Contributing to the Development of the EHEA

EQAR contributes to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) working structures as well as to other relevant European policy developments following closely its plan of work.

In 2023, EQAR supported the implementation of EHEA reforms in the meetings of the Bologna Follow-up Group and its working structures (Thematic Peer Group on QA, Thematic Peer Group on Recognition, WG 1 on Monitoring the Implementation and Task Force on Enhancing Knowledge Sharing in the EHEA). As part of the BFUG Monitoring Working Group (WG1), EQAR contributed to the discussion on the main scorecard indicators to be used in the 2024 Implementation Report on quality assurance and recognition. In the meetings of the Thematic Peer Group on Quality Assurance (TPG C), EQAR contributed to the discussions on legal frameworks aligned with the ESG, cross-border QA and the European Approach, while in the meetings of the Thematic Peer Group on Recognition (TPG B) EQAR supported the discussions on digitalisation of recognition processes and the implementation of LRC principles. In addition, EQAR together with other partners, organised webinars for TPG B members to explore various digital tools for aiding recognition workflows (see more under TPG LRC CoRE project).

Through its involvement in various projects (see also Projects below) and events, EQAR fed its expertise into relevant discussions and initiatives related to quality assurance (e.g. the proposal of a European Degree label, the possible European Approach for QA of European University alliances, possible revision of the EU Recommendation on Quality Assurance, the European Higher Education Sector Observatory), amongst others through the EEA Higher Education Working Group, ETER Advisory Board and the Advisory Committee of the ED-AFFICHE project.

In 2023, EQAR continued to monitor developments in external QA at system level across the EHEA and to maintain the knowledge base of national/regional frameworks for external quality assurance through the QA FIT project survey of national ministries (see more about QA FIT here).

As part of the SEQA-ESG project, EQAR supported the final event of the project in March 2023. As part of the SEQA-ESG 2 project, EQAR was invited to bring its contribution in a number of progress visits with QA agencies and ministries from countries where alignment with the ESG is still lagging behind.

Apart from that, EQAR also contributed by means of various task force and peer-learning activities on digitalisation, Diploma Supplement and microcredentials.

EQAR continued its work on integrating DEQAR data in the European Digital Credentials for Learning ecosystem. HEIs that have their reports in DEQAR can now automatically issue external QA results as EBSI-compatible Verifiable Credentials (VC). EQAR has further improved the interface to export/transfer DEQAR data to the Europass Qualifications Dataset Register (QDR).

In 2023 the availability of cross-border external quality assurance (QA) with an EQAR-registered agency remains unchanged from the previous years. Higher education institutions in 21 countries (shown on the map as dark blue) are eligible for cross-border QA, while 13 other countries (shown as medium dark blue) allow recognition of procedures with EQAR-registered agencies under certain conditions.  DEQAR data also shows that despite the decrease in the number of CBQA results, the share of CBQA results in 2023 has increased by 3% comparing to the previous year.

Despite the slow pace of development in legal frameworks on the openness to cross-border QA, we see incentives from coutries working towards openning their systems to cross-border QA in the coming years.

More information on the cross-border external QA activities of EQAR-registered agencies can be consulted on our website here.

In 2023, the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes (EA) was available to higher education institutions in 21 higher education systems (map: dark blue); in six of those the European Approach is available by virtue of external quality assurance being required at institutional level only.

Despite frequent policy discussions highlighting the importance of the European Approach in the context of the European Universities initiative, there was little progress compared to 2022: In Croatia, Following the adoption of the Act on the Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Science”, entering into force in January, 2023, Croatian higher education institutions offering joint study programmes with a foreign higher education institution have to be accredited in accordance with the European Approach (EA).

In 13 EHEA systems, the European Approach was only available to some higher education institutions or subject to specific, additional conditions (map: light blue). The map below gives an overview, the information on each country provides further details, such as an explanation of a specific legislation or the fact that higher education institutions themselves are responsible for the quality assurance of their programmes. In 17 EHEA systems, higher education institutions remain unable to use the European Approach as of 2023, creating an additional burden for those institutions when engaging in international cooperation.

EQAR has maintained a specific page on its website with a list of example cases where the European Approach was used, to allow others to draw from these experiences. Until the end of 2023, 32 external quality assurance procedures had been completed in line with the European Approach based on information available in DEQAR, that is almost twice as many as it was by the end of 2022, (19 reports). The table below shows the agencies that have carried out those reviews. These procedures cover 31 EHEA systems (see map below).

NB: For practical reasons, EQAR is unable to keep track of European Approach reviews that have not been added to DEQAR. Some institutions have contacted EQAR regarding their European Approach accreditation not showing up in the list, EQAR has encouraged the respective agency to upload those reports manually even if it unable to upload its other external QA reports to DEQAR at this stage.

