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  • EQAR General Assembly – live in Strasbourg

EQAR General Assembly – live in Strasbourg

  • Events
  • 28 April 2022

After two long years of online meetings, EQAR members convened for the 18th General Assembly (GA) in Strasbourg on the morning of 13 April 2022, in conjunction with the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) on 11-12 April.

The Council of Europe hosted the GA, with support of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union as well as the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.

Welcome and Thematic Session
 Villano Qiriazi (Council of Europe) and Mathieu Musquin (French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation), welcomed EQAR members and stressed the importance of quality education in general and the important role EQAR plays in quality assurance and recognition.  This was followed by a thematic session on quality assurance of micro-credentials and alternative providers presented by Magalie Soenen (Flemish Ministry of Education and Training), succeeded by questions and a lively discussion.
View the presentation here.

Quintessence
Yearly recurring agenda items such as (but not limited to) the annual accounts, the budget, the (report on the) work plan and the annual report were presented by the President, the Director and the Treasurer and considered or adopted by the General Assembly. The GA also adopted the revision of membership fees (indexation to account for inflation, effective as from 2023).

Special topics
Other issues under consideration included the war on Ukraine and the status of Russia in the EHEA as well as the follow-up of the External Evaluation of EQAR.

  • The GA took note of the statement published by EQAR in reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the recommendations addressed to EQAR-registered agencies and considered the consequences for EQAR of the BFUG suspension of the rights of representation of both Russia and Belarus in the EHEA.
    Ukraine welcomed the steps taken and called for support to Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions.
  • The GA considered various proposals originating from the External Evaluation of EQAR and (I) gave feedback to the Register Committee’s proposed amendments to the Procedures for Applications (expediting the process and clarifying Substantive Change Reports), (II) adopted the amendments to the Appeals Procedure (shortened process and deadlines) and (III) noted the upcoming reflection on the role of the Executive Board (EB) (clarifying the functions of the EB and removing the ambiguity of EB members’ role).

Elections

  • Selection Committee for the EQAR President
    The GA appointed Belgium (French Community), Croatia, Lithuania and Ukraine as governmental representatives on the selection committee for the EQAR President 2023-2026.
  • Executive Board
    The General Assembly elected an Executive Board for a term until the GA of 2024. John Edwards (EURASHE) was newly elected, Goran Daković (ENQA) and Jakub Grodecki (ESU) were re-elected and Maria Kelo (EUA) was co-opted.