1. Study Programmes in the European Higher Education Area
EQUASP and the Bologna Club
Seminar - Rostov on Don, 28 September 2016
Quality Assurance of
Study Programmes in the European Higher Education Area
Prof. Alfredo Squarzoni
University of Genoa
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

2. Aim of the presentation
Aim of this presentation is the promotion of the definition of effective QA systems coherent with the ESG through the identification of the processes to be managed by SPs and Institution which SPs belong to.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

3. Topics of the presentation
Importance of the Quality Assurance (QA) in the framework of the Bologna Process
QA at European level: the Standards and Guidelines for QA in the European Higher Education Area (ESG)
QA and Accreditation of Study Programmes (SPs): the EUR-ACE system
QA of SPs according to the EQUASP project: EQUASP Standards and Guidelines for internal QA of SPs (EQUASP Model)
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

4. a) Importance of the QA in the framework of the Bologna Process
Quality of SPs
Coherently with the ISO 9000 definition of quality, for ‘study programme quality’ it is intended
the grade (level) of achievement of the objectives established coherently with the needs and expectations of all those who are interested in the educational service provided, that is the ‘interested parties’ or stakeholders,…
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5. … or, in other words, the level of accomplishment of the quality requirements established coherently with the needs and expectations of all the interested parties.
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6. Quality Assurance of SPs
Always coherently with the ISO 9000 definition of quality assurance, for ‘study programme quality assurance’ it is intended the whole of the activities (processes) for the management of the educational service aimed at achieving the established educational objectives and then at ‘ensuring trust’ in meeting the quality requirements to all interested parties.
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7. Consequently, the definition of a QA system of a SP requires the identification of the whole of the activities (processes) for the management of the educational service aimed at achieving the established educational objectives.
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8. Aim and objectives of the Bologna Process
In order to understand the importance of QA in the framework of the Bologna process:
Aim and objectives of the Bologna Process
To establish the European Area of Higher Education and to promote the European system of higher education world-wide,
through:
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9. organized in three main cycles (2nd objective),
the adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees (1st objective),
organized in three main cycles (2nd objective),
with the students’ workload measured in credits (3rd objective),
able to assure their quality (5th objective) in a credibile way,
in order to promote mobility for students (4th objective) and
the necessary European dimensions in higher education (6th objective).
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10. comparable students’ workloads
Comparability conditions
In order be comparable, SPs must have
comparable duration, or
comparable students’ workloads
measured in ECTS credits, …
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

