The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) has been publishing newsletters periodically since 2012, providing an additional platform for ENQA Members to share their news and projects. The ACSUG has collaborated in the 29º newsletter, published recently, including a reference about the launching of the Pilot Project of Institutional Monitoring.
News
ACSUG participates in the 29º ENQA newsletter
16/12/2019
FIDES-AUDIT programme. Certification phase of quality-assurance systems implementation
11/12/2019
The call for applications for centres to participate in the Process for Certifying Quality-Assurance Systems Implementation has been published.
The deadline for submitting applications begins on 11/12/2019 and ends on 17/01/2020.
Interested universities must complete the application.
Publication of ICU report 2018
08/11/2019
As every year, ANECA and the quality assurance agencies of the Autonomous Governments publish the I Report on the status of external quality evaluation in Spanish universities for the year 2016.
The report presented here (reports have been issued annually since 2006) informs the Ministry responsible for Universities and the agents of society on the development of the evaluation, certification and accreditation processes in Spain in the field of university education.
The objective of these reports is to assist decision-making on the main improvement actions required to guarantee the quality of the Spanish University System, especially focussed on serving the interests of students and society.
Evaluation of research activity for teachers in Oviedo
30/10/2019
As stated in the Resolution of October 21, 2019 ssued by the Vice-Rector's Office of the University of Oviedo establishing the procedure for requests for evaluation of research activity for interim and non-permanent contract teachers corresponding to the 2019 call, the deadline for submission of applications is from October 25 until November 15 of this year
ACSUG has participated in the DEQAR conference in Madrid
28/10/2019
ACSUG has participated in a seminar organised by the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) on 7 and 8 October 2019 in Madrid.
The seminar, with the attendance of more than 100 people, had the main objective of analysing the current development of the DEQAR project, and also the future actions to implement. The project, with the participation of ACSUG since 2017, is partially financed by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union, and coordinated by the EQAR. Its main aim is the establishment of a database which contains the evaluation reports of the activities carried out by the European quality assurance agencies in the higher education field.
ECA autumn meeting 2019
28/10/2019
The2019 Autumn Meeting of the European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) .was celebrated between the 3 and 4 October 2019 in Stockholm (Sweden). A person of the ACSUG staff (Luis Velón), agency member of ECA since 2013, took part as usually in the general seminar of the organization and in the meetings of the working group about mutual recognition and joint programs and working group about Innovation in QA and Accreditation. . It is relevant to remark also that the ACSUG representative was appointed for being part of the ECA financial committee for a 1 year period.
ACSUG has participated in a seminar for recently reviewed agencies by ENQA in Porto (Portugal)
28/10/2019
ACSUG has participated in a seminar organised by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) to which only agencies recently assessed by ENQA were invited. . The event took place on1 and 2 October 2019 in Porto (Portugal)..
During the seminar, relevant topics related to the agencies cyclical evaluation process by ENQA (every five years) were discussed: self-assessment stage, added value for agencies in the second or subsequent reviews, specific issues about the thematic analysis, how to deal with the recommendations included in the final report, or how to prepare the progress report and monitoring site visit.
The seminar conclusions were very positive, not only by ENQA, in order to adjust different aspects of the evaluation process, but also for the agencies present in the event, which could share experiences and learn about the good practices commented in the seminar.
The Director of ACSUG participates in the UIMP summer course in Santander
18/10/2019
Organized by the Spanish Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (Red de Agencias de Calidad Universitaria, REACU) and coordinated by the Castilla y León Agency (Agencia de Castilla y León, ACSUCyL), a summer course was held at the Menendez Pelayo University of Santander under the title of "Quality Assurance and University Education Organizational Reform” from 10 to 12 September. The topic discussed was of great interest and was attended by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, in the person of its Secretary General for Universities, Prof. José Manuel Pingarrón, as well as by several rectors and vice-rectors and the Managers of Spanish Higher Education Quality Assurance Agencies.
