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External Quality Assurance in the EHEA

External Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area: Challenges and Trends Rolf Heusser, Switzerland TechnoTN Forum, Brussels, 4 May 2007. Presentation: International dimension of Quality Assurance (QA) External QA in Europe: challenges and trends Future work of QA Agencies.

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External Quality Assurance in the EHEA

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  1. External Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area: Challenges and TrendsRolf Heusser, Switzerland TechnoTN Forum, Brussels, 4 May 2007

  2. Presentation: International dimension of Quality Assurance (QA) External QA in Europe: challenges and trends Future work of QA Agencies External Quality Assurance in the EHEA

  3. International dimension of quality assurance Internationalrecognition of qualifications Access to labour market Quality Assurance Accreditation Cross-border education Common HE-area Bologna process Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  4. Role of quality assurance in the Bologna process Berlin communiqué 2003: • Quality (...) has proven to be at the heart of the EHEA • Implementation of national quality assurance systems until 2005 • Including a system of accreditation or comparable procedures • International cooperation and networking Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  5. National Agencies for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Europe, 2007 Evaluations / Audits Accreditations Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  6. European Quality labels Label initiatives supported by EU commission: • EUR-ACE: engineering • Eurobachelor and Euromaster in chemistry • European accreditation of informatics programmes • Accreditation in European professional music training • Accreditation of MA in life sciences/rural environment • EFMD initiatives: EPAS, Q3E, Queste, UNIQUe Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

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  8. Challenges for external QA in Europe • Implementation of European Standards and Guidelines • Removal of barriers in the process of recognition of foreign qualifications • Shift of QA focus: from inputs to learning outcomes • Debate about institutional vs programme approach Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  9. European Standards and Guidelines for QAAs • ESG for internal and external QA adopted by ministers in Bergen 2005 • A view of what should be done; statements of good practices • Contribution to a common frame of reference in EHEA; prerequisite for entry into planned European register • Peer review of all QA-agencies in next five years Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  10. Recognition of qualifications - current state • Ratification of Lisbon recognition convention does not solve all recognition problems • Still case to case decisions for acceptance of foreign qualifications • Doubts on the quality is a reason on the grounds of which recognition might be denied • Mutual recognition agreements between accreditation agencies should lead to the trust needed to “automatically” recognise accredited foreign study programmes/institutions Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  11. Political Basis for mutual recognition initiatives in Europe • Bologna Ministers Conference, Bergen 2005: „We underline the importance of cooperation between nationally recognised agencies with a view to enhancing the mutual recognition of accreditation or quality assurance decisions“. • European Parliament, 2005: “Hereby recommend that member states... promote cooperation between agencies in order to build up mutual trust and the recognition of QA/accreditation assessments, thus contributing to the recognition of qualifications for the purpose of study or work in another country“. Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  12. ECA – Foundation and Aim • Consortium of national accreditation organisations • Established in November 2003 • 15 member organisations from 10 European countries: AT, BE, CH, DE, ES, FR, IE, NL, NO, PL • Aim: mutual recognition of accreditation decisions among participating countries until 2007 Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  13. ECA approach towards Mutual Recognition Government/Recognition bodies Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  14. Learning outcome orientation in external QA • Overarching Qualification Framework (QF) adopted by ministers in Bergen 2005, to be implemented on national level until 2010 (NQF) • QFs are based on learning outcomes, competences and skills • There is a link between NQF and national QA system • New challenge for QAAs: develop learning outcome oriented QA/accreditation systems Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  15. Example of learning outcome oriented accreditation system ABET – programme accreditation checks: • whether study programmes formulate explicit learning outcomes • whether curricula fit to stated learning outcomes • how students can demonstrate competences • if HEI uses assessment results for further improvement of study programmes Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

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  19. Institutional Assessments – Strengths • Enhancement of institutional quality mechanisms and facilitation of the development of a quality culture • Sustainable effects at the level of institutional management • Assures flexibility and autonomy of HEIs at programme level • Resource saving method Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  20. Programme Assessments – Strengths • Focus on „educational quality“ • Useful information for students/employers • Link to national recognition practices • Direct international comparison of qualifications possible Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  21. Future scenarios for universities and HE OECD Report 2004: • Internationalisation of education will continue • Increased private activities/private funding of HEIs • New providers and new emerging institutions • Increased activities in LLL and in use of ICT • Important role in transfer of knowledge and innovation to society • Increasing autonomy of HEIs Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  22. Future scenarios in HE – Open questions for QAAs • How to assure internationalisation of agencies? • Diversification of activities or staying focused? • What new methodologies are needed to cope with new trends? • How to increase flexibility of the external QA-system? • What is the adequate balance between internal and external quality assurance? Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  23. Requirements for future work of QA-agencies QA-agencies should have the following characteristics: • They are living systems • They need capacity for dynamic change • They need to have self-regulatory power and means to maintain their organisation • They have to exchange with environment • They may produce some heat Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

  24. Conclusions • Quality assurance and accreditation are key elements in the international higher education area • Fair recognition of qualifications is dependent on transparent information about quality • Some progress has been made towards an EHEA, but important challenges for external QA-systems are ahead • HE is moving in Europe and QAAs have to move with it • Independence, capacities for adoptation, mutual trust building with national and international partners are essential elements for future work of agencies Heusser/OAQ/May 2007

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