Optimizing assessment conception for a master’s thesis through adopting the benchmarking approach
Transforming university teachers’ way of thinking about assessment seems to be critical for assisting success of higher education reforms, especially when it comes to greater internationalisation of national and institutional policies. One of the critical issues for aligning strategies adopted for a master program is the need to develop critically reflective approaches to assessing a master’s thesis. In this article, we present a case study of an assessment conception for a master’s thesis in master’s programmes delivered at Northern Arctic Federal University (NArFU) (Arkhangelsk, Russia). The discussion is offered for two main reasons. Firstly, the case study could be of interest for other educators and programme developers who are involved in the process. Secondly, we offer a set of places to look for answers in search of promoting validity, reliability and fairness of internationally acknowledged quality of education. The results of the research may serve to inform the education policy-makers about initiatives to be taken for establishing a culture of assessment and continuous improvement within this sphere.