At the Bucharest Ministerial Conference in April 2012, European ministers of higher education decided to revise the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG).
The Steering Group for revision of the ESG has launched an open call for contributions to the revision process. The Steering Group looks forward to receiving your replies by 26 March 2013 at the email address esg.revision@ehea.info. Please read the documents below for more information: Letter, Context.
Letter
It is our pleasure as the Steering group (representatives from Business Europe, EI, ENQA, ESU, EUA, EURASHE, and EQAR) for revision of the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) to invite you to contribute to the revision process We would kindly ask you to take note of the document attached, which defines the context, scope and purposes of the revised ESG as agreed upon by the Steering Group in its meeting in February 2013.
In order to structure the responses, we suggest the following set of questions to be answered by your national authority or organisation:
1. Do you find the attached draft introduction clear and easy to understand? /follow? Please elaborate.
2. With regards to the current version of the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG), is there something particular you would like to see clarified or better emphasised in the revised version? Please elaborate your specific proposals. We look forward to receiving your replies by 26 th March 2013 at the email address esg.revision@ehea.info. The Steering Group will collect all proposals and comments and consider them in the next meeting of the Group.
Should you have any further questions or require clarifications, please do not hesitate to contact us. In addition, you can follow proceedings regarding ESG revision here: www.revisionesg.wordpress.org.
The ESG revision Steering Group
Context
Context, scope, purposes and principles of the ESG
Setting the context
Higher education, as well as research and innovation, plays a crucial role in supporting social cohesion, economic growth and global competitiveness. Given the desire for European soc ieties to become increasingly knowledge-based, higher education bec o me s an essential component of socio-economic and cultural development.
At the same time, the demand for better skills and competences is growing and higher education institutions are con fronted with more diversity in the student population. The context within which they work is constantly changing. Responding to diversity and change requires a fundamental shift in the provision of higher education; it requires a more student-centred approach to teaching and learning, embracing flexible learning paths and recognising competences gained outside formal curricula.
Quality assurance processes, in particular external ones, allow European higher education systems to demonstrate quality and bett er recognition of outcomes, and therefore help building mutual trust. A key goal of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) is to contribute to the common understanding of quality assurance across borders and among all stakeh olders. They have played a n important role in the development of national and institutional quality assurance systems across the EHEA , cross-border cooperation and provision of quality assurance, enhancing the transparency of quality assurance processes an d outcomes. In this context, the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) fosters c oherence of quality assurance systems across borders to build confidence in European higher education.
Scope and Concepts
The primary focus of the ESG is on quality a ssurance processes related to teaching and learning in higher education, including the learning environment and relevant links to research. The ESG apply to all higher education offered in the EHEA regardless of the mode or place of delivery. Higher education aims to fulfil multiple purposes; including preparing students for active citizenship and for their future careers, creating a broad advanced knowledge base and stimulating research and innovation. Stakeholders however can view quality in higher ed ucation differently. Q uality assurance needs to take into account such different perspectives. Quality , whilst not easy to define, is mainly a result of the interaction between teacher s and students, enabled by institutional planning processes. Quality assurance a ctivities should ensure a learning environment in which the content of programmes, learning opportunities and facilities are fit for purpose.
At the heart of all quality assurance activities are the twin purposes of accountability and enhancement. Taken together, these create trust in the higher education institution’s performance. The degree of autonomy and accountability (of which quality assurance is part) will depend as much on the national context within which the higher education system sits, as on the individual institution.
Quality assurance and quality enhancement are inter-related and describe a cycle that allows a higher education institution to assure itself of the quality of its activities and to take opportunities for continuous improvement. Such activities support the development of a quality culture that is embraced by all: from the students and academic staff to the institutional leadership and management. This quality culture should be verifiable b y external quality assurance agencies, national ministries, employers and society at large, through external quality assurance procedures.
The term ‘quality assurance’ is used in this document to describe all activities within the continuous improvement cycle (i.e. assurance and enhancement act ivities).
ESG: purposes and principles
The ESG have the following purposes:
- They set a common framework for quality assurance systems at European, national and institutional level;
- They enable the improvement of quality of higher education in the E urope an higher education area;
- They support mutual trust , thus facilitating recognition within and across national borders;
- They provide information on quality assurance in the EHEA.
The ESG may be used in different ways within these purposes by countries, institutions and agencies. At the European level, they provide the criteria against which quality assurance agencies and their activities are being assessed. This ensures that the quality assurance agencies in the EHEA adhere to the same set of principles, while the proces ses and procedures they apply are modelled to fit the purposes and requirements of their contexts.
The ESG are based on the following ten principles for quality assurance in the EHEA:
- Higher education institutions have primary responsibility for the qua lity of their provision and its assurance;
- Quality assurance processes respond to the diversity of HE systems, institutions and programmes across the EHEA;
- Quality assurance processes take into account the expectations of all stakeholders and society at large;
- Quality assurance processes enable higher education institutions to continuously improve and demonstrate their accountability;
- Quality assurance supports a quality culture;
- Internal and external quality assurance processes are fit-for-purpose;
- Quality assurance processes aim at creating appropriate learning opportunities and environments;
- External quality assurance processes are carried out by independent quality assurance agencies;
- Quality assurance processes involve stakeholders;
- Quality assurance p rocesses and their outcomes are transparent and clear.

