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With the formulation of the ESG 2015 (particularly ESG 1.4) it is clear that higher education institutions and QA agencies now have the responsibility of addressing academic recognition issues in their internal and external quality assurance (EQA) processes. This paper provides a synthesis of the main conclusions of a survey conducted by the ENQA working group VII on quality assurance and recognition in September 2016. The survey explores the current practices on EQA of institutional recognition practices among QA agencies as well as the links between QA agencies and ENIC-NARIC centres.
This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.
Quality assurance and doctoral education have been elements of the Bologna Process since the 2003 ministerial meeting in Berlin, but until rather recently, they have been developing on two differ ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Henrik Toft Jensen 1. Introduction to the Forum by Klaus Dieter Wolff ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Henrik Toft Jensen 1. Introduction ...
This report presents findings of a preparatory survey conducted among 33 higher education institutions (HEI) who have participated in peer-to-peer counselling missions, as part of a project focused on ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Henrik Toft Jensen Part 1. 2010 is here: How far have we come and where are we going? ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Fiona Crozier I. Setting the stage ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Fiona Crozier EQAF – a report from a continuing journey into quality by EQAF 2010 Steering Committee ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Norma Ryan I. Making a difference: perspectives and lessons learnt ...
Abstract The massification of higher education in Poland means that labour market outcomes of graduates are an important perspective for future students, higher education institutions as well as the ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Norma Ryan Analysing the implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance at institutional level: Outcomes of the IBAR project ...
Abstract In 2017, the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) started to pilot a new External Quality Assurance (EQA) model. The guiding principles include: a coherent model in line with ESG and a ...
Abstract To this date, research on the interplay between organisational structure/managerial and organisational value/psychological elements impacting educational quality enhancement is scarce. As a ...
Abstract Student Centred Learning (SCL) has been given a new and distinct role in the European understanding of education quality. Agencies and HEIs are in the process of discussing how the new ESG 1 ...
Abstract This paper aims at describing why and how a QA agency decided to trigger a process of in-depth reflection and consultation on its external quality assurance (EQA) practices in order to ...
Abstract Quality assurance and enhancement is central to all higher education activities. The educational authorities in the Republic of Macedonia (RM) have tried for about a decade, to assure the qu ...
Abstract After the amendment of the Flemish Codex of Higher Education concerning quality assurance and accreditation in June 2015, the Flemish higher education institutions had the opportunity t ...
Abstract While most of the European countries conduct accreditations, quality audits are the Finnish way to follow the Berlin conference’s demand of implementing an external quality assurance instr ...
Abstract In the summer of 2016 NOKUT conducted a survey of academic teachers’ perceptions of quality in ‘their own’ educational programmes. From this survey, the theme of teacher coll ...
Improving the quality of teaching and learning has been at the heart of the Bologna Process reforms and continues to be of crucial importance for the further implementation of these reforms. The growt ...
Abstract Employers can give a valuable insight into the employability competencies and desired improvements in the higher education quality assurance system. The main aim of the paper is to find ...
Abstract This paper describes the outcomes of a review of practice and related policy and procedures for annual programme monitoring. The review of practice highlighted that there was an artificial s ...
Abstract Student Engagement in module and programme evaluation has become a pressing issue in the quality assurance and enhancement of the higher education teaching and learning environment. ...
Abstract This paper outlines the key data and metrics that are being used to assure and assess quality and standards in United Kingdom (UK) higher education. It is a brief overview of data drive ...
Abstract The paper discusses the necessity for flexibility in QA systems through a case study of a recent merger between four HEIs in Norway. It draws on experience from engineering education and sho ...
Abstract 183 employees of 10 higher education departments described their own attitude and role with respect to quality and diversity. The results reveal rather low levels of involvement. Comparison ...
Abstract The Quality Assurance System for Course Units at Instituto Superior Técnico monitors the course units taught at the institution, by involving the entire academic community in the teaching a ...
Abstract The ever-changing landscape of higher education and the rapid technology advancement are leading to new ways of teaching and assessing. Accordingly, quality assurance (QA) must adapt to thes ...
Abstract The papers describes a project which was established as an agreement of Armenian higher education (HE) stakeholders, some European universities and organization supporting students’ partic ...
Abstract This paper session will cover how the University of Edinburgh has made improvements to data available to support quality assurance and enhancement processes using a project to develop a syst ...
The study is the result of a series of activities including workshops, surveys and focus groups implemented under the framework of the EQUIP project ‘Enhancing quality through innovative policy & ...
Abstract What should be taken into account when developing University Quality Assurance policies to ensure maximum engagement leading to successful implementation? How could the resistance for develo ...
Abstract The paper presents an overview of the upcoming ISO 21001 standard, which will be published in early 2018 as a Management System Standard for Educational Organizations. It shows how ISO 21001 ...
Abstract This paper addresses a challenge that is often referred to in quality assurance processes: the involvement in these processes of teaching staff. The authors suggest that this challenge ...
The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) were adopted by the Ministers responsible for higher education in 2005 following a proposal prepared by t ...
Abstract The implementation of the Bologna reform in the Croatian context has led to a number of issues with reforming and delivering doctoral education, including a lack of research qualifications o ...
Abstract In addition to exploring the quality culture paradox in the higher education (HE) area the paper is identifying practical ways for in-depth quality culture evolvement and change, drawing bot ...
