ASHE participates in forum on new role of universities
Center for Learning Innovations & Customized Knowledge Solutions CLIKS organised the second MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum on 9–11 November 2015 in Abu Dhabi. It gathered management representatives of higher education institutions and bodies active in the field of higher education. The Forum was held under the theme “Towards Transformative Higher Education in the MENA Region: The Role of Innovation in the 21st Century Digital and Knowledge-based Society”. The new role of universities in the contemporary world was the central theme, as well as their influence on the development of economy and society as a whole. Participants also discussed the impact of innovation on the main activities of universities, given that the development and application of modern technology directly influences the development of new business models and brings about changes in teaching and learning processes.
15th anniversary of ENQA’s work
The sixth ENQA General Assembly took place on 23 October 2015 in Dublin to mark the 15th anniversary of ENQA’s activity. On this occasion, ENQA’s contribution to the establishment and development of EHEA was considered as well as ENQA’s cooperation with other E4 Group members. The Assembly adopted new Board and vice-president and adopted 2015 Statutes, Activities Report and Financial Statements. The Assembly was hosted by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
This year’s ENQA General Assembly was preceded by a General Assembly forum held on 22 October 2015. Participants in the forum discussed the adjustments made by European quality assurance agencies and higher education institutions to the new version of the Standards and Guidelines adopted in May 2015. The discussion was opened by Teresa Sánchez Chaparro who gave a presentation titled Possibilities with the revised ESG and working with them as the ENQA membership criteria. Participants learned about the outcomes of the Erasmus Mundus project Quality Assurance of Cross-border Higher Education (QACHE) aimed at building a common European framework of quality assurance of cross-border higher education – CBHE. Its goal was also to encourage the agencies to cooperate on these issues as well as to promote European system of higher education in other parts of the world. European colleagues learned about the position of the accreditation bodies in the USA, their examples of good practice and the challenges they face. President of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education NEASC Barbara Brittingham gave a presentation titled Issues and Trends in Quality Assurance in the US.
Presentations are available below:
Possibilities with the revised ESG and working with them as the ENQA
membership criteria (Teresa Sánchez Chaparro)
Issues and Trends in Quality Assurance in the US (Barbara Brittingham)
QA of cross-border higher education (QACHE project): Presentation on the toolkit (Rafael Llavori, Solange Pisarz)
Croatian Qualifications Framework Conference “Knowledge and Creativity”
The National Council for Development of Human Potential held a conference titled the “Croatian Qualifications Framework: Knowledge and Creativity” on 22–23 October 2015 in Zagreb. The aim of this conference was to hold lectures, round-table discussions, present research papers, projects and posters to promote the implementation of the Croatian Qualifications Framework.
Mr Vladimir Kvetan from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) presented the skills forecasting model. Participants also discussed topics related to education and employment public policies.
The National Council for Development of Human Potential makes recommendations for national policies based on research and reliable decision-making. The conference also provided an opportunity for young researchers to present their papers and posters representing their research topics.
Conference: “The Register of CROQF – a Link between Higher Education and the Labour Market”
Within the framework of the project „ Improvement of the evaluation of study programmes of the University of Rijeka: pilot project,” a conference titled “The Register of CROQF: a Link between Higher Education and the Labour Market” was held on 25 September 2015 at the University of Rijeka.
The pilot project is related to the development of full and partial qualifications standards which will be implemented in 2015 and 2016, with the University of Rijeka as the lead partner.
Participants discussed the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CROQF), the development of the Occupational and Qualifications Standards, as well as the importance of the development of study programmes in accordance with the CROQF from employers’ standpoint. A representative of the Agency for Science and Higher Education talked about the impact of the Register of CROQF on evaluation in the higher education system.
Paper „Evaluation of study programmes in the light of the Croatian Qualifications Framework" presented
The Agency for Science and Higher Education presented the paper titled „Evaluation of study programmes in the light of the Croatian Qualifications Framework” at the conference “Implementation of the Croatian Qualifications Framework in the Field of Law and Social Work.”
Participants learned about the findings of previous external audit procedures carried out by the Agency for Science and Higher Education, with an emphasis on the establishment and evaluation of learning outcomes at higher education institutions in Croatia. They were also informed about the plans for improving external audit procedures, with greater emphasis placed on learning outcomes and international examples of best practice (J. Havranek, S. Bezjak, E. Blagdan, 2015, Evaluation of study programmes in the light of the Croatian Qualifications Framework).
The conference was held on 24–25 September 2015 at the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, and it was attended by Professor Vedran Mornar, Ph.D., Minister of Science, Education and Sports, Professor Damir Boras, Ph.D., Rector of the University of Zagreb, and Professor Hrvoje Sikirić, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb.