Discussion on the role of higher education institutions in enhancing the quality assurance system
As part of the official visit of the President of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), Prof. Daniela Cristina Ghițulică, PhD, to the National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (NEAQA), roundtables with representatives of higher education institutions entitled “Quality Assurance System in the Republic of Serbia in the Context of European Standards” were held on Wednesday, 6 May 2026, at the Palace of Serbia.
The roundtables were organised as part of the programme of the ENQA President’s visit, with the aim of exchanging views on the further development of the quality assurance system in the Republic of Serbia, the role of higher education institutions in building a quality culture, and alignment with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).
The participants were welcomed by the Director of NEAQA, Prof. Nebojša Zdravković, PhD, who underlined the importance of the ENQA President’s visit for the further development of the quality assurance system in the Republic of Serbia, particularly in the context of NEAQA’s activities aimed at regaining full membership in ENQA.
Welcome remarks were also delivered by Prof. Stefan Milojević, PhD, Head of the Director’s Office and Assistant Director of NEAQA for Accreditation, Initial Accreditation and External Quality Assurance, who moderated the roundtables and led the discussion.
The first roundtable, held from 9:30 to 10:30, was intended for the leadership of higher education institutions: rectors, deans, presidents of academies of applied studies and directors of colleges. The discussion focused on the strategic directions for the development of the quality assurance system, the institutional responsibilities of higher education institutions and their role in strengthening quality culture in line with the ESG.
The participants exchanged views on the importance of partnership between NEAQA and higher education institutions, the improvement of internal quality assurance mechanisms, the relevance of study programmes, links with the needs of society and the labour market, as well as the importance of internationalisation and the development of innovative forms of study programmes.
The second roundtable, held from 11:00 to 12:30, brought together representatives of higher education institutions responsible for accreditation and quality assurance, including vice-deans for accreditation, quality assurance officers and peer-review experts. This part was dedicated to the practical implementation of quality assurance procedures, the application of standards, the preparation of documentation, cooperation with peer-review panels and the link between internal and external quality assurance.
As part of the second roundtable, the ENQA President, Prof. Daniela Cristina Ghițulică, PhD, delivered a presentation on the role of ENQA, the ESG framework and current developments in quality assurance within the European Higher Education Area. The presentation was followed by a discussion on practical challenges in applying quality assurance procedures, the legislative framework and further improving the alignment between institutional quality mechanisms and external evaluation.
The roundtables represented an important part of the official visit of the ENQA President and provided an opportunity for direct dialogue with representatives of higher education institutions on topics of key importance for the further development of the quality assurance system in the Republic of Serbia. It was particularly emphasised that the enhancement of higher education quality requires the shared responsibility of NEAQA, higher education institutions, students, peer-review experts and other relevant stakeholders in the system.
The organisation of these roundtables confirmed the importance of continuous dialogue between NEAQA and the academic community in the process of alignment with European standards, strengthening trust in the accreditation system and preparing NEAQA for regaining full membership in ENQA.