Recent newsStudy Visit to SQAA, Ljubljana, SloveniaDecember 2, 2022NEAQA delegation participated in a study visit to the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency (SQAA), in Ljubljana, in the Republic of Slovenia, from November 24 to 26, 2022, as part of the IPA project “EU Support for Education Reform in Serbia – REdiS 2030”. The purpose of this visit was to prepare NEAQA for the upcoming ENQA Review Panel’s progress visit. NEAQA was represented by Director prof. Ana Šijački, PhD, President of the Commission for Accreditation prof. Milorad Milovančević, PhD, Secretary, coordinators and employees of the Secretariat, members of the Commission for Accreditation, Appeals Commission and the Management Board. Our representatives had the opportunity to attend workshops dedicated to the principles of accreditation and quality assurance in higher education in the Republic of Slovenia, as well as a better understanding of ESG standards and, in general, the values on which the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) rests. On the first day of the visit, the director of SQAA, prof. Franci Demšar, PhD, presented the mission and values, organizational structure and strategy of SQAA, as well as the key element of stability of any agency for accreditation and quality assurance in higher education – Independence, while his colleagues spoke about the internal system of quality assurance and self-evaluation, as well as information technologies available to the agency (working in special applications “eNAKVIS” “iNAKVIS”). On the second day of the visit, our colleagues from Slovenia presented their standards and key segments of the accreditation and evaluation procedures of higher education institutions (HEIs) and study programs, with special reference to the role that SQAA plays in the development of the culture of quality in Slovenian higher education. Also, there were discussions about reviewers, their selection and training. The participants were also introduced to the work of the SQAA’s Agency Council, the highest body of this agency, which makes decisions and functions in accordance with the principles of preventing conflicts of interest and impartiality. At the very end, the work of the Appeals Committee was presented, including the method of selecting members, the rules of the appeals procedure harmonized with Slovenian administrative law and the experience of the second instance body in overcoming the main challenges in the appeals procedures of HEIs. SQAA and NEAQA continue their friendly cooperation and are looking forward to participating in the “CEENQA Staff Exchange Scheme” next year.... ENQA General Assembly in StockholmNovember 16, 2022European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) General Assembly (GA) was held from October 26 to 29, 2022 in Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, on the premises of the medical university Karolinska Institutet, organized by the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ). GA was attended by the Secretary of NEAQA Janko Balšić. In the GA plenary sessions, there were discussions on the QA in transnational HE, where the emphasis was put on the importance of the existing Guidelines of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in this area. The discussion on global perspectives related to QA in HE, in which representatives of HE agency networks from Africa, Southeast Asia and the Gulf countries participated, was particularly interesting, so we could conclude that there is a need to harmonize approaches to QA in HE in different parts of the world, as well as a need for intensive cooperation of African, Asian and European associations and agencies networks. During GA, workshops were organized on QA of e-learning, links between QA and recognition of foreign HE documents (QA and recognition), as well as on future perspectives of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). The final part of the GA was devoted to considering the role of QA agencies in preserving academic integrity, so the GA participants had the opportunity to learn about the results of the extensive work of the Australian QA agency in HE and its approach to protecting academic integrity in cooperation with stakeholders. GA also considered the admission of new members of ENQA, both full members and affiliates, the work report, the financial report, as well as the work plan and budget of ENQA for 2023.... Cooperation with the Agency for Higher Education of the Republic of SrpskaNovember 16, 2022The delegation of NEAQA visited the Agency for Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska (AHERS) on October 4, 2022, in Banja Luka. Director of AHERS prof. Biljana Vojvodić, PhD spoke with the Director of NEAQA, prof. Ana Šijački on the accreditation of higher education institutions (HEIs) and study programs (SPs), membership in international associations and networks, as well as other key activities of the two agencies. Prof. Biljana Vojvodić introduced NEAQA representatives to the accreditation procedures of HEIs and SPs in the HE system of the Republic of Srpska, particularly referring to the importance of the Law on Quality Assurance in Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, which entered into force in July 2020. Prof. Ana Šijački, speaking about the key activities of NEAQA, pointed out that NEAQA is preparing for the upcoming progress visit of the panel of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), and that, accordingly, numerous procedures and activities of NEAQA have been improved. During the