ECA Work Plan 2011-2012
Approved by the ECA Management Group on 27 October 2011 Working group 1 “Mutual recognition and joint programmes” Composition:
Elisabeth Fiorioli (chair) ÖAR [email protected] Mark Frederiks NVAO [email protected] Josep Grifoll AQU Catalunya [email protected]
Nick Harris Expert [email protected]
Doris Herrmann AQAS [email protected]
Hendrik Jan Hobbes Expert NUFFIC The Netherlands
Rafael Llavori ANECA [email protected] René-Paul Martin
Denavit
Stephanie Maurer OAQ [email protected] Katrin
Mayer-Lantermann
Hanna Reczulska Expert ENIC-NARIC Poland [email protected] Stephanie Zwießler ÖAR [email protected] Additional members of the Accreditation Group of the JOQAR project:
Organisation E-mail
Axel Aerden NVAO [email protected]
Jaime Bernal CNA [email protected]
Kaja Braathen NVAO [email protected]
Fernando Chaparro CNA [email protected] Carme Edo Ros AQU Catalunya [email protected]
Volker Husberg AQAS [email protected]
Daisuke Motoki FIBAA [email protected]
M.S. Shyamasundar NAAC [email protected]
Meetings 20010/2011 • 9 June 2010, Graz
• 11 October 2010, Vienna
• 13 December 2010, The Hague
• 13 April 2011,Vienna
Priorities in the past year JOQAR
The activities of the last year were marked by the fact that the Erasmus Mundus project Joint programmes: Quality Assurance and Recognition of
degrees awarded (JOQAR) was approved and started in October 2010.
Two of the main priorities of WG 1 are now part of this project:
1. The development of MULTRA – Multilateral Recognition Agreement for Joint Programmes
2. Establishing a European coordination point for Joint Programmes
WG 1 therefore acts also as Accreditation Group and is responsible for these two action lines of JOQAR. Therefore WG 1 includes also additional members (see list above).
Regarding the action lines the following progress was made:
1. The development of MULTRA – Multilateral Recognition Agreement
for Joint Programmes
The text of the agreement including an observation format for new MULTRA partners was prepared and MULTRA was signed in December 2010 in The Hague by FHR and ÖAR (Austria), NVAO (The Netherlands and Flanders) and PKA (Poland), ANECA (Spain) and CTI (France) joined in March 2011.
2. Establishing a European coordination point for Joint Programmes
To explore the concrete needs of the intended target audience for a coordination point, two surveys, one for coordinators of joint programmes and one for QA agencies were drafted and send out. Survey results were analysed and presented in a feasibility study that will be the basis for the next steps to be carried out in co-operation with the JOQAR Steering Group.
Bilateral Mutual recognition agreements
The statement of benefits of MRAs was presented in Graz in June 2010. The following bilateral MRAs were renewed in November-December 2010 in The Hague:
• CTI (France) and NVAO (Netherlands and Flanders)
• FHR (Austria) and NVAO (Netherlands and Flanders)
• NVAO (Netherlands and Flanders) and PKA (Poland)
• ÖAR (Austria) and PKA (Poland)
• ÖAR (Austria) and NVAO (Netherlands and Flanders)
In addition, the following bilateral agreements were renewed in June 2011 in Barcelona:
• ÖAR (Austria) and OAQ (Switzerland)
Transnational delivery of study programmes
The topic of transnational education is very important for the QA agencies, especially with regard to mutual recognition of accreditation decisions. It was decided to exchange experiences on this topic and to work on
common approaches. The approach of AQU Catalunya was presented and discussed, further examples will follow.
Co-operation with ENIC/NARICs
The contribution of ENIC/NARICs on a regular basis is essential for the work of WG 1 and has become institutionalised within the framework of the JOQAR project.
Priorities for 2011-2012 JOQAR
1. The development of MULTRA – Multilateral Recognition Agreement for Joint Programmes
Observations missions will be carried out to test the observation format and to enable more agencies to join MULTRA.
2. Establishing a European coordination point for Joint Programmes
Group WG1 /Accreditation Group will design a template for a single accreditation procedure that will be tested in four pilot procedures. Bilateral Mutual recognition agreements
The bilateral MRAs between OAQ and ÖAR were renewed in June 2011 in Barcelona. The dissemination strategy on benefits of MRAs for
stakeholders will be carried out in cooperation with WG 3.
Transnational delivery of study programmes
The exchange of experiences on this topic should be continued. A possible outcome might be a recommendation taking into account in particular the role of accreditation agencies for such programmes.