Abstract In recent years the tone of voice in higher education policy in the Netherlands has changed from advocating tight control and accountability to giving more room to the ‘soft’ side of qua ...
Abstract Establishing causality between internal quality review (iQR) and impact is important not only for enhancing responsible behaviour but also for demonstrating that quality assurance (QA) has v ...
Abstract Internal quality assurance systems are expected to improve the institutions’ core mission of teaching and learning. Resorting to data gathered through an online survey, distributed in 2014 ...
The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), European Students’ Union (ESU), European University Association (EUA), European Association of Institutions ...
Abstract We developed an analytic framework to strategically plan IQA communication, in order to increase the overall impact of IQA-output. Our paper considers traps and obstacles in communication. D ...
Abstract In 2015, a teaching portfolio pilot project was conducted at the University of Graz. This paper aims at sharing insights and lessons learned from that project and also points at encountered ...
Abstract The continuous process of improving ARACIS activity has two major objectives: increasing the efficacy of the process of internal and external evaluation and the development of new standards ...
Abstract At the University of Graz (Uni Graz) one of the key quality management procedures in terms of research is peer-evaluation. After the first two cycles of evaluation, with different perception ...
Abstract The paper presents Bishop Grosseteste University’s (BGU) experience of introducing and embedding an innovative whole-University student engagement initiative into a small, traditional, Uni ...
Abstract Countries across Europe shared similarities in quality assurance in the higher education area even before the ESG. This paper explores these similarities in different contexts from a student ...
The paper will present an overview of the mandatory use of performance indicators in programme accreditation in Germany. The use of performance indicators in Germany is not new but recent developments ...
Abstract Six quality assurance agencies have recently decided to be part of an active yet informal network (réseau FrAQ-Sup) with the goal of sharing professional experience and supporting the devel ...
Abstract Over the last decades higher education in Sweden has been subject to a number of different national QA systems. Now and then, they have been met with criticism. In 2012, the Swedish Associat ...
In 2017, the Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA) began the construction of a new database of relationships with its external partners, both local and international. The database provides the university w ...
This purpose of this paper is threefold: First, it describes the international milieu of policymaking relevant to joint programmes and its development in recent years. It focuses predominantly on the ...
Abstract When implementing a new QA system in 2014, NVAO conceived the Appreciative Approach as the underpinning philosophy of its new QA methodology. Previous QA methodologies were primarily complia ...
Since about 2001 parttime modes of study programs of universities showed decreasing influx of adult students who combine a professional career with (further) higher education. ...
Abstract Student satisfaction is important not only for improving learning outcomes but also for improving retention, progression and completion rates. Raising student satisfaction is strongly correl ...
EUA has a long record of working on quality assurance (QA) in Europe and has supported its members in developing their internal QA systems through a variety of activities. Many of these acti ...
Dual study programs are hybrid form of higher education, which offer the participant the opportunity to complete a degree program at a higher education institution whilst simultaneously receiving a ce ...
Abstract 2015 is not only the 10th anniversary of the ESG and EQAF, but with the Ministerial Conference also the time for a new edition of the European Students' Union's survey “Bologna with St ...
Since 2003, the Scottish Quality Enhancement Framework (QEF) has focussed on enhancement, collaboration and partnership in managing quality. 20 years on, a new tertiary approach to quality will bring ...
Scotland’s Enhancement Themes Student-Led Project (SLP), a national initiative comprised of student representatives from across the country, selected the topic of ‘Promoting Equity of the Student ...
Abstract On-site visit interviews play a crucial role in external quality assurance procedures. Nevertheless, so far there seems to be little empirical research, both in linguistics, and in the field ...
Abstract The extensive establishment and development of external quality assurance agencies all over the world has created a new profession so-called the external quality assurance profession. ...
Abstract Student participation on equal terms as partners in higher education assurance was a novel concept in the year 2000. Since its founding in 2000-08-12, the German Student Accreditation Pool ( ...
Abstract There is an increase in number of overlapping student satisfaction surveys in the higher education sector. Here we present results from a national and an institutional survey. The nati ...
Abstract Core academic principles and purposes of higher education can be expressed in such terms as students’ personal development or academic identity. These are important in the Bologna pro ...
Abstract University of Luxembourg has recognized the difficulty of students’ course evaluation: it has replaced a formal evaluation system with a more open and flexible one, taking into ac ...
Abstract Many higher education institutions are revising, and in some cases reforming, their undergraduate curricula with an objective of providing a higher quality education experience to students. ...
Abstract After 10 years of intensive developments in European quality assurance and in the year of the adoption of the revised European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) this paper will ask whether exce ...
Abstract After the Bologna Process (2006), tutoring activities have been introduced and disseminated among most IST Programmes as a way to support expected and needed changes on the teachin ...
Abstract Expert evaluation of study programmes has been a common feature of quality assurance systems in Europe and worldwide. In general, expert committees are formed of disciplinary or professional ...
Abstract Quality Assurance (QA) at one university has evolved significantly over the past 15 years in keeping with emerging European standards, reported best practices and structured feedback from ke ...
Abstract Assessment in internship is an important part of the learning process aimed to provide a focus on what has been learned during the internship. Using diaries is a strategy to deepen lear ...
