A bimonthly publication of AQU Catalunya

47

March 2010

As of December, the Agency became the 17th member of the European Consortium for Accreditation in Higher Education. Founded in 2003 and with its headquarters in The Hague, the aims of the ECA are:

• To achieve the mutual recognition of accreditation decisions and to strengthen the link between these and the recognition of qualifications by promoting the conditions for mutual recognition, especially with regard to joint programmes.
• To provide a platform for mutual learning and to disseminate experience relating to accreditation and its practise.
• To provide transparent information on quality and facilitate the internationalisation of higher education institutions and students.

The ECA member organisations meet once a year in a plenary workshop. Seminars and conferences are also organised throughout the year where the different stakeholders can participate, including HE institutions, students, recognition bodies, government authorities and employers.

The ECA's activities are organised in working groups made up of the consortium's members. There are currently four working groups, dealing with:

1. Mutual recognition, for the mutual recognition of joint programmes.
2. Institutional accreditation and audits, to identify and develop institutional review systems.
3. Qrossroads and strategic information, to promote information strategies.
4. Mutual learning and best practices, in order to incorporate learning outcomes into accreditation.

AQU Catalunya, which is a member of ENQA and EQAR, completes its European projection with membership of the ECA consortium.