News 2015
29 January 2015: Register Committee Special Session on New ESG
VLUHR-QA (the Quality Assurance Unit of the Flemish Council of University and University Colleges), already provisionally registered by way of the EQAR Merger Policy was accepted to the Register after having demonstrated their substantial compliance with the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG) through an independent external review.
The main reason for convening the Register Committee meeting so soon after the last meeting in November was to discuss the Revised Version of the ESG and set up ESG Interpretation Guidelines. These Guidelines will be published after the approval of the Revised ESG by the next Ministerial Conference of the EHEA in May 2015, and are meant to:
- increase the transparency of the Register Committee's decision-making practice;
- help demonstrate consistency in the Committee's practices, interpretations and decisions on applications;
- aid external review panels in understanding how the Committee has interpreted the ESG and used external review reports;
- facilitate the understanding of the Committee's public decisions.
The ESG Interpretation Guidelines address three main target groups: quality assurance agencies seeking registration on EQAR or having to renew their registration, coordinators of external reviews that are used for registration on EQAR and external review panels undertaking a review against the ESG.
26 March 2015: EQAR General Assembly in Riga
The General Assembly reviewed and adopted the Message to the Yerevan Ministerial Conference which highlights some of EQAR’s activities as well as the main developments in cross-border quality assurance since the last ministerial meeting in 2012 (Bucharest) and offers a number of recommendations for the Yerevan Communiqué.
Members of the GA took note of the “Use and Interpretation of the ESG”, a policy document prepared by the Register Committee, based on the current "Practices and Interpretations". Likewise linked to the revised ESG, the General Assembly considered a number of amendments to the “Procedures for Applications” and approved to extend the current term of the Register Committee by one year to ensure a smooth and stable transition to the revised ESG. These documents will be published after the Yerevan Ministerial Conference in May.
The Annual Report 2014, including the Report of the Register Committee, was presented to the General Assembly and will be published shortly.
Annual Report 2014
Further highlights of the year include EQAR's preparations for transition to the revised ESG and the conclusion of the RIQAA project, with a number of conclusions and policy recommendations on the development of cross-border quality assurance.
14/15 May 2015: Revised ESG adopted in Yerevan
The revision process started in 2012, when Ministers mandated the E4 group in cooperation with Education International, BUSINESSEUROPE and EQAR to revise the ESG in order “to improve their clarity, applicability and usefulness, including their scope” and submit their proposal to the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG).
The EQAR Register Committee has been preparing for the adoption of the Revised ESG at various stages of the process and on different levels. In early June, a policy document on the Use and Interpretation of the ESG as well as information on the future application process will be published.
Revised Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG)
European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes.
11 June 2015: Four Agencies Newly Registered - Policy on Use and Interpretation of the ESG
- St. Patrick's College, Dublin
The following agencies were newly admitted to the Register:
- BAC - British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education
- fmdi - Fundación para el Conocimiento Madridmasd
- KAA - Kosovo Accreditation Agency
- QQI - Quality and Qualifications Ireland
The Register Committee also decided to renew the registration of another three agencies:
- ACSUCYL – Agency for the University System in Castilla y Léon
- AHPGS - Accreditation Agency in Health and Social Science
- evalag – Evaluation Agency Baden-Würrtemberg
With regard to the transition to the revised European Standards and Guidelines, the Register Committee adopted a new policy document providing an ex ante transparency of the official EQAR interpretation of the ESG. The new policy “Use and Interpretations of the ESG” aims to increase transparency, understanding and consistency within the decision-making process of the Register Committee.
The main target groups of the policy on the Use and Interpretation of the ESG are the quality assurance agencies, the external review coordinators and the external review panels.
The Register Committee also updated the Procedures for Applications. We are currently updating the Guide for Applicants and additional information for applicant quality assurance agencies.
Register of quality assurance agencies
European Standards and Guidelines (2015 version) [PDF]
Comparative table: ESG 2015 vs ESG 2005 [PDF]
Use and Interpretation of the ESG for the European Register of QA Agencies [PDF]
Policy on Transition to the Revised ESG [PDF]
26-27 November 2015: EQAR Members' Dialogue - Sofia
- EQAR Members' Dialogue in Sofia
The Members' Dialogue brings together EQAR Governmental Members, stakeholder organisations, permanent observers and statutory bodies in an informal setting to allow for lively discussions on recent policy developments in quality assurance.
This year topics included the new developments in QA since Yerevan, the challenges brought by the ESG 2015, the automatic recognition of degrees, examples of legal frameworks for the revised ESG and on cross-border EQA and the implementation of the European Approach for QA of Joint programmes. Participants were also asked for their input on the EQAR self-evaluation.
To download presentations, the agenda and photos, click here.
7 December 2015: Enhancing Quality through innovative Policy & Practice (EQUIP)
7 December 2015: Enhancing Quality through innovative Policy & Practice (EQUIP)
EQAR is organising five events, with colleagues of the EQUIP project (EURASHE, ENQA, EUA, ESU, EI, UiO, CCISP), on the use of the ESG 2015 as a tool for change in European higher education in the first semester of 2016.
Free-of-charge registrations for these events are now open here.
Join us in our workshops and webinars:
- Webinar on 17 February 2016*
- Workshop in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on 14-15 March 2016
- Webinar on 13 April 2016**
- Workshop in Vienna, Austria on 9-10 May 2016
- Workshop in Lisbon, Portugal on 6-7 June 2016
During these workshops and webinars you will have the opportunity to exchange with peers and all stakeholders of higher education on the changes in the ESG 2015 and specific themes, including the importance of student-centred learning.
* To look at the status of external quality assurance in the EHEA and the challenges that quality assurance agencies may face in adapting their processes in light of the ESG 2015.
**To explore the emphasis that the ESG 2015 puts on the link between institutional quality assurance and the academic quality of higher education and the resulting focus on student-centred learning and the need to support teachers in adopting a new approach to their work.
As workshop places are limited we encourage you to register as soon as possible. Full information on the programme, speakers as well as practicalities will follow soon.
