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The rise of micro-credentials: The end of universities?

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The rise of micro-credentials: The end of universities?

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Micro-credentials have recently been high on the agendas of various higher education stakeholders across the world. An increasing number of universities now offer them in addition to their regular macro degrees. Policy-making bodies have begun to update their national university admission systems to recognise micro-credentials.

Supranational organisations, such as the OECD and the European Commission, have begun to explore further use of micro-credentials in member countries' higher education systems.

Employers, on the other hand, have started to use micro-credentials in their hiring procedures. In a recent study, 5,000 university students, recent graduates and employers across 11 countries were surveyed by Coursera, a leading micro-credential provider, in collaboration with Repdata and Dynata, two market research companies.

It was revealed that 72% of employers tend to employ a candidate who holds a micro-credential. Similarly, 90% of students and recent graduates agree that micro-credentials enable them to stand out to potential employers.

Several global companies have indeed already started to hire candidates who have micro-credentials rather than a university degree. In an interview he gave to Auto Bild, Elon Musk noted that "there's no need even to have a college degree at all" to work for Tesla, a leading electric car manufacturer.

Similarly, Joanna Daley, the vice-president of talent at IBM, stated that "about 15% of her company's US hires don't have a four-year degree" in an interview with CNBC. She adds in the same interview that "instead of looking exclusively at candidates who went to college, IBM now looks at candidates who have hands-on experience", which can be recognised through micro-credentials.

The increasing value ascribed to micro-credentials in both higher education and the job market forces us to explore the nature of micro-credentials and their potential impacts on the higher education ecosystem.

What are micro-credentials?

As they still are evolving, there is yet no definition of micro-credentials that is agreed by everyone. To address this need, UNESCO organised a global expert panel to reach a consensus on a definition, which resulted in a report titled Towards a Common Definition of Micro-credentials in 2022.

The report proposed a definition of a micro-credential as "a record of focused learning achievement verifying what the learner knows, understands or can do". It also "includes an assessment based on clearly defined standards", "is awarded by a trusted provider", "may also contribute to or complement other micro-credentials or macro-credentials through recognition of prior learning" and "meets the standards required by relevant quality assurance".

Micro-credentials are short courses but not all short courses are micro-credentials. Accordingly, pre-determined standards are employed to assess micro-credential learners' achievements and the awarding body also has to meet several standards to qualify as a trusted provider. Unlike many short courses, micro-credentials are stackable, which means that they can lead to a degree. While many short courses lack external quality assurance, micro-credentials go through a quality assurance process.

Why are micro-credentials becoming popular?

A recent survey conducted by Robert Half International Inc, a leading international human resources consulting company founded in 1948, has revealed that an overwhelming majority of executives [95%] have reported that they encounter challenges in finding skilled employees who meet their specific requirements.

Micro-credentials close this skills gap by upskilling employees and job market candidates. For example, a healthcare professional can get a six-week micro-credential titled Patient Journey and System Design offered by Future Learn in collaboration with Deakin University and several hospitals to gain operational management skills.

This micro-credential allows him or her to implement theories of capacity planning, investigate causes of delay in emergency situations and obtain resources for enhancing patient satisfaction. Ultimately, this enhances his or her competitiveness in the job market. For those in employment, it results in upskilling in alignment with the expectations of the employer. She or he also has the option to stack this credential with others, thereby paving the way to achieve a graduate degree from Deakin University.

Micro-credentials present several advantages over traditional macro degrees. They offer a shorter time commitment, are more cost-effective, are more closely aligned with the labour market, can be tailored to meet the learner's specific needs and can even be used to earn an academic degree. Due to these benefits, micro-credentials have become increasingly popular for individuals looking to reskill or upskill.

Are micro-credentials a threat to universities?

There is a growing trend among employers to hire individuals based on their skills and alternative credentials, which has led to an increased interest in obtaining micro-credentials by potential employees.

To capture a share of this market, various accredited providers such as adult education centres, online learning platforms, technology companies, professional associations and non-governmental organisations have begun offering these credentials. As a result, universities are no longer the sole providers of credit-bearing credentials, which raises the question of whether universities will be able to compete or will drop out of this race.

The interest in micro-credentials is rapidly growing, and universities are taking notice by offering them independently or in collaboration with other providers. Some universities have released guidelines on how micro-credentials will be recognised and integrated into degree programmes. Some are even combining them to lead to a degree.

Policy-makers are also exploring the possibility of international recognition of micro-credential certificates at a supranational level.

The European Union has launched the Micro-credentials linked to the Bologna Key Commitments Project (MICROBOL) to investigate how micro-credentials can be integrated into the European Higher Education Area (UHEA).

MICROBOL has created the Common Framework for Micro-credentials in the EHEA, which examines the quality assurance, assessment and description of micro-credentials using the principles of the Lisbon Recognition Convention and European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System.

These efforts by higher education stakeholders suggest that they are aware of the recent surge in interest in micro-credentials. At present, universities are the primary providers of micro-credentials that serve as a part of a higher education course or an addition to an existing degree for learners who have already completed their higher education.

However, if micro-credentials become more widely accepted and relied upon in skills-based hiring decisions compared to traditional degree-based hiring, there could be two consequences for universities.

Firstly, demand for higher education could decrease as skills are earned more flexibly and in a shorter time through micro-credentials. Secondly, learners might turn to non-university providers that can offer more practical and market-driven training.

While it is not possible to predict what the outcomes will be with any certainty, the efficiency of micro-credentials in equipping learners with skills in a shorter time suggests that their future is promising.

Hakan Ergin is assistant professor of higher education studies at Boaziçi University in Türkiye. E-mail:hakan.ergin1@bogazici.edu.tr / Twitter: twitter.com/HakanErgin_HE
John Brennan is emeritus professor of higher education research at The Open University, United Kingdom, and visiting professor at the University of Bath. He was formerly honorary research fellow at the University of Oxford and visiting professor at the London School of Economics. E-mail: john.brennan@open.ac.uk.

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The rise of micro-credentials: The end of universities?

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The increasing popularity of micro-credentials could lead to a drop in demand for higher education or people turning to non-university providers that ...

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ENQA Webinar: The future of external QA: Perspectives from agencies 

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ENQA Webinar: The future of external QA: Perspectives from agencies 

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https://www.enqa.eu/events/the-future-of-external-qa-perspectives-from-agencies/

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The webinar will explore the key QA-FIT project findings related to two topics: the scope of the ESG and flexibility of external quality assurance approaches. It will provide an opportunity to explore perspectives and implications of these issues for the future activities of quality assurance agencies.

QA-FIT project aims to explore how the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) have been used and implemented in different contexts. It reflects on if and how the ESG, as the current EHEA framework, is perceived to limit the responsiveness of quality assurance to trends and innovations in higher education, and if and how there should be more room for the development of alternative approaches to quality assurance.

The webinar has been promoted to ENQA members, so the audience is likely to consist primarily of representatives of quality assurance agencies. However, it is open to all interested stakeholders.

Programme

The event will take place online on Thursday 25 April 2024

Topics: Scope of the ESG and Flexibility of QA approaches
Speakers
Nordblad Mirella, FINEEC (Finland) Counsellor of Evaluation

Robert Redhammer, SAAHE (Slovakia) Chair of the Executive Board

Douglas Blackstock, ENQA President
Chair
Anna Gover, ENQA Director

Registration

This event is open to all interested stakeholders. Please register in advance here. If you have any questions, please contact secretariat@enqa.eu

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The future of external QA: Perspectives from agencies * ENQA

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The webinar will explore the key QA-FIT project findings related to two topics: the scope of the ESG and flexibility of external quality assurance approaches. It will provide an opportunity to explore perspectives and implications of these issues for the future activities of quality assurance agencies.

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ENQA webinar: QA agencies and ENIC-NARICs

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ENQA webinar: QA agencies and ENIC-NARICs

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ENQA webinar: QA agencies and ENIC-NARICs - cooperation models and opportunities * ENQA

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There are various models of cooperation between quality assurance agencies and ENIC-NARIC centres. This webinar will explore various approaches by presenting three different cases and discussing the particularities, advantages and challenges of each one. In addition, the event will explore the possible opportunities for enhancing cooperation, communication and information exchange.

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ENQA Members and Affiliates invited to complete survey on the QA of research

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ENQA Members and Affiliates invited to complete survey on the QA of research

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ENQA Members and Affiliates invited to complete survey on the QA of research • ENQA

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While quality assurance (QA) in higher education is the primary activity of all ENQA members and affiliates and is well documented, there is little knowledge on the QA of research and how it is integrated into agencies’ missions and activities. Therefore, ENQA’s Working Group on the QA of research has developed a questionnaire to map the current state of […]

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Registration open for ENQA Members' Forum - deadline 27 March * ENQA

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Registration is now open for the 2024 ENQA Members' Forum, taking place on 17-19 April in Hannover, Germany. The event is hosted by the Central Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation (ZEvA). The Members' Forum programme will address the topic of 'Quality Assurance and Change', through plenary sessions and contributions from members and affiliates.

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Call for contributions: 2024 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF)

Deadline: 23 June 2024

The call for contributions for the 2024 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) is now open. The call seeks proposals for papers, workshops and practice presentations. The deadline to submit proposals is 23 June 2024.

