About ESIB

1. About ESIB • ESIB - The National Unions of Students in Europe • 45 Members – 34 Countries • Representing students in/towards • Bologna Follow-up Group and working groups • European Union • Council of Europe • ...

2. Context of Quality Assurance • Triangle of demands: • Autonomy of institutions • Government • Stakeholders (students, labour market) • Need for mutual trust • Students demand full recognition • Quality improvement • Students demand a meaningful programme

3. Key requirements for a QA system • Fully transparent, easily accessible information • Central responsibility of the higher education institution itself • Articulation of (external) stakeholders' interests • Public responsibility • Clear legal structures • Pan-European comparability of QA

4. A wide scope of QA • Curriculum • Structure • Learning outcomes • Facilities • Study conditions • Counselling services • Social conditions • Equity in access and completion

5. Levels of Quality Assurance • European Standards and Guidelines (by EUA, EURASHE, ENQA, ESIB – 2005) • Comprise 3 levels: • Internal Quality Assurance • External Quality Assurance • Quality Assurance Agencies • Central responsibility of the institution • Inter-connection: One level builds upon the other

6. European Register for Quality Assurance • Information source on reliable agencies • Based on European Standards and Guidelines • Benefits for: • Students, searching for a programme • Employers • Agencies, looking for partners • Governments

7. Challenges in Quality Assurance from a student perspective Colin Tück ESIB, Bologna Process Committee (BPC) 22nd June 2006, Isparta, Turkey Strategic Trends in Higher Education

8. Challenges ahead • Fully implement the Standards & Guidelines • Biggest steps: • Full involvement of students at all levels • Governments, institutions, agencies • Design systematic internal Quality Assurance • Institutions • Set up an independent Quality Assurance agency • Governments

9. Student involvement in QA (May 2005)