The NVAO publication Internationalisation and Quality Assurance reflects on the essential role of internationalisation in safeguarding the quality of higher education in Europe. The NVAO emphasises that internationalisation is not an objective in itself, but rather a means of organising the best possible quality assurance. This approach, rooted in the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG), has led to pioneering contributions such as the automatic mutual recognition of qualifications and the Certificate for Quality in Internationalisation (CeQuInt).
The publication demonstrates how the NVAO actively contributes to international developments, including the quality assurance of joint programmes and the promotion of European partnerships such as the European University Alliances. The introduction of the European Degree further highlights the NVAO’s leading role in supporting the integration of European higher education systems.
Through this publication, the NVAO provides an overview of its strategic objectives and its key contributions to the international higher education area. For institutions seeking to capitalise on the benefits of internationalisation, the document offers not only inspiration but also practical guidance and examples of good practice.
This reflection underlines the indispensable role of the NVAO in strengthening the international position of higher education and its continued commitment to quality enhancement in an increasingly international educational landscape.