Call for registrations: 2024-2025 round of the Institutional Evaluation Programme

Deadline: 31 May 2024

Registrations for the 2024-2025 evaluation round are now open.

Call for contributions: 2024 EUA Funding Forum

Deadline: 29 April 2024

A call for contributions for the next 2024 EUA Funding Forum, is now open.

Call for contributions: Supporting higher education in Ukraine - #HE4UA initiative

EUA invites higher education institutions, organisations and networks, ministries, donor organisations and other actors, in Europe and beyond, to share information about their initiatives for supporting higher education in Ukraine.

To top

European University Association

The Voice of Europe's Universities

The European University Association is a nonprofit organisation.

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Russia and Belarus: A litmus test for the Bologna Process

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Russia and Belarus: A litmus test for the Bologna Process

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Russia and Belarus: A litmus test for the Bologna Process

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An upcoming meeting of the European Higher Education Area ministers that will hopefully approve the definition of the EHEA’s fundamental values, wil…

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ENQA issues two publications on micro-credentials

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ENQA issues two publications on micro-credentials

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ENQA issues two publications on micro-credentials * ENQA

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ENQA is pleased to publish the Quality Assurance of Micro-credentials report, which has been prepared by the ENQA Working Group on Quality Assurance of Micro-credentials. The report, available here, gives an overview and examples of how the quality assurance of micro-credentials is being addressed in the EHEA and provides detailed considerations for the application of [...]

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Call for contributions: 2024 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF)

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Call for contributions: 2024 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF)

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Call for contributions: 2024 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) * ENQA

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The 2024 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) Programme Committee is inviting proposals for papers, workshops and practice presentations. The 2024 EQAF will be held in Enschede, Netherlands from 14 to 16 November hosted by University of Twente. The deadline to submit proposals is 23 June 2024.

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How conservative policy is changing college enrolment trends

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How conservative policy is changing college enrolment trends

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A large majority of American college and university students are so strongly in favour of abortion, gun control and the freedom to study 'divisive topics' such as critical race theory that they are either considering leaving their colleges or not applying to those in so-called 'Red States' like Florida, where (Republican) Governor Ron DeSantis has been waging a culture war against these issues.

These findings are contained in a report, Policies and Laws: How they're impacting college enrolment, published by the Lumina Foundation (Lumina), an NGO based in Indianapolis, Indiana, that works to increase opportunities for access and success in tertiary education for all Americans, in conjunction with Gallup global analytics firm. Last fall, Gallup surveyed 14,000 Americans, half of whom are enrolled in two-year community colleges, and half in four-year institutions.

Additional important findings concern black and Asian attitudes about whether to apply to post-secondary studies in the wake of last June's landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) that declared affirmative action unconstitutional.

One of the arguments the plaintiffs made in the case of Fair Admissions v Harvard University (Fair Admissions) was that race conscious admissions unfairly advantaged black applicants to the disadvantage of Asian applicants to college and university. Accordingly, when compared to white or Hispanic students, a sharply higher percentage of black and Asian Americans reported that the ruling impacted their decisions about whether, and where, to apply to college.

The top four responses, each of which scored 90% or more, were perennial concerns of college students - and are the subject of admission offices' public relations materials: opportunity for a good paying job in one's chosen field; control over days and times the student is required to be on campus; tuition; and the school's academic reputation. Post-COVID, it is no surprise that taking classes and completing their programme online was important to 86% of students.

"We know that students want a good job at the end of the day. We also know that today's students have many other responsibilities, so they want some autonomy or control over what they're doing. They want to make sure costs are aligned," said Courtney Brown, Lumina's vice president of impact and planning.

"But this year, we also wanted to see what other factors are impacting how students decide to enrol in a college, and how impactful are some state policies. And those are campus policies regarding guns and reproductive rights in a state, about the ability to talk about different issues. And while those were not [rated] as highly as we see with costs or getting a good job, still, for a majority of students, these are important factors in deciding where they're going to go to college," she said.

Gun laws

On 3 October 2023, six days before Gallup began conducting the survey, four students and another person were injured by a gunman at Morgan State University in Baltimore, a historically black college and university (HBCU); nine months earlier, three students were gunned down and five others injured at Michigan State University (East Lansing, Michigan). And three months before that mass shooting (November 2022), a gunman fired into a bus filled with students returning to the University of Virginia (Charlottesville), killing three students and injuring two others. In 2022 and 2023, there were 89 school shootings in K-12 schools across America, in which 61 students, faculty or staff were killed and 142 injured.

In half of America's 50 states, individuals do not need a permit to carry a concealed firearm. A total of 13 states have 'Shall Issue' laws, meaning that the state must issue a licence to carry a concealed weapon as long as the applicant passes a background check and-or a gun safety course. An additional 12 states have more restrictive laws.

Against this background, 80% of respondents said that gun regulations were between "Somewhat Important" and "Extremely Important" when it came to deciding where they wanted to study. Of these students, 84% (or 67% of the total) favoured "More Restrictive" gun laws and campus policies. The 67% of America's college students favouring stronger gun control aligns with a CNN Poll taken in May of 2023 that found that 64% of Americans wanted more controls on guns.

According to the CNN poll, only 36% of Republicans favour increased gun controls, which means that almost two-thirds of Republicans align themselves with the National Rifle Association, its congressional supporters, such as Republican senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, and congresspersons such as Marjory Taylor Greene and Lorene Boebert, and the SCOTUS' absolutist position on the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution ("the right to bear arms"). Lumina found, however, that 71% of Republican students favoured stronger gun controls.

According to Andy Pelosi, director of the Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus, based in Croton Falls, New York (88 kilometres north of New York City), the Republican students' results are in keeping with historical trends.

"The vast majority of students, I'm talking numbers in the 80s, oppose guns on college campuses. That poll is pretty much in line with what we've been seeing over the last 10 or 12 years," he said before adding that the Campaign "works with stakeholders and college presidents, and you won't have college presidents going to state legislatures, for example, and saying, we want our students and our faculty to carry guns on campus. It just doesn't happen."

Abortion rights

In last week's special election in Alabama, Democrat Marilyn Landis, who campaigned on a strong abortion rights platform, which included telling of her own abortion, won a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives by 26% in a district that President Donald J Trump carried with 53% of the vote in 2020, and in a state where almost 60% of residents say that abortion should be "illegal in all or most cases".

In last year's election, held on 7 November, when Gallup's pollsters were in the field, voters in Ohio enshrined abortion rights in the state's constitution, while in Kentucky, incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear defeated an anti-abortion Republican challenger. In Virginia, voters gave control of the state legislature to the Democrats, thus defeating Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin's campaign to have a Republican-controlled legislature in place so it could pass anti-abortion legislation.

Each of these elections focused on reproductive rights because last June, in the case of Dobbs v Jackson, the SCOTUS overruled Roe v Wade, the 1973 case in which the SCOTUS declared that women had a constitutional right to abortion.

Dobbs did not outlaw abortion but said that each state can set its own laws dealing with abortion rights. Fourteen states, including Texas, South Dakota, Utah and Louisiana, had laws either banning or severely restricting abortion on the books - so-called 'trigger laws', that came into effect either immediately or shortly after the SCOTUS's decision.

Other states, including Florida and North Carolina, have passed severely restrictive laws since the SCOTUS' decision. A number of these laws are now before the courts.

Fully 71% of respondents told Gallup that "Reproductive healthcare policies" affect their plans to continue to study in a particular state or where they will apply to study. The figure is the same for both male and female students. However, Gallup's study shows that while a strong majority of that 71% favour less restrictive abortion laws, men are almost three times as likely to favour more restrictive laws: 29% to 11%.

At 34%, Asians are the group that most favours more restrictive laws with whites the next highest at 24%.

As with gun control, Republican students have more liberal views on reproductive rights than do Republicans in general. Overall, only 38% of Republicans favoured more lenient laws on abortion. By contrast, 83% of the students Gallup surveyed do. The difference among Democrats was only six percentage points, with 86% of students who are Democrats favouring lenient laws as compared to 80% of Democrats overall.

'Divisive topics'

As covered in University World News, a number of states, including Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South Dakota, North Dakota and, most famously, Florida, have either banned or tried to ban the teaching of critical race theory and other "divisive topics" that take a critical stance towards the study of American history or society.

Neither prospective nor present college and university students are supportive of these actions. A total of 76% who said that these policies are important to their decisions about whether to continue studying in the state in which they presently study, or where to apply to college or university, say they favour "Less Restrictive" states. This means that 57.7% of the total number of students favour "Less Restrictive" states while only 18.4% are attracted by the idea of studying in a state that is "More Restrictive".

Both before and during his abortive run for the 2024 Republican nomination for the presidency, DeSantis, as he still does, billed himself as America's chief culture warrior, branding Florida as the state where "woke goes to die".

The large percentage found by Gallup that opposes restrictions such as those legislated under DeSantis, may partially explain why in 2023 Florida recorded a 0.1% increase in students while its neighbouring states (the governors of which were significantly less bellicose about their restrictions) recorded a more than 3% growth.

