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The quality assurance system in higher education in Kosovo has evolved from a necessity arising from a post-conflict situation to the creation of a balanced framework that connects institutions, government, and the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA). This paper shows the development of KAA since its establishment in 2008 and examines how quality assurance has contributed to the legitimacy and stability in higher education.
KAA’s exclusion from ENQA and EQAR in 2017-2019, due to political interference, marked a critical turning point that brought about fundamental reforms in the work of KAA. The Law on Kosovo Accreditation Agency in 2023 has enabled the clear definition of responsibilities between KAA, the Ministry of Education and higher education institution (HEI). The reforms that followed such as digitalization, the involvement of stakeholders and international cooperation have strengthened and advanced internal and external quality assurance processes. The paper concludes that clear division of responsibilities of KAA, Ministry and HEIs and also compliance with European standards made the return of KAA to EQAR in 2025 possible, and brought back Kosovo's credibility in the European Higher Education Area.
This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.
ISSN: 1375-3797
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This paper explores the pivotal role of existing Quality Assurance (QA) systems and processes in enhancing cooperation within European University Alliances, specifically drawing on the case of the EUT ...
Quality assurance agencies play a crucial role in regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the higher education system. ...
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"There is no doubt that education plays a fundamental role in the development of nations”. (ASG-QA, p.9). ...
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QQI is establishing a new statutory scheme to provide voluntary, regulated access to the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) to a new type of awarding body, named Listed Awarding Bodies (LABs). ...
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In the era of globalization, ‘new’ policy issues appear in the process of Quality Assurance in Higher Education Institutions such as public confidence, the way of sharing academic values(instituti ...
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In this paper we explore how equity and inclusion in Higher Education (HE) can be promoted from a quality assurance agency. ...
The presentation will focus on the result obtained by sharing values in the international space by discussing the case of Georgia. ...
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Quality assurance systems in Higher Education see the evaluation process as a fundamental phase of their development, as it is fundamental to the definition and verification of the achievement of thei ...
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This research deals with analyzing trends in quality enhancement, pronged challenges and internal breakthrough for holistic quality enhancement in Ethiopian Public Universities. ...
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Presumably we want each expert in external quality assurance procedure to be a great one. And here the hard part arises – what is a great expert? This paper provides research to the question: what c ...
Work-Based Learning is gradually becoming an integrated key component in many HE programmes covering a significant number of ECTS credits. It is therefore remarkable that until now not much time and e ...
The social dimension of Higher Education has never been before so much emphasized. This is because it is expected that universities will lead the resolution of the challenges that face our societies. ...
Sustainable Development(SD) is a major subject for society but also for Engineering education. Many citizens think that the consequences concerning climate change or reduction of biodiversity are the ...
Institutional quality initiatives have been the main guidelines in developing internal Quality Assurance (QA) processes at South East European University (SEEU). The University promotes quality in ord ...
The growing importance for entrepreneurial, student-centred, engaged universities that empower graduates with knowledge, 21st century competencies and skills but also with personal attributes which wi ...
Higher education has an impact through social engagement. This paper examines, through a mixed methods approach, the relationship between internal and external quality assurance (QA) and community eng ...
In recent years, Turkish higher education system has witnessed to a radical change by the establishment of Higher Education Quality Council of Turkey (THEQC), which has both financial and administrati ...
The goal of this session is to examine whether there is an opportunity to develop innovative policy tools both at the university and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) level for assessing exter ...
Along with the traditional missions of a university – teaching & learning, and research – a latecomer is now well established in higher education: interaction with society, often designated as ...
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Since 2009, Portuguese higher education institutions have been developing their own internal quality assurance systems and policies as a result of the reforms of higher education quality assurance in ...
At a time in which different forms of online education provision are growing in popularity, it is important to bring the assessment of these provisions to the same level. ...
Since the establishment of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) in 2005, student involvement in quality processes has been viewed as integral and become more widely ado ...
The external quality audit in Austria encompasses a broad range of HEIs’ activities – alongside the basic duties, they include societal objectives which are supposed to be integrated into the inte ...
Even the most pioneering approaches to the student voice in quality can run the risk of over-dependence on a narrow perspective – one that is disproportionally full-time, on-campus and undergraduate ...
The credential-space is currently seeing significant innovation, driven by twin priorities, namely the unbundling of learning of micro-learning, and the drive to digitise credentials as prioritised by ...
After having established an integrated QA system for teaching & learning, the University of Würzburg now focuses on quality assurance for its science support services of the central administr ...
It is generally accepted in Europe that students should be involved in the external Quality Assurance (QA) of higher educations institutions. Requirements for involving students are stated in the ESG, ...
The European Quality Assurance Register in Higher Education (EQAR) has developed DEQAR with the aim to contribute to the transparency of quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area. DEQAR ...
A collaborative partnership of higher education institutions, students’ representatives and national agencies has developed and implemented a national survey for postgraduate research students. ...
This paper focuses on quality assurance and recognition process of e-learning courses in Estonian higher education institutions. How this process has so far taken place, what are the bottlenecks and h ...
Many of the student feedback surveys at provider and sector level give a comprehensive insight into the student experience, but they offer only a snapshot at set points in time, often at the end of a ...
The paper discusses the opportunities to use sectoral qualifications frameworks in the development of study programmes in higher education. Sectoral qualifications frameworks are extensions of Nationa ...
The paper describes and analyses a coordinated approach of students’ representation at Study Programme Committees (SPC) of Vilnius University (VU). This approach was developed by Vilnius University ...
The growing importance of university engagement in the context of 21st century challenges in higher education has led to an increasing demand for university engagement, which calls for evaluation and ...
Quality assurance in Flemish professional higher education has traditionally focused mainly on teaching and learning processes. Given the threefold mission of universities of applied sciences, however ...
Caused by a ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court, the German accreditation system underwent considerable changes in 2018, which assigned new roles to the German Accreditation Council (GAC), agen ...
The importance of student involvement, student engagement and the student voice to quality assurance and the enhancement of learning and teaching is widely recognised. ...
Academic integrity as a concept is not new in higher education, but the manifestation of academic misconduct is increasingly complex, posing a challenge to the maintenance of quality and standards, an ...
The Royal Conservatoire has been testing and implementing a new quality culture with the aim of linking internal and external quality assurance cycles, as well as connecting educational quality and ar ...
This work aims to discuss the expansion of the University Degree Accreditation System for the Regional Recognition of the Academic Quality of University Degrees in the MERCOSUR and Associate States (t ...
In this paper, the author gives a personal and somewhat critical view on language usage in Dutch higher education. In recent months, the increasing number of English-taught programmes in the Netherlan ...
Quality and quality assurance (QA) is everyone’s responsibility. In a higher education institution (HEI) this includes all teaching, research and support staff. Students also play a key role mainly ...
Abstract The papers describes a project which was established as an agreement of Armenian higher education (HE) stakeholders, some European universities and organization supporting students’ partic ...
Abstract The continuous process of improving ARACIS activity has two major objectives: increasing the efficacy of the process of internal and external evaluation and the development of new standards ...
Abstract The ever-changing landscape of higher education and the rapid technology advancement are leading to new ways of teaching and assessing. Accordingly, quality assurance (QA) must adapt to thes ...
Abstract 183 employees of 10 higher education departments described their own attitude and role with respect to quality and diversity. The results reveal rather low levels of involvement. Comparison ...
Abstract This paper outlines the key data and metrics that are being used to assure and assess quality and standards in United Kingdom (UK) higher education. It is a brief overview of data drive ...
Abstract We developed an analytic framework to strategically plan IQA communication, in order to increase the overall impact of IQA-output. Our paper considers traps and obstacles in communication. D ...
Abstract Student Engagement in module and programme evaluation has become a pressing issue in the quality assurance and enhancement of the higher education teaching and learning environment. ...
Abstract Employers can give a valuable insight into the employability competencies and desired improvements in the higher education quality assurance system. The main aim of the paper is to find ...
Abstract Establishing causality between internal quality review (iQR) and impact is important not only for enhancing responsible behaviour but also for demonstrating that quality assurance (QA) has v ...
Abstract While most of the European countries conduct accreditations, quality audits are the Finnish way to follow the Berlin conference’s demand of implementing an external quality assurance instr ...
Abstract The implementation of the Bologna reform in the Croatian context has led to a number of issues with reforming and delivering doctoral education, including a lack of research qualifications o ...
Abstract Quality assurance and enhancement is central to all higher education activities. The educational authorities in the Republic of Macedonia (RM) have tried for about a decade, to assure the qu ...
Abstract This paper session will cover how the University of Edinburgh has made improvements to data available to support quality assurance and enhancement processes using a project to develop a syst ...
Abstract Student Centred Learning (SCL) has been given a new and distinct role in the European understanding of education quality. Agencies and HEIs are in the process of discussing how the new ESG 1 ...
Abstract The paper discusses the necessity for flexibility in QA systems through a case study of a recent merger between four HEIs in Norway. It draws on experience from engineering education and sho ...
Abstract In 2017, the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) started to pilot a new External Quality Assurance (EQA) model. The guiding principles include: a coherent model in line with ESG and a ...
Abstract The massification of higher education in Poland means that labour market outcomes of graduates are an important perspective for future students, higher education institutions as well as the ...
Abstract This paper describes the outcomes of a review of practice and related policy and procedures for annual programme monitoring. The review of practice highlighted that there was an artificial s ...
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Abstract This paper aims at describing why and how a QA agency decided to trigger a process of in-depth reflection and consultation on its external quality assurance (EQA) practices in order to ...
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Abstract The United Kingdom's quality assurance framework for higher education has been characterised by relative policy stability over the last 20 years. But far reaching and significant reforms to ...
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Abstract This paper considers how centrally-available and comprehensive quantitative data can be used as an indication of risk in a risk-based system of quality assurance, as currently implemented in ...
Abstract One of the most successful actions of the Bologna Process is said to be QA. Yet, studies made clear that in quite some HEIs and Bologna countries internal QA was developed only after or beca ...
Abstract The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) is the organization responsible for quality assessment in Finland. The UH passed an international audit performed in 2014–2015. The mo ...
Abstract In 2013 QQI commissioned the ‘Review of Reviews’ to take stock of Irish legacy review models and make proposals for the features of a new QQI model. QQI has now published (June, 2015) a ...
Abstract Graduates must be able to use their degree on the labour market that awaits them when they have completed a higher education study programme. Danish politicians have increasingly focused on ...
Abstract Given the ten years since the introduction of the ESG and the five years since the formal launch of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) quality assurance of higher education has gained ...
Abstract Quality Assurance (QA) at one university has evolved significantly over the past 15 years in keeping with emerging European standards, reported best practices and structured feedback from ke ...
Abstract Expert evaluation of study programmes has been a common feature of quality assurance systems in Europe and worldwide. In general, expert committees are formed of disciplinary or professional ...
Abstract After 10 years of intensive developments in European quality assurance and in the year of the adoption of the revised European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) this paper will ask whether exce ...
Abstract We present findings on practical experiences with national and cross-border external quality assurance procedures made by six universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland working with th ...
Abstract Evidence, both quantitative and qualitative, is at the core of every assessment process. New technology has given us an unprecedented opportunity to tackle both structured and unstructured d ...
Abstract This paper looks at the way two European universities of applied sciences (UAS) deal with the “shift from teaching to learning”. It focuses on Berner Fachhochschule (BFH) and H ...
Abstract Taking into consideration the paucity of information in the area of external quality assurance activity of quality assurance agencies (QAAs) the present paper provides a first atte ...
Abstract The main objective of this paper is to address the changing role of university quality assurance structures in particular regard to teaching and learning and the associated developments ...
Abstract The increasing emphasis on the outcomes of learning, as captured in the conference title has many implications for both internal and external quality assurance. One of the external evaluatio ...
Abstract The paper focuses on the role played by the administrative staff in the internal quality assurance systems managed by the universities in Poland. Conducted analysis concerned the p ...
Abstract Considering some of the Bologna principles, this paper aims to show the main changes and consequences of the performance assessment system of IST teaching body (QUC, Course Unit Qu ...
Abstract The quality of learning has evolved into the core of the quality system of higher education institutions over the last decade. Different external evaluation processes are implemented to ...
Abstract The paper discusses the current status of one of the traditional methods of external quality assurance in European higher education, the institutional quality audit. Taking its point of ...
Abstract This paper addresses the question of how the system of quality assurance in UK higher education has responded to the shift from teaching to learning by promoting a culture of ...
Abstract Higher education is undergoing deep transformations driven by increasing demand, high youth unemployment, rising costs and new uses of technology. These have triggered an unprecede ...
Abstract A unique collaborative partnership of higher education institutions, students’ representatives and national agencies has implemented the first national survey of student engageme ...
