International cooperation in discipline-specific quality assurance: NCPA-AEC joint accreditation of Russian higher music education programmes
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 European membership association promoting subject-specific quality assurance in music, the European Association of Conservatoires (AEC). The authors believe that this European and subject-specific approach to quality assurance has achieved a level of success and makes a positive difference both for the reviewed institutions and for the coordinating organisations.
Based on interviews of the institutional representatives and on reflections on the impact of this cooperation for their own organisations, the authors will describe the joint accreditation process, address the outcomes of the procedures (both from the institutions’ and from the quality assurance organisations’ perspectives), and draw conclusions from this experience. Although areas for further improvement have been identified, the authors believe this model could easily be exported to other countries and to other disciplines.
This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.
