QA and Enhancement Marketplace for HEIs: An Erasmus+ project

Improving European education and training system quality has been set as a key target in Europe’s strategy to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy by 2020 (European Commission, 2010). These objectives are more specifically defined in the so called Modernisation Agenda (European Commission, 2011). More specifically it sets a goal to improve the quality and relevance of higher education. In this process external evaluation andProceedings of the 11th International CDIO Conference, Chengdu University of Information Technology,Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China, June 8-11, 2015.self-assessment are seen in a key role! In the CDIO approach the 12 CDIO standards provide a framework for continuous improvement. Each institution/institutional department are encouraged to regularly do the self-evaluation using the CDIO Standards. Eight European universities identified a need for further enhancement of the self-evaluations and creation of processes with peers to reduce the inertia of heavy accreditations/evaluations in HEIs. In September 2014 these universities started an Erasmus+ project (QAEMarketPlace4HEI) aiming at1. Developing a collaborative, comprehensive and accessible evaluation process model, methods and tools for HEIs to complement the accreditation systems.2. Promoting, increasing and exploiting further the European collaboration in the evaluation processes and the exchange of best practices.3. Disseminating the model, best practices and widen the cooperation to new HEIs in Europe through the partner networks.