Abstract Given the ten years since the introduction of the ESG and the five years since the formal launch of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) quality assurance of higher education has gained ...
Abstract Higher Education Institutes operate in the forefront of knowledge and are entrusted with the provision of relevant knowledge, tools and methods to their customers – our society.&n ...
Abstract Graduates must be able to use their degree on the labour market that awaits them when they have completed a higher education study programme. Danish politicians have increasingly focused on ...
Abstract In 2013 QQI commissioned the ‘Review of Reviews’ to take stock of Irish legacy review models and make proposals for the features of a new QQI model. QQI has now published (June, ...
Abstract Formative student feedback can be used to uncover problems early on and establish a collaborative learning as well as quality culture at universities. Beyond that the quality loops- app ...
Abstract Evidence, both quantitative and qualitative, is at the core of every assessment process. New technology has given us an unprecedented opportunity to tackle both structured and unstructured d ...
Abstract The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) is the organization responsible for quality assessment in Finland. The UH passed an international audit performed in 2014–2015. Th ...
Abstract One of the most successful actions of the Bologna Process is said to be QA. Yet, studies made clear that in quite some HEIs and Bologna countries internal QA was developed only after or beca ...
Abstract This paper deals with students’ role in quality enhancement in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The main focus is on student feedback, where the discourse fluctuates from ...
Abstract This paper considers how centrally-available and comprehensive quantitative data can be used as an indication of risk in a risk-based system of quality assurance, as currently implemented in ...
Abstract EQuAM (Enhancing Quality Assurance Management) is a collaborative project involving European and Jordanian universities and QA agencies. It links successful aspects of the Bologna ...
Abstract Obtaining accredited status is of great importance for programmes offered in universities, regardless of their scale, location on this globe and developmental status. However, there are few ...
Abstract Teaching competence is often discussed in relation to rewards of present day achievements, rather than in terms of strategic long-term quality. A call for a shift towards a long-term quality ...
Abstract We present findings on practical experiences with national and cross-border external quality assurance procedures made by six universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland working with th ...
Abstract This paper will provide a theoretical contribution to current debates on quality assurance in higher education. To refine the role of audit and enhancement, it will outline the dif ...
Abstract Input factors have always been an important element in the evaluation of education. Another approach is to highlight outcomes, and yet a third to listen to the students’ assessment of& ...
Abstract The United Kingdom's quality assurance framework for higher education has been characterised by relative policy stability over the last 20 years. But far reaching and significant reforms to ...
Abstract In accordance with the HE Act, the University of Maribor has among the governing bodies also the Students’ Council that is led by the student who is a Vice-rector and has an ...
Abstract Student participation in the internal Quality processes is one of the fundamental values underpinning the Quality system at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). This participation does not sto ...
Abstract The Bologna process considers a greater internationalization and cultural diversity. In virtual higher education quality is particular important but difficult to manage and to reac ...
Abstract The paper analyses the main outcomes of programme accreditation in Portugal further to the operations of the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education, which were initiated ...
In recent years, higher education provision has been changing rapidly, including the mainstreaming of e-learning, the emergence of micro-credentials, the launch of the European Universities Initiative ...
Abstract In July 2015 Malta inaugurated its National QA Framework for Further and Higher Education to foster a comprehensive quality culture in the sector. This is the first QA framework within the E ...
Abstract Learning from the animal kingdom we stipulate that the mission for higher education institutions (HEI) that want to persist beyond the 21st century is simply: “how not to be a dinosaur ...
Abstract In March 2008, the EU launched the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). EIT can be said to be a “new animal” in the European educational landscape, based on the ...
Abstract One of the main concepts of the ESG is that they are European. Nevertheless, even if they provide a framework for quality assurance in the entire EHEA, the ESG also apply to quality assuranc ...
Abstract From a conceptual point of view, quality assurance tends to be oriented towards the presence or the past rather than the future (ex post approach). This paper strongly advocates the need to ...
Abstract Within the system of external quality assurance of the education programmes in the Spanish Higher Education system, and in its phase of ex-ante accreditation (program approval), a provi ...
Abstract The paper reports on a comparative study, conducted in 2013-14, of four higher education systems (the Netherlands, Flanders, North Rhine-Westphalia and Ireland), which aimed to find out ...
Created in 1994, IEP (Institutional Evaluation Programme) is an independent membership service of the European University Association (EUA) which has carried out over 300 institutional evaluations in ...
Abstract In recent years there has been a paradigm shift in education from teaching to learning. A key question is whether the same shift in focus is reflected in the core purpose of quali ...
Abstract We want to explore the potential impact of the internal service units on the quality culture in a higher education institution (HEI). We will describe how the service units are involved in t ...
Abstract Are universities responsible for the employability of graduates? In Finland it has been more or less self-evident that people with a university degree are not struck by unemploymen ...
Abstract The main aim of this paper is to bring together the conclusions drawn from an empirical study carried out with a selection of Universities and Quality Assurance Agencies (QAAs) in Bosnia and ...
Abstract A unique collaborative partnership of higher education institutions, students’ representatives and national agencies has implemented the first national survey of student enga ...
Abstract Higher education is undergoing deep transformations driven by increasing demand, high youth unemployment, rising costs and new uses of technology. These have triggered an unprecede ...
Abstract In essence, quality assurance is very much a complex issue, with different perspectives, normative ideals and interpretive patterns on the nature of quality and the functions of quality assu ...
