The Netherlands and Flanders each have their own quality assurance system, an integrated system for external quality assurance. A quality assurance system includes the various procedures and conditions for obtaining accreditation. All NVAO procedures are based on assessment frameworks.
As we emerge from this crisis, reflection is still needed. This case example that we wrote for ENQA describes our actions in Flanders to maintain quality assurance during challenging times: from online dialogues and hybrid site visits as an additional tool in our toolkit to accelerating the development of an online training platform.
The graduate programme in shop management of VIVES hogeschool is the first programme in Flanders to have a new style report, tailored to their own needs. The rigid assessment frameworks, detailed checklists and interview style have been replaced by NVAO's Appreciative Approach, open frameworks and ditto exchanges of views. At VIVES, NVAO sounded out the impact of this radically different approach to quality assurance.
NVAO has been paving the way for a European quality assurance framework for years now and is proud to coordinate the EUniQ project on behalf of the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training. It is up to the EUniQ consortium to think ahead and provide the European Universities with the right framework to live up to their European ambitions.
Anneke Luijten-Lub is leaving NVAO after more than two years. She will become interim member of the Board of Governors of Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences.
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The Benelux Union has concluded an agreement with the Baltic States on the automatic recognition of higher education degrees. This agreement already existed within the Benelux since 2015 for bachelor and master degrees and later also for associate degrees and PhD's. The Benelux countries and the Baltic States together now form the only region in the European Higher Education Area in which degrees are automatically recognised. The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders applauds this evolution.
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The Committee of Ministers (Dutch and Flemish ministers competent for higher education) has appointed Sander P. van den Eijnden as Chair of the Board of the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) in The Hague with effect from 1 September 2021, on the recommendation of Minister Van Engelshoven of Education, Culture and Science. He succeeds Anne Flierman, who will step down on 1 May due to reaching the maximum term of office at NVAO.
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