Workshop „Quality Assurance after Bergen“
Graz, 11 May 2006
Comment Rolf Heusser:
1. Mobility
2. Internal and External Quality Assurance
3. National Qualification Frameworks
Mobility
Mobility – Link to
Quality Assurance
• Mobility key objective of Bologna process
• Bergen 2005: «still challenges to overcome»
• Recognition problems existing
• Recognition of foreign qualifications facilitated by
transparent QA information
• Crucial role of national accreditation systems
National Agencies for
Accreditation and Quality
Assurance in Europe, 2005
Evaluations / Audits
Accreditations
Mutual recognition of
accreditation decisions –
Political basis
Bergen conference 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- and accreditation assessments, thus
contributing to the recognition of qualifications for the purpose of
study or work in another country. »
Mutual recognition of
accreditation decisions Purpose
• To increase transparency in higher education
• To remove barriers in the process of recognition of
foreign qualifications
• To facilitate accreditation/recognition of joint
programmes and other forms of trans-border education
• To enhance mobility of students and academic staff
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
Internal and External Quality Assurance
Conferences of Berlin 2003
and Bergen 2005
Berlin: „ ... the primary responsibility for QA in higher
education lies with each institution and this provides the
basis for real accountability“.
Bergen:„ ... we urge the HE institutions to continue their
efforts to enhance the quality of their activities through
the systematic introduction of internal mechanisms and
their direct correlation to external QA“.
Institutional approaches
to external QA, Europe 2005
Country
Method
Start
CH
Quality Audit
2003
UK
Institutional Audit
2003
S
Quality Audit
1995
N
Quality Audit
2003
F
Institutional Evaluation
2004
DK
Institutional Audit
2004
Institutional assessments –
Strengths
• Respect of the autonomy of HEI’s
• Enhancement of institutional quality mechanisms and
facilitation of the development of a quality culture
• Sustainable effects at the level of institutional
management
• Resource saving method
Quality Audits –
Challenge and open questions
Challenge:
• Limited information about educational provisions
Open questions:
• How to assure good quality of study programmes during
institutional assessments?
• How to guarantee that institutional assessments can be
used for the purpose of transnational recognition of
qualifications?
National QA system –
Case study Switzerland
• External assessment of quality assurance systems of
Universities is mandatory
• Based on «national guidelines for internal quality
assurance at Swiss HEI’s» (compatible with ENQA
standards)
• Selective programme accreditation as supplementary
tool of external QA
• National QA agency was evaluated in 2006 by
international group of experts (on base of ENQA
standards)
National Qualification Frameworks
National Qualification
Frameworks – Relevance
• Increased transparency in higher education
• Orientation for students and employers
• Improved international comparability of study
programs/qualifications
National Qualifcation
Frameworks – Challenges
• Scope of NQF: Higher education sector only or all
sectors of education system?
• Change of paradigm: from inputs to outcomes
• How to define learning outcomes/competences?
• How to measure learning outcomes/competences?
• How to link the NQF with the national accreditation
system?
Summary and conclusions
• Bologna process advances rapidly in Europe; QA plays
key role
• Many challenges to overcome: implementation of ENQA
standards, establishment of NQF‘s; mutual recognition
agreements, etc.
• Open questions concern HEI‘s as well as QAA‘s
 close cooperation necessary
Further Information about
OAQ:
Requests and information:
• Rolf Heusser
• Telephone:
• Website:
[email protected] or [email protected]
++41 31 380 11 50
www.oaq.ch