The Arcu-Sur System: an accreditation system for South America?
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 (the ARCU-SUR System) throughout South America.
The ARCU-SUR System was designed to foster the circulation of academic personnel, and to improve quality assurance of higher education, especially in the MERCOSUR. However, this System has spread and currently covers almost all countries of South America. In addition, the actions predicted for the ARCU-SUR System within 2016 and 2020 have been connected to another regional organization that involves all the South American States, the Union of South America Nations (UNASUR).
This study included interviews with regional actors from Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay as well as the analysis the ARCU-SUR System and the UNASUR documents. The study pointed out that the ARCU-SUR System development may result in a South American accreditation system.
This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.
ISSN: 1375-3797