11. comparable programme learning outcomes,…
comparable programme learning outcomes,
consistent with the programme learning outcomes shared at international level, …
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12. … and must assure their quality, or
assure that every effort is made in order to achieve the established programme learning outcomes.
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13. Comparable programme learning outcomes,
Comparable duration,
Comparable programme learning outcomes,
Quality assurance
are the conditions for the comparability of SPs.
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14. b) QA at European level:
Standards and Guidelines for QA in the European Higher Education Area (ESG)
Today the definition of suitable academic strategies in order to assure SP quality can rely on the standards and guidelines for QA established in the document
Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG)
( ).
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15. It has found a generalised acceptance in the European context.
This document was prepared by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) in co-operation with the European Students’ Union (ESU), the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE) and the European University Association (EUA).
It was adopted by the Ministers of Higher Education of 45 countries in the meeting in Bergen (Norway) on May 2005 and revised in the meeting in Yerevan (Armenia) on May 2015.
It has found a generalised acceptance in the European context.
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16. The standards and guidelines reflect the statement of the European Ministers of Education in the 2003 Berlin communiqué that “consistent with the principle of institutional autonomy, the primary responsibility for QA in higher education lies with each institution itself and this provides the basis for real accountability of the academic system within the national quality framework”.
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17. The ESG have the following purposes:
they set a common framework for quality assurance systems at European, national and institutional level;
they enable the improvement of quality of higher education in the EHEA;
they support mutual trust, thus facilitating recognition and mobility within and across national borders;
they provide information on quality assurance in the EHEA.
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18. The ESG are based on the following four principles
for quality assurance in the EHEA:
HEIs have primary responsibility for the quality of their provision and its assurance;
QA processes respond to the diversity of HE systems, institutions and programmes;
QA supports the development of a quality culture;
QA processes involve stakeholders and take into account the expectations of all stakeholders and society.
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19. The standards set out agreed and accepted practice for QA of HE in the EHEA and should, therefore, be taken account of and adhered to by those concerned, in all types of higher education provision.
Guidelines explain the importance of the standards and provide information to assist HEIs, agencies and governments in the implementation of the standards in their individual context.
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20. It is important to note that the purpose of standards and guidelines is to provide a source of assistance and guidance to HEIs in developing their own quality assurance system, as well as to contribute to a common frame of reference, which can be used by institutions.
It is not the intention that these standards and guidelines should dictate practice or be interpreted as prescriptive or unchangeable.
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21. The standards are in three parts covering:
Part 1 - Internal QA in HEIs*,
Part 2 - External QA of higher education*,
Part 3 - QA agencies.
It should be kept in mind, however, that the three parts are intrinsically interlinked and together form the basis for a European QA framework.
___________________
* Internal QA: QA on the responsibility of the institution
* External QA: QA on the responsibility of the agencies for QA
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22. In this presentation we are interested in
Part 1: Standards (and guidelines) for internal quality assurance within higher education institutions
of the ESG, articulated in 10 standards.
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23. 1.1 Policy for quality assurance
Standard
Institutions should have a policy for quality assurance that is made public and forms part of their strategic management.
Internal stakeholders should develop and implement this policy through appropriate structures and processes, while involving external stakeholders.
Stakeholders are understood to cover all actors within an institution, including students and staff, as well as external stakeholders such as employers and external partners of an institution.
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24. Processes associated to Standard 1
Definition of the policy and organization (processes and organizational structure) for the QA of SPs (at institutional level)
Definition of the management system of SPs (processes and organizational structure for the SPs’ management)
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25. Such a policy should support:
The Institution which the SP belongs to should pursue an adequate policy for the QA of SPs. The policy should take account of both the national context in which the institution operates and the institutional context.
Such a policy should support:
the interrelation between education and the (international) professional field and discipline;
the relationship between research and teaching & learning;
the availability and development of facilities and student support services;
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26. the organisation of the QA system of the SPs;
the development of a quality culture in which all internal stakeholders (SPs’ leaders, staff, students) assume responsibility for SPs’ quality;
the involvement of external stakeholders (alumni, representatives of the professional field) in QA of SPs;
Furthermore, also in order to contribute to the accountability of the institution, the policy should have a formal status and be publicly available.
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27. The policy should be put into practice through internal QA processes, managed by appropriate structures and that allow participation across the institution.
To this end the institution should adopt an effective organisation and decision-making structure with regard to the quality of its SPs which clearly defines responsibilities and tasks, in particular with reference to:
the definition of a QA system of the SPs consistent with the institution’s policy and the support to the operational managers of the SPs as for its implementation;
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28. the monitoring of the student support services;
the verification of the compliance with the procedures and timing of the QA system by the SPs and the monitoring of their results (incoming students, etc.);
the monitoring of the student support services;
the evaluation of the extent to which its vision of the SPs’ quality is realised and the improvement of the SPs’ quality wherever required.
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29. 1.2 Design and approval of programmes
Standard
Institutions should have processes for the design and approval of their programmes.
The programmes should be designed so that they meet the objectives set for them, including the intended learning outcomes.
The qualification resulting from a programme should be clearly specified and communicated, and refer to the correct level of the national qualifications framework for higher education and, consequently, to the Framework for Qualifications of the EHEA.
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30. Student-centred SPs
