The Higher Education Quality Agency (AQUA) sets six action lines to build on European successes, focusing on
governance, digitalization, and global leadership in quality assurance.
Key Points
- Approved six action lines: resilient governance, efficient evaluations, digital improvements, boosted profile, global standing, quality leadership.
- Prior successes: EQAR registration, ENQA membership, compliance with European standards.
- Key initiatives: SIACES/INQAAHE accreditations, ESG alignment, system digitalization, trends observatory launch.
- Developed via consultations with universities, ministry, and public for professionalized procedures.
The Directorate Committee of Andorra's Higher Education Quality Agency (AQUA) has approved its Strategic Plan for 2026–2028, setting out six key action lines for the coming three years while extending successes from the 2023–2025 period.
In the prior phase, AQUA gained registration on the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) and full membership in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), cementing its compliance with European benchmarks.
The plan centres on resilient and sustainable governance; greater efficiency, transparency, and rigour in evaluation procedures; digital overhaul and workflow improvements; boosted institutional profile; enhanced global standing; and assertive leadership in quality oversight. It seeks to cement AQUA's status as the cornerstone of Andorra's higher education framework, with particular stress on elevating the reliability, openness, and trustworthiness of its assessments.
Notable initiatives encompass securing quality accreditations from SIACES and INQAAHE, revising operations to match the forthcoming 2027 European Standards and Guidelines (ESG), and completing the digitalisation and automation of internal systems. Further steps involve launching an observatory on educational trends by early 2028—in partnership with the Education Ministry, universities, and students—producing metrics to monitor the sector, broadening expert training, and widening the roster of evaluators to ensure robust, credible reviews.
AQUA director Isaac Galobardes stated that the earlier plan had brought all agency operations into line with European quality norms. He described the updated strategy as reinforcing AQUA's domestic leadership and nurturing a strong, collective quality ethos, while propelling its European footprint alongside peer organisations.
Developed through broad consultation with universities, the relevant ministry, internal panels, and open public input, the plan underscores AQUA's commitment to professionalising procedures and advancing Andorra's university system on the world stage.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources:
- Diari d'Andorra•
L’AQUA aprova un Pla Estratègic per reforçar la qualitat internacional
- Bon Dia•
L'AQUA vol crear un observatori sobre tendències educatives
- Altaveu•
El nou full de ruta de l'AQUA fixa la "qualitat de les avaluacions" com a objectiu principal
- Diari d'Andorra•
L’AQUA aprova el Pla Estratègic 2026–2028 amb la projecció internacional com a prioritat