Call for contributions: 8th European Quality Assurance Forum, Gothenburg, Sweden (21-23 November 2013)
EUA is pleased to announce that the 8th European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) will take place at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, on 21-23 November 2013.
Through a mix of plenary and parallel sessions, the 2013 EQAF, entitled “Working together to take quality forward”, will combine practice-oriented or research-based discussions that will take place in the paper sessions and workshops with presentations of current developments in quality assurance. This year the Forum will specifically explore how both individuals and organisations can better understand the role that quality assurance can play in their daily lives, get engaged and work together to take quality forward.
The Forum organisers, ENQA, ESU, EUA and EURASHE, have now opened a call for contributions from QA practitioners in higher education institutions and quality assurance agencies, students, institutional leaders and researchers in the field. Two types of contributions are sought: papers and workshops.
The deadline to submit contributions is 2 August 2013.
The call for contributions and proposal submission forms are available here.

L’AERES est partenaire du programme Tempus TLQAA (Toward Lebanese Quality Assurance Agency) ayant pour objectif de réfléchir à un modèle de garantie de la qualité pour l’enseignement supérieur libanais. Les résultats du projet, qui s’achèvera en septembre 2013, seront utilisés pour la création de l’agence d’assurance qualité libanaise, inscrite dans une nouvelle loi en cours d’élaboration. Pour répondre aux besoins du projet, un « séminaire de formation Tempus TLQAA » a été co-organisé en France par l’AERES et le CIEP, du 25 au 27 février derniers. A cette occasion, Didier Houssin, président de l’AERES et Patricia Pol, responsable des affaires européennes et internationales de l’AERES sont intervenus lors de la journée de travail animée par l’agence le 25 février.
Pour en savoir plus sur le séminaire et la journée de travail à l’AERES, Robert Fouquet, délégué scientifique de l’AERES, membre du comité de pilotage du programme TLQAA et animateur de la journée, répond à nos questions:
* Quels étaient les objectifs du séminaire?
Le projet est centré sur l’évaluation institutionnelle et la première année écoulée a été consacrée à l’élaboration d’un référentiel d’évaluation et à la construction d’une procédure de mise en œuvre des différentes étapes de l’évaluation externe. Cette procédure d’évaluation institutionnelle va être expérimentée en juin prochain sur quelques universités impliquées dans le projet.
Les quinze collègues libanais qui ont participé au séminaire constitueront donc les futurs experts des comités d’évaluation et il est probable que certains d’entre eux seront mobilisés pour des fonctions d’encadrement de la future agence.
Les trois journées du séminaire étaient consacrées à l’analyse de l’expérience concrète d’une agence et à l’étude du référentiel et de la procédure conçus dans le cadre de TLQAA.
* Quels étaient les objectifs de la journée de travail à l’AERES et les thèmes abordés?
Cette journée avait pour principal objectif de décrire les éléments clés de la procédure de la section des établissements afin de sensibiliser nos collègues libanais aux risques et aux difficultés liés à l’organisation d’une évaluation externe. Une présentation de l’activité d’évaluation des formations a également été réalisée ainsi que les activités à l’international de l’agence. Marie Salaün, chargée de projet à la section des établissements, et François Pernot, délégué scientifique à la section des formations, ont participé à cette journée qui s’est terminée par une table ronde avec Philippe Tchamitchian, directeur de la section des établissements.
* Sera-t-il organisé d’autres séminaires de formation et quelle est la prochaine étape du projet?
Un autre groupe d’experts a participé à un séminaire équivalent en Espagne à l’ANECA, deuxième agence partenaire de TLQAA. La suite du projet va maintenant être consacrée à l’accompagnement des évaluations externes. Le projet va faire l’objet d’une demande de prolongation de quelques mois pour permettre de réaliser dans de bonnes conditions le bilan complet de cette première expérience.

