AIKA representatives gain experience on implementation of cyclical institutional assessment in Belgium

On March 27, representatives of the Quality Agency for Higher Education (AIKA) visited the Belgian (Wallonia-Brussels Federation) higher education quality assurance agency AEQES to gain experience in implementing cyclical institutional evaluation. As part of the visit, AIC representatives met with representatives of the Haute École de Namur-Liège-Luxembourg University of Applied Sciences (Henallux).

AEQES as an institution and the external quality assurance processes it implements are generally comparable to the activities of AIKA, with the main difference being that the assessment procedures do not result in a legal decision on accreditation, which fosters the perception on assessment as a continuous development and improvement activity, rather than a mechanism for control.

The pilot phase of cyclical institutional evaluation was launched by AEQES in 2017 and involved 17 higher education institutions, while the first full-fledged higher education evaluation cycle will be launched in 2027, which will evaluate all higher education institutions in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, including adult education centres.

During the exchange visit, AIKA became familiar with various examples of good practice that can be adapted and applied to the Latvian context, including a diagnostic tool, with the help of which external experts and the higher education institution itself can assess each process at the higher education institution, an approach to follow-up activities that includes several stages and also involves external experts, as well as principles and processes for attracting and selecting experts that have been adapted particularly to institutional evaluation.

The exchange of experience with AEQES was valuable, considering that AEQES is currently implementing a gradual transition from study programme evaluation to cyclical institutional evaluation and has already concluded the pilot phase of institutional evaluation, analysed its results, and made improvements in order to start the regular evaluation cycle in the near future. The insights gained during the visit regarding the implementation of the new system, the process, timeline, stakeholder engagement, regulatory aspects, and paradigm shift in the higher education system will be useful in finalising the regulatory framework, as well as developing methodologies and guidelines for pilot procedures in Latvia.

In order to promote mutual exchange of experience and sharing of good practices, AIKA representatives introduced AEQES colleagues to the higher education quality assurance system in Latvia, as well as outlined the considerations and challenges of implementing cyclical institutional accreditation in Latvia and shared their experience in creating and using an e-platform on a daily basis.

The exchange visit took place within the framework of the ESF+ project No. 4.2.2.6/1/25/I/001 “Introduction of cyclical institutional accreditation in higher education.”