Likewise, Texas, whose Republican governor Gregg Abbott is vocal about how his state is fighting woke, recorded a 1.1% increase in students between 2022 and 2023 while the states that neighbour Texas recorded between 1.6% and 1.9% increases in the number of students who enrolled in those states' colleges and universities. (These states, too, have moved to restrict campus discussions of ideas including critical race theory, but their governors have not, as Abbott has, drawn national attention to themselves.)

The difference between female and male students in regard to favouring less restrictive policies on divisive topics was twelve percentage points: 82% to 70%. Gallup's disaggregation by race found a 12-percentage point difference between Asians (70%) and blacks (82%), with 80% of Hispanics and 72% of whites favouring less restrictive policies on divisive topics.

The views by party were pronounced, though: 61% of Republicans favoured less restrictive policies on divisive topics. For Democrats, the figure was 83%.

Impact on black students

The Lumina survey did not ask where students influenced by the SCOTUS affirmative action banning are likely to apply. The finding that 48% of blacks said that the decision would impact where they would apply is consistent with another trend: marked increases in enrolment in several of the nation's HBCUs.

Between 2022 and 2023, North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro) saw an increase of 3%. Between 2021 and 2022, Howard University (Washington DC) saw an increase of 7.65%. More than 13,000 students applied to Wilberforce University in 2023, compared with about 2,000 a decade ago; the university in Wilberforce, Ohio, enrolled 29% more students than it did the previous year.

A more sobering finding concerns the 56% of blacks who said that Fair Admissions will impact their decision on whether to pursue a college degree in the first place. According to Lumina, "black respondents may be less likely to apply" to college because of the SCOTUS decision, partly because, as Justin McCarthy wrote in a Gallup report published last January: "About half of black adults say the ruling will negatively impact higher education in the US (50%) and the ability of applicants of their own race to attend college (52%)".

A lack of alignment

"What is the takeaway of the study's findings for readers outside the United States?" I asked Brown.

She began her answer by saying: "I think it's important for people outside the United States to understand that the policies that they are hearing about on the news are not necessarily the policies that align with what people who attend college want.

"It's clear from these data that when they are thinking about college, regardless of gender, age or party affiliation, individuals want to go to a campus where they feel safe. They want more restrictive gun laws. They also want less restrictive reproductive laws and to be able to talk about different issues, which is counter to what we are hearing from some states."

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How conservative policy is changing college enrolment trends

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A recent poll suggests the policies making headlines in the United States, on topics such as abortion, gun control and freedom to study critical race ...

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ENQA opens call for tender for the external review of ENQA agency reviews

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ENQA opens call for tender for the external review of ENQA agency reviews

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https://www.enqa.eu/news/enqa-opens-call-for-tender-for-the-external-review-of-the-enqa-agency-reviews/

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ENQA opens call for tender for the external review of ENQA agency reviews * ENQA

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ENQA is pleased to launch a call for a coordinator to conduct an external review of the ENQA agency reviews. One of the core services offered by ENQA is external reviews of quality assurance agencies. An external review against the ESG is a prerequisite for an applicant agency to apply for or renew its membership [...]

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New report on micro-credentials from IMINQA project

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New report on micro-credentials from IMINQA project

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https://www.enqa.eu/news/new-report-on-micro-credentials-from-iminqa-project/

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New report on micro-credentials from IMINQA project * ENQA

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A new report is published that provides an overview of the state of play of policy developments and presents latest information on various activities, initiatives and reports related to the quality assurance of micro-credentials in the EHEA. The report specifically explores different national policies, as well as practices by quality assurance agencies and higher education [...]

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EUA and UUK celebrate UK association to the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes

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EUA and UUK celebrate UK association to the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes

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EUA and UUK celebrate UK association to the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes

The European university community warmly congratulates the UK Prime Minister and the President of the European Commission on the deal that has been reached for the UK to become an Associated Country in the Horizon Europe programme, which takes effect from 1 January 2024.

We celebrate this commitment as a united European family of universities. It puts an end to years of uncertainty over the UK's status in relation to EU science programmes and is the result of collaborative efforts across the sector including the Stick to Science campaign. The deal, which also covers the Copernicus earth observation programme, will safeguard funding for collaboration between researchers across Europe on research projects for the rest of the current Horizon Europe programme. It will also secure the participation of UK institutions in the European Research Council and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. This outcome ensures pan-European research which broadens our common understanding of the world around us and addresses the great challenges of our time, like the climate emergency, healthy ageing and emerging technologies, can continue smoothly for years ahead.

"The news of UK association to Horizon Europe is a great step forward for a Europe where knowledge has no borders. This goal is deeply ingrained in EUA as an organisation with members all across the European continent. Today, Europe's universities celebrate the end of a long road that began in 2016 and look forward to rebuilding and further developing close partnerships" said Josep M. Garrell, EUA President.

Paul Boyle, EUA Vice-President and Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University added: "This Horizon Europe deal ensures that the UK will be able to join forces with our European partners to tackle some of the greatest challenges that we are facing together. This provides the stable, long-term foundation for British and EU researchers to make real and lasting progress and the excitement among our colleagues is palpable."

Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of Universities UK International, said "This news will be extremely welcome to researchers everywhere, who will now be able to collaborate with clarity and certainty through the Horizon Europe programme. This will create opportunities for research and innovation that has the ability to transform lives. We are extremely grateful for the efforts of everyone in the European research community who has worked tirelessly to help secure this agreement."

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EUA and UUK celebrate UK association to the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes

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2023 ENQA General Assembly, 25-27 October 2023, Dublin, Ireland * ENQA

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2023 ENQA General Assembly, 25-27 October 2023, Dublin, Ireland * ENQA

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https://www.enqa.eu/events/2023-enqa-general-assembly-25-27-october-2023-dublin-ireland/

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The 2023 ENQA General Assembly took place on 26-27 October in Dublin, Ireland. The event was organised in cooperation with the Quality and Qualifications Ireland ( QQI) and was held at the Croke Park Conference Centre located at Jones' Rd, Drumcondra, Dublin 3, Ireland. It was preceded by a social programme taking place on 25 October.

Programme

The programme focused on the theme of recognition, exploring the latest policy developments and approaches to ensure tangible connections between quality assurance and recognition. Interactive breakout sessions gave participants the opportunity to contribute to ENQA's message to the Bologna Process Ministers, reflect on and further develop ENQA's targeted review methodology, and explore outcomes of ENQA's latest work.

The programme is available here.

Practical information and social programme

Full details of the social programme offered by QQI and practical information about the event (including venue and hotels) are available here.

Materials

The 2023 ENQA General Assembly promotional video provided by QQI can be found here.

The list of participants can be consulted here.

Presentations

Presentations from the event are available below:

Presentation of the Irish QA system (Bryan Maguire, QQI)
Plenary 1
Recognition in the spotlight: latest policy developments ( Vanja Gutovic, UNESCO and Chiara Finocchietti, ENIC-NARIC networks)
Plenary 2
QA and recognition in practice ( Jill O'Mahony, University College Dublin and Almantas Šerpatauskas, SKVC)
Plenary 3
Cross-border quality assurance ( Henning Schäfer, ZEvA and Sophie Guillet, Hcéres)
Breakout sessions
Academic integrity: outcomes of the ENQA working group (Sue Hackett, QQI and Yvonne Overdevest, NVAO)

Workshop on ENQA's message to the 2024 Bologna Ministerial Conference (Cristina Ghitulica and Péter Levente Lakatos, ENQA Board Members)

Workshop on the future of the ESG (Anna Gover, ENQA Director and Patrick van den Bosch, ENQA Board Member)

Focus group on ENQA's targeted review methodology (Goran Dakovic, ENQA and Agency Review Committee members)

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2023 ENQA General Assembly, 25-27 October 2023, Dublin, Ireland * ENQA

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The 2023 ENQA General Assembly will take place on 25-27 October in Dublin, Ireland. The event will be organised in cooperation with the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

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The presentation is now available!
What do higher education institutions want from quality assurance? Are current quality assurance activities adequately responding to emerging trends in higher education? Are more regulations necessary to improve quality assurance processes?

These are some of the questions that were addressed during this joint webinar on Monday 18 September at 9.30 CEST. The European University Association (EUA) and the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE) expanded on the results of the first phase of the "Quality Assurance Fit for the Future" (QA-FIT) project, already published in a joint paper, and discussed the potential implications of these preliminary findings. The webinar focused on the perception of quality assurance by higher education institutions and explored whether the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) are fit for purpose. It also drew some comparisons with the viewpoints of other stakeholders such as QA agencies, Higher Education ministries and students in the European Higher Education Area.

SPEAKERS:

Lewis Purser, Director of Learning, Teaching and Academic Affairs, Irish Universities Association

Cecilia Biaggi , Policy and Project Officer, EUA

Jakub Grodecki , Policy and Project Manager, EURASHE

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European University Association

The Voice of Europe's Universities

The European University Association is a nonprofit organisation.

Brussels office
Avenue de l'Yser, 24
1040 Brussels

Belgium

Tel: +32 (0) 2 230 55 44

Geneva office
114, Rue du Rhône
Case postale 3174
1211 Geneva 3
Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0) 22 552 02 94

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Information and registration to EUA's upcoming events.