meeting, it was highlighted that cooperation between AHERS and NEAQA should be more intensive, based on the existing Cooperation Agreement. It was observed that NEAQA and AHERS share a common vision and mission, which specifically refers to the following goals: contribution to the maintenance and improvement of the quality of HE in the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, compliance with internationally recognized quality standards, creation of a team of trained reviewers for accreditation processes and external quality assurance and assuming the role for the development of QA measures in HE in countries of the Western Balkans by stimulating cooperation between agencies in the region.... NEAQA at the CEENQA General AssemblyOctober 18, 2022Director of NEAQA, prof. Ana Šijački, PhD and Secretary of NEAQA Janko Balšić, LLM participated in the CEENQA Workshop and General Assembly event which was held on 23-24 September 2022 in Istanbul. The organizer of the event was EPDAD (Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs in Turkey). On the first day, our representatives attended the “Independence of Quality Assurance Agencies” workshop, which discussed independence in the public sector, the autonomy of universities in Europe, agencies and their relationship with ESG standards regarding independence, including the formal and factual independence of higher education agencies. At the General Assembly, CEENQA decided on the election of the president and members of the Board, as well as on the membership of certain agencies. As a full member of CEENQA, NEAQA has voting rights within this organisation, so our director actively participated in the work of the General Assembly, voting on agenda items. During their stay in Istanbul, our Director and Secretary had the opportunity to meet a large number of delegates from various European agencies and to exchange relevant experiences with them in the field of accreditation and higher education.... Public Call for the Application of Candidates for ReviewersSeptember 30, 2022PUBLIC CALL FOR THE APPLICATION OF CANDIDATES FOR REVIEWERS IN THE ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND STUDY PROGRAMS AND THE PROCEDURE OF EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA (link) To select the candidates for reviewers in the accreditation procedure of higher education institutions (hereinafter: HEIs) and study programs and the procedure of external quality assurance of higher education institutions (hereinafter external QA of HEIs) in the Republic of Serbia to determine the List of Reviewers, National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (hereinafter: NEAQA) publishes Public Call for application of candidates for reviewers in accreditation procedure of HEIs and study programs and the procedure of external QA of HEIs in the Republic of Serbia. Teachers of HEIs in the Republic of Serbia and teachers with adequate titles from HEIs outside the territory of the Republic of Serbia, students from the Republic of Serbia and business experts from the Republic of Serbia may be elected as reviewers. The list of reviewers is determined by the Management Board of the NEAQA and published on the official website of the NEAQA, containing more detailed information on Reviewers. CONDITIONS AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF CANDIDATES When selecting candidates for Reviewers from the ranks of teachers from HEI, what is taken into consideration are the professional and scientific or artistic contribution of a candidate, his/her experience in accreditation procedure and quality assurance in higher education, participation in projects, international academic experience and other elements that have to be stated in the application form for candidates from the ranks of teachers of HEI (Form No. 1), which represents an integral part of this Call. A reviewer cannot be a person who has been elected or appointed to a position in Serbian state authority, the authority of the autonomous province or local government, an authority of the Serbian political party, the governing body of HEI in the Republic of Serbia, or a member of the National Council for Higher Education of the Republic of Serbia, Commission for Accreditation of the NEAQA, the Appeals Commission of the NEAQA, i.e. employed at NEAQA. DEADLINE AND MANNER OF CANDIDATE APPLICATION The deadline for applying is 60 days from the day of announcing the Public Call. The application of candidates for Reviewers from the ranks of teachers has to be done by submitting a completed and signed Form No. 1. All candidates for Reviewers are requested to submit a Certificate of impunity and a Certificate that no criminal proceedings are being conducted against them. The candidate application form (Form No. 1) is located on the official website of the NEAQA www.nat.rs (Form No. 1 in both Serbian and English versions). All necessary documentation has to be delivered in a sealed envelope to the following address: National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education – For the Public call for the application of candidates for reviewers, Boulevard of Mihajlo Pupin 2, 11070 New Belgrade, Palace of Serbia, East Wing, Office 477 and electronically to e-mail: konkursi@nat.rs. In case of additional questions, the contact person in NEAQA is Janko Balsic (email: konkursi@nat.rs and phone: +381648228879). Form No. 1 – filled in by teachers of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)Download... 206 Institutions accredited 2692 Study programmes accredited 1456 Reviewers