Higher education
Since 1999, EVA has systematically assessed programmes and institutions within higher education. We have been responsible for external quality assurance of short, medium and long cycle programmes.
In 2007, an Act of Parliament introduced systematic accreditation of all higher education programmes in Denmark (ex ante and ex post) as mandatory external quality assurance. In addition to this, the act introduced a new accreditation agency for long cycle programmes, ACE DENMARK, responsible for accrediting university programmes, with EVA being responsible for accrediting short and medium cycle programmes.
Within accreditation our tasks are now:
- initial accreditation assessment of short and medium cycle programmes;
- clustered accreditation assessment of short and medium cycle programmes;
- initial accreditation and accreditation of existing other higher education programmes (excluding university programmes); e.g. maritime education programmes and programmes in design and architecture amongst others under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
Other tasks include:
- system-wide analysis within the field of higher education;
- revenue-generating activities within the field of higher education (including the university sector) e.g. evaluations of programmes or research or knowledge centres or policy studies
- presentations, seminars and conferences on quality issues within higher education.
By law, EVA is entitled to engage in revenue-generating activities, and about half of EVA’s activities are commissioned tasks, e.g. on behalf of ministries, higher education institutions or non-governmental organisations.
Methods
We continue to develop our quality assurance procedures in line with international standards and practice. The methods we use in surveys and evaluations are acknowledged approaches from social sciences.
Networks
EVA cooperates with and participates in the following international networks amongst others:
- ENQA - European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education
- ECA - European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education
- NOQA - The Nordic Quality Assurance Network in Higher Education
- Inqaahe - International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education.
EVA’s Director of Projects, Tine Holm , is a member of ENQA’s Board.
Full ENQA membership
EVA is a full member of ENQA fulfilling the European standards – this was approved through an external evaluation of EVA i 2006.