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Welcome
It is a pleasure to welcome you to EQAF 2023, the annual event in quality assurance organised by EUA, ENQA, ESU, and EURASHE. This year's EQAF will focus on 'Internationalisation in a changing world. New trends and challenges for QA'.

The University of Aveiro is proud of hosting this landmark event in quality assurance. The theme is very timely: internationalisation has been a major trend in higher education for many years, and there is a real need to discuss opportunities and challenges for quality assurance in this increasingly international context.

Quality assurance agencies, researchers, students and practitioners will certainly enjoy the sessions, workshops and presentations that will set the stage for an in-depth analysis of quality assurance and internationalisation. We do hope that the pleasant campus of the University of Aveiro and the nearby lagoon and canals will help in creating additional opportunities for discussion, outside the formal programme, in a beautiful natural setting.

The University of Aveiro is itself an international institution. In research, we are part of an extended set of international cooperation networks, which we see as key forums for the building of strong and impactful collaborations. Our network of partners is global, and the activities carried out within this network are very diverse. In the period 2019-2022, the research output of the University of Aveiro involved 4192 institutions from 140 countries and five continents. We are part of ECIU University, one of the first European Universities, in the sense of the European Universities Initiative. About 15% of our 17,000 students come from other countries. At the start of each academic year, about 95 different nationalities meet at our campi.

Immersed in international world, we fully understand the need to develop new and flexible approaches to transnational joint degrees. We recognise the importance of enabling and supporting deeper cooperation arrangements with a growing pool of international partners. We are aware of the difficulties created by the very different nature of our higher education systems, and we understand the pressure to address new forms of higher education and mobility, such as micro-credentials and virtual mobility. So do all other participants.

The stage is set, the players are ready. I wish you all a great EQAF here at the University of Aveiro.

Paulo Jorge Ferreira

Rector of the University of Aveiro

EQAF 2023 will combine sessions about policies and trends, research, and practical case examples related to the Forum theme and more generally about current developments in quality assurance.

Internationalisation has been a major trend in higher education for decades: cross-country mobility of students and academic staff has grown, cooperation between institutions and states has intensified, and, in general, transnational sharing of good practice in learning and teaching and research has increased. Both within and outside the EHEA, internationalisation brings opportunities and challenges for quality assurance. These range from the urgency of developing new and flexible approaches for transnational joint degrees to the need to enable and support more intense cooperation arrangements across very different higher education systems, as well as addressing new forms of higher education and mobility, such as micro-credentials or different forms of virtual mobility.

EQAF 2023 will explore QA policies and practices that support new forms of internationalisation, and invite the audience to reflect on how quality assurance can meet emerging needs and arising challenges in the sector. The Forum will address questions such as how QA can promote sustainability in transnational mobility and cooperation, if the ESG and other European tools are fit for the future, and how the European framework can connect and compare with quality assurance outside the EHEA. EQAF 2023 offers the opportunity to discuss how to innovate in quality assurance according to the different priorities of various stakeholders involved in the internationalisation of higher education, and how to internationalise quality assurance itself.

This year's Forum will take place on-site and will provide participants with opportunities for discussion, debates and networking, also outside the formal programme. The sessions will facilitate audience interaction to allow participants to gain the most from the event.

The Forum will be of interest to rectors and vice-rectors responsible for quality assurance, quality assurance officers in higher education institutions, students, quality assurance agency staff and researchers working in higher education or in the quality assurance field.

For updates, please follow @EQAF and #EQAF on Twitter and/or join the LinkedIn group " European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) ".
Organisers

Registration is now open for the 2023 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF)
EQAF is a flagship event in quality assurance organised annually in November by The European University Association (EUA), The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), The European Students' Union (ESU), and the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE). It regularly attracts more than 400 participants from the higher education quality assurance community in Europe and beyond.

The Forum provides a platform for discussion, professional development and exchange of experiences among the main stakeholders in quality assurance (QA). Specifically, the Forum will be of interest to rectors and vice-rectors responsible for QA, QA officers in higher education institutions, students, QA agency staff and researchers working on higher education or the QA field.

This year's Forum will provide participants with sessions of various formats, including interactive audience participation and opportunities for exchange of experiences and good practices. In addition to the sessions on the Forum theme, the event will also provide opportunities to network and learn more about various projects and activities the organisers are involved in.

Registration details

The registration fee includes attendance at the Forum, access to the event app, admission to coffee breaks and lunches at the Forum, and to the networking reception. The name badge issued to you on registration is required for admission to the sessions, lunches and coffee breaks, as well as the social programme. You are kindly requested to wear your name badge at all times.

The Optional Forum Dinner which will take place on Friday 24 November is now fully booked.

Registration fees paid by participants do not cover travel and accommodation expenses.

CATEGORY

EARLY BIRD FEE (up to 29 September)

LATE FEE(after 29 September)

Members (ENQA, EURASHE, EUA, ESU)* - group registration - 15% (3-5 participants, one participant must be a student). Please be advised that students who are part of a group registration are not eligable for the student fee of €120.00. Instead, they will be required to pay the full member fee.
€357€442

*To check whether your institution is a member, please consult the corresponding directories below:

EUA members
ENQA members and affiliates
EURASHE members
ESU members

**To benefit from this fee, please download our '' EUA Student Certificate '' which must be signed and stamped by your institution's secretariat and sent back to eqaf@eua.eu

***This is only applicable to those whose papers/workshops are selected by the EQAF Programme Committee.

The early registration deadline is 29 September 2023.

The overall registration deadline is 3 November 2023.
Confirmation
Please note that by filling in the registration form for the event you agree to the full payment of registration fees. Your registration will be confirmed by email.
Payment
Payment must be made upon receipt of confirmation and prior to the Forum, either by bank transfer or credit card. The participant assumes full responsibility for paying all bank charges associated with the payment.
Cancellation policy

30 September to 13 October 2023 included - a loss of 30% of the registration fee

14 October 2023: no refund will be possible

Substitutes will be accepted at any time provided that EUA is informed of the change. Cancellations or changes must be sent in writing to the following email address: eqaf@eua.eu.

Contacts
EUA EQAF Coordination Team
For enquiries regarding the programme, please contact:
Cecilia Biaggi
Policy and Project Officer
Tel: +32 2 230 55 44
Email: eqaf@eua.eu

For enquiries regarding registrations and general information, please contact:
Gemma Fagan
Events Officer
Tel: +32 2 230 55 44
Email: eqaf@eua.eu

To contact the host (for invoices and credit card payments) please contact:

Email: eqaf2023@ua.pt

Tel.: +351 234 370 833

Conference Venue

The event will be hosted at the following address:

Auditório Renato Araújo within the Rectory building

University of Aveiro

Campus Universitário de Santiago

3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Google Maps GPS Coordinates

40.6320127 -8.6597914 (40º37'53''N 8º39'27''W)

Accommodation

In order to make a reservation at any of the listed hotels, please send an email to the hotel you wish to book and indicate the reservation code: EQAF

Some Hotels may require advance payment to guarantee the reservation.

Hotels in Aveiro

Single Room**

Double Room**

**Approximate cost
Check this document on how to get to Aveiro and the venue.

Previous Events

The 2022 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) was hosted from 17 to 19 November by West University of Timisoara, Romania. The Forum, entitled "Shaping or...

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The 2021 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) has taken place online on 18 and 19 November. The Forum, entitled "Building trust and enhancement: from...

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Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 European Quality Assurance Forum was organised in the form of online sessions. This decision was taken with the health...

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Papers presented at EQAF are available in the EUA publications section, photos are available here. The European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) provides...

Read more

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European University Association

The Voice of Europe's Universities

The European University Association is a nonprofit organisation.

Brussels office
Avenue de l'Yser, 24
1040 Brussels

Belgium

Tel: +32 (0) 2 230 55 44

Geneva office
114, Rue du Rhône
Case postale 3174
1211 Geneva 3
Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0) 22 552 02 94

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https://higheredstrategy.com/oecd-and-the-geography-of-higher-education/

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OECD and the Geography of Higher Education | HESA

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Back in the beginning, all higher education institutions were either professional schools or "ivory towers". Town-gown relations were mostly about ... Continued

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EUA Learning & teaching forum Feb 2024 about ‘Learning for, in and with society’

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EUA Learning & teaching forum Feb 2024 about ‘Learning for, in and with society’

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Drawing inspiration from the EUA vision for 2030, "Universities without walls", this event will explore the various links between the societal responsibility of higher education and universities' learning and teaching activities. It will address learning from three perspectives:

For society, because there are many ways in which universities can have and demonstrate their impact as learning institutions in service to society, for example through community-based learning and open education.

In society, because universities can only truly serve society if higher education is based on a comprehensive, agile and forward-looking understanding of learning and skills needs, for example in the form of authentic learning.

With society, because universities need the exchange and engagement of all stakeholders and their broader community, for example through co-curricular and other co-creative approaches to learning and teaching, in order to understand and address current and upcoming learning needs.

Through a mix of plenary and parallel sessions, the Forum provides a platform for discussion on how universities enhance learning and teaching. It is an ideal event for vice-rectors for academic affairs, deans, and management involved in learning and teaching. It also welcomes researchers, teachers, students, policy makers and other stakeholders in higher education.