Abstract This paper addresses the question of how the system of quality assurance in UK higher education has responded to the shift from teaching to learning by promoting a culture of ...
Abstract The paper discusses the current status of one of the traditional methods of external quality assurance in European higher education, the institutional quality audit. Taking its point of ...
Abstract Considering some of the Bologna principles, this paper aims to show the main changes and consequences of the performance assessment system of IST teaching body (QUC, Course Unit Qu ...
Abstract This paper addresses factors that seem important for the quality assurance system and for improvement of educational quality at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU. Furt ...
Abstract The quality of learning has evolved into the core of the quality system of higher education institutions over the last decade. Different external evaluation processes are implemented to ...
Abstract The paper focuses on the role played by the administrative staff in the internal quality assurance systems managed by the universities in Poland. Conducted analysis concerned the p ...
Abstract Drawing on collaboration amongst higher education institutions in nine different European countries, this paper describes mechanisms which, over the two years of the SPEAQ project, hav ...
Abstract The increasing emphasis on the outcomes of learning, as captured in the conference title has many implications for both internal and external quality assurance. One of the external evaluatio ...
Abstract Literature recognises that a Quality Assurance System needs to be a stable, foreseeable, consistent and coherent framework. However, if this system is to be context-sensitive, projected in t ...
Abstract This paper looks at the way two European universities of applied sciences (UAS) deal with the “shift from teaching to learning”. It focuses on Berner Fachhochschule (BF ...
Abstract Taking into consideration the paucity of information in the area of external quality assurance activity of quality assurance agencies (QAAs) the present paper provides a first atte ...
Abstract Although European quality assurance (QA) can be considered a recent phenomenon, it has come a long way in a short time. Still, a large degree of heterogeneity between external QA systems rem ...
Abstract The main objective of this paper is to address the changing role of university quality assurance structures in particular regard to teaching and learning and the associated developments ...
Abstract A key issue in effective internal quality assurance (IQA) is active involvement of different stakeholders. The role of student representatives is formalized in most institutes for higher edu ...
Abstract As every system also the System of Ensuring and Development of Quality of Education in WULS-SGGW is subject to constant development. The presented case study shows the changes of a system fr ...
Abstract This paper shares the results of the first external assessment of all Flemish post-graduate teacher education programmes, focussing on how cooperation contributes to improved quality. T ...
Abstract A vast majority of Higher Education Institutes have formalised their quality management practices in order to be able to systematically generate information for accountability and improvemen ...
Synopsis Accreditation is recognized as the most important factor in improving the quality of education in Kazakhstan. Introduced transparent standards and procedures for quality assessment are givin ...
Abstract Quality assurance is a necessary benchmark in order to identify high quality offers on the further education market. Quality assurance could be described as an important factor to reach pote ...
Abstract In 2011 a new era of external quality assurance in Austria began. The process of further development of the quality assurance (QA) system showed the necessity of a deeper debate within the A ...
Abstract The ORPHEUS/AMSE1/WFME2 PhD standards document, published January 2012, is a practical tool for quality assurance of PhD programmes. Another document, the new PhD principles document: &ldquo ...
Abstract In December 2009, after an official demand coming from four universities of the French community of Belgium (FCB), AEQES1 (a generalist evaluation agency) and CTI2 (an engineering accreditat ...
Abstract Since its introduction to higher education about twenty years ago, formal quality assurance developed to an important and mostly uncontested pillar of university management. But although QA ...
Abstract The purpose of this article is to analyse the composition of teaching staff in Portuguese higher education institutions and assess the existing gap between reality and desirability, in the c ...
Abstract The implementation of quality assurance and quality development procedures constitutes one of the major challenges in the management of higher education institutions (HEIs). In this context ...
Abstract In 2011-2012 Higher education institutions in Flanders started a benchmarking exercise. All of them are members of the KU Leuven Association. The ambition was to build expertise in benchmark ...
Abstract A number of various definitions have been given concerning quality in higher education, each one representing a different view, a reality which is reflected in the content of external evalua ...
Abstract Academics are at the heart of higher education, being key actors for assuring and promoting their institutions and systems’ quality. This paper explores academics’ views on ...
Abstract What is the role of student experts in evaluation panels? Are they token representatives of the masses of customers or are they professionalized partners in quality management? This study sh ...
Abstract Program QA at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) faces two major challenges; (1) large number of different programs, and (2) decentralized organisation of the program area. CBS has more than 6 ...
Abstract The IBAR project studied barriers higher education institutions experienced to implementing the ESG part 1. Our paper reports on the major findings of this project. ...
Abstract The national QA system in Sweden does not any longer include assessment of the institutions’ internal QA procedures. The Experts Group on Quality at the Swedish Association for Higher ...
Abstract Due to EQA and accreditation the quality of higher education programmes has increased. At least, that is what everyone hopes. In fact, little or no research is conducted in Flanders to measu ...
Abstract This paper reports results from an audit of the achievements made towards introduction of a regional quality assurance (QA) system in higher education in East Africa involving the Inter-Univ ...
Abstract The foundation of the ESG was a step towards a pan-European Quality Assurances market. Nevertheless, the majority of evaluation or accreditations still remain within the national frameworks. ...
