The Quality Policy of the Postgraduate Study Program “Education Sciences: Interdisciplinary Approaches in Early Childhood and the Early Primary School Years” of the Department of Early Childhood Education is aligned with the Quality Policy of the Quality Assurance Unit (MODIP) of the University of Ioannina and with international academic principles, particularly those of the European Higher Education Area.

In order to improve and ensure the quality of teaching and educational work, the teaching and research staff of the Department of Early Childhood Education of the University of Ioannina organize and implement innovative teaching methods and instructional approaches, link teaching with research, seek to develop students’ creativity, critical thinking, and argumentation skills, provide a high level of knowledge, foster the development of students’ skills, and participate in joint activities with other social bodies. In addition, postgraduate students, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral researchers are involved in the educational process with financial support. Postgraduate students are also encouraged to participate in the evaluation of the teaching staff’s educational work. The Internal Evaluation Group (OMEA) examines the relevant data, and the Study Program Committee proposes to the Department Assembly all measures that contribute to improving the functionality and content of the courses.

With regard to the quality of research activity, the Postgraduate Study Program of the Department of Early Childhood Education seeks to increase publications and participation in scientific conferences and research projects with international impact and promotes Education Sciences through research, making use of the Department’s laboratories. It also expands cooperation with other departments of the University of Ioannina, as well as with other Greek and foreign universities.

To improve the quality of administrative work and human resource management, the Postgraduate Study Program of the Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Ioannina reduces bureaucracy through the use of electronic services and limits the waste of human resources on time-consuming administrative procedures. It promotes staff education and training, makes use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), adopts transparent practices and procedures in the management of financial resources, and plans its activities through the development of implementation timelines. In the areas of visibility, outreach, and internationalization, the Postgraduate Study Program of the Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Ioannina aims to develop stable relationships with local and regional bodies, contribute to the cultural development of the city, the region, and society more broadly, expand international collaborations in order to strengthen the mobility of faculty members, Laboratory Teaching Staff, Special Teaching Staff, Special Technical Laboratory Staff, and postgraduate students, and develop research collaborations at the international level. In order to improve and ensure the quality of its educational work, the Postgraduate Study Program of the Department of Early Childhood Education aims to increase postgraduate students’ participation in course attendance, examination periods during the academic year, committees and governing bodies, and the completion of semester course and instructor evaluation questionnaires. It also encourages and supports innovative student initiatives.

Emphasizing procedures that safeguard the integrity and independence of research, the Department of Early Childhood Education operates a Research Ethics and Integrity Committee, which collaborates with the Research Ethics and Integrity Committee of the University of Ioannina, with particular emphasis on the ethics and integrity of research involving children, educators, and vulnerable social groups. The Department’s Research Ethics and Integrity Committee advises all those involved in research and scientific activities on compliance with the University of Ioannina Code of Research Ethics and Integrity.

To improve and ensure procedures for protecting students and Department staff from biased interventions, the Department of Early Childhood Education adopts open and public data policies, provides access to information on decisions of collective bodies, makes administrative acts publicly available, and allows students to be re-examined by another instructor after three consecutive failures in the examination of a course.

To improve and ensure quality in the procedures related to the Postgraduate Study Program, each new program design is developed in accordance with the program’s objectives, expected learning outcomes, and the needs of students and society. The new Study Program is then submitted for approval by the Department Assembly.

The Postgraduate Study Program is updated at regular intervals with the aim of providing high-quality education for kindergarten teachers. The updating of the Program takes into account the results of student questionnaire analysis, international trends, objectives, milestones, and good practices followed by similar departments in Greece. The learning outcomes of the Postgraduate Study Program are defined in accordance with the National and European Qualifications Frameworks for Higher Education.

The quality assurance procedures, as set out in the Quality Manual of the University of Ioannina, are applied to the Postgraduate Study Program of the Department of Early Childhood Education with the necessary adaptations. Departmental procedures are updated annually by the Internal Evaluation Group (OMEA) in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Unit (MODIP) of the University of Ioannina. These procedures are reflected in the annual Internal Evaluation Report prepared by OMEA in accordance with MODIP guidelines. The Quality Policy of the Postgraduate Study Program is communicated to all members of the university community and the wider academic community through the website of the Department of Early Childhood Education and the website of the Postgraduate Study Program.