Welcome from the Rector

I am very happy to welcome the participants of the EUA Learning and Teaching Forum 2024 to Bochum. Since the foundation of Ruhr University Bochum, 58 years ago, teaching has been of special importance at this university. As first institution of higher learning in the Ruhr Area, it brought university education to this region. Constant innovation and a special responsibility to help also non-traditional students to succeed have been hallmarks of learning and teaching at Ruhr University.

During the last two decades, learning and teaching at Ruhr University became much more focussed on students' needs, for example by focussing on digitalization and internationalization. Our students became more actively involved in the development of teaching and learning; and the spread of digitalization and the development of our recent sustainability strategy ( Sustainable RUB 2030) are only two of the fields where students have been instrumental. RUB has been spearheading digital self-assessments and e-learning for well over 20 years and the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic led to a further digitalisation push. In addition, the European Council's initiative to strengthen strategic partnerships between higher education institutions across Europe helped us to form the European University of Cities in Post-industrial Transition (UNIC) with 9 partner universities in all parts of Europe.

The European Universities Initiative has importantly contributed to the networking between higher education institutions across Europe. Events such as the Learning and Teaching Forum of the European University Alliance promote the exchange on learning and teaching-related issues not just within and across alliances but throughout the whole of Europe and beyond.

The subject of the Learning & Teaching Forum in 2024 "Learning for, in and with society" focuses on the EUA vision for 2030, which aims at "Universities without walls." It puts the links between university education and social responsibility in the spotlight. This very timely vision creates special demands on teaching. I am pleased that this particular focus topic is being discussed in Bochum, as it is also a focus at Ruhr University and at our university alliance UNIC.
Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Martin Paul, Rector of Ruhr University Bochum
Ruhr Universität was founded in 1965 as the first academic institution in the north-western industrial region of Germany in Bochum. Today the university is at the centre of one of Europe's largest science hubs and offers academic education, innovative research, and transfer activities far beyond the region's borders.

More than 41,000 students are enrolled at 21 faculties at Ruhr University. This makes it one of the ten largest universities in Germany. 630 soccer fields could be set up on the 4.5-km² campus. 6,360 members of staff make Ruhr University the largest employer in our city.

For students, Ruhr University is an attractive place to study. It offers a broad range of subjects and allows students to combine them in flexible ways. In 2010, teachers and students worked together to develop an overall vision for the development of Learning and Teaching at Ruhr Universität. This mission statement is currently updated by students and teachers.

Research-based learning is the overall teaching philosophy that offers students increasing independence and responsibility for their own learning processes. Digitalisation is fully integrated into Learning and Teaching for more than 20 years. As an additional feature, the third mission of universities is increasingly shaping our teaching approach. Our engagement in the university alliance UNIC is a vivid example for this, as the ten partner universities in UNIC work hand-in-hand with their cities to aid their students to develop into change agents and engaged citizens for our cities' futures.
About Bochum
Until the middle of the 19th century, the city of Bochum was an agrarian town. In the second half of the 19 th century Bochum, like the whole Ruhr Area, turned into a center of coal mining and steel production.

Severely destroyed at the end of World War Two, mining and steel were instantly revived afterwards. Yet, with their decline in the 1960s, the city underwent major structural changes with all the accompanying side effects of unemployment, financial challenges and anxiety.

Today, Bochum is the science hotspot in the Ruhr region - nine academic institutions in higher education, around 60,000 students and almost 10,000 employees stand for a unique academic diversity.

Thanks to its many museums and exhibitions, Bochum holds many opportunities for art lovers to discover and marvel at. With three art museums and numerous important contemporary sculptures, Bochum is exceptional as a city of art.

Bochum is equally well known for its theatre, the Schauspielhaus, hosting one of Germany's most renowned acting companies, and for the VFL Bochum, a well-known soccer club in the German Premier League ( Bundesliga). Its gastronomic venues in the so called Bermuda3eck (Bermuda Triangle) makes Bochum the centre for nightlife in the Ruhr area.

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Information and registration to EUA's upcoming events.

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EUA's new podcast launched: HigherEd in Practice

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EUA's new podcast launched: HigherEd in Practice

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https://bit.ly/m/EUApodcast

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ENQA briefing note on the European Commission higher education package

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ENQA briefing note on the European Commission higher education package

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ENQA briefing note on the European Commission higher education package • ENQA

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On 27 March 2024, the European Commission published a higher education package with ambitious proposals to support international cooperation in higher education through a range of initiatives including the European degree and a European quality assurance and recognition system. ENQA is pleased to publish a briefing note outlining the key elements of the proposals and […]

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ENQA publishes analysis on QA agencies’ approaches to follow-up and to complaints and appeals procedures • ENQA

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Based on the findings of agency reviews between 2020 and 2022, ENQA has produced a new thematic analysis: “What comes after the agency reports are published? – An analysis of approaches to follow-up (ESG 2.3) and complaints and appeals (ESG 2.7)”. The analysis concentrates on quality assurance agencies’ approaches to follow-up (as required by ESG […]

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Higher education faces a more fragile and contested future

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Higher education faces a more fragile and contested future

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Higher education faces a more fragile and contested future

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Three dilemmas now sit at the heart of higher education: the promise of social equality vs persistent elitism, graduate employability vs cultural form…

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New government moves to end systemic corruption affecting HE (Poland)

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New government moves to end systemic corruption affecting HE

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Poland’s new liberal-left government is pushing ahead with reforms to undo systemic problems affecting higher education. They include the eradicatio…

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Academics raise concerns over staff language requirements (Norway)

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Academics raise concerns over staff language requirements (Norway)

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A government plan to promote the use of the Norwegian language in higher education that will make it mandatory for all employees in academia to learn the Norwegian language to stipulated proficiency levels has been met with scepticism from the academic community.

In an opinion piece published in Sciencenorway.no on 1 February, members of a research group based at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) known as 'Language Practices in Education' said it wanted to discuss the feasibility of the proposed language requirements in light of economic consequences and previous research.

In terms of the proposals now under consideration, permanent employees will be required to reach level B2 proficiency (intermediate level) in Norwegian in three years, which is consistent with about 30 ECTS credits and 234 hours of course time. Temporary employees (PhDs and postdocs) will be required to complete a 15 ECTS course and reach level A2 proficiency by the end of their contract.

The opinion piece - by Karina Rose Mahan, associate professor in teaching English as a second language, NTNU; Nicole Busby, associate professor in English linguistics, NTNU; Gessica De Angelis, professor of multilingualism, NTNU; Julie Flikke, PhD candidate in internationalisation, NTNU; Svenja Hammer, associate professor of social work, NTNU; and Eliane Lorenz, senior lecturer of multilingualism, Justus Liebig University in Giessen - was also signed by over 440 scientists who endorsed the concerns it expressed.

Mahan told University World News while it was "great" that international employees are given the opportunity to learn Norwegian, research revealed "many structural barriers" to this process.

These barriers included a lack of Norwegian courses and teachers. She said the NTNU can currently only offer courses to half of its employees. She said employees are not given enough hours of Norwegian language training, and are not fairly compensated in their work schedules for the time it takes to learn the language.

"A [legal] requirement will not fix these issues, nor are they addressed in the regulations. For PhDs and postdocs, we question the relevance and fairness of having to learn another language when native Norwegians do not," she said.

The proposals originated in an action plan aimed at strengthening the use and development of Norwegian academic language and ensuring Norwegian language instruction developed by the government last year and presented by former minister of higher education and research Ola Borten Moe and former minister of culture and equality Anette Trettebergstuen on 14 June 2023.

The measures contained in the action plan are to be formalised in a new higher education act that has been under preparation for several years and was presented to parliament for the first treatment on 30 January.

The new regulations are available for comment until 19 April and it is envisaged that the new act will be effective from 1 August 2024.

Research Group comments

While the research group said it agrees that Norwegian academic language is important for Norwegian society and that Norwegian students and employees should have access to a fully developed Norwegian academic language, there were concerns about how feasible the new measures were.

It said that international employees in particular, who "are often in vulnerable situations in a new country, must be taken into consideration and have a say in this debate. Measures must be balanced in a way that aligns with both labour laws and equality laws. Everyone deserves a manageable work situation".

Concerned about cost, the authors said that based on estimates of the number of international employees at NTNU, the group said it would cost over NOK223 million (US$21 million) in courses, time and resources for NTNU to cover all language requirements.

"This is a total sum (not annual), but the university continuously hires international employees annually. What does this mean for the institutions if so much of the resources are to be spent on Norwegian courses? What will be left out?" the authors of the article asked.

The authors noted that while the plan seeks to ensure that Norwegian is maintained as the language of instruction, "far from all temporary employees teach" and that the regulations could be seen as discriminating against non-Norwegian-speaking doctoral candidates, as they would then 'cost' more than Norwegian-speaking ones with their additional language requirements and extended completion time.

The academics noted further that not all doctoral candidates wish to stay in the country.

"We wonder about the relevance of introducing Norwegian course requirements for temporary employees. Will this help with motivation to learn a new language in a new country? To what extent will this requirement further develop Norwegian academic language?" they asked.

