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This paper looks into the relevance of societal objectives in external quality assurance (QA) practice. The findings are based on an analysis of (1) QA agencies` procedure regulations and (2) audit reports on Austrian HEIs. In the first stage we identify aspects of societal objectives found in the procedure regulations.
Further analysis shows that equal opportunities and diversity and transfer of knowledge as examples of societal objectives receive little attention and that a genuine QA perspective on these topics is lacking. This is in contrast to the importance given to societal issues in higher education policy discourse and marks new territories to be explored.
This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.
ISSN: 3797
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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 ...
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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 ...
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. ...
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. ...
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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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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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 ...
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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. ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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 ...