Abstract Are universities responsible for the employability of graduates? In Finland it has been more or less self-evident that people with a university degree are not struck by unemploymen ...
Abstract In recent years there has been a paradigm shift in education from teaching to learning. A key question is whether the same shift in focus is reflected in the core purpose of quali ...
Abstract The paper reports on a comparative study, conducted in 2013-14, of four higher education systems (the Netherlands, Flanders, North Rhine-Westphalia and Ireland), which aimed to find out ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Norma Ryan Analysing the implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance at institutional level: Outcomes of the IBAR project ...
Abstract A key issue in effective internal quality assurance (IQA) is active involvement of different stakeholders. The role of student representatives is formalized in most institutes for higher edu ...
Abstract This paper shares the results of the first external assessment of all Flemish post-graduate teacher education programmes, focussing on how cooperation contributes to improved quality. T ...
Abstract A vast majority of Higher Education Institutes have formalised their quality management practices in order to be able to systematically generate information for accountability and improvemen ...
Abstract Quality assurance is a necessary benchmark in order to identify high quality offers on the further education market. Quality assurance could be described as an important factor to reach pote ...
Abstract In 2011 a new era of external quality assurance in Austria began. The process of further development of the quality assurance (QA) system showed the necessity of a deeper debate within the A ...
Abstract In December 2009, after an official demand coming from four universities of the French community of Belgium (FCB), AEQES1 (a generalist evaluation agency) and CTI2 (an engineering accreditat ...
Abstract The purpose of this article is to analyse the composition of teaching staff in Portuguese higher education institutions and assess the existing gap between reality and desirability, in the c ...
Abstract The implementation of quality assurance and quality development procedures constitutes one of the major challenges in the management of higher education institutions (HEIs). In this context ...
Abstract A number of various definitions have been given concerning quality in higher education, each one representing a different view, a reality which is reflected in the content of external evalua ...
Abstract Academics are at the heart of higher education, being key actors for assuring and promoting their institutions and systems’ quality. This paper explores academics’ views on quality ...
Abstract What is the role of student experts in evaluation panels? Are they token representatives of the masses of customers or are they professionalized partners in quality management? This study sh ...
Abstract The IBAR project studied barriers higher education institutions experienced to implementing the ESG part 1. Our paper reports on the major findings of this project. ...
Abstract The national QA system in Sweden does not any longer include assessment of the institutions’ internal QA procedures. The Experts Group on Quality at the Swedish Association for Higher Educ ...
Abstract This paper reports results from an audit of the achievements made towards introduction of a regional quality assurance (QA) system in higher education in East Africa involving the Inter-Univ ...
Abstract Student participation in quality assurance (QA) processes, and more particularly as evaluators in external QA, has been acknowledged in the European Standards and Guidelines since 2005. This ...
Quality is a measure applying to transactions among bodies. The level of quality is high if all involved bodies’ needs have been met.Consider a simple transaction along a simple supply chain – the ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Norma Ryan I. Making a difference: perspectives and lessons learnt ...
Foreword In this paper, you will find a summary by the Estonian Higher Education Quality Agency (Eesti Kõrghariduse Kvaliteediagentuur; EKKA) of an atypical quality assessment in Estonian higher edu ...
In this paper we elaborate the idea of ‘dialectical reasoning’ as a way of reconciling managerial paradoxes. Two ‘mental exercises’ have been developed to encourage such dialectical reasoning ...
Abstract The idea for the study of these issues arose as a result of the current state of higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has not yet begun the process of accreditation of higher ed ...
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to report on a qualitative investigation to identify and explore: - the value added by quality reviews in service and support units in the UJ;- improvements to ...
Abstract The main aim of this paper is to provide examples of how quality assurance and enhancement activities have provided a clear means of integrating QA into an Irish third level institution, Dub ...
Abstract This paper presents a cooperation model between a Russian organisation aiming at fostering quality culture in higher education, the National Center of Public Accreditation (NCPA) and a Europ ...
Abstract This paper argues that the aims of UK quality assurance (QA) within institutions should be concerned not only with the requirements to provide a profile of programmes, institutions and their ...
Abstract The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (the Agency), established in 1995, has the national responsibility for quality assurance of higher education through quality evaluation of fi ...
Abstract The main purpose of the paper is to present the concept for assessment of the doctoral programmes implemented by PKA as an important supplement of the institutional evaluation. The paper pre ...
