ShareA delegation from the Madrid quality agency meets with AQU Catalunya to gain first-hand insight into how research six-year period evaluations of teaching and research staff are carried out
Ahead of rolling out this competence, Madri+d has shown interest in gaining a detailed understanding of the evaluations that AQU Catalunya has been carrying out for two decades.
A delegation from the quality agency Madri+d met online today with AQU Catalunya to gain first-hand insight into how the Agency carries out evaluations of research six-year periods of teaching and research staff. These evaluations, which the Madrid-based agency is due to begin conducting shortly, have formed part of AQU Catalunya’s activity for two decades. The virtual meeting consisted of an explanation of the criteria and procedures applied by the Research Evaluation Commission in the assessment of research periods, also known as six-year periods. On behalf of Madri+d, the meeting was led by the organisation’s director, Federico Morán, accompanied by two members of its technical staff.
Members of Madri+d began the online meeting with a welcome from the President of AQU Catalunya, Francesc Xavier Grau, the Director of AQU Catalunya, Mercè Gisbert, and the Head of the Academic Staff and Research Evaluation Area, Esteve Arboix. The working session continued with a segment focused on legal aspects, led by AQU Catalunya’s legal adviser, Joana Torner. This was followed by a focus on IT-related aspects with the Head of the IT Area, David Gassiot. Finally, advice to Madri+d representatives focused on technical and administrative aspects together with the Coordinator and the Head of the Academic Staff and Research Evaluation Area, Núria Márquez and Esteve Arboix, respectively.
The meeting between Madri+d and AQU Catalunya takes place following the entry into force of the Organic Law on the University System (LOSU), which requires regional agencies to carry out evaluations of research six-year periods for teaching and research staff at universities in their respective autonomous communities. AQU launched this service two decades ago in application of the Catalan Universities Act (LUC). The meeting is part of the usual collaborative environment among agencies that are members of the Spanish Network of University Quality Agencies (REACU), made up of the state agency (ANECA) and the other agencies across the country, with the aim of contributing to the establishment of common quality benchmarks.