The Office of Academic Program Review and Assessment (APRA) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is one of the units in the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Effectiveness (VPAPE). The APRA coordinates the campus-wide review of academic programs in collaboration with VPAPE on behalf of the Provost. The academic programs for review include degree programs, centers, and institutes that have been approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE).
Review of academic programs is a requirement of the IBHE:
The Board of Higher Education is authorized to review periodically all existing programs of instruction, research and public service at the State universities and colleges and to advise the appropriate board of control if the contribution of each program is not educationally and economically justified. [110 ILCS 205/7]
While meeting the requirement of the IBHE, UIC also engages in academic program review to:
- Provide a concise assessment of the program’s strengths and opportunity areas
- Build a connection to planning, decision-making, and resource allocation
- Outline the next steps recommended for the program
- Contribute to the attainment of the program and campus missions
The academic program review at UIC is designed to be:
- Analytic, i.e. based upon performance metrics through the use of institutional data and resources in support of analysis and recommendations.
- Participatory, i.e., calling upon input and exchange of ideas at the departmental, college, and campus levels.
- Targeted, i.e., addressing current or emerging areas that would have a significant impact on departments and programs.
- Objective, i.e., utilizing external consultants in the field to offer advice on identified areas, as needed.