Database of External QA Results (DEQAR)

DEQAR is the Database of External Quality Assurance Results from activities performed by EQAR-registered quality assurance agencies. DEQAR not only collects their reports and decisions but also helps to understand reports in their context by describing the national QA frameworks of the European Higher Education Area countries.

• Check out the DEQAR Essential Info page outlining the whys, hows and for whoms of the database.

Enhancing the Coverage and Connectivity of QA in the EHEA through DEQAR

The DEQAR CONNECT project kicked off in March 2020 and finished at the end of June in 2022. The project, coordinated by EQAR,  included as partners 17 registered agencies, four ENIC-NARIC partners, six experts and the E4 as associate partners. View all project partners here.

The project focused on two of the EHEA key commitments, supporting quality assurance and recognition inside the EHEA, and consisted of two strands and various transversal goals:

1. Expanding coverage to EHEA countries that were under-represented in DEQAR

EQAR and ASHE provided peer support and counseling to all participating agencies in linking up with DEQAR and aided the adoption of advanced methods for submitting data to DEQAR.

By the end of the project, 15 QA agencies connected their databases to DEQAR, mainly using the most advanced mode (the API connection), adding 15 107 reports to DEQAR. At the end of May 2022, the database comprehensively covered 24 European higher education systems, ten more than prior to the project.

2. Enhancing connectivity by exploiting existing synergies and exploring new opportunities to use DEQAR data directly in the recognition workflow, digital credentialing and elsewhere.

The Enhanced Connectivity goal involved the integration of DEQAR information in the recognition/credential evaluation workflow, the use of DEQAR data for the European Digital Credentials for Learning (EDC) and exploring further opportunities to connect with other platforms and initiatives.

As a result of the project, two ENIC-NARICs (CIMEA and CNRED) are using DEQAR data embedded in the process of recognising qualifications. Towards the end of the project, EQAR organised a workshop for ENIC NARICs and invited three additional centers to get familiarised with the database and to explore options for establishing a connection.

DEQAR data can be used in EDC and downloaded as a verifiable credential for various purposes.

• Examples of ENIC NARIC integrations made through DEQAR CONNECT project
• More detailed information about DEQAR and the European Digital Credentials for Learning
• More about the DEQAR EBSI interconnection

3. The transversal goals of the project focused on supporting the activities of the BFUG Thematic Peer Groups (TPG) on QA and on Recognition and enhancing DEQAR’s visibility and relevance among stakeholders.

EQAR published a policy brief and provided valuable input to the TPGs.

The virtual (end of project) conference “From Data to Policy – Linking Quality Assurance and Recognition” brought together stakeholders working in the fields of QA and recognition, researchers and experts dedicated to QA and digitalisation and provided a space for (poster) presentations and panel discussions by stakeholders on the state of play of DEQAR, the integration of DEQAR in recognition workflows, the possibilities of using and merging DEQAR data for policy making at national and European level and the potential of connecting DEQAR to the European ecosystems for digital credentials.

• Find out more (content, speakers, presentations) about the DEQAR CONNECT Conference “From Data to Policy – Linking Quality Assurance and Recognition”.
• Download the Policy Brief

Reports

By the end of 2022 the total number of reports in DEQAR was 81 604.  The total number of reports uploaded during 2022 was 8 963.

The difference between the number of reports uploaded in 2021 (18 301) and 2022 is due to the DEQAR CONNECT project – partner agencies were expected to upload all of their reports, since their first registration on EQAR, during 2021.

Agencies

At the end of 2022, two agencies that had not yet participated in DEQAR started uploading reports. Throughout the year, 37 (out of 51) EQAR registered agencies uploaded their reports in the database.

By 2022, 45 (out of 51) EQAR-registered agencies had at some point uploaded reports in DEQAR.

Higher education institutions (HEIs)

Newly added reports in DEQAR in 2022 covered 1 509 HEIs based in 43 EHEA countries, and 78 HEIs based in 28 non EHEA countries. On the latter geographical category, this is a slight increase in numbers.

Coverage

DEQAR had significant coverage of 25 higher education systems by the end of 2022 (an increase of one higher educational system compared to 2021): Austria, Belgium (Flemish Community), Belgium (French Community), Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovenia and Sweden.

Note on “significant coverage”: In these systems, DEQAR includes reports on more than half of the higher education institutions, compared to the total number according to the European Tertiary Education Register (ETER) or national lists provided to EQAR. For very small higher education systems (< 5 higher education institutions), significant coverage is considered if the higher education institution(s) is/are the dominant institution(s) in the system and a large proportion of the institution(s) is covered, i.e. not only a small number of programmes.

Upload methods

In 2022, the main mode of upload of report was the API (6 122 reports), followed by CSV (2 244) and manual upload (597).

The following tables provide a detailed breakdown by agency and type of reports.