The objective of the comparability of the SPs has had (or should have had) as a consequence the necessity of a new approach for designing SPs after Bologna, passing from a staff-centred approach to a student-centred approach.
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31. Staff-centred versus student-centred SPs
The ‘old’ degree programmes can be considered as ‘input- based’ or ‘staff-centred’.
Such programmes are based on the assumption that the proper object of study is what the individual professor thinks the student should learn in his/her course unit.
The emphasis is placed on the individual interests of academic staff.
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32. On the contrary, the aim of an output-based or student- centred programme is to make students as competent as is feasible in a given timeframe for their future role in society.
In these programmes the focus is no more on what a student has been taught, but on what a student has learned and is able to do, that is on competence development and the achievement of intended learning outcomes of the learning process.
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33. Consequently programmes leading to a bachelor or master degree are no longer to be described and planned solely according to their content, but mainly according to the competences to be developed and obtained by graduates and the programme learning outcomes to be achieved by students at the completion of the educational process.
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34. Competences
In the EHEA, the definition of competence to be adopted is the one proposed in the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (EQF for LLL) ( lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32008H0506(01)&from= EN)
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35. “Competence means the proven ability to use knowledge, skills
“Competence means the proven ability to use knowledge, skills* and personal, social and/or methodological abilities, in work or study situations and in professional and personal development”
(even if in the context of the same document competence is described in terms of responsibility and autonomy, giving place to some confusion).
_____________________
* According to EQF for LLL, ‘skills’ means the ability to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks and solve problems.
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36. As a consequence of this definition,
competences, intended as “proven abilities to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/or methodological abilities, in study situations” are expected to be attained by graduates at the end of the educational process,
while
competences, intended as “proven abilities to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/or methodological abilities, in work situations” are expected to be attained by graduates only within a few years of graduation.
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37. Programme Learning Outcomes
Programme learning outcomes have an internationally shared definition: “statements of what a learner is expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning”.
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38. Notes Distinction between competences and programme learning outcomes
Tuning* makes an interesting distinction between competences and programme learning outcomes, to distinguish the different roles of the most relevant players: students/learners and academic staff.
____________
* TUNING Educational Structures in Europe ( is a University driven initiative, which started in 2000 and was originally set up to offer a concrete approach to implement the Bologna process at the level of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and subject areas.
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39. Competences are developed and obtained by the student/learner.
In this case the most relevant players are students.
On the other hand, desired programme learning outcomes of the learning process are formulated by the academic staff, in order to enable students to develop and obtain the established competences.
In this case the most relevant player is the academic staff.
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40. Implementation of student-centred SPs
At present, HEIs are undergoing a transformation process.
The traditional approach is slowly giving way to an ‘output-based’, ‘student-centred’ approach, which takes the student as the centre of the teaching and learning process.
But the situation is not so good.
Robert Wagenaar, father of the Tuning project, has recently written that:
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41. “ …, we have to conclude that the actual implementation of the competences and LOs based approach at degree programme level, and its underpinning with suitable Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA) strategies and methodologies, has had limited success so far in the wider European context.
It is in fact accepted that the modernization process of HE-programmes in Europe and therefore the actual establishment of a single EHEA - notwithstanding the shared architecture -, has made limited progress, after a very promising first phase of six years of developmental activities. Although the architecture seems to be in place in most countries, the actual implementation process and the realization of the expected benefits, have been far from smooth and complete. Rather, in many contexts, actual change in learning teaching and assessment methods and philosophy has met resistance, ...”
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42. Processes associated to Standard 2
Fundamental steps of the design of a student-centred programme are:
Identification of the educational needs of the labour market and other stakeholders
Definition of the educational objectives
Definition of the learning outcomes
Design and planning of the educational process
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43. 1.3 Student-centred learning, teaching and assessment
Standard
Institutions should ensure that the programmes are delivered in a way that encourages students to take an active role in creating the learning process, and that the assessment of students reflects this approach.
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44. student-centred learning
Note
Definition of
student-centred learning
according to the European Student Union (ESU 2010):
“A learning approach characterised by innovative methods of teaching which aim to promote learning in communication with teachers and students and which takes students seriously as active participants in their own learning, fostering transferable skills such as problem-solving, critical and reflective thinking”.
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45. Processes associated to Standard 3
Design and planning of the educational process
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46. 1.4 Student admission, progression, recognition and certification
Standard
Institutions should consistently apply pre-defined and published regulations covering all phases of the student “life cycle”, e.g. student admission, progression, recognition and certification.
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47. Processes associated to Standard 4
Definition of the admission, recognition, progression and attestation regulations.
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48. It is important that admission processes and criteria are implemented consistently and in a transparent manner.
Fair recognition of higher education qualifications, periods of study and prior learning, including the recognition of non-formal and informal learning, are essential components for ensuring the students’ progress in their studies, while promoting mobility.
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49. Note
Formal learning means learning typically provided by an education or training institution, structured (in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support) and leading to certification.
