The INQAAHE Guidelines of Good Practice for External Quality Assurance Agencies: Assessment and next steps

Abstract

INQAAHE is working to improve the portability of degrees and credits across national boundaries. By defining ‘good practices’ for quality assurance agencies, INQAAHE will promote mutual recognition among agencies in different countries and the acceptance of their accreditation decisions outside their own country. This will allow students and others to rely on the judgments of the local quality assurance agency where the institution granting the degree or credits is located. This paper outlines the nature and importance of the Guidelines of Good Practice (GGP), describes how they were created and modified, and explains recommendations for various uses of the GGP made by INQAAHE members during their last meeting. The paper identifies ways in which the GGP could be enhanced and argues for coordination of the INQAAHE guidelines with those produced by international, regional, national, and other agencies.

Keywords:

• External quality assurance
• guidelines
• good practice
• INQAAHE

Acknowledgements

This article draws on the work of several INQAAHE members, including Dorte Kristoffersen of Australia, Maria Jose Lemaitre of Chile, the late Prem Naidoo of South Africa, Tibor Szanto of Hungary and Ton Vroeijenstijn, many of whom chaired successive INQAAHE task forces working on GGP.

Notes

[1] Editor's note: The latest version of the Guidelines of Good Practice as published in this issue are an updated version with some clarification on points, which address some of the suggestions in this article. The task force will pursue other aspects in time for the 2007 INQAAHE Forum.

[2] Editor's note: papers in this edition of the journal begin this process.