ENQA conducted a second survey of quality procedures in European higher education to update the report Quality Procedures in European Higher Education – An ENQA Survey, published in 2003. The project was financed by the European Commission.
Background and context
In 2002, the Danish Evaluation Institute (EVA) carried out the first ENQA survey of Quality Procedures in European Higher Education, the purpose of which was to ‘document and analyse the methodological state-of-the-art in general terms in all ENQA member countries’. The findings were published in the report entitled Quality Procedures in European Higher Education – An ENQA Survey, (ENQA Occasional Paper No. 5, 2003).
Five years passed and much had happened in European quality assurance. The ENQA Board felt it would be useful to have an updated, authoritative review that would reflect the changes (i.e. how evaluation methods had evolved in scope and type, and how the concepts of quality assurance and accreditation were incorporated into European higher education) and present the current state of quality assurance in the countries of the EHEA.
Scope of the project
In May 2007, the ENQA Board decided to update the first survey on Quality Procedures in European Higher Education by collecting and analysing information from the ENQA members, affiliates and associates. For this purpose, the Board established the Quality Procedures Project.
Project management and timetable
The Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) took the lead and responsibility of the project on ENQA’s behalf. To undertake the necessary work, a Steering Group and a Project Group was set up.
The Steering Group was composed of:
- Peter Cullen, HETAC (Chair of the Project Group)
- Nick Harris, QAA
- Achim Hopbach, GAC, ENQA Board Member
- Emmi Helle, ENQA Secretariat (Secretary of the Project Group)
The Project Group included:
- Peter Cullen, Chair, HETAC
- Fiona Crozier, QAA
- Josep Grifoll, AQU Catalonia
- Helka Kekäläinen, FINHEEC
- Dr Bozana Knezevic, Croatia (HEI representative)
- Tanel Sits, HEQAC (student representative)
- Kurt Sohm, Austrian FHR, ENQA Board member
- Emmi Helle, Secretary, ENQA Secretariat
- Nathalie Costes, alternate Secretary
From October to December 2007, the second Quality Procedures Survey was designed and developed on the basis of the original survey, which had been updated to reflect the developments since the adoption of the European Standards and Guidelines. The questionnaire was sent to the ENQA members, affiliates and associates in December 2007. Approximately 60 agencies have responded to the survey. The Second Report on Quality Procedures in European Higher Education was published in September 2008.