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Principles of external reviews

In order to become Full Members of ENQA (and to be granted admission in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education), QA agencies are required to successfully undergo an external review and thereby to show that they comply sufficiently with the ESG.

External reviews of ENQA member agencies are normally initiated and coordinated by national bodies. National authorities may also commission a body from another country to carry out the review of the QA agency. Where this is not possible, or where an agency so requests, however, the reviews may be organised by ENQA. The cost of the previous ENQA-coordinated reviews, including the fees and expenses of a five member review team, has been approximately 30 000 EUR.

For more information, please consult the Guidelines for external reviews of quality assurance agencies in the EHEA.

Additionally, The ENQA Board has prepared an information note pertaining to ENQA Board decisions on external reviews of quality assurance agencies. The contents include background information on ENQA, levels of conformity with ENQA membership criteria/ESG, ENQA Board decision making procedures, ENQA Board decisions and ENQA coordinated reviews.

To view the Information note on ENQA Board decisions document, please follow this link here.