A comprehensive accreditation system of educational offering: International accreditation of awarding HEI
Best practices A comprehensive accreditation system of educational offering: International accreditation of awarding HEI Users: Training Providers (Private), Training Providers (Public) | Theme: Accreditation and certification | Action: Fremework/methodology | Beneficiaries: Training Providers (Private), Training Providers (Public). xAIM xAIM Maria Chiara Demartini In 2020 the xAIM consortium aimed at designing a high-quality master program in explainable AI applied to healthcare management. Although each beneficiary was supposed to contribute in term of the design and the teaching staff, the vocational master program had to be delivered by one HEI only. To ensure high-level standards of quality delivered at each phase of the design, organization, roll-out and monitoring of master program, the consortium looked for internationally recognised systems for accreditation to show outstanding excellence in quality assurance.Moreover, one of the sustainability strategies formulated by the consortium entailed the delivery of single modules of the xAIM master programs, beyond the entire master program. The challenge? The xAIM consortium faced multiple challenges: As an international consortium, xAIM didn’t want to rely on one single national regulation for the accreditation of the master program, in order to promote an internationally recognised high-quality master program. Since only one HEI was expected to award the master diploma, other national regulations were not necessarily fit for purpose. A broader and more international quality assurance framework was expected to be adopted for the xAIM master program. The sustainability strategy included opportunities to deliver single modules, beyond the whole master programs. Hence, a comprehensive accreditation system was needed, including both bachelor’s, master’s programs, and short courses. Our solution An internationally recognised accreditation system was selected to quality assure the entire educational offer of the awarding institution. It is worth noting that there are alternative international accreditation systems for business schools. However, the consortium decided to apply for the EFMD quality improvement system (EQUIS), managed by EFMD Global, since it has a European focus. The following explains how each of the identified challenges are addressed: High-quality standards in master’s programs accreditation Challenge: One single national regulation for the accreditation of the master program could be partial and lack some international requirements in terms of accreditation of master programsHow the EQUIS accreditation process facilitates solutions:EQUIS is a comprehensive principle-based system to improve the quality of awarding institutions;• It has strongly agreed upon principles, though flexible implementation, based on national context and local needs;• EQUIS provides learning communities, which are focused on specific principles (e.g., internationalisation) or thematic areas (e.g., the role of AI in educational offer). Difficulty in selecting another (set of) national regulatory frameworkChallenge: Since only one HEI was expected to award the master diploma, other national regulations were not necessarily fit for purpose How the EQUIS accreditation process facilitates solutions:• EQUIS is an internationally recognized standard, acknowledging national context, but promoting a standardised international process for accreditation of HEIs• EQUIS was initially developed in and for European universities, without a specific national framework in mind Need for a supranational accreditation system Challenge: Need for an international quality assurance framework to overcome the limits of national regulationsHow the EQUIS accreditation process facilitates solutions:• It is an internationally recognized standard, based on a benchmarking approach• Although it was initially intended to improve the quality of the educational offer of European universities, EFMD has now extended its scope both geographically, with a global outreach of EQUIS accredited institutions, and institutionally, covering the accreditation of non-university training institutions too; • EQUIS has a strong experience in the field of accreditation of business schools, although its principles and processes are adapting to the ever-changing international educational landscape. Comprehensive accreditation system Challenge: Need to assure short courses and longer programsHow the EQUIS accreditation process facilitates solutions:• EQUIS is an institutional accreditation system covering bachelor’s, master’s, PhD’s, executive programs, and other educational offer;• Being a comprehensive quality improvement system, EQUIS provides support to accredited HEIs in enhancing the quality of the entire educational offer, from multiple and interlinked perspectives;• EQUIS provides HEIs with a global quality recognition of their educational offer. Outcomes The membership to the EFMD Global Network, and the eligibility to EQUIS accreditation were the first steps achieved in the process of EQUIS accreditation. The achievement of these milestones resulted in a set of outcomes: 15% increase in recruitment of international students; 1 new international exchange program with an EQUIS internationally accredited HEI; International recognition in accreditation of educational offer in advanced digital skills, with one new co-funded project with other EQUIS accredited HEIs; Improvement in national and international ranking for master programs Integration of EQUIS methodology with European approach to micro-credentials to further increase the quality level of educational offer. Key takeaways Institutional accreditation (e.g., EQUIS) is key when HEIs and training institutions are looking for a comprehensive accreditation system for their educational offer. Being principle-based, the EQUIS accreditation process is a replicable, yet flexible, strategic benchmarking tool to enhance the quality of the HEI’s educational