Non-formal learning means learning that is not provided by an education or training institution and typically does not lead to certification. However, it is structured.
Informal learning means learning resulting from daily life activities related to work, family or leisure. It is not structured and typically does not lead to certification.
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50. frequency of the educational activities;
The SP should also establish management criteria of the students’ career able to favour a regular students’ progression in their studies. These criteria should regard at least:
frequency of the educational activities;
number of ECTS credits necessary for the enrolment in the successive course year;
number of ECTS credits to be accumulated before the holding of training periods.
Furthermore, the SP should establish appropriate rules to regulate the studies progression of at least:
part time students;
working students,
handicapped students;
students who cannot attend the educational activities for a long period for causes independent from their will (e.g.: in case of illness, etc.).
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51. Graduation represents the culmination of the students’ period of study
Graduation represents the culmination of the students’ period of study. Students need to receive documentation explaining the qualification gained, including achieved learning outcomes and the context, level, content and status of the studies that were pursued and successfully completed.
Note
Diploma Supplement
The Diploma Supplement is an annex to the official qualification documentation that is designed to provide more detailed information on the studies completed according to an agreed format that has been drawn up by the European Commission, Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES and is internationally recognised.
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52. 1.5 Teaching staff Standard
Institutions should assure themselves of the competence of their teachers. They should apply fair and transparent processes for the recruitment and development of the staff.
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53. Processes associated to Standard 5
Identification and assignment of the teaching staff
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54. The teaching staff in charge of the course units should be quantitatively and qualitatively adequate to favour the achievement of the intended programme learning outcomes by the students.
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55. 1.6 Learning resources and student support
Standard
Institutions should have appropriate funding for learning and teaching activities and ensure that adequate and readily accessible learning resources and student support are provided.
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56. Processes associated to Standard 6
Identification and allocation of facilities (in particular: lecture and study rooms, laboratories, libraries) and support staff
Organisation and management of student support (orienteering, tutoring and assistance) services
Establishment of partnerships with national and international businesses, research institutions and other Higher Education Institutions for carrying out students’ external education and mobility
Identification of the needs and allocation of financial resources
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57. The facilities (in particular: classrooms, rooms for individual studies, laboratories, libraries) should be quantitatively and qualitatively adequate to the development of the didactic activities according to what designed and planned and to actuate the established didactic methods.
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58. 1.7 Information management
Standard
Institutions should ensure that they collect, analyse and use relevant information for the effective management of their programmes and other activities.
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59. Processes associated to Standard 7 Monitoring of the incoming students
Monitoring of the students’ learning
Monitoring of the students’ progression in their studies
Monitoring of the students’ opinion on the educational process
Monitoring of the graduates’ placement
Monitoring of the employed graduates’ and employers’ opinion on the graduates’ education
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60. the programme outputs, through the collection of administrative data;
The main purpose of the monitoring process is that to gather, elaborate and document:
the programme outputs, through the collection of administrative data;
the opinions of students and academic staff on the educational process;
information and data on the graduate placement.
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61. Programme outputs
The programme outputs to gather and document should regard at least:
the number and typology of the students enrolled in the first year of course, in order to provide evidence of the programme attractiveness;
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62. the results of the assessment of the students’ learning - for example the average and the variance of final marks (when this is the case) for each course unit -, in order to check the level of students’ learning and, even if in an indirect way, the effectiveness of the course units;
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63. the students’ carrier, with particular reference to drop-outs and time to programme completion, in order to provide evidence of the effectiveness of the educational process.
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64. Opinions of students and academic staff on the educational process
The opinions of students and academic staff on the educational process to gather, elaborate and document should regard at least:
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65. the students’ and staff’s opinion on course units (modules and other educational activities), in order to provide evidence of the perceived effectiveness of teaching and learning methods as well as of the adequacy of the methods of students’ learning assessment, and of the perceived adequacy of available facilities (lesson rooms, computer facilities, laboratories with their equipment, libraries) and material means;
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66. the opinion of students at the end of their educational process or of recent graduates on educational process and facilities as a whole and on the services of support, advising and tutoring available to students, in order to provide evidence of their perceived adequacy and effectiveness.
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67. Information and data on the graduate placement
The information and data on the graduate placement to gather involving alumni and employers, elaborate and document should regard at least:
the percentage of graduates placed on the labour market;
time to placement;
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68. consistency of graduate placement with their education and effectiveness of the degree in the carried out job (where for ‘effectiveness’ it is intended the formal and substantial necessity of the degree and the real use of the acquired competences in the job);
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69. alumni’s opinions on the adequacy and suitability in practice of the acquired competences;
employers’ opinions as to adequacy and suitability in practice of the graduates’ competences and hence their employability;
in order to provide evidence of the adequacy of the degree qualification for the labour market and of the correspondence of the programme competences with the educational needs of the labour market.
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70. Generally such investigation are carried out 1 year minimum and 5 years maximum after graduation, through questionnaires or interviews carried out on the basis of a pre-definite questionnaire (or focus groups, as for employers).
