Transcript The challenge of accreditation in Europe

EFQM Education community of practice
The challenge of accreditation in
Europe
Peter Cullen
Head of research and policy analysis
Higher education and training awards council
IRELAND
Contents
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Context
Bologna process
Quality
Similarities in accreditation
Accreditation goals
European overarching framework
QA of Quality Assurance Agencies
Context
• Lisbon (2000) objective for Europe to become the
world’s most competitive and dynamic
knowledge-based economy and society by 2010.
• Internationalisation and trade in higher education.
European higher education and research areas: aim
to be the world leaders and premier destination for
international students and researchers.
List of acronyms
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HE
HEI
QA
HEQAA
ECA
ENQA
JQI
Higher education (&training)
HE institution
Quality Assurance
HE QA Agency
European Consortium for Accreditation
E Network of QA Agencies
Joint quality initiative
Bologna process…
• Bologna process; compatibility and convergence towards
shared goals but respectful of diversity.
• Bologna (1999)
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A system of easily readable and comparable degrees
Two main cycles (now essentially 3)
Establish a system of credits (ECTS)
Promotion of cooperation in QA
• Prague (2001)
– Framework of qualifications
– Coherent QA and accreditation
… Berlin communiqué …
• On the subject of quality it was stated that by
2005 national quality assurance systems should
include:
– A definition of the responsibilities of the bodies and
institutions involved.
– Evaluation of programmes or institutions, including
internal assessment, external review, participation of
students and the publication of results.
– A system of accreditation, certification or comparable
procedures.
– International participation, co-operation and
networking.
… next recommendations?
• The European Commission is thought likely to
propose that the Ministers issue a new
recommendation…
– 1. There should be shared efforts to foster quality
internally in all higher education institutions.
– 2. Building on (1) it is intended that all countries would
foster reference to common sets of standards and
criteria (which would be reference points).
– 3. A European register of quality assurance and
accreditation agencies would be established.
– 4. HEIs would be enabled to choose among agencies on
the Register and select one which met their own needs.
Higher education QA
• Quality assurance: does not admit one definition
in Europe (refer to ENQA and ECA surveys)
• Standards: now ranging from tight prescriptions to
codes of practice…move towards general
reference statement at European level with
additional national constraints
• HEQAA role: guardian of standards (pass/fail)
ranging to promotor of enhanced quality…move
towards accreditation.
Quality: what is that?
• ENQA Quality is a description of the effectiveness
of everything that is done to ensure that diligent
students can derive maximum benefit from the
educational opportunities available to them and
also fulfill the requirements for the award for
which they are working.
• Quality assurance (procedures): responsibility of
HEI
• Quality assurance (accreditation): responsibility of
EHQAA
Accreditation
• Ostensibly accreditation admits only two
outcomes (pass,fail) but it might be conditional or
accompanied by recommendations
– "Accreditation refers to a process of quality control and
assurance in higher education, whereby - as a result of
inspection or assessment, or both, an institution or its
programs is recognised as meeting minimum acceptable
standards." [ADELMAN 1992].
European overarching framework
• ECA view (Feb 2004 see website link)
– Structure of higher education
– Outcomes for three cycles (perhaps also for sub-degree
qualification)
– Credit based on ‘notional effort’
– Access requirements
– Progression
– Regonition conventions & agreements
JQI Dublin descriptors: outcomes
• There is a view that a European overarching
framework of qualifications will have the Dublin
Descriptors as ‘anchor points’.
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Qualifications that signify completion of the third cycle are awarded to students who:
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have demonstrated a systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the skills and
methods of research associated with that field;
have demonstrated the ability to conceive, design, implement and adapt a substantial process of
research with scholarly integrity;
have made a contribution through original research that extends the frontier of knowledge by
developing a substantial body of work, some of which merits national or international refereed
publication;
are capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas;
can communicate with their peers, the larger scholarly community and with society in general
about their areas of expertise;
can be expected to be able to promote, within academic and professional contexts,
technological, social or cultural advancement in a knowledge based society;
Accreditation in Europe
• Principal stakeholders representative groups
– ESIB (National Unions of Students in Europe),
– EUA,
– EURASHE (European Association of Institutions in
Higher Education),
– ENQA
– ECA (European consortium for accreditation)
Similarities in accreditation
• Most accreditation agencies employ the following
steps
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Application by HEI
Self-assessment by HEI
External assessment by independent experts
Consideration of report by HEQAA
Decision and publication of the report
• However there are many differences too.
Current activity
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European framework of qualifications
ENQA: Guidelines for QA systems
ENQA: Peer review system for HEQAAs
ECA: Mutual accreditation agreements
Joint programmes and recognition of joint awards
– Lisbon recognition convention
– Joint accreditation using criteria of the relevant quality
assurance organisations involved.
– Mutual recognition of decisions of evaluation by one
agency
QA Guidelines?
• Purpose (ENQA working on
recommendation)
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Enhance educational experience
Help HEIs to reliably manage their quality
Help EQAAs
Promote transparency and sharing of good
practice
Emerging guidelines
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HEQAs to take their own
medicine
• Credibility of accreditation decisions
• In the Berlin Communiqué 19 September 2003
Ministers called upon “ENQA through its
members, in cooperation with the EUA,
EURASHE, and ESIB to … explore ways of
ensuring an adequate peer review system for
quality assurance and/or accreditation agencies or
bodies, and to report back to the Bologna FollowUp Group to Ministers in 2005”. (February 2005)
INQAAHE 10 Principles of good
practice for HEQAAs (2003)
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Mission statement
Decision making
Resources
Documentation
External committee
Public face
System of appeal
QA (of HEQAA)
Collaboration with other HEQAAs
Relation between HEQAA and HEI
Standards for EQAAs
• ENQA Membership Criteria (published)
• ENQA Emerging Standards
ENQA emerging peer review
process
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Status
• A lot has been done
• There is much more to do
Some questions
• What should be included in a European
Framework of Qualifications?
• How can HEIs share good QA practice?
• What criteria should be used for European register
of HEQAAs?
• What are the pros and cons in allowing HEIs
freedom to choose their HEQAA?
• How can acreditation promote enhanced quality
and respect diversity?