The Secretary General’s contribution on the reform process of RD 1393/2007 and the model of teaching career that the government is going to propose were eagerly awaited. And the attendees were not disappointed, although many were surprised, because, according to him, the draft has been fully prepared since July, and is only waiting for the future government of Spain to process a new university law, the LOSUE or Organic Law of the Spanish University System.
For two days, rectors and vice-rectors and the heads of the Spanish quality assurance agencies discussed issues of great concern at this time for improving the quality of our universities: institutional accreditation and university and online education accreditation. The latter was attended by the vice-rectors of the UNED and UOC. The European perspective was presented in the overview of the network of agencies offered by the President of EQAR (European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education).
Training day at ACSUG headquarters
15/10/2019
On October 10, a training day was held at the headquarters of the Consortium Agency for Quality Assurance in the Galician University System (Consorcio Agencia para la Calidad del Sistema Universitario de Galicia, ACSUG) on the assessment prior to the allocation of additional compensation related to the bonus for acknowledgement of Curricular excellence of the 2018 Call, which was attended by 6 members of the Humanities Committee, 5 members of the Technical Education Committee, 5 members of the Legal and Social Sciences Committee, 7 members of the Experimental Sciences Committee and 7 members of the Health Sciences Committee.
Ordinary call for evaluation prior to hiring teachers by SUG universities
03/09/2019
On September 3, 2019, the DOG published the Resolution of August 9, 2019 of the Chairperson of the ACSUG, which approves the ordinary call for obtaining evaluation by the universities of the University System of Galicia before hiring teaching staff and the deadline for submitting applications opens.
- Access to computer application to process the application.
- Payment of administrative fees for submitting the application.
- Frequently asked questions
End of term: October 3, 2019
ECA annual meeting 2019
24/07/2019
The 2019 Annual Meeting of the European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) was celebrated between the 7 and 8 June 2019 in Riga (Latvia). A representative of ACSUG, agency member of ECA since 2013, took part in the general seminar of the organization and in the meetings of the working group about mutual recognition and joint programs andl working group about Innovation in QA and Accreditation.
Call for evaluation before hiring university teaching staff 2019
11/07/2019
Call for evaluation before hiring university teaching staff 2019: It is expected that the call will be published in the DOG at the beginning of September this year, to avoid the deadline for submitting applications falling in August.
Meeting between the Chilean Agency “ACREDITACCIÓN” and ACSUG
08/07/2019
On 31 may 2019, a meeting was held in the ACSUG facilities in Santiago de Compostela, between the ACSUG director, José Eduardo López Pereira and the president of AcreditAcción, José Miguel Rodríguez Sáez. The main objective of the meeting was to start new specific ways of collaboration, in accordance with the general agreement previously signed.
Meeting in ACSUG with representatives of the UNIREGOV project
08/07/2019
On 31 may 2019, representatives of ACSUG held a meeting with a researcher of the UNIREGOV project, to answer some questions and to provide relevant information regarding the main objective of the project, which is a comparative study of the tools, agencies and stakeholders in the Governance systems in higher education.
SUG-ACSUG Universities Meeting
12/06/2019
On May 16, 2019, a conference was held at ACSUG in which representatives of the Doctoral Schools, quality areas and vice-rectors with competencies in quality management of centres and degrees from the three Galician universities took part. The main objective of the conference was to discuss the renewal programme for accrediting doctoral programmes and design an evaluation calendar after the moratorium established by Royal Decree 103/2019 of March 1. Taking advantage of the meeting, other topics of interest that were detected in the verification and accreditation processes of degrees during the 2018/2019 course were also discussed.
The director of ACSUG took part in an international symposium coordinated by ACPUA in CANFRANC
12/06/2019
An International Conference in the Pyrenees was held at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (Huesca), on May 28 and 29. It was organized by the Aragon Agency for Quality Assurance and Strategic Foresight in Higher Education (Agencia de Calidad y Prospectiva Universitaria de Aragón, ACPUA). Directors of University Quality Assurance Agencies in Spain, including the director of ACSUG, rectors of Spanish and Andorra Universities, as well as lecturers and technicians from various Spanish universities met in Canfranc to debate and exchange opinions on the United Nations 2030 Agenda that aims to incorporate the social dimension into higher education.
