Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas Selects Explorance Blue to Enrich the Analysis of Course Evaluation Data

Montreal, Quebec – January 29, 2024 –The Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Dominican centre of theological and philosophical study based in Rome, has commissioned Explorance Blue as its new course evaluation platform.

Commonly referred to as “The Angelicum,” this institution provides undergraduate degrees in theology, philosophy, social sciences, canon law, and religious sciences, along with graduate studies. Most programs are offered in English, attracting approximately 1,200 students from over 100 countries. About two-thirds of the student body consists of priests, seminarians, or religious individuals, with the remaining third comprised of laypeople.

While searching for a new survey provider, Sr. Maria Silva, OP, the Director of Administration at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, explained the reasons behind The Angelicum’s decision to partner with Explorance.

“Course evaluations were first introduced here several years ago, initially via a custom-built system, but recently, we have decided we wanted a technological upgrade that would make it easier for the University to manage the surveys and gather insights,” Sr. Maria said.

“We conducted an analysis of what platforms were available, and we spoke to three or four companies. Explorance was the best in offer and the simplest to use, as well as the most cost-effective. At a product level, Blue is more automated, which is what we are seeking above all.

“We were also very impressed by the Explorance team. They really listened to what we wanted and had excellent knowledge of course evaluations.”

With the implementation of Explorance Blue now underway, the school’s first course evaluation surveys are scheduled to go live in the spring semester.

Sr. Maria further emphasized that while the acquisition of Explorance Blue was primarily motivated by the need for course evaluations, the platform’s versatility allowed for the integration of additional surveys. This encompassed a broader annual student survey, as well as surveys targeted at faculty and staff. Additionally, the system exhibited potential for diverse applications beyond its initial purpose.

“Our first objective is to develop a course evaluation system that is mostly self-sufficient – one that requires very little work at our end from an administrative perspective beyond set up at the start of the semester: fine-tuning, rather than reworking,” she said. “Once that is achieved, targets relate to how we use the data, which we will learn as we go. We want to enrich our analysis and then use this data to make important decisions, knowing we can do this if course evaluations are reliable.”

John Atherton, VP Sales EMEA at Explorance, said: “We are honoured to be supporting the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in their mission around quality control and evaluations. The Angelicum is a distinctive institution, of course, and we are excited about introducing it to our wider community of universities across Europe and beyond. Shared learning is a big part of what we offer at Explorance.”

About Explorance    

Explorance empowers higher education institutions with next-generation feedback analytics to accelerate the insight-to-action cycle, encouraging the philosophy of “Feedback for the brave” to drive purpose, impact, and growth.   

In an AI-driven world where feedback is pivotal for decision-making, Explorance is committed to amplifying the student voice, tailoring its solutions to advance vital strategic initiatives like teaching effectiveness and student success.   

Bringing 20 years of expertise, Explorance, a member of the World Economic Forum, has influenced over 25 million individuals with award-winning solutions like Blue, Metrics That Matter, and MLY. A trusted partner for 35% of Fortune 100 companies and 25% of top global educational institutions, Explorance champions data interoperability through key partnerships with major LMS and SIS partners, including Microsoft, Cornerstone, Oracle, Ellucian, and Instructure.   

Explorance, an AI award winner, is consistently among the top employers by the Great Places to Work Institute® and a two-time Global Leader in the 360-degree feedback market by Fortune Business Insights.  

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