Co-operation with ENIC/NARICs
The contribution of ENIC/NARICs on a regular basis is essential for the work of WG 1 and will be continued.
Internal Communication
WG 1/Accreditation Group is using the Blog for the entire communication process. All relevant documents are uploaded on the WG 1 website.
Working group 2 “Institutional accreditation and audits”
Composition
• Karl Dittrich (Chair)
• Brankica Assenmacher/Daisuke Motoki (FIBAA)
• Floriane Gasser (OAQ)
• María Becerro/Cecilia de la Rosa González (ANECA)
• Mark Frederiks (ECA coordinator)
• Rolf Heusser (ECA Chairperson)
• Esther Huertas Hidalgo/Josep Manel Torres Solà (AQU Catalunya)
• Rainer Künzel/Hermann Reuke (ZEvA)
• Christian Moldt (EVA)
• Lars Pedersen (The Accreditation Institution, Denmark)
• Mieczyslaw Socha (PKA)
• Maria Weber (FHR)
• Hannelore Weck-Hannemann (ÖAR)
Priorities for 2010-2011
1) Private HEIs and accreditation
a) Publication of paper
2) Training of experts and staff
a) Tasks of Stakeholder Group in E-TRAIN project 3) Impact of QA
a) Inventory of impact studies b) Publication of paper
c) Seminar on Impact of QA (hosted by ZEvA) 4) QA of Internationalisation
a) Seminar NVAO pilots on the assessment of internationalisation b) Possibilities for ECA certificate on internationalisation
5) Compendium of institutional audits and other approaches among ECA members
a) Annual publication on the accreditation and assessment procedures of ECA members based on accreditation profiles in Qrossroads and survey results
6) Size and quality of higher education institutions
a) A survey among HEIs and agencies to gather information on: 1. Sizes (numbers of students, staff, degrees) of public and private HEIs and programmes; 2. the relationship between size and the quality of education/accreditation
b) Recommendations for minimum sizes of HEIs and programmes in view of the quality of education and accreditation requirements
Meetings 2010-2011
• 6 October 2010, Amsterdam
• 14 January 2011, The Hague
• 20-21 June 2011, Barcelona
Priorities for 2011-2012
1) Training of experts and staff
a. Tasks of Stakeholder Group in E-TRAIN project 2) Impact of QA
a. Inventory of impact studies
b. Seminar on impact of QA (January 2012) c. Publication of paper
3) QA of Internationalisation
a. Development of ECA certificate on internationalisation 4) Compendium of institutional audits and other approaches among
ECA members
a. Annual publication on the accreditation and assessment procedures of ECA members based on accreditation profiles in Qrossroads and survey results
Meetings 2011-2012
•
October 2011, Amsterdam (1st E-TRAIN Stakeholder Group)•
February 2012, Madrid (2nd E-TRAIN Stakeholder Group)• June 2012 (ECA Workshop)
Working group 3 “Qrossroads and information strategies”
Composition:
• Mark Frederiks (Chair; ECA Coordinator)
• Axel Aerden (Qrossroads Supervisor; NVAO)
• Franz Börsch (GAC)
• Carme Edo Ros (AQU Catalunya)
• Daniel Aleksander Kern (ACE Denmark)
• Petra Lauk/Monika Risse Kuhn (OAQ)
• Barbara Michalk/Roger Wurm (HRK, Germany)
• Julia Salado-Rasmussen (EVA)
• Wolfgang Slatin (FHR)
• Marta Reguero García (ANECA)
• Teresa Sánchez Chaparro (CTI)
• János Spányik (HAC, Hungary)
• Klemen Subic (SQAA)
• Pal Bakken, Runar Todok (NOKUT)
• Loulou Von Ravensberg/EVA Ferndahl (HSV, Sweden)
• Wojciech Wrona (PKA)
• Roger Wurm (HRK)
• Stephanie Zwiessler (ÖAR)
Note: The list above includes both local Qrossroads administrators and WG 3 members who are discussing policy matters. A split has been made between WG 3 and Qrossroads fora so that not everyone needs to be involved in both technical and policy matters.
Priorities for 2010-2011 A. Qrossroads (technical)
A1. Completion of accreditation profiles.
A2. Completion of experiment with accreditation statements.
A3. Extension of Qrossroads (more countries).
A4. Supporting Knowledge Base joint programmes (JOQAR) and Knowledge Base expert training (E-TRAIN).
B. Information strategies (policy)
B1. ECA communication plan based on input from WGs and dealing with the following: what (aims), who (target groups), why (inform or influence or involve), how (communication means), and when.
