ENQA Forum - 2014

4th ENQA Members' Forum was held on April 24-25, 2014 in St Petersburg, Russia. The Forum was organized by National Centre for Public Accreditation and Saint-Petersburg State University of Economics (FINEC). The event was attended by 77 participants who represented 48 accrediting agencies from 32 countries.

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Welcome addresses were given by I. Maksimtsev, Rector of FINEС, A. Maksimov, Chair of the Committee for Science and High School of the Saint-Petersburg Government and P. Walsh, President of ENQA.

During the first day of the Forum the breakout sessions were held. The sessions were devoted to the revision of ESG-ENQA, the fundamental document on quality assurance in the sphere of higher education, and to the role of the European Association for Quality Assurance In Higher Education in promoting and assuring the quality of work of accrediting agencies.

Great interest of the participants of the Forum was aroused by three breakout groups, which discussed:
- possible approaches to consulting HEIs on quality assurance issues; 
- use of accreditation procedure as an instrument for quality development which is possible provided intensification of the dialog between HEIs and quality assurance agencies;
- ESG impact on the activity of agencies and long-time objectives;
- conducting reviews of accrediting agencies in compliance with ESG-ENQA and possible development patterns.

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On the General Assembly Meeting on the first day of the event the resolutions of the Assembly Meeting in Vilnius were adopted, new members and affiliated members of the Association were approved, new candidates for ENQA Appeal Committee were elected and ENQA Audit Reports for 2013 were considered and adopted.

The programme of the second day included the discussion and preparation of ENQA Strategic Plan for 2016-2020. The following priority tasks were identified:
- internal quality assurance of accrediting agencies 
- representation of ENQA at the political level
- involving more stakeholders in the activity of the Association
- professional development in the sphere of quality assurance
- development of guidelines on best practices
- strategic management, interaction between agencies and HEIs, internationalization.

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Two breakout groups led by Rafael Lavori (ANECA, Spain) and Josep Grifoll (AQU, Catalunya) provide the participants of the Forum with a platform for discussion and experience exchange. Presentations were made and the following issues were discussed:
- effectiveness and efficiency in the sphere of quality assurance (best use of resources in times of economic constraints);
- use of time and financial resources and implementation of international tools to facilitate the work;
- impact of external reviews on the quality of higher education;
- quality assurance agencies as consultants and evaluation bodies.

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ENQA Members' Forum - 2014 allowed the participants to consider and discuss a wide range of issues concerning quality assurance in European and international areas, to share practical experience and to identify the prospects for development.

National Centre for Public Accreditation was represented by V. Navodnov, Director, G. Motova, Deputy Director, V. Chepurnykh and A. Tarasova, Head and Deputy Head of International Relations Office, E. Savinykh, Head of Organization and Methodology Department and O. Matveeva, Deputy Head of Accreditation Office.


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The next meeting of ENQA Members will be held on October 16-17, 2014 in Zagreb, Chroatia.

Please see the presentations on official website of ENQA.