Borco Aleksov NHEC QA in HE Cooperation

ToTo whatwhat extentextent wewe cancan trusttrust

Borcho Aleksov, Deputy HeadHigher Education DepartmentMinistry of Education and ScienceMacedonia

Cooperation in Higher EducationQuality Assurance Why cooperation when:

• EHEA (Bologna) countries • National Quality Assurance Agencies

(ENQA/EQAR), ECA• ENIC/NARIC• EUA• EHEA Qualification Framework

(Self-certification)• European Qualification Framework

(Referencing)not enough? don’t we trust each others?

Western Balkans• Western Balkans Platform on Education and

Training (European Commission)• Regional Roadmap for the promotion of Regional

Higher Education Policy in West Balkans (Novi Sad initiative, TEMPUS, HEA IR)

• Joint TFBHC and ERI SEE Cluster of Knowledge: Development of National Qualifications Frameworks

and others:• CEENQA• CEEPUS

Quality: Built on mutual trust

Quality Assurance

Protection or mutual trust?to what extent we can trust

uniform systems?or presenting ourachievements andguaranty

Cooperation benefits

• Bonn Declaration on regional cooperation in Quality Assurance in Higher Education, 2007

• Agreement for Co-operation ECA-CEEN 2006, ECA-INQAAHE, 2008

• MULTRA-Mutual Agreement on Mutual Recognition of accreditation results regarding Joint Programmes, 2010

• Bilateral Mutual Recognition Agreements

Situation • Public trust in higher education is being eroded• Lack of Assessment of the impact of Quality

Assurance(Effectiveness of Quality Assurance Instruments)

• Impact of University Rankings on Higher Education Policy in Europe

• Higher EducationSociety links• Public funding is spread too thinly across too

many universities• Automatic Recognition of Qualifications

• demonstrating the reliability and validity of our demonstrating the reliability and validity of our quality assurance instruments is essential for quality assurance instruments is essential for continued credibilitycontinued credibility

• empirical data for evaluation (private sector) empirical data for evaluation (private sector) against subjective judgment (higher against subjective judgment (higher education)education)

• despite criticism of global university rankings despite criticism of global university rankings their influence is growingtheir influence is growing

EU. . . The main responsibility for delivering reforms in higher education rests with member states and education institutions themselves. However, the Bologna process, the EU Agenda for modernisations of universities and creation of the European Research Area show that the challenges and policies responses transcend national borders.

Macedonia• Supports regional cooperation and initiatives• Bologna since 2003, ENIC/NARIC member• Associated member of ENQA• Automatic recognition for 500 universities on ARWU,

“Shanghai” Ranking list• National ranking of universities (5 public, 15 private, ~70 000 students)• About 2500 foreign students, about 1500 foreign

diplomas yearly (most of them from region: BG, SRB, CRO, SLO, TR,

AL, RO, GR, but also A, UK, F, S, USA, and elsewhere

Macedonia• Still weak university initiatives and poor university

management• Mobility is obligatory as well as university agreements

for collaboration• Doctoral studies (Salzburg I, II) since 2010• National Qualification Framework for Higher Education

2010• Financing higher education system reconstruction • National Bilateral Agreements: BG, SRB, BA, SLO,

CRO, TR, A, RUS, CZ, PL, SK, USA, AZ, etc. none: South America, Africa, Central Asia, Australia

Regional Cooperation Challenges regional cooperation with leading centre diversity against focus on excellence end of egalitarian tradition in higher

education (funds will not be distributed evenly) modern and highly productive university

governance common research priorities: innovation,

energy, health, food, . . .

Quality Assurance Cooperation• External peer review and External Examiners• Empirical evidence of effectiveness

(quantification of quality assurance criterions, different data sources)

• Social programme evaluation approach study programme tuning process

• “unrecognizable” qualification recognition • professionalization of public governance,

management, and administration of higher education

Thank you for your attention

Borco.Aleksov@mon.gov.mk