Description
The Database of External Quality Assurance Results (DEQAR) provides a one stop shop access to reliable information about the quality assurance of higher education institutions within the European Higher Education Area (and beyond). Among else, this public database contains over 50 000 external quality assurance reports (i.e. accreditation and evaluations) on higher education institutions and their programmes. Using technical solutions, DEQAR also enables usage of the stored data and automatic connection between databases. The presenters will demonstrate DEQAR’s data usage in the live system of the Italian ENIC NARIC, CIMEA, on the blockchain platform Diplome, through which Statements of comparability are issued, and discuss the practicalities of connecting DEQAR with recognition centers’ databases, to foster the automatic recognition of qualifications. Participants will be encouraged to share examples of digitalization of recognition workflows in their national contexts, and reflect on the successes and obstacles along the way.
Presenters
Aleksandra Zhivkovikj is policy and project officer at EQAR. She is responsible for the general maintenance of DEQAR, contact with agencies and end users. Aleksandra also manages project activities including peer support for agencies and maintains contact with ENIC-NARIC centers in the DEQAR CONNECT project. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University “SS. Cyril and Methodius”-Skopje and a joint master’s degree in educational policies and development from the University of Oslo, Autonomous University of Barcelona and University of Malta. Before joining EQAR, Aleksandra worked as a consultant at the OECD’s Directorate for Education and Skills.
Silvia Bianco has been working in CIMEA since September 2015 and started as credential evaluator for the qualifications coming from Arab and African countries. For this reason, she had and has an active role in the development of procedures for the recognition of qualifications held by refugees in case of partial or missing documentation. She is now in charge of the unit for the development and management of international and European projects in the field of higher education and, therefore, has been involved in the DEQAR CONNECT project.
