ASPIRAWAS AWARDEDESGINTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE

University CollegeAspirawas rated as high quality educational institutioninthe process of reaccreditation by Agency for Science and Higher Education,which is a member ofENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education).

Aspira has become one of the few higher education institutions awardedtheESGinternational certificate of excellence in education, thus ranking among the best in Europe.ESGis the abbreviation for European Standards and Guidelines, which represents standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European higher education areaadopted by the ministers responsible for higher education in theEHEAin 2005 as proposed bythe European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education(ENQA) in cooperation with the European Students’ Union(ESU1), the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education(EURASHE) andthe European University Association (EUA).

The procedure analysed the system of quality and managing higher education institution, study programs, teaching competence and working conditions for teachers, studying conditions for students, mobility and international cooperation, technical conditions, connection with the economy, publishing activities, scientific and research work, as well as the resourcesof University CollegeAspira; professional services, premises, equipmentand finances.

The importance of the quality assurance system is in providing high quality studying conditions for students, quality teaching conditions and working conditions for the teaching and non-teaching staff. Through the international cooperation, which is an important factor in the accreditation process, Aspiraproved that by connecting with international institutions and showing good practice, it implemented the highest quality elements in its work, and throughout the exchange of students and (non-)teaching staff it enriched the professional life of the participants of the exchange program.

The purpose of higher education is multiple and it includes preparing students for activecitizenry as well as future careers (e.g.by contributing to their employability), supporting their personal growth, creating a broad base of advanced knowledge andencouraging scientific work and innovations. Therefore, stakeholders who attach greater importance to other purposes, might differently perceive quality in higher education, andquality assurance has to take into account these different perspectives. Quality, although not easy to define, mostly arises from the interaction of teachers, students and theinstitutional environment for learning. Quality assurance has to enable such learning environment in which the content of the program, learning opportunities and resources are fit for their purpose.

In the reaccreditation process Aspiraconfirmed the quality of implementing the study programs as well as excellent connection to the economy, which creates exceptional basis for the employment of students.