head of HEI: professor of internal medicine, Dragan Ljutić
HEI bank name and account number:
Splitska banka d.d. Societe Generale Group
IBAN: HR8523300031100071293
SWIFT: SOGEHR22
1. Higher education institution management and quality assurance
a) State a short description of development of your HE institution and important events in the past 10 years (organisational changes, relocations, significant problems in operation).
In 1997 the School of Medicine became an independent constituent of the University of Split. At that time there was only one study program, Medicine, which enrolled 330 students. In 2004 the number of study programs increased; USSM had a six-year integrated „Medicine” program (325 students), a three-year professional „Nursing”, „Medical Radiology” and „Physiotherapy” program (313 students), and two post graduate programs.
Today USSM conducts a six-year integrated „Medicine” program for 509 students, a six year integrated „Dental Medicine” program (since 2007) for 167 students, a six-year integrated „Medicine in English” program for 153 students, and 3 postgraduate programs: “Evidence based clinical medicine”, “Biology of neoplasms” and “Translation Research in biomedicine” (TRIBE) with a total of 288 students.
At the end of 2011, the professional programs „Radiology“, „Nursing“ and „Physiotherapy“ separated from USSM, and are now part of a new University Department: Department of Health Sciences.
1) Organizational changes
a) New study programs:
Over the last 10 years, USSM has founded three new study programs as follows:
• A six year integrated program in „Dental Medicine”, which commenced on October 1st 2007 (permission was issued by Ministry of Science, Education and Sport, on March 15th 2007);
• A six-year integrated program in „Medicine in English” , which commenced on October 1st 2011 (incorporated in Registry of Study Programs, by Ministry of Science, Education and Sport, on April 12th 2011)
• a five year integrated program in “Pharmacy”, which commenced on October 1st 2010 (permission issued on October 1st 2010)
b) New spaces (facilities/premises):
Due to its rapid development in the last 10 years, it became evident that the existing facilities had to be expanded (enlarged). This involved:
• The completion of an extension on the top of the Basic Medical Sciences Building, which represents new net usable space of 1793 m2.
• Construction of a new building, ˝Building B” with: a large lecture hall (386 seats), 4 smaller seminar rooms (with 90, 60, and 2 with 50 seating places). Two rooms (with 50 seats) were equipped out of USSM’s own resources.
• This Building also consists of: administration offices (Finances, Supply, Croatian Centre for Global Health, offices for employees with fractional engagement (those who work both in the hospital and at USSM), animal research facility and USSM’s Outpatient Clinic with a completely equipped Radiological Centre.
• Construction of ˝Building C”, which consists of: a hostel (with 10 suites for visiting professors), cafe bar and future restaurant. It is necessary to mention that the three buildings are connected via a corridor.
• There is a parking facility (on the South side of the medical school) with 55 parking spaces, surrounded by a well maintained landscaped garden.
c) Collaborative teaching institutions
Besides the University Hospital of Split, which is the main clinical base for our institution, USSM also collaborates with: Health Centre of the Split-Dalmatia County, Public Health Teaching Institute for Split-Dalmatia County, Split Dental Outpatient Clinic (which is to become a Clinic in near future), General Hospital of Zadar, General Hospital of Dubrovnik, General Hospital of Vukovar, Special Hospital Biokovka and St. Catherine’s Special Hospital in Zabok.
d) Research units: departments and laboratories
There are four departments at the USSM:
- Department of anatomy, histology and embryology
- Department of integrative physiology
- Department of neuroscience
- Department of basic and clinical pharmacology
And 10 laboratories for:
- Microscopy
- Pain research
- Early human development
- Neurocardiology
- Clinical physiology
- Cellular physiology
- Neuroscience
- Human and experimental pharmacology
- Speech and hearing research
- Experimental neurophysiology
And two centers:
- Sleep Medicine Centre
- Croatian Centre for Global Health
e) Departments (education/teaching)
Ten years ago USSM had 30 departments for conducting the study program in Medicine; today our institution has 36 departments involved in teaching Medicine, 3 departments involved in teaching Dental Medicine, and 1 department involved in teaching Pharmacy.
2) Administration structure
As we mentioned earlier, due to its rapid development in the last decade, there has been a significant growth in the number of employees at the USSM, mainly in Education, Finance and Accounting and Information technology departments.