Abstract Student participation in quality assurance (QA) processes, and more particularly as evaluators in external QA, has been acknowledged in the European Standards and Guidelines since 2005. This ...
Quality is a measure applying to transactions among bodies. The level of quality is high if all involved bodies’ needs have been met.Consider a simple transaction along a simple supply chain &nd ...
Foreword In this paper, you will find a summary by the Estonian Higher Education Quality Agency (Eesti Kõrghariduse Kvaliteediagentuur; EKKA) of an atypical quality assessment in Estonian high ...
In this paper, the author gives a personal and somewhat critical view on language usage in Dutch higher education. In recent months, the increasing number of English-taught programmes in the Netherlan ...
In this paper we elaborate the idea of ‘dialectical reasoning’ as a way of reconciling managerial paradoxes. Two ‘mental exercises’ have been developed to encourage such dialec ...
Abstract The idea for the study of these issues arose as a result of the current state of higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has not yet begun the process of accreditation of higher ed ...
Caused by a ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court, the German accreditation system underwent considerable changes in 2018, which assigned new roles to the German Accreditation Council (GAC), agen ...
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to report on a qualitative investigation to identify and explore: - the value added by quality reviews in service and support units in the UJ;- improvements to ...
The paper describes and analyses a coordinated approach of students’ representation at Study Programme Committees (SPC) of Vilnius University (VU). This approach was developed by Vilnius Univers ...
Abstract The main aim of this paper is to provide examples of how quality assurance and enhancement activities have provided a clear means of integrating QA into an Irish third level institution, Dub ...
Abstract This paper presents a cooperation model between a Russian organisation aiming at fostering quality culture in higher education, the National Center of Public Accreditation (NCPA) and a Europ ...
This paper focuses on quality assurance and recognition process of e-learning courses in Estonian higher education institutions. How this process has so far taken place, what are the bottlenecks and h ...
Abstract This paper argues that the aims of UK quality assurance (QA) within institutions should be concerned not only with the requirements to provide a profile of programmes, institutions and their ...
Abstract The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (the Agency), established in 1995, has the national responsibility for quality assurance of higher education through quality evaluation of fi ...
Abstract The main purpose of the paper is to present the concept for assessment of the doctoral programmes implemented by PKA as an important supplement of the institutional evaluation. The paper pre ...
Even the most pioneering approaches to the student voice in quality can run the risk of over-dependence on a narrow perspective – one that is disproportionally full-time, on-campus and undergrad ...
Abstract The presentation is a case study of how Lund University have used the mapping of existing student and graduate tracking initiatives within its faculties and central administration to introdu ...
Abstract One of the main principles of the quality assurance procedures is to encompass the interests of all stakeholders. Among the stakeholders there is one group it is students whom very often man ...
The external quality audit in Austria encompasses a broad range of HEIs’ activities – alongside the basic duties, they include societal objectives which are supposed to be integrated into ...
Abstract The process of adaptation to the challenges in the European Higher Education Area, lead to the development of an Integrated Quality System at IST (SIQuIST), consolidating the quality culture ...
Abstract Although e-learning has become mainstream provision in European higher education it has not yet become integral part of the QA systems.Surveys like the E-learning Quality (ELQ) report (2008: ...
Since the establishment of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) in 2005, student involvement in quality processes has been viewed as integral and become more widely ado ...
Quality and quality assurance (QA) is everyone’s responsibility. In a higher education institution (HEI) this includes all teaching, research and support staff. Students also play a key role mainly ...
In October 2009, the European University Association (EUA), together with its partners, the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) and QAA Scotland, launched a project entitled: “ ...
This work aims to discuss the expansion of the University Degree Accreditation System for the Regional Recognition of the Academic Quality of University Degrees in the MERCOSUR and Associate States (t ...
Sustainable Development(SD) is a major subject for society but also for Engineering education. Many citizens think that the consequences concerning climate change or reduction of biodiversity are the ...
The Royal Conservatoire has been testing and implementing a new quality culture with the aim of linking internal and external quality assurance cycles, as well as connecting educational quality and ar ...
On 1 January 2019, Ireland’s first Technological University (TU Dublin) was established when Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Institute of Technology Blanchardstown (ITB) and Institute of Techn ...
Academic integrity as a concept is not new in higher education, but the manifestation of academic misconduct is increasingly complex, posing a challenge to the maintenance of quality and standards, an ...
The importance of student involvement, student engagement and the student voice to quality assurance and the enhancement of learning and teaching is widely recognised. ...
The ‘European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes’ is a framework to evaluate joint programmes uniformly. It has been in existence since May 2015. Recently, the ‘European Approach ...
Quality assurance in Flemish professional higher education has traditionally focused mainly on teaching and learning processes. Given the threefold mission of universities of applied sciences, however ...
The growing importance of university engagement in the context of 21st century challenges in higher education has led to an increasing demand for university engagement, which calls for evaluation and ...
The project "Examining Quality Culture in Higher Education Institutions" (EQC) aimed to provide an overview of the internal quality assurance processes in place within higher education institutio ...
The paper discusses the opportunities to use sectoral qualifications frameworks in the development of study programmes in higher education. Sectoral qualifications frameworks are extensions of Nationa ...
Many of the student feedback surveys at provider and sector level give a comprehensive insight into the student experience, but they offer only a snapshot at set points in time, often at the end of a ...