After the reading of several papers on this topic, at the end of the event ACPUA presented a proposal of indicators on compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in institutional evaluation. It is a first step for an issue that, without a doubt, will very soon be incorporated into the evaluation of university degrees because of how the social dimension is part of the fabric of university education.
The Conference was chaired by Antonio Serrano, Director of ACPUA, and was dedicated to José Ángel Villar, professor at the University of Zaragoza and distinguished evaluator of ACSUG until his death in 2017.
ACSUG Re-accredits degrees at six centres of the San Martín de Porres University of Lima
12/06/2019
On December 24, and by resolution 210-2018-SINEACE / CDAH-P, published in the El Peruanos Official Gazette on December 24, 2018, ACSUG officially became an external accrediting agency of Peru for undergraduate degrees in that country. However, since 2011 ACSUG it awarded a European quality seal to some degrees taught at some Peruvian universities, such as the San Martín de Porres University in Lima.
On this occasion, 6 commissions appointed by ACSUG travelled to Lima to re-accredit qualifications of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources, Faculty of Accounting, Economic and Financial Sciences, Professional School of Communication Sciences, Professional School of Civil Engineering, Professional School of Architecture and Faculty of Law.
In addition to the accreditation of university degrees, ACSUG collaborates with the university in establishing the internal quality assurance system and in training evaluators. For this reason, the director and three technicians from the agency, who acted as secretaries of the accreditation commissions, gave a training session to 30 professors from the university who were interested in learning about the processes for evaluating university degrees.
Ordinary call for 2018 for the bonuses for acknowledgement of curricular teaching and research excellence
21/05/2019
Published today, May 21, 2019, the Resolution of May 07, 2019, (DOG of May 21, 2019) by which the ordinary call is approved to request the evaluation prior to allocating the additional remuneration related to the bonus for acknowledgement of curricular teaching and research excellence.
- Applicant's Guide
- Frequently asked questions
- Access to the computer application to fill out the application form and the other annexes.
The deadline for submitting applications will be from May 22 to June 18, inclusive.
The computer application used to complete the application form and annexes will be OPEN FROM TOMORROW MAY 22
PLEASE NOTE!
In accordance with the provisions of the call, the application must be completed electronically (Annex III) in the form available through the ACSUG computer application. In accordance with the provisions of article 14.2 of Law 39/2015, of October 1, of the common administrative procedure of public administrations, the submission of applications (Pdf previously generated in the ACSUG application) must be carried out using the Xunta's electronic interface: https://sede.xunta.gal/portada.
PROCEDURE CODE: ED701A
In case of doubt, technical difficulties or need for more information during the process of obtaining the forms at the electronic office, applicants can use the information telephone 012 or email 012@xunta.gal.
ACSUG has participated in the 2019 ENQA member´s forum in Tallin (Estonia)
15/05/2019
ACSUG has participated in the 2019 Member´s Forum of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), celebrated on 25 and 26 April 2019 in Tallinn (Estonia).
During the forum, as usually, a general assembly meeting has been held, in which some issues were covered, such as the first draft of the 2021-2025 ENQA Strategic Plan, admission and reconfirmation of members, 2018 finances report and revision of the ENQA Complain Policy.
Additionally, through presentations and round tables, other topics were discussed: European Universities iniciative, Higher Education future and expectations of quality assurance agencies for the developments of the European High Education Area (EHEA).
It is also relevant to comment that meetings in small groups were organised, with the aims of talking about the 2021-2025 ENQA Strategic Plan and to make a SWOT analysis of the ENQA Agency Reviews. The ACSUG representative in the Member´s Forum took part in the development of such meetings.
AENOR carried out the 2019 monitoring audit of the ACSUG Quality Assurance and Environmental Management System.