Profile of academics in Norway

In 2019, a Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU) report produced on behalf of the Ministry of Higher Education titled Attractive academic careers? Application, recruitment and mobility in the HE sector (in Norwegian) found that 54% of all applicants for professorships at Norwegian universities and university colleges 2016-18 were from abroad.

At the three largest institutions - the University of Oslo, the University of Bergen and NTNU - the percentage of applicants from outside Norway was 70%. At other institutions approximately half of the applicants were non-Norwegian citizens.

In the natural sciences and technology two thirds of the applications for professorships came from abroad, as was the case in the humanities and the social sciences.

In 2021 NIFU found that a third of scientific staff at Norwegian universities and university colleges were immigrants, as reported by University World News.

In November 2021 Khrono reported that at NTNU a recruitment position in psychology had 52 applicants and none of these were a Norwegian.

A longstanding issue

Norway's position on language in the academic sector is a topic of consistent and extensive debate.

In May last year, SiN (Stipendiatorganisasjonene i Norge), an umbrella body for organisations representing doctoral candidates and early career researchers in at Norwegian higher educational institutions, argued in an online article, co-signed by representatives from NNHdoc (the PhD student association at the Norwegian School of Economics) and DION (its counterpart at NTNU) that universities were "forcing international researchers to make trade-offs between learning Norwegian and performing their jobs as researchers at those same institutions".

"To ensure that non-Norwegian speakers are not at a disadvantage by devoting their time to learning Norwegian, we need to revise the incentives for doing so ... If we continue to make it difficult for non-Norwegian speakers to have a voice and feel included in their institution, they will perceive themselves as inferior to their Norwegian colleagues, and we risk alienating them," the article said.

Jyoti Sohal-David, owner of the recruitment company Umbrella Ventures AS in Oslo, wrote an article in Aftenposten around the same time in which she said she had "not heard one single candidate from abroad say that they have had a good experience in finding work in Norway".

"I am working with recruitment of migrants with higher education. One of our candidates moved from Argentine to Norway five years ago and has passed the B2 Norwegian language test. He has five years of work experience in marketing and has previously worked internationally. The feedback from companies in Norway has been that the candidate does not speak Norwegian well enough.

"This is a story I have heard hundreds of times," she said.

A 'huge mistake'

Bård Harstad, the David S Lobel Professor in Business and Sustainability, professor of political economy at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, told University World News it would be a "huge mistake" to require international scholars in Norway to study Norwegian and to pass any Norwegian language exam.

"Many international scholars work at universities for a few years, before moving on. This mobility is enormously beneficial for everyone, since it creates a network of knowledge. It is already immensely challenging to attract the best scholars to Norway, and if they are required to study the local language then it will be nearly impossible. Norway risks being left behind," said Harstad.

Professor Edvard Moser, founding director of the Centre for the Biology of Memory and co-winner with May-Britt Moser and John O'Keefe of the Nobel Prize winner in Medicine or Physiology in 2014, said the consequences for recruitment of the language policy were "serious".

"We may lose the best postdocs and PhD students, who may choose other countries if they are forced to spend valuable research time on learning a language that they will not use after leaving the country when their research contract is over," he said.

Professor Emre Yaksi who is based at the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience/Center for Neural Computations at the Faculty of Medicine at NTNU, agreed, saying he thought the proposal to force PhDs and postdocs to learn Norwegian was "very dangerous for the long-term viability" of Norwegian science and technology.

"In addition to the US, I have worked in both Germany and Belgium before moving to Norway. None of these EU countries use English as the main language. Both countries are excellent science hubs with different strengths and none of these countries has such rules to enforce foreign PhDs and postdocs to get a training of the local language, as a part of their science training.

"As a foreign faculty who moved to Norway over nine years ago, I would certainly have reconsidered my move to Norway if I had known that the Norwegian parliament would propose such enforced language regulation for our PhDs and postdocs," said Yaksi.

"If we want to convert Norway to a knowledge-based society, we have no other option but to recruit international talents, and have them do their best science in Norway. Of course, some of these people may choose to stay in Norway after their PhDs and postdoc training, and it is important to provide them the 'correct' tools and settings to improve their language skills if they choose do so.

"But as an immigrant academic in Norway, no one so far asked our thoughts on what kind of tools we would have wished to have to improve our Norwegian while trying to do our best science," he explained.

"I shall end by saying that having level B2 Norwegian will cost 234 hours of Norwegian courses. It is very important that if the Norwegian government enforces such a language course requirement, they will also have to provide additional funds to pay for these hours and courses, and we should make sure that these lost hours are added to the PhD and postdoc timelines of our students," he concluded.

Guro Lind, president of the Norwegian Association of Researchers (a trade union for researchers, knowledge workers and students), said while she understands the government's desire for academic staff to master Norwegian to be able to teach, communicate and function in the Norwegian workforce, having it as an "explicit requirement for all employees" was not "wise".

"It is good that staff members are having an offer of language training, but to give foreign grant holders less time for research, dissemination and teaching compared to their Norwegian colleagues, that is not just. We think that the government has to shelve this proposal," Lind said.

Cultural assimilation

Bruce Reed, former director of European Economic Development Services, a consultancy service focused on EU Research programmes and strategy, said: "I see no problem in Norway guaranteeing language courses in Norwegian for visiting researchers and teachers, with a minimum of, say, 700 hours of teaching. Enhancing cultural assimilation is useful.

"If the political elite wants to limit Norway's exposure to foreign thinking, experience and competences by then requiring success in a Norwegian language exam as a condition for keeping working in the country then that is fine as well. Norway should be allowed to limit the impact of internationalism if that is what its people (or their representatives) want."

He explained: "Edvard Moser's point about the danger of losing some good researchers because of the minimum proficiency standard should be seen in a broader context. His group works with many international groups where researchers who once benefitted from working with him or May-Britt in Trondheim then moved on to help develop good groups in other countries.

"The new rules may discourage some of the best coming to Norway, but otherwise encourage short-term three-year placements in Norway to everyone's advantage.

"A similar rule for football teams might help the broader public understand the added value of having star players joining a team on a three-year basis."

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Academics raise concerns over staff language requirements

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A government plan to promote the use of the Norwegian language in higher education that will make it mandatory for all employees in academia to learn ...

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ENQA webinar: Bologna Process commitments on QA – where do we stand?

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ENQA webinar: Bologna Process commitments on QA – where do we stand?

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ENQA webinar: Bologna Process commitments on QA – where do we stand? • ENQA

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In anticipation of the Bologna Process Ministerial conference taking place in May in Tirana, ENQA organises this webinar to explore the status quo of the Bologna commitments related to quality assurance.

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EUA Webinar: What is next for the European QA framework?

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EUA Webinar: What is next for the European QA framework?

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The fourth webinar of the EUA series " Toward Tirana 2024, the Bologna Process and developments in the EHEA" will provide an overview of the current discussions about the future of quality assurance in EHEA. This event takes place on 5 March 2024, from 14.00 to 15.00 CET.

Quality assurance has been a key pillar of the Bologna Process from its beginning and is also considered as one of its success stories. Indeed, most countries in the EHEA have now implemented a quality assurance system in line with the requirements of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (the "ESG"), which were first adopted in 2005 and in revised in 2015. However, in recent years higher education provision has been changing rapidly, including the mainstreaming of e-learning, the emergence of micro-credentials, the launch of the European Universities Initiative, and the renewed importance of the third mission of higher education institutions - all of which raises questions about the continued relevance and applicability of the ESG. In addition, there are pressures to widen the scope of the ESG to cover new areas such as academic values, the social dimension of higher education, and the digital and green transitions.

This webinar will present the outcomes of the Quality Assurance Fit for the Future (QA-FIT) project, which gathered data on the views and expectations of stakeholders on the future of quality assurance, as well as current discussions within the Bologna Process on the ESG beyond the Tirana Ministerial Conference.

Speakers

Anna Gover, Director, European Association for Quality Assurance (ENQA)

Horia Onita, President, European Students' Union (ESU)

Maria Kelo, Director for Institutional Development at EUA, will moderate the webinar.

Registrations will remain open until the start of the webinar. Participation is free of charge and open to all.

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European University Association

The Voice of Europe's Universities

The European University Association is a nonprofit organisation.

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What is next for the European QA framework?

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Information and registration to EUA's upcoming events.

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EUA webinar: Protecting fundamental values in the European Higher Education Area

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EUA webinar: Protecting fundamental values in the European Higher Education Area

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The fifth webinar in the EUA series "Toward Tirana 2024, the Bologna Process and developments in the EHEA" will provide an overview of current discussions on fundamental values and investigate what these mean for universities in Europe. The event, which is entitled "Protecting fundamental values in the European Higher Education Area", takes place on Tuesday 26 March 2024 from 14.00 to 15.00 CET.

In recent years, a consensus has emerged that fundamental values, including academic freedom and integrity and institutional autonomy, are under pressure in several European countries. This webinar will present recent discussions on what fundamental values are and how they are being undermined, as well as point to how they can or should be protected, focusing on work conducted within the Bologna Process and in other policy contexts. In addition, the webinar will highlight the role of higher education institutions - their leadership and wider communities - in upholding values. Specifically, it will address how crises are dealt with at the institutional level and clarify how policy initiatives may support institutions in pursuing values-based approaches. Finally, speakers will be invited to reflect on the contradictions and challenges that may be arise when balancing the respect of fundamental values with key strategic decisions of universities.

Speakers

Svein Hullstein, Policy Officer at DG Education and Culture, European Commission, and Member of the Bologna Working Group on Fundamental Values

Ryszard Koziołek , Rector of the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland

Liviu Matei, Head of the School of Education, Communication & Society at King's College London, United Kingdom

Monika Steinel , Deputy Secretary General of the European University Association, will introduce and moderate the webinar.

Registrations will remain open until the start of the webinar. Participation is free of charge and open to all.

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European University Association

The Voice of Europe's Universities

The European University Association is a nonprofit organisation.

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Protecting fundamental values in the European Higher Education Area

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Information and registration to EUA's upcoming events.

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EUA: New project starts work on staff development for learning and teaching

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EUA: New project starts work on staff development for learning and teaching

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New project starts work on staff development for learning and teaching

On 6-7 February 2024, an EUA-led project which aims to analyse, and strengthen related institutional capacity and strategies for staff development and academic assessment at European higher education institutions kicked off in Bochum, Germany.

Funded by the European Commission's Erasmus+ programme, until December 2026 the Staff development for learning and teaching at European universities (STAFF-DEV) will work to:

Offer a thorough knowledge and evidence base on how staff development in teaching is being implemented at European higher education institutions, and how it is embedded into institutional and national strategies for learning and teaching and academic assessment. To this end, a literature review, a survey of European higher education institutions and a series of focus groups will take place in 2024. The resulting publication will be available at the beginning of 2025.

Provide capacity-building opportunities for higher education institutions, through a series of peer learning and training activities in 2025 and 2026.

Contribute to policy making in reforming academic assessment and careers in Europe, by providing practice-based recommendations towards the end of the project.

STAFF-DEV is coordinated by EUA in a consortium with the University of Oslo (Norway), University College Cork (Ireland), Utrecht University (the Netherlands) and Ruhr University Bochum (Germany). Alongside the project team, STAFF-DEV also benefits from the input of an Advisory Board comprised of leading experts on the topic.

To learn more about STAFF-DEV, have a look at the project webpage and keep an eye on #STAFFDEV_EU on social media to stay tuned for any upcoming opportunities to engage.

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New project starts work on staff development for learning and teaching

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https://eua.eu/118-uncategorised/860-call-for-host-eqaf-2026-2026.html

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Call for Host: EQAF 2025 and EQAF 2026

The European University Association is inviting applications from member universities to host the European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) in 2025 and 2026.

Since 2006, the European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF), organised by EUA, ENQA, EURASHE and ESU, has become the premier event for quality assurance in Europe. As the largest annual gathering of the European higher education quality assurance community, EQAF provides a platform for discussion, professional development and exchange of experiences among the main stakeholders in this field, including representatives from higher education institutions and quality assurance agencies, students, researchers and policy makers.

We are looking for EUA member universities to help us continue to make EQAF a memorable experience for a large number of stakeholders, while gaining visibility for their own institution. Joint bids between universities and members of the other organising associations are strongly encouraged.

Period: mid to late November

Event days: from Thursday afternoon to Saturday noon

Expected attendance: 450-500
Host must be an EUA member located in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and able to offer:

An easily accessible location from across Europe (international air and train travel hub);

1 plenary room with a capacity of 500-550 persons;

3 parallel plenary rooms with a capacity of 150-200 people each, close to the plenary room;

10 breakout rooms with a capacity of 40-80 persons each, close to the plenary room (some rooms must have moveable tables and chairs);

1 meeting room to accommodate the Programme Committee and EUA secretariat (15 persons);

All rooms equipped with audio-visual equipment, and sound system/microphones, if needed;

Registration desk and cloakroom in the entrance area of the venue;

Catering area with a capacity of 500 persons for the networking reception, coffee breaks and lunches;

Support staff for the preparation and the duration of the Forum;

Technical support during the Forum:

Facilities for streaming;

Video recording;

Online speakers;

Hybrid event (online and onsite participants);

Student helpers during the Forum;

A venue for the optional Forum dinner that can accommodate 250 persons, preferably close to the Forum venue;

Hotels, preferably within walking distance of the Forum venue;

Stable Wi-Fi network, capable of handling 500 simultaneous logins;

Capacity to collect registration fees through online payments or through bank transfer.

The deadline for submission of bids for these events is 26 January 2024.

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European University Association

The Voice of Europe's Universities

The European University Association is a nonprofit organisation.

Brussels office
Avenue de l'Yser, 24
1040 Brussels

Belgium

Tel: +32 (0) 2 230 55 44

Geneva office
114, Rue du Rhône
Case postale 3174
1211 Geneva 3
Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0) 22 552 02 94

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The European University Association (EUA) represents more than 800 universities and national rectors' conferences in 48 European countries.

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ENQA publishes analysis on QA agencies’ approaches to follow-up and to complaints and appeals procedures

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ENQA publishes analysis on QA agencies’ approaches to follow-up and to complaints and appeals procedures

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ENQA publishes analysis on QA agencies’ approaches to follow-up and to complaints and appeals procedures • ENQA

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Based on the findings of agency reviews between 2020 and 2022, ENQA has produced a new thematic analysis: “What comes after the agency reports are published? – An analysis of approaches to follow-up (ESG 2.3) and complaints and appeals (ESG 2.7)”. The analysis concentrates on quality assurance agencies’ approaches to follow-up (as required by ESG […]

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ENQA paper on QA of TNE presented at EQAF

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ENQA paper on QA of TNE presented at EQAF

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ENQA paper on QA of TNE presented at EQAF * ENQA

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ENQA President and Director, Douglas Blackstock and Anna Gover, presented a paper on the quality assurance of trans-national education (TNE) at the 2023 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF). The paper explores the need for robust and clearly defined quality assurance policies for trans-national education in order to protect student interests, and ensure that they are [...]

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University World News: Higher education faces a more fragile and contested future

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University World News: Higher education faces a more fragile and contested future

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Higher education faces a more fragile and contested future

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Three dilemmas now sit at the heart of higher education: the promise of social equality vs persistent elitism, graduate employability vs cultural form…

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University World News: How AI is changing science education 

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University World News: How AI is changing science education 

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University World News: Academic accreditations 

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University World News: Academic accreditations 

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Higher education accreditation is a quality assurance process usually undertaken by an external agency that has the principal aim of protecting the reputation of the higher education sector. It is a formal means of confirming that a higher education institution meets a set of recognised quality standards in the delivery of teaching, learning, scholarship and research.

The process may involve an assessment of an institution's strategic mission, its governance structure, the teaching-learning environment, research output and research training, its staffing profile, programme offerings and student achievement. The overarching goal of accreditation is to improve and support the continuous academic quality improvement of what the institution offers.

Continuous quality improvement

Preparing for an academic accreditation is not something that should be left to chance or be delegated to a separate unit or group of people within the institution, removed from the key stakeholders, namely, the staff and students.

And it is certainly not enough for a higher education institution to commence its preparation just prior to an accreditation exercise taking place. Evidence of genuine progress and continuous quality improvement over a period of time must be demonstrated.

The outcome of an accreditation is, in no small measure, dependent on how well an institution is able to demonstrate that it has been engaged in a process of continuous quality improvement that has involved the whole of the organisation.

Self-reviews

Conducting regular self-assessments helps identify strengths that can be built on and uncovers opportunities where improvement should take place across aspects of the institution's operation. It also provides a wealth of data and evidence that supports preparation of the required accreditation documentation - something which can be a fairly arduous undertaking.

The findings from these self-reviews should be broadly communicated to all relevant stakeholders. Suitable modifications should be made as needed once ratified by the appropriate committee or decision-making authority.

When higher education providers go through their first academic accreditation, the focus of their efforts is often almost totally on the academic programmes being accredited.

However, it is also enormously important for institutions to spend time appraising the broader contextual factors that impact upon programme development, implementation and redevelopment-related policies, procedures, processes and guidelines. If those factors are not in good shape, the re-accreditation exercise will, in all likelihood, not result in a positive outcome.

An institution should not be fearful of including areas of 'deficiency' revealed by the self-review process. After all, there is no such thing as a perfect higher education institution. It is better to be upfront about areas identified for further improvement than to deliberately conceal them. They are likely to be found out in any case during the on-site visit by the accreditation panel.

Providing the evidence

Time and time again there is a recurring theme that comes through very strongly in discussions had by accreditation panels and in resulting feedback issued to institutions based on the documentation provided to support the accreditation.

That recurring theme is 'where is the evidence?' It is not enough to present a pleasant narrative about academic quality and institutional integrity without substantiating and affirming what is said.

For example, in relation to academic programmes, that evidence might focus on the adequacy of the required student learning outcomes, the suitability of teaching methods employed, the types of learning activities students are expected to engage in, the learning materials available to support students in their learning, the assessment tasks set for students to demonstrate achievement of the set learning outcomes and student progression rates.

From my own involvement in many accreditation exercises in four different countries, the following points represent the areas for which reliable evidence is often found to be lacking or where the documentation is unclear. They are:

* The conduct of systematic course monitoring, review and improvement.

