European Quality AssuranceRegister for Higher Education

New Trends in Higher EducationQuality Assurance in Europe

New Trends in Higher Education: Keeping Up With the ChangeIstanbul, 12 April 2016

Colin Tück

Vision

The European Higher Education Area's (EHEA) vision torespond to the current societal challenges:

Higher education contributing to inclusive societies

Providing opportunities and perspectives tostudents

Promoting democracy and human rights

Safeguarding academic freedom

Mobility and cooperation as key to understanding

EHEA Priorities

Enhancing the quality and relevance of learningand teaching

Fostering the employability of graduates Making our systems more inclusive Implementing agreed structural reforms

(see Yerevan Ministerial Communiqué 2015)

EHEA framework forquality assurance

European Standards andGuidelines (ESG) Modernised and improved 2015

version Common ground for QA in

Europe

European Quality AssuranceRegister (EQAR) Agencies that comply

substantially with the ESG – athome and abroad

Processes for substantivechanges and complaints

42 registered QAAs

Governmental memberswithout registered agency

Standards and Guidelines forQA in the EHEA (ESG)

Common standards for internal and external QA Developed jointly by the main stakeholders Agreed by ministers in 2005, revised in 2015

Purposes: Set a common framework for quality assurance

systems at European, national and institutional level; Enable the assurance and improvement of quality; Support mutual trust, thus facilitating recognition and

mobility within and across national borders; Provide information on quality assurance in the EHEA.

ESG – principles for QA

Higher education institutions have primaryresponsibility for quality

Responds to the diversity of systems, institutions,programmes and students

Support the development of a quality culture; Take into account the needs and expectations of

students, all other stakeholders and society Transparency and publication of results Independence of external QA agencies

European Quality Assurance Registerfor Higher Education (EQAR)

Established by E4 at Ministers'request, jointly governed bystakeholders and governments

Non-profit and independent, acting inthe public interest

Mission: enhancing trust andconfidence in EHEA

Main role: to manage a register ofQAAs that comply substantially withthe ESG

Stakeholderorganisations

Governments

Observers

Register CommitteeIndependent QA experts,

nominated by stakeholders

approves

Challenges in QualityAssurance

Diversity of higher education institutions New modes of educational provision and cooperation Growth of internationalisation, TNE More student-centred approach to learning and teaching Flexible learning paths Recognising prior learning Demonstrate quality, increase transparency and build

mutual trust

New in QA after Yerevan

1. ESG 2015 adopted2. Cross-border external quality assurance

“enable our higher education institutions to use a suitableEQAR registered agency for their external quality assuranceprocess [...]”

3. European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes4. Automatic recognition

“By 2020 we are determined to achieve an EHEA […] whereautomatic recognition of qualifications has become a reality sothat students and graduates can move easily throughout it”

1. ESG 2015 – what'snew?

Clarified that ESG are applicable to non-traditional HE, new modes of delivery,transnational provision, etc.

Better integrated in overall EHEA framework References to qualifications frameworks, other tools

Underline institutional responsibility for quality Stronger focus on whole student experience

E.g. admission, progression, student-centred learning

1. ESG 2015 – what'snew?

Take account of changed context Cross-border QA HEIs work with changing QAAs Stakeholder model consolidated

Many principles more clear now, e.g. Publication of full reports Students on review panels Appeals Professional conduct of QAAs

➔ Reflecting EHEA's progress over last 10 years

2. Quality assurancecrossing borders

9

41

1

2

4

36

12

11

6 1 1 1

1

4

63

36 26

15 16 82 6 3 17 3 7 2

26

1

5 110 81 11119 6 136 67

71 112 97 702 271 55 278 739 1097

Total Home Inst CBEQA Prog CBEQA

2. Cross-border QA

Opportunities Challenges

HigherEducationInstitutions

● International visibility● Valuable feedback● Increased commitment● Different approaches● Suit their own mission

● Identify suitable agency● Workload and costs● Unknown expectations● Language

QualityAssuranceAgencies

● International profile● Experience relevant for

work at home● Diversification

● Unfamiliar context● Adapting standards● Language

2. But: national legalframeworks lag behind

Despite the robustEuropean framework inplace … Cross-border

accreditation/ evaluationnot fully recognised

In addition/parallel toobligatory nationalexternal QA

Duplication of efforts forinstitutions Recognising EQAR-registered agencies as part of the national

requirements for external QA

Recognising foreign agencies with own/specific framework

Discussions ongoing

Countries not recognising external QA by foreign agency

3. European Approach forQA of Joint Programmes

Before After

Multiple, fragmented reviews Single review

Combining various national rulesand criteria

Agreed Standards, based on ESG &QF-EHEA

Complex procedures, ad hocdesign

Agreed Procedure

Adopted by ministers in Yerevan to lift obstacles to theQA of joint programmes

4. Automatic recognition

Part of the ministers' vision for the EHEA 2020 Important topic for quality assurance:

Need for QA and qualifications framework to workhand-in-hand to make AR work See also ESG standard 1.2

Need to analyse recognition practices in QA See ESG standard 1.4

Brings new expectations for Bologna tools

Conclusions

Important decisions for European QA at Yerevan

Expectations – not only – from QA are rising

ESG 2015: more coherent, robust framework

EQAR working with stakeholders and governments Cross-border QA: practical guidance for QAAs/HEIs,

national legal frameworks

European Approach for QA of JP: national implementation

Automatic recognition: support from side of QA

Thank you for your attention!

Contact:colin.tueck@eqar.eu

+32 2 234 39 11@ColinTueck / @EQAR_he