Abstract The presentation is a case study of how Lund University have used the mapping of existing student and graduate tracking initiatives within its faculties and central administration to introdu ...
Abstract One of the main principles of the quality assurance procedures is to encompass the interests of all stakeholders. Among the stakeholders there is one group it is students whom very often man ...
Abstract The process of adaptation to the challenges in the European Higher Education Area, lead to the development of an Integrated Quality System at IST (SIQuIST), consolidating the quality culture ...
Abstract Although e-learning has become mainstream provision in European higher education it has not yet become integral part of the QA systems.Surveys like the E-learning Quality (ELQ) report (2008: ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Fiona Crozier I. Setting the stage ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Henrik Toft Jensen Part 1. 2010 is here: How far have we come and where are we going? ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Henrik Toft Jensen 1. Introduction ...
Foreword and Acknowledgements by Henrik Toft Jensen 1. Introduction to the Forum by Klaus Dieter Wolff ...
The 2019 European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) is taking place this week at Technical University Berlin in Germany. More than 500 participants are attending the event, which runs from 21-23 November ...
Can, and should, quality assurance play a greater role in ensuring that common academic values are respected? EUA’s Maria Kelo examines recent debates on the scope of QA in higher education. Qualit ...
As places of teaching and learning, how can universities tangibly create a culture of togetherness and well-being? Here, Jochen Schellinger explains Bern University of Applied Sciences’ efforts to d ...
The European University Association’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) has outstanding experience in conducting institutional evaluations. Here, our quality assurance experts Elena Cirlan an ...
Micro-credentials are expected to widen participation in higher education by supporting inclusion and facilitating access to education. They are also expected to close the skills gaps in the labour ma ...
As learning pathways are increasingly international, the recognition of qualifications and credits obtained abroad is a key issue for countries and higher education institutions. Sebastian Bruque from ...
External quality assurance across the European Higher Education Area is highly diverse. EQAR’s Melinda Szabo maps the situation through the rich datasets of the Database of External Quality Assuranc ...
Learning outcomes are increasingly used in qualifications frameworks and quality assurance processes. As such, they aim to secure and foster public trust among education providers. Yet, against the ba ...
Micro-credentials are growing exponentially in popularity, attracting the interest of various stakeholders due to their flexibility and ability to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labour market. ...
The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) have led to major developments, however there are now proposals for revisions. EUA expert Tia Loukkola lo ...
What would be the most effective way forward for universities to promote social dimension in their respective contexts? EUA expert Tia Loukkola discusses the role that quality assurance can play and i ...
Cross-border quality assurance has been slow in the making over the past two decades. However, as EUA’s Tia Loukkola explains, a new political context in Europe and the launch of new networks and co ...
This year, EUA’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) marks 25 years since its foundation. Tatjana Volkova, Chair of IEP Steering Committee, and EUA expert Anna Gover reflect on the benefits tha ...
Will quality assurance as we know it remain relevant amid the changing higher education landscape? What changes are needed? EUA’s Tia Loukkola gives an overview of the diverse questions to be addres ...
Numerous cases of positive change in higher education systems can be attributed to EUA’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP). As IEP celebrates its 25th anniversary, Andrée Sursock looks back ...
How can universities frame their internal quality assurance and shake up the image of the bureaucratic burden? EUA’s Tia Loukkola gives us three approaches and tells us why the most effective proces ...
External quality assurance reports are publicly available, demonstrating transparency and building trust and confidence in the quality of higher education. As EQAR’s Colin Tück explains, a new data ...
Reports produced by quality assurance agencies can be used in many ways, including in policy-making. As EUA’s Tia Loukkola explains, there is much room for bettering the accessibility and use of inf ...
A recent EUA study stresses that contributing to innovation in society is a central mission of today’s higher education institutions. EUA’s Tia Loukkola examines the role of quality assurance in t ...
New approaches to quality assurance in different regions of the world are contributing to a global dimension in the field. EUA’s Tia Loukkola takes note of frameworks in Africa, Asia and Europe, exa ...
By Tia Loukkola, Director of Institutional Development and senior quality assurance expert at the European University Association. In Europe, quality assurance has made major strides since the beginn ...
EUA works to ensure that the views of the university sector are taken into account in European and national-level policy discussions on internal and external quality assurance. It also supports its me ...
