NEAQA participated in the closing event of the SEQA-ESG2 project, held on 21 October 2025 in Brussels, organised by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). NEAQA was represented by Božidar Dingarac, Secretary of NEAQA, and Janko Balšić, Coordinator for International Cooperation Affairs.
The SEQA-ESG 2 project (Supporting European QA Agencies in meeting the ESG II), officially concluding on 30 November 2025, aimed to support national agencies and competent authorities in Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Ukraine in developing quality assurance systems aligned with the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG), as one of the key priorities of the Bologna Process. Since December 2022, NEAQA has been actively involved in the implementation of all project activities and, in cooperation with ENQA, organised several successful events in Serbia, including the National Peer-Counselling Meeting (Belgrade, 2023), the 1st Workshop (Belgrade, 2024), and the 4th Workshop (Novi Sad, 2025). These workshops contributed to sharing experiences and identifying priorities for further alignment of the national quality assurance system with the ESG.
During the final conference in Brussels, NEAQA representatives participated in panels and practical sessions dedicated to project outcomes and future ENQA activities supporting its affiliate members. The event provided an opportunity for exchanging experiences and defining potential directions for cooperation within the European network of quality assurance agencies.
In parallel with this event, the Secretary of NEAQA, Božidar Dingarac, also took part in the ENQA General Assembly, held from 22 to 24 October 2025 in Brussels, jointly organised by VLUHR QA (Flemish Council for Higher Education) and AEQES (Quality Assurance Agency of Wallonia). This year’s Assembly, under the theme “ENQA at 25: Shaping the future of QA”, marked the 25th anniversary of ENQA and focused on the role of European standards in a global context, challenges in implementing the ESG, and the use of artificial intelligence in the work of quality assurance agencies.
During the three-day General Assembly, ENQA members elected new Board members: Marilena Maniaci (ANVUR, Italy), Bryan Maguire (QQI, Ireland), and Federico Morán (madri+d, Spain). Cristina Ghițulică (ARACIS, Romania) was elected as President, and Kristin Vinje (NOKUT, Norway) and Patrick Van den Bosch (VLUHR-QA, Belgium) were elected as Vice-Presidents.
Assembly participants endorsed the Board’s decisions regarding the admission of new members and the renewal of membership status for several agencies, including the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in Andorra (AQUA) and five other European agencies. Affiliate status was also granted to agencies from Cape Verde (ARES) and North Cyprus (YÖDAK), while the affiliate status of three agencies, including NEAQA, was renewed.
Plenary sessions and discussions addressed key aspects of quality development in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), including ENQA’s role as a reference institution, innovative approaches to quality assurance, and the application of artificial intelligence in agency operations.
By participating in the ENQA General Assembly, NEAQA reaffirmed its commitment to international cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the advancement of quality assurance in higher education in accordance with European standards.
NEAQA hereby expresses its gratitude to ENQA for its long-standing support and excellent organisation of the SEQA-ESG 2 project, which has contributed to strengthening the quality assurance system in Serbian higher education and enhancing cooperation among European agencies.
