Accessibility Tools
The 2026 European Quality Assurance Forum, will combine sessions about European policies and trends, research, and practical case examples on the theme of ‘Quality assurance for skills, entrepreneurship and innovation: Partnering with the world of work’ at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia on 18-20 November.
Quality assurance plays a crucial role in supporting higher education institutions in responding to evolving labour markets and strengthening their contribution to innovation and societal development. In a context marked by technological transformation, demographic change and the green and digital transitions, employment patterns are shifting rapidly.
QA systems can enhance institutional adaptability, foster meaningful stakeholder engagement and act as catalysts for innovation. By shaping frameworks and processes that promote employability, entrepreneurship, lifelong learning and research-based innovation, quality assurance helps institutions to integrate these priorities into their core missions.
Therefore, EQAF 2026 will:
Organised since 2026 by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), the European Students’ Union (ESU), the European University Association (EUA) and the European Association for the Applied Sciences in Higher Education (EURASHE), EQAF provides an annual platform for discussion, professional development and exchange of experiences among the main stakeholders in quality assurance. The Forum will be of interest to rectors and vice-rectors responsible for QA, QA officers in higher education institutions, students, QA agency staff and researchers working in higher education or the QA field.
Kindly note that the 2026 European Quality Assurance Forum will be held from Wednesday to Friday, following the format established by EQAF 2025.
Dear guests, interested parties, and colleagues,
Over the past nine decades, the National Polytechnic University of Armenia has stood as a pillar of technological education, scientific advancement and innovation in Armenia and the wider region.
Our university has continuously evolved in response to the changing demands of society, industry and the global educational landscape. Today, NPUA represents a unique technological educational complex, ensuring a learner-centered, inclusive and high-quality continuous cycle of education driven by innovation and modern technologies.
It is therefore both an honour and a responsibility for our university to host the 2026 European Quality Assurance Forum in Yerevan. We strongly believe that quality assurance is no longer solely a mechanism for compliance or evaluation. In contemporary higher education, it has become a strategic instrument for institutional transformation, resilience, international trust and sustainable development.
Discussions surrounding quality assurance have become increasingly important throughout the European Higher Education Area during the last two decades. Armenia, as part of this academic community, has actively embraced these developments through reforms, accreditation processes, international rankings and institutional partnerships. At NPUA, quality assurance is deeply integrated into our strategic vision and governance culture. We view continuous improvement not as a one-time process, but as an ongoing institutional commitment requiring evidence-based management, stakeholder engagement, innovation and adaptability.
At the same time, higher education today faces new realities that challenge traditional quality assurance approaches. Rapid digitalization, artificial intelligence, changing labor market expectations, demographic shifts, sustainability imperatives and geopolitical uncertainties require universities to rethink how quality is understood, measured and enhanced. Education is a dynamically developing ecosystem and it increasingly requires smart, flexible and collaborative solutions capable of responding to these transformations.
As the southeastern part of the European Higher Education Area, Armenia and the broader Eurasian region bring valuable perspectives to these discussions. Hosting EQAF 2026 in Yerevan provides an important opportunity to strengthen dialogue between different educational cultures, institutional experiences and quality assurance traditions. We hope that this Forum will contribute to building stable, long-term cooperation among universities, quality assurance agencies and policy makers, researchers, and students across Europe and beyond.
Yerevan, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, has always served as a crossroads of civilizations, cultures, and ideas. We are confident that EQAF 2026 will not only provide a platform for meaningful professional exchange, but will also foster new partnerships, collaborative initiatives, and shared visions for the future of quality in higher education.
On behalf of the entire academic community of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia, I warmly welcome all participants to Yerevan and to our university. We look forward to engaging discussions, new perspectives, and productive cooperation that will continue far beyond the Forum itself.
Gor Vardanyan
Rector
National Polytechnic University of Armenia
©National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA)
A call for contributions for the 2026 European Quality Assurance Forum is now open.
