MAP-ESG stands for Mapping the implementation and application of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area.
It can be stated that the Standards and Guidelines for the Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) have significantly contributed to the consistency of quality assurance (QA) procedures and transparency in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
The E4 group (the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), the European University Association (EUA), the European Students Union (ESU) and the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE)) as authors of the ESG and as founding members of the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR), have had a major impact on the enhancement of common European approaches to Quality Assurance (QA).
The ESG have fostered a common understanding of QA and have contributed to the development of a European dimension of QA. However, it is possible that the implementation of the ESG still has some way to go.
The purpose of the project is to gather information on how the ESG have been implemented and applied in the 47 Bologna signatory countries, on national level, in higher education institutions (HEIs) and in QA agencies. By analysing gathered data, the project will evaluate whether the ESG are appropriate and up-to-date to fulfil their main task in contributing to the development of the EHEA. The main output of the project is a report on the application and implementation of the ESG. Based on this report, Ministers of Education of the Bologna signatory countries will be able to decide whether they wish to charge the E4 with the revision of the ESG. The report will be prepared for the ministerial conference taking place in Bucharest, Romania on 26-27 April 2012.
The different actors in the project are:
– A Steering Group with eight individual members, two members nominated by each of the E4 Group. The SG will actively contribute to all stages of the project; consultation phase, reporting and analysis of the results, dissemination activities and project management;
– An Advisory Board consisting of the most important stakeholders closely involved in the consultation and dissemination phases: EQAR, Education International, Business Europe and three national Bologna Follow-up Group representatives from Norway, Slovenia and Spain nominated by the Steering Group.
The project is co-funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission. For further information on the Bologna Process, please see the homepage of the Bologna Secretariat 2010-2012.
MAP-ESG 