Quality of the degrees
Internal quality assurance system
Results
The system indicators guarantee transparency and fairness in analyzing degree information and facilitate accountability, in line with European benchmarks in higher education quality.
AQU
The Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency (AQU Catalunya) is the main instrument for promoting and evaluating quality in the Catalan university system.
The Framework for the verification, monitoring, modification and accreditation of official university degrees (known as the VSMA Framework, for its acronym in Catalan) defines this procedure. AQU Catalunya has made available to the public all the information concerning the quality of the Catalan university system's official degree programmes on the Estudis Universitaris de Catalunya (EUC) website.
The VSMA Framework involves four main processes:
01 Verification
This is the process in which the quality rating agencies check that the programmes of study for the new proposed official programmes comply with the EHEA and authorize their implementation.
02 Monitoring
Course development is evaluated through data and indicator analysis and, if applicable, improvement proposals are developed that correct the deviations observed between the degree programmes' design and their routine implementation.
03 Modification
As a result of the follow-up process, proposals are made for modifying the university programmes.
04 Accreditation*
This process allows a quality rating agency to evaluate the official university qualifications in order to renew the original accreditation obtained in the validation process. This assessment is performed cyclically (every six years for the bachelor’s degrees and every four years for the university master's degrees).
* To check that the programme is still being run in accordance with the objectives stated in the initial project; if the results are satisfactory and contribute to the students' educational development and attaining the planned objectives; and if the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education's (ENQA) standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the EHEA are attained.