A collaborative partnership of higher education institutions, students’ representatives and national agencies has developed and implemented a national survey for postgraduate research students. ...
The project “Examining Quality Culture in Higher Education Institutions” (EQC) aims to identify institutional processes and structures that support the development of an internal qual ...
The European Quality Assurance Register in Higher Education (EQAR) has developed DEQAR with the aim to contribute to the transparency of quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area. DEQAR ...
This research deals with analyzing trends in quality enhancement, pronged challenges and internal breakthrough for holistic quality enhancement in Ethiopian Public Universities. ...
It is generally accepted in Europe that students should be involved in the external Quality Assurance (QA) of higher educations institutions. Requirements for involving students are stated in the ESG, ...
After having established an integrated QA system for teaching & learning, the University of Würzburg now focuses on quality assurance for its science support services of the central administr ...
The credential-space is currently seeing significant innovation, driven by twin priorities, namely the unbundling of learning of micro-learning, and the drive to digitise credentials as prioritised by ...
Concerns about the relationship between quality assurance processes and creativity and how quality assurance, whether internal or external, can either enhance or stifle innovative practices and&n ...
At a time in which different forms of online education provision are growing in popularity, it is important to bring the assessment of these provisions to the same level. ...
Since 2009, Portuguese higher education institutions have been developing their own internal quality assurance systems and policies as a result of the reforms of higher education quality assurance in ...
In recent times e-learning in different forms has been integrated in a high percentage in the study offerings of HEIs in Europe. The quality assurance of this type of provision has become a concern bo ...
Along with the traditional missions of a university – teaching & learning, and research – a latecomer is now well established in higher education: interaction with society, often designated as ...
The goal of this session is to examine whether there is an opportunity to develop innovative policy tools both at the university and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) level for assessing exter ...
In recent years, Turkish higher education system has witnessed to a radical change by the establishment of Higher Education Quality Council of Turkey (THEQC), which has both financial and administrati ...
Higher education has an impact through social engagement. This paper examines, through a mixed methods approach, the relationship between internal and external quality assurance (QA) and community eng ...
The growing importance for entrepreneurial, student-centred, engaged universities that empower graduates with knowledge, 21st century competencies and skills but also with personal attributes which wi ...
This report is the result of a four-year project, which involved 134 higher education institutions grouped in 18 networks. The major aim of the project was to identify how internal quality cultur ...
Institutional quality initiatives have been the main guidelines in developing internal Quality Assurance (QA) processes at South East European University (SEEU). The University promotes quality in ord ...
The social dimension of Higher Education has never been before so much emphasized. This is because it is expected that universities will lead the resolution of the challenges that face our societies. ...
These Guidelines for Quality Enhancement in European Joint Master Programmes are addressed to all higher education institutions either considering or actually running joint programmes. It is the ...
Work-Based Learning is gradually becoming an integrated key component in many HE programmes covering a significant number of ECTS credits. It is therefore remarkable that until now not much time and e ...
Presumably we want each expert in external quality assurance procedure to be a great one. And here the hard part arises – what is a great expert? This paper provides research to the question: what c ...
The Institutional Evaluation Programme of the European University Association (EUA) was launched in 1993 and has evaluated over 110 universities in 35 countries. The evaluation reports ...
In an everchanging world of student representation, Croatian students have noticed a need for change in the development, organisation and evaluation of the quality of their students` representatives a ...
This contribution presents an assessment of the de jure independence of Quality Assurance Agencies (QAAs) operating at the national level in the field of higher education and which are public in natur ...
This paper describes the experiences by four Dutch universities of applied sciences in the context of a pilot project organised by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This developmen ...
The relationship between quality assurance and impact has increasingly gaining attention during the last two decades. The focus, however, is usually put on the impact of quality assurance. In this pap ...
The EUA Quality Culture Project, funded by the Socrates Programme, was conceived to enable participating institutions to discuss how to introduce and embed a quality culture in their institutions ...
This papers presents a quality assurance approach for joint programmes which has been developed by the Una Europa alliance. The Una Europa partners developed a lean joint internal quality assuran ...
This paper illustrates how HEIs, experts and a quality assurance agency address the key challenges of building trust among stakeholders and, while being engaged in an experimental “learning by doing ...
In October 2002, ELU (the Latin European Universities Group), an organisation made up of rectors and staff of Swiss, Italian, Portuguese, francophone-Belgian and French rectors’ conferences ...
Enhancing effectiveness of quality assurance for the future of HEIs cannot happen without the inclusion of the multiple perspectives of the most important player in the process – the students. ...
En octobre 2002, le groupe ELU (Europe Latine Universitaire) composé des Présidents et de permanents des conférences de Présidents et de Recteurs suisse, italienne, po ...
Quality assurance systems in Higher Education see the evaluation process as a fundamental phase of their development, as it is fundamental to the definition and verification of the achievement of thei ...
The presentation will focus on the result obtained by sharing values in the international space by discussing the case of Georgia. ...
In this paper we explore how equity and inclusion in Higher Education (HE) can be promoted from a quality assurance agency. ...
Having a good Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS) is considered essential in order to respond to the current challenges of universities. ...
Not many people ask the question of what exactly in higher education is valuable, and for whom. In this article the author uses a sharp question to research what higher education brings, and to whom. ...
