Building European‐level Quality Assurance Structures: Views from Within ENQA

Ala-Vähälä, Timo; Saarinen, Taina

doi:10.1080/13538320902995741

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…QAAs perform reviews of higher education institutions and programmes, making them key actors in higher education systems. In addition to serving as the main representative of this key constituency in European higher education, ENQA has also taken a lead on developing the underlying infrastructure of QA in Europe (Ala-Vähälä and Saarinen, 2009). In 2003, the Bologna Ministerial Communique called on ENQA alongside the European Students’ Union (ESU, previously ESIB), European Universities Association (EUA) and European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE) – the other members of what came be called the E4 – to develop an agreed set of standards, procedures and guidelines on QA (E4, 2011).…”

Section: The Materiality Of Quality In European Higher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has seen its influence grow substantially during the last decade, moving from being one of the many stakeholders in the Bologna Process to a much more strategic and policy-oriented role. ENQA was established in 2000 as the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, only to be renamed 4 years later to as an ‘Association’ (Ala-Vähälä and Saarinen, 2009). Although its remit from its inception has been to ‘represent QAAs in the EHEA’, to ‘support them nationally’ and to ‘provide them with services and networking’, in recent years its influence has grown.…”

Section: Actors’ Alliances and Interlinkagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beyond Bologna? Infrastructuring quality in European higher education

Grek

Russell

2023

European Educational Research Journal

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Applying qualitative methods, this paper examines the burgeoning of quality assurance databases, processes and networks of actors in the field of higher education in Europe. Our main argument is that there has been a move from the Bologna Process being the near singular focus for European-level coordination and harmonisation of higher education, towards the making of a much more diverse and complex quality assurance and evaluation infrastructure. This infrastructure involves a range of distinct but interdependent actors and processes and contains explicit and implicit interlinkages with the production of wider policy agendas, such as the rise of the European Education Area. The aim of this paper is to analyse the growth and complexity of Quality Assurance (QA) in higher education (HE) in Europe, as a way of understanding the multifaceted and continuously developing process of Europeanisation.

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Section: The Materiality Of Quality In European Higher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Actors’ Alliances and Interlinkagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Bologna? Infrastructuring quality in European higher education

Grek

Russell

2023

European Educational Research Journal

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“…Despite concerns of giving all power of quality assurance to one agency, independence of the quality assurance body is a widely advocated principle in today's quality assurance regulatory circle (Ala-Vähälä & Saarinen, 2010;Bradley et al, 2008;Harman, 1998;Van Vught & Westerheijden, 1994). It is also heavily promoted in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education standards (ENQA, 2015).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Challenges in Regulating Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Small States: A Case Study of the Maldives responsible for all types of post-secondary education -a one tier system. Independence of the national quality assurance agency is widely promoted in quality assurance forums (Ala-Vähälä & Saarinen, 2010;Bradley et al, 2008;ENQA, 2015;Harman, 1998;Van Vught & Westerheijden, 1994).…”

Section: Linked With Autonomy Of Operations Is the Belief Of One Stro...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges in Regulating Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Small States:A Case Study of the Maldives

Waheed¹

2018

IJSRI

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This paper presents findings of a case study of the regulatory framework of quality assurance (QA) in higher education in the Maldives. For this study, a systems approach was adopted to capture a holistic perspective of the various key elements and their relationships to each other to investigate the effectiveness of the regulatory framework in the quality assurance system. The data collection consisted of document analysis and interviews with four key stakeholder groups. Some of the unique challenges in developing and establishing a fully-functioning regulatory mechanism of quality assurance for higher education in the Maldives include lack of independence of the system from the Ministry of Education and influence of other key stakeholders on the decision making process of the quality assurance system. Absence of a legal mandate to ensure that outcomes of regulatory processes are accepted by the government, the public and the higher education system is unique to the Maldives where the quality assurance system has been in operation since 2010, while it holds no legal status or independence. Whilst the case study is situated in the Maldives, it provides a useful reference for policy makers, practitioners and professionals in other small states.

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“…With regard to universities, ENQA, like responsible entity in quality area in Europe, collects criteria and guidelines focusing on policy and procedures to ensure quality, control and periodical revision of curricula and Degrees, teaching staff quality assurance, etc. All these through the transparency in the field of quality assurance within the context of the political cooperation in the European university (Ala-Vähälä & Saarinen, 2009).…”

Section: The European Regulations Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring of Official Degree Qualifications: The Key Role of Academic Quality Assurance Systems (AQAS)

et al. 2012

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The purpose of this article is focused on the development of a protocol designed to facilitate the monitoring process of the official degrees of a Spanish university. In response to the criteria and guidelines established in the Royal Decree 1393/2007, this proposal seeks to make available to the focus groups a useful and flexible tool, tailored to the different existing regulations, which assesses progress in the development of the curriculum, ensures the effective implementation of the degrees, and publishes the information available, relevant and appropriate. It also helps to identify weaknesses, potential improvements and best practices for dissemination. All this, with the ultimate aim of assuring the accreditation of Official Degrees. The monitoring protocol articulates the assessment, as a Check-List, in fulfillment of an annual series of indicators set out in the Academic Quality Assurance Systems (AQAS) included in the Proceedings of Degrees. Finally, the monitoring of new degrees comes up as a result of adaptation to the requirements of the European Higher Education Area.

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Building European‐level Quality Assurance Structures: Views from Within ENQA

Cited by 10 publications

References 6 publications

Beyond Bologna? Infrastructuring quality in European higher education

Beyond Bologna? Infrastructuring quality in European higher education

Challenges in Regulating Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Small States:A Case Study of the Maldives

Monitoring of Official Degree Qualifications: The Key Role of Academic Quality Assurance Systems (AQAS)

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