A quarterly publication of AQU Catalunya

90

July 2018

Implementation of the system of institutional accreditation of learning providers (higher education institutions) means that we are now faced with a change of paradigm in that, from now onwards, recognised degree programmes will not necessarily need to undergo a process of individual review and evaluation in order to renew their accreditation.

Receiving institution accreditation means that all recognised programmes delivered by a learning provider (faculty, school) become accredited for a renewable period of five years.

The requirements for obtaining institutional accreditation are as follows: 

• The learning provider must have renewed the initial accreditation of at least half of all the recognised first-degree programmes and at least half of all the recognised master's programmes that it delivers.
• The learning provider must be in possession of a certificate stating that its first degree and master's programmes listed with the Spanish Register for Higher Education Institutions, Degrees and Awards (RUCT) are being run effectively.
• The learning provider must have been successfully reviewed and assessed within the framework of the AUDIT programme and be in possession of the certificate of IQAs implementation.

The purpose of IQAs certification, or certification of a faculty or school's system of internal quality assurance, is to increase the autonomy of institutions and make them responsible for their own internal quality assurance system. The aim of review and assessment for IQAs certification is to verify that the system has been introduced and implemented in the learning provider responsible for delivering the degree programmes covered by the scope of the IQAs, and that it is appropriate for the purposes of quality assurance.

IQAs certification shows that the learning provider has at least ensured the correct functioning of the operating mechanisms of the procedures for ex-ante accreditation, monitoring, modification and accreditation, which safeguard the continuous improvement and enhancement of degree programmes.

Applications for institutional accreditation must be made to AQU Catalunya. The Agency will then issue a binding assessment report for the Spanish Council of Universities, which issues a final decision concerning accreditation.

Once institutional accreditation has been obtained, AQU Catalunya issues a seal of accreditation for each degree programme that is delivered and one seal of institutional accreditation for the learning provider:

The process of institutional accreditation has already been set in motion in Catalonia. In June 2018, the Pere Tarrés Faculty of Social Education and Social Work at the Ramon Llull University was the first institution to successfully obtain institutional accreditation through the Agency.

There are currently 13 HE learning providers in Catalonia that have applied for IQAs certification and, having fulfilled all of the other requirements, are just pending IQAs certification in order to obtain institutional accreditation. These are faculties and schools at the following universities: Autonomous University of Barcelona (3), the Polytechnic University of Catalonia/UPC (2), Pompeu Fabra University (2), Rovira i Virgili University (2) and Ramon Llull University (4).

The system of institutional accreditation that has been established aims to increase the autonomy of institutions and, at the same time, create a system of quality assurance that is more effective and comprehensive through simplification of the procedures for external programme review.

Institutional accreditation is still in its early stages and will thus co-exist with programme accreditation until the time comes when the university system in Catalonia fully changes over to this new model.