* The academic programme's learning outcomes and related student assessments being pitched at the expected level (that is, diploma, higher diploma, bachelor or masters degree).

* Consistent collection and analysis of student outcomes data.

* Accessible student support services in counselling, welfare and career services as well as learning support, including for online students.

* Clear and easily obtainable admissions requirements for academic programmes, including definitions of credit, advanced standing and exemptions.

* Proposals for changes to institutional practices and programmes being endorsed by
relevant committee(s) and clearly communicated to relevant participants.

* A process to review staff workloads, a staff succession plan and a clear staff promotion process.

The on-site visit

The divide between what the university claims it does and what it actually does most often comes to light during the site visit. The latter usually involves discussions with key personnel within the organisation, including academic and administrative staff, management, students and recent graduates as well as employers.

These meetings help affirm claims made in the documentation and assist to clarify inconsistent information or to provide missing information. This is when the gap between 'ideal' and 'real' as it relates to governance, academic quality assurance and support structures is made obvious.

Ongoing reviews

While attaining accreditation is an achievement, it cannot be viewed as an end in itself.

An institution should be performing regular, honest internal reviews of its programme offerings, checking for any gaps in policy, procedures and guidelines, reviewing its staffing levels and qualifications, surveying student engagement levels, evaluating the merit of its research activities, outputs and training and verifying the adequacy of staff and student support and the efficacy of its key committees.

Remember, the job of accrediting authorities along with professional discipline-specific bodies is to promote and uphold the integrity of the profession and protect the reputation of the sector, its students and employers. To that end, the process and result should be a positive one for all involved.

Dr Nita Temmerman has held senior university positions including pro vice-chancellor (academic quality and partnerships) and executive dean in Australia. She is an invited accreditation specialist with the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and international associate with the Center for Learning Innovations and Customised Knowledge Solutions in Dubai. She is chair of two higher education academic boards, and invited professor and consultant to universities in Australia, the Pacific region, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

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Academic accreditation: A continuous process of quality assurance

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Academic accreditation is about promoting and upholding the integrity of the academic profession and protecting the reputation of the higher education...

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Norway-Israel: Why five institutions suspended ties with Israeli universities

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Norway-Israel: Why five institutions suspended ties with Israeli universities

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There has been mixed reaction in Norway to the suspension by five higher education institutions of ties with Israeli universities they deem complicit in the Israeli government's war in Gaza.

The Norwegian universities to have taken such steps are OsloMet University, the University of South Eastern Norway, the University of Bergen, the Bergen School of Architecture and Nord University.

In a press release on 14 February OsloMet University announced the suspension of its exchange agreement with Haifa University and vowed not to engage in any new general co-operation agreements with Israeli universities and colleges.

According to a statement on the university's student website, the university board condemned the attack by Israel on Gaza and declared its support for the university leadership in respect of broadening the scholars at risk scheme, discontinuing procurement contracts with suppliers linked to the Israeli military or illegal settlements; and promoting dialogue between Palestinian and Israeli academics on peace and co-operation.

A few days later, the University of South Eastern Norway (USN) announced it was terminating its agreements with Haifa University and Hadassah Academic College in Israel.

"Israeli authorities have chosen to ignore the statements of the International Court of Justice and not made any moves to improve the humanitarian situation. This is the background for us not wanting any longer to have a co-operation agreement with universities in Israel," USN Rector Pia Cecilie Bing-Jonsson said.

The termination followed a news report on 17 January that the University of Bergen had taken a decision as early as 11 December 2023 to sever its collaboration with Israel's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, citing the academy's involvement in providing uniforms and gear for the Israeli military.

It was reported that the Bergen School of Architecture had also ended its collaboration with Bezalel Academy.

Decision to boycott

More recently, on 7 March, the board of the University of Bergen declined to impose a general boycott against Israeli universities but gave authority to individual faculties to decide upon their own boycotts.

This led to a decision by the university's faculty of law on 19 March to terminate an exchange agreement with Tel Aviv University. "I am very glad about this decision," said Professor Terje Einarsen from the faculty of law at the University of Bergen in a press release. "This is an important and correct decision regarding the situation in Gaza and the attack on academic freedom for Palestinians in the West Bank," he said.

On 23 January, Nord University also made public its position on ending co-operation with Israeli institutions, issuing a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire. "We are appalled by Israel's attacks on the civilian population and vital infrastructure, and by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza," the university said.

The university said it had exchange agreements with two different Israeli universities "with no activity".

Nord said it would "discontinue any activities in these agreements" and would not enter any new agreements with Israeli universities until further notice.

"Also, we are participating in an European Union funded research project with Israeli participants. In this project we take into consideration the regulations in the EU," it said.

Not all universities agree

Not all universities have decided to take a position against Israeli co-operation.

For example, in November 2023, the management of the University of Oslo resisted a petition signed by over 300 staff members calling for an academic boycott of Israel.

Despite further pressure from staff and students the university took no decision, a situation that led to criticism published in the university's newsletter.

Hege Yvonne Hermannsen, a professor at OsloMet University and researcher at the University of Oslo, provided some insight into how a lot of academics in Norway view the situation.

"It is widely accepted that universities must ensure compliance with our key ethical principle: do no harm. The International Court of Justice, along with hundreds of academics and experts in the field, have stated that it is plausible that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza," Hermannsen told University World News.

"It is also well documented, for example through Maya Wind's book Towers of Ivory and Steel, that Israeli universities have contributed to the oppression and occupation of Palestinians for many decades. They also express support for the ongoing genocide. Further, all universities in Gaza have been destroyed by bombs and the higher education sector is being eradicated," she said.

"This situation leaves universities worldwide with three questions: first, is institutional collaboration with Israeli universities aligned with the principle of doing no harm? Second, can we collaborate with institutions that are depriving Palestinian students and academics of their academic freedom?" she asked.

"Finally, is institutional collaboration with Israeli universities aligned with our obligations in the Genocide Convention, following the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice? Many universities are increasingly finding that the answer to these questions is no - we cannot collaborate with institutions that are expressing support for an ongoing genocide," she concluded.

Boycott: a non-violent instrument

SAIH, the international solidarity organisation consisting of 44 organisations in Norway with ties to higher education institutions, published a press release on 8 March defending an academic boycott of Israel.

"In December 2023 the board of SAIH decided to support the call of Norwegian academics to sign a plea for [an] academic boycott of Israel. With regard to the realities in Palestine we think that this non-violent instrument should be tried out," SAIH said.

The SAIH statement condemned both the human suffering in Gaza and what they called the "epistemicide" or "scholasticide" taking place which they argued was systematically destroying a whole system of knowledge. "Israeli forces have bombed every university in Gaza and killed at least 94 university professors, hundreds of teachers and thousands of students," the SAIH said.

SAIH president Selma Matsdotter Bratberg told University World News a tool like academic boycott "can't be left untested".

Bratberg said the SAIH expects all Norwegian Higher Education Institutions to "take the debate about academic boycott seriously, concretely evaluating the situation for Palestinian students and academics in light of the universities' own guidelines and ethical research collaboration, and not just as a principled debate".

Professor of religious studies at the Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Torkel Brekke, told University World News that calls for a boycott of Israeli institutions by Norwegian universities has a history.

"There have been initiatives in Norway to boycott Israeli cultural and academic institutions for decades so the recent decisions cannot not be understood exclusively in the context of the present war in Gaza," he said.

"The historical background to this is that the far left in Norway managed to mainstream an anti-Zionist agenda to a greater extent than in most other Western countries from the 1970s. After 2000, with the disappointments at the collapse of the peace process, and expanding Israeli settlements, the call for boycott grew louder," he added.

The 'limit to hypocrisy'

Aaron Ciechanover, distinguished university professor at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Laureate of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, gave University World News a more ironic take on the boycott calls.

"I hope that the Norwegians, as far as their boycott is concerned, will remove from the shelves of their stores all the Israeli products - stop selling computers with Israeli chips, stop selling USB storage devices, stop growing or buying agricultural products developed in Israel, etcetera," he said.

"As importantly, I hope that being sincere, their hospitals will remove from their pharmacies Israeli knowledge-based drugs like Velcade and Lenalidomide (or pomalidomide) for treatment of malignant multiple myeloma (and amyloidosis) which were developed based on the discovery of the ubiquitin system (the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Hershko and myself).

"Let the Norwegian oncologists be decent and loyal to the principles of their truth and stop treatment of dying cancer patients with the most efficient drugs.

"There is a limit to hypocrisy," he stated.

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Why five institutions suspended ties with Israeli universities

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The recent suspension by five Norwegian higher education institutions of their collaboration agreements with Israeli universities they deem complicit ...

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MusiQuE publishes position paper on the European Quality Assurance and Recognition System

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MusiQuE publishes position paper on the European Quality Assurance and Recognition System

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MusiQuE publishes position paper on the European Quality Assurance and Recognition System * ENQA

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MusiQuE has published a "Position paper on the European Quality Assurance and Recognition System". This paper provides an analysis of the challenges and obstacles to cross-border quality assurance in higher education and suggests ways in which they could be overcome. The position paper can be downloaded here.