10/05/2019
The Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification (AENOR) carried out in February 2019 a monitoring audit of the ACSUG Management System. As it was reflected in the audit final report, the ACSUG system is up-to-date and adequate measures have being implemented in order to improve the agency activities. It is interesting to remind that the ACSUG management system is certified according the standards ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). Because AENOR is a member of the IQNet, subsequently the certifications achieved by ACSUG have an international recognition.
ECA Winter seminar 2019
25/04/2019
The 2019 Winter Seminar of the European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) was celebrated between the 19 and 20 February 2019 in Cologne (Germany). A representative of ACSUG, agency member of ECA since 2013, took part in the general seminar of the organization and in the meetings of the working group about mutual recognition and joint programs and working group about Innovation in QA and Accreditation.
Ordinary call in 2018 for the acknowledgement bonuses for management positions
18/03/2019
Published today, March 18, 2019, the Resolution of March 8, 2019, which approves the ordinary call to request the evaluation prior to the allocation of the additional remuneration related to the bonus of acknowledgement for management positions and opens the deadline for submitting applications.
The deadline for submission of applications will be from March 20, 2019 until April 16, 2019, inclusive..
Bonuses to acknowledge teaching and research work. Ordinary call in 2018
07/03/2019
Published today, March 6, 2019, the Resolution of February 21, 2019, which approves the ordinary call to request the evaluation prior to allocating additional remuneration for acknowledgement bonus for teaching work and the acknowledgement bonus for research work and the deadline for submitting applications is opened.
- Access to the computer application to complete the application and annexes.
- Frequently asked questions
The deadline for submitting applications will be from March 7, 2019 to April 4, 2019 inclusive.
PLEASE NOTE
Before completing the submission of the application in the electronic interface of the Xunta de Galicia, remember that it is mandatory to complete and generate the application in PDF format (Annex I) using the ACSUG computer application.
In application of the provisions of article 14.2 of Law 39/2015, of October 1, of the common administrative procedure of public administrations, the submission of applications must be completed using the Xunta's electronic interface: https://sede.xunta.gal/detalle-procedemento?codtram=ED701B
In case of doubt, technical difficulties or need for more information when obtaining the forms at the Xunta's electronic interface, applicants may use the User Service Center - CAU information telephone number 012 or the email address 012@xunta.gal
ACSUG has finished the self-assessment stage regarding the ENQA external evaluation
18/01/2019
ACSUG, member of ENQA since 2009, is currently in the process of a new international evaluation by ENQA, after five years since the last external evaluation process.
With respect to the process, ACSUG has finished in January 2019 the self-assessment stage, with the issuing of a report, including the main conclusions of the internal analysis carried out.
The content of this self-assessment report is going to be analysed subsequently by the external committee before the site visit in ACSUG, scheduled from 20 to 22 March 2019.
Jornada de formación para evaluadores de títulos
17/01/2019
El 16 de enero de 2019 se celebró en la sede de ACSUG una Jornada de Formación para las Comisiones de Evaluación que participan en los procesos de verificación, modificación, seguimiento y acreditación de títulos oficiales de Sistema Universitario de Galicia. En la jornada participaron un total de 16 evaluadores entre vocales académicos, profesionales y estudiantes.
ACSUG has been acknowledged as an external accrediting agency in Peru
08/01/2019
According to the resolution of the Presidency of the Ad Hoc Board of Directors of the Ministry of Education of Peru, after the Report issued by the Direction of Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education of the National System of Evaluation, Accreditation and Certification of Educational Quality (Sistema Nacional de Evaluación, Acreditación y Certificación de la Calidad Educativa SINEACE), dated December 24, ACSUG has been authorized as an accrediting agency for undergraduate study programmes in the field of University Higher Education in Peru for a period of five years.
The resolution, published in the Official Gazette El Peruano on December 24, 2018, comes after ACSUG has been evaluating degrees at Peruvian universities for seven years, granting a university quality seal that, from now on "due to the evidence of having developed accreditation procedures equivalent to those established by SINEACE”, as stated in the aforementioned resolution, will have administrative character and value.
In this way, ACSUG becomes the first European Agency for University Quality Assurance to be acknowledged as an external accreditation agency in Latin America.
