The Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN) was established in 2003 with the purpose of serving the needs of quality assurance agencies in higher education in a region that contains over half the world’s population. APQN is a regional network operating in association with the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education Incorporated (INQAAHE). World Bank and UNESCO are among the organizations that have contributed largely to the development of the APQN Network.
APQN’s Mission Statement
To enhance the quality of higher education in Asia and the Pacific region through strengthening the work of quality assurance agencies and extending the cooperation between them.’
APQN’s Objectives
- promote good practice in the maintenance and improvement of quality in higher education in the Asia-Pacific region
- facilitate research in the region into the practice of quality management in higher education and its effectiveness in improving the quality of higher education in the region
- provide advice and expertise to assist the development of new quality assurance agencies in the region
- facilitate links between quality assurance agencies and acceptance of each others' decisions and judgements
- assist members of APQN to determine standards of institutions operating across national borders
- permit better-informed international recognition of qualifications throughout the region
- assist in the development and use of credit transfer schemes to enhance the mobility of students between institutions both within and across national borders
- enable members of APQN to be alert to dubious accrediting practices and organisations
- where appropriate, represent the region and promote the interests of the region, e.g. vis-a-vis other networks and international organisations
APQN Membership
APQN has four levels of membership: Full Member, Intermediate Member, Associate Member and Institutional Member. APQN also accepts Observers for organisations outside the Asia-Pacific region.
Only Full and Intermediate Members are eligible to participate in the governance and administration of APQN.
Associate and Institutional Members may participate in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and other meetings of the General Council, but without the right to vote.
Nowadays APQN includes 208 organisations from 40 country of the Asia-Pacific Region: 41 full members, 22 intermediate members, 15 associate members and 120 institutional members. Ten otrganisations have an observer status.
The complete list of APQN members with the organisations’’ names, websites, and other contact information specified can be found on the APQN website http://www.apqn.org