The international context
In signing the Bologna Declaration (Bologna Bergen Summit 2005) in 1999, the European ministers of education declared their intention to harmonize the structure of studies in Europe; elements included in this program are improved recognition of diplomas, continued promotion of mobility, and the promotion of European collaboration on questions relating to quality assurance. Against this background, most European countries have set up national accreditation and quality assurance bodies in the past few years.
Platforms for multilateral cooperation are provided by the OECD, the Council of Europe and UNESCO. The Global Forum on Accreditation and Quality Assurance was established recently by UNESCO to discuss aspects such as the global use of accreditation and quality assurance systems, international recognition of titles and qualifications, and new challenges in the international education market (GATS treaties, e-learning programs etc.).
At the 2003 ministerial conference in Berlin, ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education) ENQA received a mandate from the Ministers to develop an agreed set of standards, procedures and guidelines on quality assurance. In the Bergen meeting of May 2005 the European Ministers of Education adopted the "Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area" drafted by ENQA. These standards have been designed for the quality assurance at three different levels: internal quality assurance at institutions, carried out by institutions themselves; external quality assurance at institutions, managed by external agencies; external evaluation of the agencies, as a guarantee of their professionalism and independence in carrying out external assessment procedures.
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