Latvian Quality Agency for Higher Education Included in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR)

The Register Committee of the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) made decision on the inclusion of the Academic Information Centre (AIC) in EQAR – the register of trustful agencies for quality assurance. 

AIC is the first Latvian higher education quality assurance agency that is included in EQAR. This is a proof that the performance of the Latvian Quality Agency for Higher Education (AIKA) complies with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) and will promote the recognition of Latvian institutions of higher education/ colleges and diplomas issued thereby as well as trust on an international level.

Baiba Ramiņa, Chairperson of the AIC Board indicates that the AIC staff has completed very important work over these three years, which includes the establishment of the Quality Agency for Higher Education (AIKA) as a separate department of AIC and development of the assessment system in line with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). The inclusion of AIC in EQAR will improve the recognition of diplomas issued by Latvian institutions of higher education also abroad as well as AIC will be able to evaluate institutions of higher education abroad and foreign study programmes.

The decision on AIC’s inclusion in EQAR is an achievement proving the quality of AIC performance that follows the decision of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) to grant AIC the full membership of ENQA this June.

The inclusion of AIC in EQAR is an important achievement by the Latvian higher education community achieved in close collaboration with stakeholders interested in higher education processes, including institutions of higher education, students, employers and other collaboration partners.

The inclusion of AIC in EQAR was an aim that was defined already in 2015 when AIC took over the responsibility for external quality assurance. Since March 2016 the achievement of this aim is being supported by a European Social Fund project “Support for meeting the requirements set for EQAR agency”.