The numbers above also do not include any institutions that might have used the European Approach in their internal QA arrangements, e.g. in cases where no external programme accreditation/review is required, as there is no reporting on such cases.

The different activities organised as part of the Implementation and Innovation in QA through Peer Learning (IMINQA) project, aim to support the work of the Bologna Thematic Peer Group C on Quality Assurance, focusing on the implementation of the key commitment in all EHEA countries.

The project includes several activities, such as the Staff Mobility programme, the Peer Learning Activities (PLA’s) and the Working Group on the QA of Micro-credentials.

Working Group on the QA of Micro-credentials
The development of a data model for other (previously “alternative”) providers and micro credentials in DEQAR, as part of the IMINQA QA of Micro-credential working group.

• At a Peer Learning Activity in Brussels in February 2023, EQAR presented a mock-up of a data model for alternative (now referred to as “other”) providers and micro credentials and collected feedback from the participants on how to best present this in DEQAR. (A previous mock-up had already been discussed and presented at the EQAR Members’ Dialogue in 2022.)
• Taking the proposal of the data model forward, EQAR was to ensure a clear distinction between alternative providers and higher education institutions, but also to add specific data to describe micro-credentials and other Life Long Learning provisions (or any other short learning programme not leading to a full degree).
• At the IMINQA Working Group meeting on the QA of micro-credentials in September (2023), EQAR presented the first results in the database after four EQAR registered agencies had tested the new system (ACQUIN, IAAR, ECTE and ZEvA). Participants provided valuable feedback on the remaining dilemmas, such as the use of trustworthy national databases of education providers and the terminology used in the database. The public launch of the section on alternative providers and micro-credentials will take place in 2024.

Peer Learning Activities
All three IMINQA PLAs were open to members of the Thematic Peer Group (TPG) C on Quality Assurance. Each PLA was informed by a thematic preparatory note based on existing analyses, data and reports, complemented by additional analysis (e.g. surveys, focus groups) where required.

• After the first PLA in 2022, IMINQA’s second Peer Learning Activity on ‘Cross-border Quality Assurance (CBQA) and Quality Assurance of Transnational Education (TNE)’ took place in March 2023. This event was organised by EQAR with the support of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS) at the University Politehnica in Bucharest. EQAR shared a preparatory analysis as a basis for discussion and contributed with a presentation on the main topic of the event. The presentation, followed by a discussion, considered the challenges in countries’ openness to cross-border QA and key issues that need to be assured by the national higher education systems for QA of outgoing transnational education.
• The third and last of the PLAs on EHEA policy priorities in QA, took place in Brussels on 13 September 2023, having as main topic the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes (EA).
• The fourth meeting of the Bologna Thematic Peer Group C on Quality Assurance took place online at the beginning of December. EQAR presented the outcomes of the 3rd IMINQA PLA (on the topic of the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes), as well as the inclusion of micro-credentials & other providers in DEQAR. In addition to this, there was a presentation on the general state-of-play and work plan of the TPG C on the new way of working on the QA of European Universities. Furthermore, the preliminary results of the survey Digitalisation of QA processes were shared, as well as the final Report of the TPG C and contribution to the Tirana Communiqué.

EQAR is also involved in the matchmaking committee of the IMINQA project, overseeing the process of staff mobility for those working in QA and furthering the work of the Thematic Peer Group on QA.

Read more about IMINQA

The Quality Assurance Fit for the Future (QA-FIT) project, led by ENQA , aims to gather comprehensive evidence and reflect if and how the current EHEA framework of the ESG is perceived to limit the responsiveness of quality assurance to trends and innovations in higher education.

To this end, as part of a mapping exercise to collect evidence on the scope and implementation of quality assurance policies and practices, surveys for all stakeholder groups (ministries, higher education institutions, national student unions and quality assurance agencies) were sent out in 2022 and have been collected and analysed. EQAR was responsible for the surveys for the ministries of higher education.

Following the surveys, EQAR contributed to or led the following activities:

