INERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL SPACE
4’2020

Abstract. The article examines the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) and their implementation for external quality assessment of higher education. An analysis of the activities of agencies to assess the quality of education, the main forms and tools of its implementation are carried out. It is established that the ESG were adopted in 2005 by the Ministers responsible for higher education. The ESG have been constantly revised and improved, and the version adopted in 2015 is currently in force. They consist of three parts: standards and recommendations for internal quality assurance (10 items); standards and recommendations for external quality assurance (7 items); standards and recommendations for quality assurance agencies (7 items). In the framework of the Bologna Process, since 2003 it has been determined that the main responsibility for the quality of higher education services lies with the HEIs themselves, which conduct the internal quality assessment, i.e. they implement a set of measures and procedures to ensure the quality of proposed educational programs and services. Certain criteria, which are determined both by the HEI itself and by the agencies for assessing the quality of education are used. The main function of external assessment of the quality of education is to provide feedback and recommendations to the HEIs and objective and unbiased information to stakeholders. The principles, procedures and criteria for assessing the quality of education should apply to all methods of providing educational services and teaching. It should be noted that the ESG are not quality standards as such, they do not define quantitative criteria or regulate the implementation process, they are guidelines that define the main areas that need special attention to ensure quality services and create a favorable educational environment.
Keywords: Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG), higher education quality assessment, internal education quality assessment, external education quality assessment, education quality assessment agencies, European approach.
https://doi.org/10.32987/2617-8532-2020-4-83-92

1. EQAR. (n. d.). QA in Europe. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/external-qa-activities/.
2. EQAR. (2020, June). Policy Brief 2020. External Quality Assurance Activities within and beyond the EHEA. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/assets/uploads/2020/07/PolicyBrief_EQA_WithinandBeyondEHEA.pdf.
3. EQAR. (n. d.). Country information. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/country-information/.
4. EQAR. (n. d.). European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes Application. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/joint-programmes/application/.
5. EQAR. (n. d.). Country information. United Kingdom. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/country-information/country/?id=183.
6. EQAR. (n. d.). Country information. Poland. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/country-information/country/?id=138.
7. EQAR. (n. d.). Country information. Norway. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/country-information/country/?id=129.
8. EQAR. (n. d.). Country information. Italy. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/country-information/country/?id=82.
9. EQAR. (n. d.). Country information. Sweden. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/country-information/country/?id=166.
10. EQAR. (n. d.). Country information. Czech Republic. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/country-information/country/?id=46.
11. EQAR. (n. d.). Country information. Azerbaijan. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/country-information/country/?id=11.
12. EQAR. (n. d.). Cross-Border Quality Assurance in the EHEA. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/cross-border-qa/.
13. EQAR. (n. d.). National Implementation of the European Approach. Retrieved from https://www.eqar.eu/kb/joint-programmes/national-implementation/.