ACPUA • Aragon Agency for Quality Assurance and Strategic Foresight in Higher Education

The Aragon Agency for Quality Assurance and Strategic Foresight in Higher Education (ACPUA), is the official agency for the evaluation of higher education in the Autonomous Community of Aragon in Spain. It was created in 2005 by Law 5/2005, of June 14, on the Regulation of the University System of Aragon. It has the aim of “promoting the quality of the University System of Aragon favouring its relationship with the business and labour world, and with the whole of the society.” Through its activity, it promotes and disseminates a quality culture in the field of higher education in Aragon, fostering “the exchange of experiences with other university systems”.

Its legal status is that of an autonomous body (public law entity), with its own legal personality and its own assets and capacity to attain its objectives. It performs its functions objectively, impartially and independently, recognised and guaranteed by law. It is governed by its own bylaws, approved in 2006 (Estatutos, Decree 239/2006, of 4th December).

ACPUA has the aim of guaranteeing and promoting the quality of the university system of Aragon. Therefore, the agency performs technical evaluation, certification and accreditation tasks. This public service activity is completed with study and foresight tasks and activities to promote a quality educational culture of higher education in Aragon.

ACPUA can by law provide its evaluation services outside the Autonomous Community of Aragon as well as in the private sector. ACPUA can carry out programmes and institutional evaluation under the existing legislation.

ACPUA is registered on EQAR.