ACPUA attends the webinar organized by ENQA on External Quality Assurance (EQA) of Research in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). During this event, members of the ENQA working group on the EQA of research shared the final outcomes of their work, which explored this increasingly relevant topic. The working group provided a mapping of European quality assurance agencies' practices and formulated reflective questions in the final report, which was published after the webinar.
The speakers included representatives from ENQA member agencies involved in the working group:
Sophie Guillet, Hcéres (France), coordinator of the report, and Maria Wikse, UKÄ (Sweden), presented the ENQA report:
- Scope of External Quality Assurance (EQA) of Research in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Out of 59 agencies surveyed, 42 carry out EQA of research, mainly at institutional and program levels, and some also evaluate research units.
- Challenges: Lack of national support frameworks and reluctance of HEIs to undergo external evaluations related to research.
- Best Practices: Integration of research quality assurance into overall institutional reviews, alignment with ESG (European Standards and Guidelines), and stakeholder engagement.
- Future Recommendations: The study suggests expanding European policies to include research quality assurance in the ESG and promoting stronger connections between the EHEA and the European Research Area (ERA).
Ólöf Gerður Sigfúsdóttir, IAQA (Iceland), and Peter Mall, Evalag (Germany), shared insights into the activities undertaken by their agencies in Iceland and Germany regarding the EQA of research in higher education institutions.
Link to the ENQA webinar: https://www.enqa.eu/news/external-quality-assurance-of-research-in-higher-education-institutions-taking-stock-of-the-practices-of-european-quality-assurance-agencies/
