From Data to Policy - Linking Quality Assurance and Recognition

Conference for the Bologna working structures on QA and recognition

6/7 December 2021, online

The conference is designed to feed the project findings into policy making for the EHEA, bearing in mind the EHEA key commitments and policy goals. In particular, it aims to:

  • Discuss the findings of the analyses and policy briefs
  • Showcase the pilot integrations and share lessons learned
  • Mainstream the experiences gained through the pilots

The conference’s primary target audiences are the BFUG Thematic Peer Groups on Recognition (B) and Quality Assurance (C). As a key actor in relation to recognition, also those ENIC-NARICs that are not already part of the TPG will be welcome.


Agenda

6 December 2021

 

14:00 Welcome and opening

Karl Dittrich, President, EQAR

 

14:15 Key results of DEQAR CONNECT

Introduction by EQAR team, project partners & experts

Speakers:

  • Colin Tück, Director of EQAR
  • Aleksandra Zhivkovikj, Policy and Project Officer in EQAR
  • Marina Cvitanušić Brečić, Head of the Service for Quality of Higher Education at Ministry of Science and Education of Republic of Croatia
  • Jolanta Silka, Head of the Latvian Quality Agency for Higher Education (Academic Information Centre)

 

14:30 Session 1: Integrating DEQAR in Automatic Recognition

Several actors in EHEA are already using DEQAR as source in recognition of students’ credentials and previous education. The session will discuss the practicalities of integrating DEQAR data in systems on governmental and institutional level, and the added value of DEQAR data in improving the automatisation of recognition workflows.

Moderator: Jenneke Lokhoff, Nuffic, President of ENIC-NARIC Networks

Speakers:

  • Chiara Finocchietti, CIMEA, Co-Chair of the EHEA TPG on Recognition
  • Janja Možina Brecelj, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of Slovenia

Respondents:

  • Jakub Grodecki, European Student Union
  • Thomas Blanc de la Carrere, Quality Advisor Internationalisation at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences
15:45 Time for coffee, networking (make your own bilateral meetings) or visits our booths!
16:15 Session 2: Informing Policy-Making through DEQAR

What lessons from the DEQAR CONNECT Policy Briefs are important for the European and national level? How can these findings be used in policy-making? Which topics would be useful in the future? What further potential lies in correlating DEQAR with ETER or other datasets?

Moderator: Bendetto Lepori, ETER Project Coordinator & Professor at the Università della Svizzera italiana

Speaker: Melinda Szabo, Senior Policy Analyst (EQAR) (presentation)

Respondent: David Crosier, Education System Analyst at the Executive Agency for Education (Eurydice)

17:15 Session 3: Using DEQAR for Research and Analysis

Three short presentations of research papers/posters using DEQAR data, followed by a discussion.

Moderator: Jens Jungblut, Associate Professor at University of Oslo

Research:

1.“The Impact of Pandemic in Cross-Border External Quality Assurance in Europe”

  • Authors: Nathan Ono de Carvalho, Maria J. Rosa and Alberto Amaral
  • Presenter: Nathan Ono de Carvalho

2. “Quo Vadis? Analysing the cross-border quality assurance of EQAR-registered agencies beyond EHEA”

  • Author: Giorgi Munjishvili
  • Presenter: Giorgi Munjishvili

  3. “Bridging Data gaps in automatic recognition: A way forward through the eyes of students”

  • Authors: Pegi Pavletić, Urša Leban and Irina Duma
  • Presenters: Irina Duma and Pegi Pavletić
18:15 Cocktail reception (bring your own!)
18:45 End of day 1

 

7 December 2021

10:00 Session 4: Keeping DEQAR Linked Up and Future-Proof

How can we connect DEQAR efficiently to the European ecosystems for digital credentials (European Digital Credentials for Learning and European Blockchain Services Infrastructure – EBSI)? How are the ESG going to be used in the sphere of micro-credentials? How to shape an adequate place for trustworthy alternative providers in DEQAR, based on the ESG?

Moderator: Anthony F. Camilleri, Senior Partner, Knowledge Innovation Center (KIC)

Speakers:

  • Koen Nomden, Team Leader: Skills and qualifications recognition tools, European Commission, DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
  • Mile Dželalija, University of Split & European University of the Seas (SEA-EU)
  • Lluís Alfons Ariño, Director of the Computer and ICT Service (CIO), Rovira i Virgili University
  • Colin Tück, Director, EQAR
11:15 Time for coffee, networking (make your own bilateral meetings) or visits our booths!
11:45 Closing panel

Discussion with policy makers and stakeholder representatives on the following issues:

  • Which are the main takeaways for EHEA and EU policy in higher education?
  • What steps are needed to make international cooperation & automatic recognition a reality?
  • How can the European QA framework & DEQAR maximise their potential?

Moderator: Karl Dittrich, President, EQAR

Panelists:

  • Amanda Crowfoot, Secretary General, European University Association (EUA)
  • Chiara Finocchietti, CIMEA, Co-Chair of the EHEA TPG on Recognition
  • Duša Marjetič, Head of the Higher Education Division, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of Slovenia
  • Ana Tecilazić, Board member, European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE)
  • Magalie Soenen, Flemish Department of Education, Co-Chair of the EHEA Thematic Peer Group (TPG) on Quality Assurance
  • Kinga Szuly, Head of Sector: Higher Education Policy, European Commission, DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture
13:00 Closing words
13:15 Break
13:30 Closed session for project partners
14:30 The End