The National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (NEAQA) participated in the Forum of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom) from 22 to 24 June 2022. The Forum was hosted by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) at the University of South Wales and there were over a hundred delegates from thirty-one European and Asian countries. NEAQA was represented by Secretary Janko Balšić.
The Forum discussed the fundamental values of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and their impact on the quality of higher education, as well as the role of quality assurance in enabling transnational cooperation in the context of European Union policy, concerning the European Strategy for Universities and especially the initiative of the common “label” of European diplomas (European Degree Label).
There were presented challenges that many European universities and agencies are currently facing, especially in terms of micro-credentials and digitalization of the QA process (Data management and Data sharing).
The panelists were also talking about the staff development within the QA agencies, i.e. the policies, practices, and procedures used to develop employees’ knowledge and skills in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of both the individual and the agency. Various examples from practice were presented, and delegates had the opportunity to share their own experiences and suggest solutions to common challenges regarding the topic, especially about the staff exchange between agencies, as well as the program “ENQA Leadership”. Forum attendees were able to present the activities of the agencies they come from via posters, thus encouraging discussion on several burning and current issues in the field of QA in higher education.