In 2008 new departments were founded, this includes Supply Department, Office for Science and Croatian Centre for Global Health. In 2009 the Department for Construction and Maintenance was founded.
Employees
In 1997 USSM had 59 employees; in 2008 this number reached 140, and in 2014 USSM had 217 employees (12 financed out of our own resources) out of which 163 employees are in teaching and research position, 31 employee in administration, and 31 technical staff.
3) Science
a) Projects
Over the last 9 years USSM has launched 105 scientific-research projects, out of which 72 have been financed either by Ministry of Science, Education and Sports or Croatian Science Foundation, and 33 have been international projects. The total amount of funding received exceeds 46 million kunas.
b) Publications
Over the last 10 years there has been a significant growth in the number and quality of scientific publications. For comparison, when USSM underwent self-evaluation in 2007, the number of publications was 106, and in the last 5 years (specifically from 2009.-2013.) the average number of publications per year was 161. This also meant that the number of citations went up; the average number of citations for each publication is 12.72, representing the highest number of citations among other medical schools in our country (and in neighboring countries).
As first authors or corresponding authors, scientists of USSM published in some of the world’s most respected scientific journals such as Nature Genetics, Lancet or Cancer Cell.
If we look at the period when the last self-evaluation was done, it can be said that all the aspects of scientific activities of USSM today are much better (some are even twice as better), and the results are quite often much better than in other institutions we have been compared with.
A detailed description of the scientific activities of USSM is given in Chapter 5.
4) Finances
The USSM (likewise other constituents of the University) is partly financed out of the government's budget, that is, out of Ministry of Science, Education and Sports. Other sources of income include school fees mainly from the study program Medicine in English Language, but also school fees from the postdoctoral programs and scientific projects.
5) Main challenges
As can be seen from the text above, it is clear that the main problem at USSM, when it comes to everyday work, is human resources; the number of employees doesn’t match the numerous activities being performed at USSM (this mainly applies to number of employees in teaching and research positions). Because of insufficient staff (necessary for quality teaching, scientific and professional activities), USSM is forced to engage external collaborators. This represents a financial burden since in the past those expenses were covered by Ministry of Science, but for the last three years they are covered out of USSM's own resources.
b) Make a diagram of the internal organisational structure of your HE institution (council, departments, chairs and other). State the number of full-time employees per each organisational unit. Describe as an addendum the composition and function of individual elements of the structure. Specify which elements of the management structure involve other stakeholders (students, employers and other) and comment on their role and contribution.
University of Split School of Medicine establishes teaching and research units.
1.TEACHING UNITS:
Departments (Articles 15 and 20 of the Statute) are fundamental teaching units responsible for the organisation, coordination and implementation of teaching within all study programs. They are charged with constantly trying to improve all aspects of teaching. In addition, they enable professional development of employed academics. Members of departments include teachers, collaborators and scientists who teach at least 40 hours within a department, and include the student representative.
USSM has a total of 40 departments:
1. Medical physics and biophysics
2. Medical biology
3. Histology and embryology
4. Anatomy
5. Psychological medicine
6. Medical chemistry and biochemistry
7. Immunology and medical genetics
8. Physiology
9. Research in biomedicine and health
10. Neuroscience
11. Pharmacology
12. Medical humanities
13. Graduation thesis
14. Pathology
15. Forensic medicine
16. Pathophysiology
17. Medical microbiology and parasitology
18. Introduction to internal medicine
19. Medical radiology
20. Clinical oncology
21. Internal medicine
22. Anaesthesiology and intensive care
23. Psychiatry
24. Neurology
25. Infectious diseases
26. Dermatovenerology
27. Surgery
28. Otorhinolaryngology
29. Ophthalmology
30. Obstetrics and gynaecology
31. Paediatrics
32. Family medicine
33. Public health
34. Physical and rehabilitation medicine
35. Nuclear medicine
36. Clinical skills
37. Prosthetics
38. Oral medicine and paradontology
39. Restorative dental medicine
40. Pharmacy
Each department has a Head of the Department and Deputy.
Clinics and Clinical Institutes (articles 21-23 of the Statute) are health institutions or parts of health institutions where clinical teaching is conducted. They are run by Heads of Clinics/Clinical Institutes.
Teaching Institutions (article 23 of the Statute) are health institutions which have the staff, space and technical facilities to teach subjects (partially or entirely). Rights and responsibilities of teaching institutions are arranged through a contract between the teaching institution and USSM.