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71. 1.8 Public information Standard
Institutions should publish information about their activities, including programmes, which is clear, accurate, objective, up-to date and readily accessible.
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72. Processes associated to Standard 8
Provision of public access to information on the study programme
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73. Information on institutions’ activities is useful for prospective and current students as well as for graduates, other stakeholders and the public.
Therefore, institutions should provide information about their activities, including the programmes they offer and the selection criteria for them, the intended learning outcomes of these programmes, the qualifications they award, the teaching, learning and assessment procedures used, the pass rates and the learning opportunities available to their students.
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74. 1.9 On-going monitoring and periodic review of programmes
Standard
Institutions should monitor and periodically review their programmes to ensure that they achieve the objectives set for them and respond to the needs of students and society. These reviews should lead to continuous improvement of the programme. Any action planned or taken as a result should be communicated to all those concerned.
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75. Processes associated to Standard 9 Review
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76. They include the evaluation of:
Regular monitoring, review and revision of SPs aim to ensure that the provision remains appropriate and to create a supportive and effective learning environment for students.
They include the evaluation of:
the content of the programme in the light of the latest research in the given discipline thus ensuring that the programme is up to date;
the changing needs of society;
the students’ workload, progression and completion;
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77. the effectiveness of procedures for assessment of students;
the student expectations, needs and satisfaction in relation to the programme;
the learning environment and support services and their fitness for purpose for the programme.
Programmes should be reviewed and revised regularly involving students and other stakeholders.
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78. Review process
The review process should be preceded by an analysis process, finalised to the identification of the strong and weak points of the study programme, through at least the comparison of the study programme’s results with those obtained in the preceding years and the results obtained by other study programmes of the same typology, if any, and to the identification of the causes of the weak points (e.g.: causes of the dropouts, motivations of delays in graduation, etc.).
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79. Then, in correspondence of the weaknesses, it should identify the improvement actions to be adopted and all the opportunities to correct deficiencies in the design and/or delivery of the curriculum, in order to improve the educational service offered by the programme and its results.
The evaluation process should also review the programme management system, in order to guarantee its constant suitability, adequacy and efficiency.
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80. 1.10 Cyclical external quality assurance
Standard
Institutions should undergo external quality assurance in line with the ESG on a cyclical basis.
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81. Processes associated to Standard 10 External assessment of SP’s QA
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82. c) QA and Accreditation of SPs:
the EUR-ACE system
EUR-ACE (EURopean ACcredited Engineer) is the label awarded to accredited engineering SPs at Bachelor and Master level.
The EUR-ACE label is run by the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education – ENAEE (
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83. ENAEE does not accredit engineering degree programmes.
ENAEE carries out its mission by evaluating quality assurance and accreditation agencies in the EHEA in respect of their standards and procedures when accrediting engineering degree programmes.
Those agencies which satisfy ENAEE in respect of these matters are authorized by ENAEE to award the EUR-ACE label to the engineering degree programmes which they accredit.
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84. Currently ENAEE has 22 full members and 3 associate members.
The agencies authorized to award the EUR-ACE label are 13.
The SPs accredited are more than 2.000, not only in Europe.
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85. student workload requirements, programme learning outcomes,
The standards which ENAEE requires of engineering degree programmes which are accredited by agencies are described in terms of:
student workload requirements,
programme learning outcomes,
programme management,
specified in the document EUR-ACE Framework Standards and Guidelines’ (EAFSG) (
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86. The student workload requirements are described using ECTS credits and are the same established in the document A Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area’) (
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87. Programme learning outcomes describe the knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities that an accredited engineering SP must enable a graduate to demonstrate.
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88. Knowledge and understanding; Engineering Analysis; Engineering Design;
They are described separately for both Bachelor and Master Degree programmes with reference to the following eight learning areas:
Knowledge and understanding;
Engineering Analysis;
Engineering Design;
Investigations;
Engineering Practice;
Making Judgements;
Communication and Team-working;
Learning.
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89. 2. Teaching and Learning Process 3. Resources
Programme management standards specify the key areas of programme management that SPs must fulfil in order to be accredited.
1. Programme Aims
2. Teaching and Learning Process
3. Resources
4. Student admission, transfer, progression and graduation
5. Internal Quality Assurance
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90. The guidelines that follow the standards are not prescriptive, but are intended to assist agencies and HEIs in meeting the standards.
Programme managers are free to satisfy the standards in accordance with their own traditions and resource.
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91. The EUR-ACE standards for programme management are differently organised, but are substantially consistent with the ESG.
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92. ESG Standards
ENAEE Standards
1.2 Design and approval of programmes
1.3 Student-centred learning, teaching and assessment
2.4.1 Programme Aims
2.4.2 Teaching and Learning Process
1.5 Teaching staff
1.6 Learning resources and student support
2.4.3 Resources
1.4 Student admission, progression, recognition and certification
1.7 Information management
2.4.4 Student admission, transfer, progression and graduation
1.1 Policy for quality assurance
1.8 Public information
1.9 On-going monitoring and periodic review of programmes
2.4.5 Internal Quality Assurance
1.10 Cyclical external quality assurance
Intrinsic to the accreditation process
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93. d) QA of SPs according to the EQUASP project: EQUASP Standards and Guidelines for internal QA of SPs (EQUASP Model)
The EQUASP project ( is a Tempus project (Tempus Project TEMPUS IT-TEMPUS-SMGR) that was proposed also to promote the international recognition of technological SPs of Russian Federation.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