Le Centre international d'études pédagogiques (CIEP) organise les 18 et 19 mars prochains évènement autour de la question de la qualité dans l’enseignement du français langue étrangère.
Créé en 1945, le CIEP est un opérateur public des ministères de l’éducation nationale et des affaires étrangères, en charge de la coopération internationale en éducation, au cœur de partenariats française et étrangers. Ses deux grands pôles d’activité sont l’éducation et les langues.
Le CIEP organise les 18 et 19 mars prochains un séminaire dédié aux questions d’assurance qualité dans l’enseignement du français langue étrangère. L’évènement est conçu comme un espace d’échange d’expériences et de réflexions entre les acteurs de terrain engagés dans la démarche qualité.
Qu’est-ce que la démarche qualité? A quoi sert la démarche qualité? Quels sont les labels et certifications pour les cours de langue? Comment se déroule un audit? Comment construire un plan d’action? sont autant de questions proposées à la discussion lors de ces deux journées professionnelles.
Le séminaire est ouvert aux directeurs, aux responsables qualité, aux coordinateurs pédagogiques, aux enseignants des centres de FLE, aux formateurs de formateurs, aux étudiants, et à tous ceux qu’intéresse la démarche qualité dans l’enseignement des langues.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Accreditation Council (GAC) are organising an international conference on "Quality Assurance and Quality Development in Europe" at 21 and 22 March this year in Berlin.
Please see the attached invitation, conference programme and registration form: Invitation, Conference programme, Registration form.
Invitation: "Quality Assurance and Quality Development in Europe"
In co-operation with the Foundation for the Accreditation of Study Programmes in Germany (Akkreditierungsrat) the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is organising an international conference on "Quality Assurance and Quality Development in Europe" at 21 & 22 March 2013 in Berlin.
The goal of this international conference is to discuss different methods of internal and external quality assurance and their strengths and weaknesses. Examples of practice from selected European countries and institutions shall illustrate various approaches. Additionally, the impact of qualification frameworks on mutual recognition of study periods and degrees will be looked at. Some attention will be paid to quality assurance issues of European co-operation in higher education. The conference addresses representatives of quality assurance bodies, QA managers of higher education institutions, programme directors (especially of double/joint degree programmes) and interested politicians. Selected representatives from student organisations will also be invited to join the seminar.
Registration is free of charge. Meals during the conference will be provided by the DAAD. Accommodation and travel costs have to be covered by the participants themselves.
For your information please find attached the draft programme.
Conference programme
Quality Assurance and Quality Development in Europe, 21 and 22 March 2013, Berlin.
Thursday, 21 March 2013
13:30 – 14.00 Opening of the Conference. Dr Siegbert Wuttig, Director, National Agency for EU Higher Education Co-operation, Germany; Dr Olaf Bartz, Managing Director, Accreditation Council, Germany.
14:30 – 15:00 Quality Assurance – Different Approaches. Josep Grifoll, Board Member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and Head of the Quality Assessment Department of AQU Catalunya
15:00 – 15:30 European and National Qualification Frameworks and their Impact on Mutual Recognition. Dr Birger Hendriks, Bologna Follow-up Group, Germany
16:00 – 18:00 Examples of Quality Assurance in Higher Education Co-operations – Parallel Working Groups –
Working Group I: Co-operations with South Eastern Europe, Chair: Prof Volker Gehmlich, Germany, N.N., Hungary, Prof. Jasmina Havranek, ASHE, Croatia
Working Group II: Co-operations with Northern Europe, Chair: Dr Vidmantas Tūtlys, Lithuania, Tove Blytt Holmen, NOKUT, Norway, Aurelija Valeikiene, SKVC, Lithuania
Working Group III: Co-operations with Western Europe, Chair: Dr Norma Ryan, University College Cork, Ireland, Carolyn Campbell, QAA, UK (to be asked), Karena Maguire, QQI, Ireland
Friday, 22 March 2013
09:00 – 09.45 Why Quality Assurance?
09:45 – 10:15 Reports from the Working Groups, Prof Volker Gehmlich, Dr Vidmantas Tūtlys, Dr Norma Ryan
10:15 – 10:45 Perspectives and Limitations of Quality Assurance, Dr Olaf Bartz, Managing Director, Accreditation Council, Germany
11:15 – 12:45 Panel Discussion: Developments, Obstacles and Prospects, Chair: Marina Steinmann, Head of Unit Bologna Process, DAAD. Participants: Josep Grifoll, Board Member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and Head of the Quality Assessment Department of AQU Catalunya Moritz Maikämper, Bologna Expert and former member of the Accreditation Council, Prof Dr Hans E. Roosendaal, University of Twente, Dr Christoph Grolimund, Director of the Swiss Center of Accreditation, and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (OAQ), Dr Sjur Bergan, Head of Education Department, Directorate of Democratic Citizenship and Participation, Council of Europe, France
12.45 Closing Remarks
Peter Greisler, Head of Subdivision 41 Institutions of Higher Education, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF.

