This paper explores a practical case of international cooperation in quality assurance (QA), highlighting the collaboration between the Estonian Quality Agency for Education (HAKA) and the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance of Ukraine (NAQA).

Initiated within the framework of a Memorandum of Cooperation signed in November 2023, this partnership addresses a pressing need: to develop and pilot an institutional accreditation model tailored to Ukraine’s unique higher education context, especially under the strain of ongoing Russian - Ukrainian war.

With over 500 higher education institutions and about 25,000 study programs, Ukraine’s QA system is heavily resource intensive. Moving from program-based to institutional accreditation offers a more sustainable and scalable solution. In response to NAQA’s request in early 2024, HAKA supported the design of a new institutional accreditation framework, including the development of methodology, training for staff and experts, and a comprehensive pilot phase.

The initiative, funded by ESTDEV – the Estonian Centre for International Development Cooperation – includes pilot accreditations at three Ukrainian universities: Kyiv National Economic University, Lutsk National Technical University, and the National University of Ostroh Academy. These pilots have involved co-led training, collaborative expert panel formation (with three experts each from Estonia and Ukraine), and hybrid-format site visits in May–June 2025. Evaluation decisions are expected by August 2025, with results to be shared during feedback seminars and at the Ukrainian Quality Assurance Forum UQAF-2025 in September 2025.

This joint presentation—featuring both QA agencies and a participating university—will offer multi-perspective insights on how international QA cooperation can drive policy innovation, reinforce institutional resilience, and foster trust across borders. It exemplifies how shared goals, transparency, and mutual learning can sustain and strengthen international academic partnerships even in times of crisis.

This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.

ISSN: 1375-3797

Joint Efforts for Quality Enhancement: HAKA-NAQA Partnership to Support Ukrainian Universities through Institutional Accreditation

Hillar Bauman, Nataliia Stukalo, Nadiia Kovalchuk
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