2) RESEARCH UNITS
The School of Medicine Departments (Articles 15 and 20 of the Statute) are fundamental organizational units based on rational connections of teaching and research activities linked with professional interests of employed academics.
There are four departments at USSM (listed under point a).
The department is managed by the Head.
Biomedical and Health Research Centres (Articles 27-31 of the Statute) are established with the purpose of conducting multidisciplinary scientific research and providing specific teaching activities in the fields of biomedicine and health. The managing bodies are Director and the Board of Managing Directors. The rules for the newly established School’s Centre, The Croatian Centre for Global Health (CCGH) are contained in the special document - Regulations on The Croatian Centre for Global Health and Centre for Sleep Medicine.
Divisions and laboratories (Article 32 of the Statute) have been established as subsidiary, teaching institutions and research-education organisational units on the condition that they have a specific research program and international reputation as well as connect teaching and research activities. With establishment of these laboratories better work results are expected.
USSM has 10 laboratories listed under point a). Laboratories and divisions are run by their Heads.
c) Specify the structure of your institution’s management (dean, vice-deans, heads of departments and other) and briefly describe their roles and election procedure.
DEAN:
Role: (Article 41 and Article 42 of the Statute) The Dean manages and represents USSM, and is its leader.
Election procedure: The procedure for electing the Dean is described in detail in
the Standing Orders , as well in the USSMs Statute, Articles 43 - 44.
According to these regulations, any professor that works at least part-time at USSM can be elected to be the dean.
The Dean is elected by USSM’s Council for a period of two years, by a majority vote (more than half) of all Council members. The Dean is elected by secret ballot, and the election is confirmed by the Senate of the University.
VICE-DEANS (6):
- Vice-Dean for Finance
- Vice-Dean for Teaching and Student Affairs
- Vice-Dean for Research and International Collaboration
- Vice-Dean for Dental Medicine
- Vice-Dean for English Medical Course
- Vice-Dean for Pharmacy
The vice-dean’s role is related to the position they occupy.
Election procedure: (Article 46 of the Statute) any employed Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor can be elected.
Vice-Deans are elected by the School Council for a period of two years on the proposal put forward by the Dean, by a majority vote (more than half) of the present Council members.
ASSISTANTS TO THE DEAN:
Role: to assist the Dean in performing those duties to which they have been assigned. The Dean appointed four assistants:
- Assistant to the Dean for Development (Role: to fulfil the main goal of the USSM’s (future) Development Strategy, and that is the formation of a Biomedical University. One of the main tasks would be to organize all of its facilities in the one place (this is an objective goal since the USSM’s facilities are next to Clinical Hospital – location Križine, and Croatian's Navy's Institute for Maritime Medicine). This represents the basis for a future Biomedical University. That is why the role of the Dean's Assistant for Development is so important, as this should be a person with life, professional and organisational experience.
- Assistant to the Dean for Student Affairs: (Role: The growing number of students, new teaching methods and increasing student's demands requires that not only the vice-dean deals with student affairs but an assistant to the dean for student's affairs, as well. The assistant primarily deals with enrolments and organisational matters.
- Assistant to the Dean for Publishing: (Role: today's medical knowledge, based on numerous facts, leads to a necessity for additional textbooks in certain fields/areas. This contributes to further development of a student's medical knowledge but it also defines his/her actions as a doctor in future. Therefore, publishing represents one of the USSM's main activities, allowing every department and lecturer to become recognised.
-Assistant to the Dean for Clinical Courses: (Role: In today’s world of modern technology, communication with patients and clinical skills are extremely important. This is why we need to teach our students from the first year onwards to work on communication skills, as they will be very important for their future profession. This is why USSM has an Assistant to the Dean for Clinical Studies.
Election procedure: (as provided in Article 48 of the Statute) the number of
Assistants is defined by the Dean.
DEAN'S CABINET (Article 49 of the Statute) is an expert advisory body managed by the Dean.
Election procedure for the members of the Dean's Cabinet is stated in the Statute (Article 49 Paragraph 1).
OTHER ENTITIES IMPORTANT FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF USSM:
FACULTY COUNCIL
Role: determined by article 54 of the Statute
Faculty council members are defined by the Statute (Article 52).
COMMITTEES (permanent and temporary) as expert bodies of the USSM Council