By Joshua Kim. High Quality Online Learning: A Discussion with USC's Karen Gallagher
Karen Symms Gallagher, Dean of USC Rossier School of Education, caught my eye for two reasons.   
First, I read a couple of opinion pieces in which she argued that we need to look beyond MOOCs to the potential of providing extremely high quality and intimate for-credit degree programs that leverage new options in technology and new opportunities in non-profit / for-profit partnerships.   These columns, including Higher Ed Leaders Must Lead Online and Rethinking Higher Ed Open Online Learning stand apart for their combination of a progressive call for innovation in online education and skepticism that the locus of this innovation is limited to the world of MOOCs.
The second reason that Karen ended up on my radar screen was her designation as a  Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow.   This prestigious fellowship, which is given to only two dozen educators a year, is designed to "support extraordinary entrepreneurial leaders who are committed to transforming public education." Read more...

Since 2006, the European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF), co-organised by EUA, ENQA, EURASHE and ESU, has become the premier event for quality assurance (QA) in European higher education with some 400 participants from across Europe and beyond. The Forum provides a unique platform for the higher education and QA communities to monitor, shape and anticipate developments in the area. The main purpose of the Forum is to foster a dialogue on QA that bridges national boundaries and leads to a truly European discussion on QA in higher education, and to create a common European understanding of QA through discussions and networking among different stakeholder groups. The Forum organisers are looking for a university to host the ninth EQAF that will take place in November 2014. Applications from universities located in regions where the Forum has not previously been held are particularly encouraged. To find out more, download the call here.
See also on the blog The 7th European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF), Report from 7th European Quality Assurance Forum: ‘How does quality assurance make a difference?’, 7th European Quality Assurance Forum, Tallinn, Estonia (22-24 November 2012), 6th European Quality Assurance Forum, 5th European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF).

Last week‟s 7th European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) brought together around 400 higher education stakeholders from approximately 50 countries to discuss the latest developments and trends in quality assurance (QA).
This year‟s edition, held at Tallinn University in Estonia, focused on the theme „How does quality assurance make a difference?‟. Over three days, the majority of the plenary and parallel sessions discussed the impact of external and internal QA on higher education policies and institutional realities. While participants provided a wide range of evidence on this topic, many also called for more research to be carried out on the impact of QA. They also acknowledged, however, the challenges of delivering precise studies on this topic.
The sessions also explored new developments (in QA) such as the increased international dimension of external QA (e.g. cross-border accreditation and recognition of joint programmes). New approaches to quality assurance in various countries and institutions were also presented and participants were given an opportunity to update their knowledge on recent European policy developments.
One of the conclusions of the final plenary was that QA as a whole is a highly politicised field, and by no means an exact science, but perhaps this is part of its appeal to those involved in QA.
The discussions will continue in next year‟s EQAF, which will be hosted by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, from 21 to 23 November 2013. More information on next year‟s event will be published through the EUA website.

ENQA has recently obtained funding for a LLP/Erasmus proposal. The two-year project started on 1 October and will end on 30 September 2014. The project, entitled “Transparency of European higher education through public quality assurance reports” (EQArep), aims at developing European standards for quality assurance reports.
The consortium of the project includes ENQA (as applicant and coordinator), the Swiss Center of Accreditation and Quality Assurance in HE (OAQ), the Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB), the Agency for Science and Higher Education (ASHE) and the Estonian Higher Education Quality Agency (EKKA).
The project will map the current publication practices, explore the different needs of stakeholders for transparent and comparable information, develop standards for different types of quality assurance reports in the EHEA and evaluate whether a European template for quality assurance reports is feasible.
The project will result in a recommendation to quality assurance agencies on the content and form of informative and approachable quality assurance reports. Thus the envisaged impact is a higher degree of comparability of quality assurance reports and consequently a better contribution of quality assurance to transparency of higher education at the European level.