94. Its overall broader objectives are the introduction of an internal QA system focused on:
the design of student-centred technological SPs, focused on the definition of learning outcomes consistent with the needs of the stakeholders;
the definition and implementation of an on- line documentation system of the QA of SPs (the project title is “On-line Quality Assurance of Study programmes”).
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

95. Monitoring and results Management system
According to the EQUASP approach, in order to assure its quality a SP must comply with the national standards and requirements and the five EQUASP standards:
Needs and Objectives
Educational process
Resources
Monitoring and results
Management system
It is evident their full consistency with the EUR-ACE programme management standards.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

96. For each EQUASP standard, the EQUASP approach identifies the processes to be considered fundamental for a management for quality of SPs.
Then, the ‘EQUASP requirements for quality’, i.e. the needs or expectations for quality, associated to each identified process are established, with the activities to be managed for their accomplishment.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

97. Furthermore, for each identified quality requirement, the information and data to be documented by the SPs in order to provide evidence of the quality of the educational service provided, and therefore to assure its quality, are established and described.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

98. Note
Why a clear and complete documentation of learning objectives, educational process, learning context, learning outcomes and management system is an essential and necessary aspect of the QA of SPs?
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

99. Because the availability of information and data on the characteristics and results of SPs is essential for their transparency, one of the most important objective of the Bologna process, and in order to ‘ensure trust’ in the SP capacity to meet the requirements for quality, in one word to guarantee its quality.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

100. The availability of information and data on the characteristics and results of SPs is also essential and necessary for their comparability at national and international level, another important objective of the Bologna process.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

101. Furthermore, the availability of information and data on the characteristics and results of SPs constitutes a powerful incentive to the improvement of SP quality
(as a matter of fact, when a SP is required to document its quality, in case of bad quality it is also stimulated to adopt the opportune actions for its improvement).
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

102. Without taking into account that their availability is necessary in every quality assessment and accreditation process.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

103. The whole of standards and quality requirements, with the associated expected activities for their accomplishment and information and data to be documented, constitute the EQUASP Standards and Guidelines for the internal quality assurance of study programmes (EQUASP Model), that represents the fundamental outcome of the EQUASP project.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

104. EQUASP Software for the on-line documentation of the information and data for the QA of SPs
The EQUASP Software ( is the software designed and produced in order to make available on-line the documentation of the QA of SPs required by the EQUASP Model.
It represents the fundamental output of the EQUASP project.
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016

105. The End
EQUASP Seminar Rostov on Don, 28 Septembber 2016