EQUaM LA, which targets universities and quality assurance agencies in Colombia, Argentina, Nicaragua and Panama, aims to support internal university procedures for quality management, and link them to enhanced processes for the recognition of foreign degrees and credits. This will be done via the collaboration of universities and national regulatory bodies, which are shaping quality assurance and accreditation systems. The project targets both quality assurance units and international cooperation staff in partner universities, as well as national agencies for quality assurance. One of its main outcomes is a jointly-developed ‘QA Tool-kit’ for universities. Through its activities (training events, development of the Tool-Kit and testing of the Tool-Kit in university partners), it will enhance internal QA structures and link them to international cooperation structures. This will simultaneously improve internal QA management and also help to increase international recognition of degrees and credits across borders in LA. The fact that the project includes four different LA countries in Central and South America attests to its regional dimension and ambition to support objectives of the Latin American Higher Education Space (ENLACES) in which QA and recognition are fundamentals.
General Objective: To advance the Latin American Higher Education Space in areas such as recognition of degrees and credits across borders by reinforcing and connecting quality assurance systems for higher education, in which universities and QA agencies are key partners and drivers.
The development of quality assurance (QA) systems in Latin American countries has been a topical issue for over a decade, both nationally and in the context of the Latin American Higher Education Space. Many countries have either developed new QA agencies, tasked with both accreditation (Panama and Nicaragua), or have established agencies that have been reforming their models and re-defining how they engage with universities, to instill a better quality culture at the institutional level.
<< Background >> The development of quality assurance (QA) systems in Latin American countries has been a topical issue for over a decade, both nationally and in the context of the Latin American Higher Education Space. Many countries have either developed new QA agencies, tasked with both accreditation (Panama and Nicaragua), or have established agencies that have been reforming their models and re-defining how they engage with universities, to instill a better quality culture at the institutional level. << Objectives >> General Objective: To advance the Latin American Higher Education Space in areas such as recognition of degrees and credits across borders by reinforcing and connecting quality assurance systems for higher education, in which universities and QA agencies are key partners and drivers. << Implementation >> In general, the QA Toolkit that the project proposes as an outcome will help HEIs to face their internal QA management in order to respond to the national QA requirements as well as the university’s international agenda and ensure students that their diplomas are internationally recognized. << Results >> The project has showcased different models and systems QA and also for recognition, both within LA and in Europe, and enhanced knowledge on tools for QA, accreditation and recognition. The expertise provided by the European partners in QA, recognition and internationalization (credit systems and mobility) is also critical for the QA Tool-Kit and its implementation.