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ENQA-coordinated external review of the Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS) (04. Nov. 2008)

The review evaluated the way in which and to what extent ARACIS fulfiled the criteria for the ENQA membership and thus the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area. The duration of the evaluation was 11 months, from September 2008 to August 2009.

Background and context
ARACIS was established in 2006 as the successor organisation of the former Romanian National Council for Academic Assessment and Accreditation (NCAAA).

According to the Romanian law, ARACIS is a legal, financially independent and autonomous public institution of national interest. ARACIS’ task is to assure and improve the quality of the higher education system in Romania. ARACIS is responsible for both accreditation and quality assurance in Romanian higher education.

ARACIS was evaluated in 2007-2008 by a panel of experts of the European University Association (EUA), in order to analyse the Agency’s compliance with the ENQA membership criteria.

Subsequently, ARACIS formally requested from the ENQA Board on 10 July 2008 that ENQA coordinate the external review of ARACIS.

Purpose and scope of the evaluation
This was a type A review, as defined in the Guidelines for national reviews of ENQA member agencies. It evaluated the way in which and to what extent ARACIS fulfiled the criteria for the ENQA membership and thus the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area. Consequently, the review also provided information to the ENQA Board to aid its consideration of whether ARACIS should be granted Full Membership of ENQA. The review panel was not expected, however, to make any judgements as regards granting to ARACIS Full Membership in ENQA.

In addition to analysing ARACIS compliance with the European Standards and Guidelines, the review aimed to give background information on ARACIS role and tasks in the context of the HE system in Romania.

The review process
The review process was designed in the light of the ENQA policy on “ENQA-organised external reviews of member agencies”.

The evaluation procedure consisted of the following steps:
-Nomination and appointment of the review team members;
-Self-evaluation by ARACIS including the preparation of a self-evaluation report;
-A site visit by the panel of reviewers to ARACIS;
-Preparation and completion of the final evaluation report.

The review team