The Bologna process and the Thematic Peer Group on Quality Assurance
As part of the Bologna Process (involving 49 countries of the European continent), the Bologna Follow-up Group set up three working groups in 2018 on key topics:
- Thematic Peer Group A: Qualifications Framework of the EHEA
- Thematic Peer Group B: Recognition and the Lisbon Recognition Convention
- Thematic Peer Group C: Quality Assurance (QA).
The 49 member countries were invited to participate in these working groups. France is co-chair of the group on Recognition and has been actively involved in the Thematic Peer Group C on Quality Assurance since its creation, via representatives of the CTI and Hcéres. For the period 2021-2024, this group is chaired by Belgium (Flemish), Kazakhstan and Romania. 41 countries out of the 49 members of the Bologna Process are represented.
Several European projects stem directly from the work of the TPG on QA in the previous period: cross-mobility between agency and ministry staff; the EUNIQ project on quality assurance in European universities; and the ESQA project on stakeholder participation in quality assurance.
Currently, the group members cooperate in the framework of the European project “Implementation and Innovation in QA through peer learning” (IMINQA) in which the CTI participates for instance for the staff mobility of quality assurance agencies and for the sub-topic on micro-certifications. A first document has been produced in this framework: Approaches to Quality Assurance of Micro-Credentials: A report on policies and practices to assure the quality of micro-credentials in the European Higher Education Area. To be noted a reference document by the EU Commission: A European Approach to Micro-Credentials.
More information on a meeting of the Working group on QA on 18th and 19th May 2022 in Leuven (Belgium): Bologna process, Peer Group C meeting May 2022
The French presidency of the EU, 2022
As part of the French Presidency of the European Union (PFUE) from January to June 2022 events with an European impact, organised by a variety of operators, could be awarded the PFUE 2022 label and included in the official PFUE programme, allowing them to use the dedicated logo. The CTI has been awarded the PFUE 2022 label for its annual conference on 31st January and 1st February 2022.
CAMPUS OF EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES
The French Presidency of the European Union ended on 30th June 2022 at the Conference Centre in Versailles with an event dedicated to higher education, named Campus of European Universities.
The CTI led a workshop on the diversity of models and the common challenges of the European Universities, in which French engineering schools are well represented. For more information on the workshop, click on following link: PFUE2022 Campus of European Universities Workshop.
Support for the Ukrainian higher education
As part of its support for Ukrainian higher education, the CTI has scheduled a joint evaluation process in 2023-2024 with the Romanian agency ARACIS and the Ukrainian agency NAQA to evaluate the Polytechnic Institute of Kiev with a view to obtaining the European EUR-ACE® label for 5 of the institution’s programmes.
This is a great opportunity for cooperation with these two European agencies, with whom the CTI has signed a cooperation agreement.
Upcoming Erasmus+ projects
The CTI is an associate partner in two of the ten European University Erasmus+ projects selected starting in 2023:
- JEDI, Joint European Degree label in engIneering: Toward an integrated European Engineering Area
- ESEU, European status for an ECIU University (European Consortium for Innovative Universities)
