Project objectives and benefits
In the EUniQ project QA agencies, ministries, European Universities and European stakeholders organisations cooperate to develop and trial an assessment methodology for European Universities resulting in a development roadmap for QA agencies, from a needs analysis to a developed QA methodology. The objectives of the project are to explore various approaches to assess the quality of European Universities, to demonstrate the feasibility of organising assessments of European Universities, to develop an assessment methodology that takes into account supra-institutional policies, to undertake four pilot assessments of European Universities, and to, as a result, produce a development roadmap for QA agencies.
Benefits for European Universities: The European Universities will undergo an assessment of their "shared, integrated, long-term joint strategy for education with, where possible, links to research and innovation and society at large" (Erasmus Plus Programme Guide 2019, p. 125). This includes some of their "new joint and flexible curricula" (ibid., p. 126). The deliverable 'European Approach for Comprehensive QA of European Universities' will help these alliances to both define and self-assess their quality in the future. QA agencies will be able to use this 'European Approach for QA of European Universities' to fully assess and accredit European Universities in the future. This means that this European Approach should be able to replace national QA procedures.
Benefits for QA agencies: This project strengthens the coherence of QA in Europe and prepares all QA agencies in the EHEA for the further development of European Universities across Europe. The project also helps QA agencies in developing cross-border cooperation and appropriate cross-border approaches. Quite a large group of QA agencies will take part in the pilot procedures. Other QA agencies are involved through ENQA, the European policy-making/umbrella organisation for QA agencies. The progress and results will also be distributed through ENQA’s events. The project will also open up a dialogue between QA agencies and European Universities. The developmental orientation of this project will strengthen the dialogue between European Universities and QA agencies and can therefore contribute to a constructive collaboration between these two stakeholders.
Benefits for national authorities: The project will support the further development of QA in the respective countries of the partners but also beyond the partnership. The partnership is composed of a balanced combination of nations with fully developed QA systems and QA systems in development. This facilitates peer support within the project partnership. In addition, the project is implemented via Bologna's Peer Support Group on QA. This facilitates peer support beyond the project partnership and ensures peer support across the whole EHEA.
Benefits for European stakeholder organisations: The project addresses the policy issue “European Universities” which is at the moment critical for all European HE actors. The European stakeholder organisations are engaged in the policy discussions related to European Universities and see this project as a means of combining these discussions with actual hands-on experience in the field. They will be able to position their policy perspective on the actual facts on the ground and even help guide the way in which this policy development takes root across Europa.