B2. Promotion plan and dissemination of Qrossroads.
Meetings 2010-2011
• 9 and 11 June 2010, plenary presentations of WG 3 and Qrossroads at the ECA Workshop and TEAM II dissemination conference in Graz
• 9 May 2011, The Hague
• 21 June 2011, Barcelona (ECA Workshop, plenary WG 3 presentation)
Priorities for 2011-2012
1. Extension of Qrossroads
2. Promotion plan and dissemination of Qrossroads
3. Supporting the development of the Knowledge Base for joint programmes (JOQAR)
4. Supporting the development of the Knowledge Base for experts training and the European Experts Exchange database (E-TRAIN).
Meetings 2011-2012
• February 2012, The Hague
• June 2012 (ECA Workshop), ...
Note: continuous virtual communication takes place, e.g. through the WG 3 and Qrossroads BLOGs.
Working group 4 “Mutual learning and best practices”
Composition:
• Anna Prades (AQU)
• Axel Aerden (NVAO)
• Gemma Rauret (Expert)
• Guy Aelterman (Expert)
• Herwig Patscheider (FHR)
• Inge Enroth (EVA)
• Juan José Sobrino (ANECA)
• Laura Beccari (OAQ)
• Laureano González, Chairperson (ANECA)
• Loulou Von Ravensberg (HSV)
• María Becerro (ANECA)
• Marie-Jo Goedert (CTI)
• Michal Neumann (CHE)
• Mieczyslaw Socha (PKA)
Meetings 2010/2011
- 1st meeting in October 2010, Warsaw.
- 2nd meeting in January 2011, Madrid.
- 3rd meeting in April 2011, Paris.
- 4rd meeting in June 2011, Barcelona
Priorities in the past year
MAIN GOAL: work on LO, preparing a compendium of recommendations and
good practices of Quality Assurance Agencies (QAA) in LO in accreditation procedures.
The recommendations and good practices could refer to general or to specific contexts. For example, good practices related to LO in general accreditation procedures, in e-learning, accreditation of joint programmes, in professional accreditation or in other specific contexts.
Steps proposed to reach this goal:
• During the period from 2009 to 2010, WG 4 developed a set of
recommendations that had among its purposes to explain previously agreed principles. WG4 tried to find and highlight a number of good practices in accreditation of programs, both general (e.g., graduate, master's and doctoral graduates) and specific context (e.g., joint programs, e-learning, accreditation of professional programs , etc.) that serve as examples of how learning outcomes are taken into account by ECA organizations.
• Then, WG4 prepared some examples for each of those recommendations. It is noteworthy that these examples were reviewed by team members up to three times to serve to its purpose.
• Last step, it was to prepare a document setting out all given and wanted examples to know if a recommendation was not sufficiently explained. However, while that document was useful as a working document, it was not
that highlights how important and coincident aspects of the examples, in conjunction with the Principles and Recommendations which had been worked by the group in previous courses and still do.
Outcomes in the period 2010-2011
It debated the concept “Good / best practices” in different contexts of the accreditation and, finally, WG 4 decided to include only examples related to LO in general accreditation procedures and in professional accreditation. As far as other kinds of accreditation procedure were considered too early or too specific.
On the other hand, WG4 did a executive document (Towards “Principles in Practice”...) which collected a resume with the made work by the group and some aspects such as:
• Not all agencies must endorse or apply what appear in the explanatory notes but WG 4 agrees that these examples are “reasonable & sound”.
• Examples model (agreed): Agency/Agencies; Context (type of procedure and, where relevant, step in this procedure); Practice: including relationship with principle and recommendation; and References: relevant documentation and/or link to website where this documentation is available.
AIM: To provide a source of guidance to accreditation organizations when dealing with LO for undertaking external quality assurance.
Æ OUTCOME: The experience of different ECA organizations that
have analyzed how they apply the General Principles regarding
learning outcomes in their accreditation procedures.
Priorities for 2011-2012
• Update and complete the QAA practice when working with LO in
accreditation procedure.
• Enlarge and enhance the examples related to the use LO in accreditation procedures already available according to the Principle and Recommendation already by WG4.
• Analyze deeper how intended and achieved LO must be considered in accreditation procedures by Quality Assurance Agencies.
Meetings 2011/2012
WG 4 plans to meet 4 times during the period 2011-2012:
- 1st meeting in October 2011. NVAO. Date to be determined
- 2nd meeting in January 2012--- to be determined
- 3rd meeting: in April 2012, --- to be determined.
