European Dimension of Quality Assurance

One of the keys to the Bologna Process for establishing a consistent European Higher Education Area is the establishment of quality assurance mechanisms, based on the work of the agencies and giving the system a European dimension based on ESG and the European Register of Quality Assessment Agencies (EQAR). A key body to ensure the good practice and dissemination of excellence in quality evaluation is the European Association of Quality Assurance Agencies (ENQA).

ENQA

The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) is an umbrella organization representing quality assurance agencies belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). ENQA promotes European cooperation in the field of quality assurance in higher education and disseminates information and criteria of excellence among its members and to stakeholders in order to develop and share good practices and promote the European dimension of quality assurance.

 

 

EQAR

 

The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) is the register of quality assessment agencies of both programs and higher education institutions operating in European countries that have demonstrated substantial compliance with a common set of principles to ensure quality in Europe, the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area ESG.

 

EQAR is a body created as a result of the Bologna process for the creation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and has the following objectives:

  • Promote student mobility by providing a basis for increased trust between higher education institutions.
  • Reduce opportunities for improper use of accreditation as a means to gain credibility.
  • Provide a basis for governments to authorize higher education institutions to choose any registration agency, if compatible with national provisions.
  • Provide a means for higher education institutions to choose between different agencies, if compatible with national provisions.
  • Serve as an instrument to improve the quality of agencies and to promote mutual trust between them.