• A Thematic Session at the EQAR General Assembly in Stockholm “A Future-Proof Quality Assurance Framework for the EHEA” to further discuss the outcomes of these surveys. The session, recorded and available on our website here, presented an overview of the key findings from the QA-FIT surveys, followed by questions and a discussion.
• The publication of the “Analysis of Ministry Survey Responses” in October, written by EQAR. The survey results show that:
  – External QA results have led countries to introduce new (cluster) accreditation models, to review their provisions on the organisation of the quality assurance bodies, to transition from a centralised planning in education management to a greater autonomy of institutions, to facilitate the cooperation in the development of joint degree programmes, to change the system of financing in higher education (introducing a performance-related approach).
  – The development and implementation of QA had a positive impact on their higher education system and underscored the role of the ESG’s in fostering transparency and trust among member countries with a focus on accountability-driven objectives.
  – Most of the ministry representatives agree that some form of minor or major revision of the current ESG is needed, and that fundamental values and social dimension issues should be addressed to some extent.
• The QA-FIT Focus Group for ministries, which was organised in conjunction with the Members’ Dialogue in Granada. The Focus Group was organised to discuss in detail the matters arising from the QA-FIT two cross-cutting papers, including perspectives of all stakeholder groups (students, universities, professional HEIs, QA agencies) as well as the future implications for the European framework for quality assurance.
  Sound-bites on the topics of “the future of the ESG” and “internationalistion of QA” from the Focus Group for ministries:
  – Thanks to the European University Alliances and the current initiatives piloting a joint European degree label, there is a strong push to move forward. Solutions should be applicable to the whole EHEA however.
  – DEQAR data provide an indication of internationalisation through information on cross-border QA activities and the use of the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes.
  – Contrary to the common believe that ministries regulate everything, survey responses showed that most QA agencies help design the national QA framework (which is actually stated in the ESG themselves; “Stakeholders should be involved in its design and continuous improvement”).
  – We don’t necessarily need a revolution, but we do see a scope for broader ESG.
  – Guidelines (ESG) are not actually guidelines – they are rather an interpretative text for implementing the standards. For the next revision of the ESG, it is crucial to detect which standards need to be more explicit and which are sufficiently clear as they are.

⇒ Download the Analysis of Ministry Survey Responses
⇒ More about QA FIT here
⇒ Read the website news item on the Members’ Dialogue

The TPG-LRC Constructing Recognition in the EHEA (TPG-LRC CoRE) project is led by CIMEA and aims to support the work of the Thematic Peer Group B on the Lisbon Recognition Convention (EHEA key commitment 2: national legislation and procedures compliant with the Lisbon Recognition Convention).

The main project activities involve panel discussions and peer learning activities on common challenges (i.e. recognition of knowledge gained through alternative pathways, micro credentials, digitalisation of recognition workflows, European Degree etc.) and research that will further enable peer learning.

EQAR is leading the working group on digitalisation of recognition tools.
Two of the aims of this group have been completed in 2023: the organisation of three peer learning webinars and the organisation of two workshops on digitalisation of the diploma supplement and the connection to the European Learning Model (i.e. standards). The third objective, to publish a guide on “Digitalisation of Recognition Tools” is set for 2024.

1) Workshops on Digitalisation of the Diploma supplement.
EQAR co-organised a workshop consisting of two parts, the first taking place in March and the second in May.

• During the event in March, representatives from ENIC-NARICs from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands shared their experiences with the standardisation of data. The workshop also included a presentation on the European Learning Model and the possibilities of using the Europass platform for issuing digital statements.
• In May, representatives from ENIC-NARICs from Ukraine, Sweden, Italy and Netherlands participated and learned about the European Learning Model and tested the Europass platform for issuing digital statements.

2) Peer Learning Activities about the different stages of the recognition process.
The working group organised three peer learning webinars, each focusing on one of the phases of the recognition process (input, throughput and output).

Each of the webinars included sessions for the sharing knowledge and advice among the members of the TPG B group.  Good practices of implementing digital tools were showcased and participants discussed the main challenges and successes of using digital tools or building learner-centered databases for easing the flow of information and transferring digital statements between national and international databases in the field of recognition.

The discussions focused on several areas, including on privacy and ownership of data, international collaboration, legislative synchronisation and interoperability with national and European databases.

• The first PLA took place in September and addressed the input phase, intended as data submitted by applicants. Participants shared practical experiences and examples to identify the most suitable digital solutions to support the recognition process at national level in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC).
• In October, EQAR hosted the PLA on the throughput phase. NAWA (the Polish ENIC-NARIC) showcased their new interoperable system and database with integrated DEQAR API, thus extracting DEQAR data which are used in the recognition workflow. As part of the webinar, EQAR also presented the new section for other providers and micro credentials in DEQAR and discussed ways for recognition stakeholders to extract this information.
• The last of the webinars took place in December and saw the Norwegian ENIC-NARIC Norway (NOKUT) present their digital statements and the eco-system that enables automatic sharing of the document with other national databases.

Work group of quality assurance of recognition

EQAR contributes to another work group within the project, with the aim of exploring the internal and external quality assurance processes of HEIs. For this purpose, at the end of 2022, a questionnaire exploring the internal quality assurance of the recognition processes of HEIs was launched and disseminated through BUFG and EUA channels. Throughout 2023, EQAR contributed with comments to the draft analysis of the survey results.

⇒ Find out more about the TPG-LRC CoRE project