Butlletí

A bimonthly publication of AQU Catalunya

63

November 2012

EDITORIAL

Simplification of the validation process

We always used to go hiking, so as soon as we were able to, which was one summer in the Pyrenees, with the business of the baby's bottle and nappy all completed, we got out our hiking boots again. With a backpack baby carrier that some friends had lent us we went on our first walk, holding one toddler by the hand and with the other in the baby carrier. We had such a great time that we decided to go again during the Christmas holidays. Lo and behold, the Three Wise Men – who were still around at that time – brought us our own baby carrier, so on a sunny winter Sunday we again set out. What was a disaster! Our youngest one had grown so much that we both came back with our backs out of kilter and never wanting to repeat the experience again!

AQU NEWS

• AQU Catalunya moves to the 22@Barcelona district05.11.2012
• Meeting with the vice-rectors in charge of quality and academic governance at Catalan universities25.10.2012
• Results of the first call made in 2012 for the accreditation of research and advanced research22.10.2012
• AQU Catalunya, one of the two best European agencies19.10.2012
• AQU Catalunya confirmed as a full member of ENQA15.10.2012
• MULTRA signed by Danish agency EVA and AQU Catalunya11.10.2012
• Work has already begun on the 5th graduate destinations survey (labour market outcomes)10.10.2012
• Renewal of the Research Assessment Commission09.10.2012
• The quality assurance of teaching staff enhanced through AQU's online application processes05.10.2012
• Working meeting of the AQU Student Commission04.10.2012
• New office and registry opening hours 26.09.2012
• AQU Catalunya in the Seventh European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF)05.09.2012

ARTICLES

• The JOQAR project: towards a European joint programme accreditation system?
  The Bologna Process and the goal of establishing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) present a picture of different rates and varying degrees of achievement. Any analysis of the progress being made in European policies on higher education must however take into account the competences of the member states themselves in this matter.
  Josep Grifoll Saurí - Head of Quality Assessment department
• Quality assurance of recognised degrees (2012-2013 academic year)
  Just over a year ago, in August 2011, AQU Catalunya began to receive the first proposals for the validation and modification of recognised degrees to be introduced in the 2012-2013 academic year. The big development in relation to the previous year was the validation of doctoral programmes following the entry into force of new legislation (Royal Decree 99/2011).
  Josep Manel Torres Solà - Coordinator of Quality Assessment department

OPINION

• The Eranet Mundus project
  

  Marc Ruiz-Zorrilla Cruzate
  Academic coordinator, Eranet Mundus. UB

  Eranet Mundus (Euro-Russian Academic Network-Mundus, 2011-2015) is a project coordinated since 2011 by the University of Barcelona (UB) that forms part of the European Union's Erasmus-Mundus project, the aim of which is to reinforce the quality of higher education in Europe and promote dialogue and understanding between people and institutions from different cultural backgrounds through cooperation with countries outside of the European Union. The Eranet Mundus project forms part of action 2 in the Erasmus Mundus programme, which focuses on the setting-up of inter-institutional cooperation partnerships between universities from Europe and targeted third countries.

AQU RECOMMENDS

• ECA Handbook for the Training of Panel Members