In the era of globalization, ‘new’ policy issues appear in the process of Quality Assurance in Higher Education Institutions such as public confidence, the way of sharing academic values(instituti ...
In 2012-2014, EUA was part of the stakeholder group that revised the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). This work resulted in the current ...
The evaluation of learning and teaching is one central activity through which universities monitor the fitness-for-purpose of their education provision. This paper represents the outcomes of the work ...
Ample evidence suggests that even though student-centred learning is a topic of great interest and benefit to universities across Europe and beyond, there are widespread difficulties in addressing the ...
At the centre of a student’s university experience stands the programme that they follow. Therefore, creating curricula that are fit-for-purpose is at the heart of an institution’s teaching missio ...
Assessment is an essential and influential element in the learning journey of all students. There is commitment across universities to promoting a holistic assessment design, based on co-creation betw ...
The concept of evidence-based learning and teaching is complex and multifaceted. The EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group on “Evidence-based approaches to learning and teaching” underst ...
There is a legitimate need for data on the performance of higher education institutions. It is important for the institutions themselves, as well as their stakeholders, including society. The use of i ...
Micro-credentials have attracted interest as a means to increase the effectiveness and flexibility of higher education and to provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for the labour force. ...
In response to the Covid-19 crisis, higher education institutions around the world adjusted their activities to an emergency online mode in the first half of 2020. As institutions have the main respon ...
This self-assessment tool was developed by the European University Association (EUA) in partnership with the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), the Spanish Rectors’ Conference (Crue) and the Dutch ...
This paper presents the results of the first phase of the “Quality Assurance Fit for the Future” (QA-FIT) project, which aims to map the state of play of quality assurance in the EHEA and to criti ...
On 29 April, the Register Committee of the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) found that the European University Association’s Institutional Evaluation Programme continu ...
The 2019 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) is taking place this week at Technical University Berlin in Germany. More than 500 participants are attending the event, which runs from 21-23 November ...
The European University Association (EUA) is pleased to become a supporting organisation for the More Than Our Rank initiative, promoted by the International Network of Research Management Societies ( ...
EUA’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP), a quality assurance agency that supports universities in enhancing their strategic leadership and ability to manage change, is now accepting registrat ...
The STREAM online training platform, which provides training materials based on the European Recognition Manual for Higher Education Institutions (EAR-HEI manual), is open for a second round of t ...
On 13 December, the DocEnhance project organised its final event entitled “Transferable skills in doctoral education”. One of its main outcomes was the launch of the DocEnhance Platform, which hos ...
EUA member Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) is starting the process of rectorial election by announcing an international open competition for the position of the rector on 9 January. Applications ...
The Magna Charta Observatory has launched a new initiative to invite and promote academic research on “The Responsive and Responsible University”. ...
For Research Europe, EUA’s Kamila Kozirog describes how the successor programme to Horizon Europe can effectively contribute to Europe’s future prosperity. ...
How can universities adopt more flexible and adaptive approaches to strategy development? Gert-Jan Scheurwater reports on TU Delft’s progress in introducing foresight as a tool to tackle this challe ...
The UK will join the EU’s Horizon Europe programme in January 2024. Rebuilding collaboration, regulatory divergence and sensitive technologies are the next challenges, EUA’s Thomas Jørgensen writ ...
The proposal for the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, also known as Horizon Europe, has been published by the European Commission. Universities and research centres across Europe ...
As the Rector of the University of Groningen, and an economist, I am often asked why universities receive so much public funding for academic research. What is the use for society? A simple first resp ...
The European Commission’s proposal for the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon Europe) shares broad similarities with Horizon 2020, but there are some significant differenc ...
Investment in research and education not only brings the highest European added value, it is also the most effective long-term, future-oriented commitment that the EU can make towards its citizens, wr ...
As Europe decides how to best invest in the future of research and innovation, it is clear that Horizon 2020’s successor will need more funding. It is also quite certain that its design must be more ...
Europe needs more ambitious research funding, or risks losing precious knowledge, writes Rolf TarrachThe European Union is currently defining its priorities for the next decade. The scientific communi ...
Horizon 2020 plays a significant part in developing the research and innovation capacity of the European community, as well as of the individual member states. We have already witnessed the 7th Framew ...
The current state of the European Union demands new political thinking and action – not just “business as usual”. Europe faces a series of interlinked economic, political, societal and cultural ...
For the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), participation in Horizon 2020 is a number one priority. The framework programme gives us the opportunity to collaborate with excellent re ...
In the top 50 performing participants in Horizon 2020, 4.2 billion euros went to 37 universities, 11 research agencies and two research institutes. These are all from 12 countries in Europe: the UK, G ...
Director of Research and Innovation, European University Association, Lidia Borrell-Damián shares her thoughts on what lies ahead after Horizon 2020, in which she envisions a new kind of impact by li ...
The lack of funding needed to achieve Europe’s widely advertised ambitions for global excellence in research and innovation should be addressed in discussing Horizon 2020’s successor. Understandin ...
Lidia Borrell-Damián from the European University Association argues the European Commission’s Horizon Europe initiative holds great promise for the future of research and innovation in Europe. Thi ...
Thomas Estermann from the European University Association examines the university efficiency debate, explaining that behind the push to save money there is actually much more, including a silver linin ...
By Tia Loukkola, Director of Institutional Development and senior quality assurance expert at the European University Association. In Europe, quality assurance has made major strides since the beginn ...
In uncertain times with anti-EU movements and Brexit negotiations, the EU institutions must make an effort to reach an agreement on Horizon Europe. EUA’s Lidia Borrell-Damian talks about the key ame ...
New approaches to quality assurance in different regions of the world are contributing to a global dimension in the field. EUA’s Tia Loukkola takes note of frameworks in Africa, Asia and Europe, exa ...
A recent EUA study stresses that contributing to innovation in society is a central mission of today’s higher education institutions. EUA’s Tia Loukkola examines the role of quality assurance in t ...
External quality assurance reports are publicly available, demonstrating transparency and building trust and confidence in the quality of higher education. As EQAR’s Colin Tück explains, a new data ...
Reports produced by quality assurance agencies can be used in many ways, including in policy-making. As EUA’s Tia Loukkola explains, there is much room for bettering the accessibility and use of inf ...
How can universities frame their internal quality assurance and shake up the image of the bureaucratic burden? EUA’s Tia Loukkola gives us three approaches and tells us why the most effective proces ...
Numerous cases of positive change in higher education systems can be attributed to EUA’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP). As IEP celebrates its 25th anniversary, Andrée Sursock looks back ...
The transition to Open Science and Open Access is gaining momentum in Europe, making it a shared responsibility for universities and their main partners to review how they incentivise and reward resea ...
Will quality assurance as we know it remain relevant amid the changing higher education landscape? What changes are needed? EUA’s Tia Loukkola gives an overview of the diverse questions to be addres ...
This year, EUA’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) marks 25 years since its foundation. Tatjana Volkova, Chair of IEP Steering Committee, and EUA expert Anna Gover reflect on the benefits tha ...
Cross-border quality assurance has been slow in the making over the past two decades. However, as EUA’s Tia Loukkola explains, a new political context in Europe and the launch of new networks and co ...
Europe must connect its ambition of being a digital leader with initiatives already happening at its universities, says EUA Secretary General Amanda Crowfoot in an editorial in The Parliament Magazine ...
What would be the most effective way forward for universities to promote social dimension in their respective contexts? EUA expert Tia Loukkola discusses the role that quality assurance can play and i ...
The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) have led to major developments, however there are now proposals for revisions. EUA expert Tia Loukkola lo ...
Micro-credentials are growing exponentially in popularity, attracting the interest of various stakeholders due to their flexibility and ability to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labour market. ...
Learning outcomes are increasingly used in qualifications frameworks and quality assurance processes. As such, they aim to secure and foster public trust among education providers. Yet, against the ba ...
Sustainability is an important issue for universities. At Trinity College Dublin, the current strategic plan articulates sustainability as a priority supported by two goals: alignment to the UN Sustai ...
A new EUA study reveals that higher education institutions in Europe are highly engaged in activities that address environmental challenges and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ...
Higher education institutions in Europe are highly engaged in addressing environmental challenges through education, research and their own greening initiatives. However, sustainable procurement may b ...
External quality assurance across the European Higher Education Area is highly diverse. EQAR’s Melinda Szabo maps the situation through the rich datasets of the Database of External Quality Assuranc ...
From EU funding programmes, to travel and data transfer, the pieces of the puzzle are finally falling into place for universities post-Brexit. EUA’s Thomas Jorgensen provides an update on the situat ...
As learning pathways are increasingly international, the recognition of qualifications and credits obtained abroad is a key issue for countries and higher education institutions. Sebastian Bruque from ...
Micro-credentials are expected to widen participation in higher education by supporting inclusion and facilitating access to education. They are also expected to close the skills gaps in the labour ma ...
The European University Association’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) has outstanding experience in conducting institutional evaluations. Here, our quality assurance experts Elena Cirlan an ...
As places of teaching and learning, how can universities tangibly create a culture of togetherness and well-being? Here, Jochen Schellinger explains Bern University of Applied Sciences’ efforts to d ...
Can, and should, quality assurance play a greater role in ensuring that common academic values are respected? EUA’s Maria Kelo examines recent debates on the scope of QA in higher education. Qualit ...
Wladimir Mufty reflects on his organisation’s work to explore a higher education and research social media platform based on public values, and offers some mastodo’s and mastodon’ts. Social med ...
For Elizabeth Gadd, it is time for the higher education sector to think carefully about the effects of global university rankings. To explain why, she responds to three simple questions. The perverse ...
The Quality Assurance Fit for the Future (QA-FIT) project looks at the design and implementation of internal and external quality assurance in the EHEA in order to reflect on the Standards and Guideli ...
The EUniQ project aims to develop in close cooperation with European Universities, a quality assurance approach for European Universities. This is a two-year project co-funded by Erasmus+ KA3 – Supp ...
As in Europe, quality assurance in higher education is a policy priority in Africa at institutional, national, regional as well as continental level. The European Union and the African Union, in the c ...
The EUREQA project brought together partners from the Western Balkans and the European Union to support higher education institutions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo* in improving their ...
The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) are the basis for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). At their meeting in Ye ...
The aim of the DEQAR project was to develop a database that would enhance access to reliable information on the higher education institutions/programmes that had been subject to external quality assur ...
EUA works to ensure that the views of the university sector are taken into account in European and national-level policy discussions on internal and external quality assurance. It also supports its me ...