offer. Institutional accreditation systemWhat worked: The accreditation system is not targeting a single program, or a short course, but the whole HEI or business school awarding the diplomas or certifications.This approach ensures accreditation is coherent throughout the HEI’s educational offerReplicable Lesson:Adopting comprehensive accreditation systems can lower the time to seek for accreditation of one additional program or courseThe whole institution is involved in the quality assurance process, leading to change in the mindset Standardised and widely adopted accreditation systemWhat worked: EQUIS is an internationally recognised and globally adopted accreditation system.In order to get immediate international recognition of the high-quality of its educational offer, the HEI can look for a widely adopted international standard.Replicable Lesson:An initial scope of the accreditation systems available in the market can help selecting the one best fitting the training institution’s needs.Benchmarking of leading HEIs can support the choice of an institutional accreditation system and its implementation Lessons learnt on the institutional accreditation system can be shared among partner HEIsWhat worked: More experienced HEIs in institutional accreditation systems can mentor other partner HEIs, in the same consortium, in their journey towards institutional accreditation.Replicable Lesson:Sharing achieved outcomes
DIS4SME: Fostering Skills in Location Data Interoperability for the Digital Transformation of SMEs
Best practices Fostering Skills in Location Data Interoperability for the Digital Transformation of SMEs Users: Training providers (public) | Training providers (private) | SMEs | Theme: Programme development | Action: Education programmes/courses | Beneficiaries: SMEs | Labour force (employed) DIS4SMEdis4sme.eu Mayte Toscano The Level “Digital transformation and data interoperability are fundamental pillars of the European Union’s strategy for global competitiveness. The European Data Strategy and the European Digital Strategy seek to create a single market for data, promoting digital sovereignty, accessibility to open data and cross-border cooperation in key sectors such as mobility, agriculture and urban planning.At a legislative level, the EU has adopted several key regulations to ensure secure and equitable access to data: Data Governance Act (DGA): mechanisms to improve the availability of data and regulates the reuse of sensitive public data. Data Act (Data Act): equitable access and use of data generated in the EU, promoting interoperability and innovation. INSPIRE Directive: legal framework for interoperability and accessibility of geospatial data. European Common Data Spaces: data exchange platforms in key sectors. In this framework, location data plays a fundamental role in urban planning, mobility, agriculture and other key sectors. However, SMEs still find it difficult to benefit from these initiatives due to a lack of training and adequate resources. The challenge? Despite the solid regulatory framework and the opportunities offered by the data economy, many European SMEs face significant barriers to the adoption of interoperable solutions: Lack of knowledge and technical skills Lack of awareness of European open data and location standards (INSPIRE, OGC, ISO) or how to apply them Disconnect between regulations and business adoption Lack of alignment between national and European regulations Fragmentation in data governance Complex administrative procedures Resource, money and time constraints According to reports from the OECD and the European Commission, the digital divide between large companies and SMEs is growing, with many small businesses lagging behind in terms of access to and use of digital technologies. Our solution DIS4SME has developed a comprehensive approach based on: Programmes of specific training in location data interoperability, with different modules for managers and technicians. These courses, aimed at managers, technicians and job seekers, cover topics such as: Mobile food market Digital agriculture Social monitoring of road conditions 3D, BIM, Digital Twins for urban planning Learning strategies adapted, with short courses, interactive seminars and digital platforms that allow flexible access to the content. Collaboration with digital innovation hubs to promote synergies between companies, institutions and regulatory bodies. Sector-specific business cases, addressing interoperability in strategic sectors such as precision agriculture, smart mobility and urban planning. Outcomes Development of a curriculum based on 30 Horizontal Learning Outcomes: This structured set of training objectives has made it possible to adapt the content to the specific needs of both managers and technicians in SMEs, guaranteeing the coherence and scalability of the programme. The use of e-learning modules, video tutorials, webinars and practical workshops has provided flexible and accessible training, adapted to the different profiles and availability of SMEs. The initiative has fostered the creation of synergies between SMEs, digital innovation hubs and public bodies, promoting the exchange of knowledge and the adoption of best practices. The bottom-up methodology, based on gathering feedback from participants, has allowed the training content to be refined and optimised, ensuring that the educational offering adjusts to the real demands of the business environment. SMEs have been strengthened to face the challenges of digital transformation, facilitating their integration into the European market and the adoption of solutions based on open data. Key takeaways Adaptability of the training approach: The model of short, modular courses with flexible access allows managers, technicians and job seekers to acquire knowledge without interrupting their daily responsibilities. Public-private collaboration: The participation of digital innovation hubs, regulatory bodies and SMEs has been key to ensuring that the courses respond to the real needs of the sector. Use of open standards: Incorporating standards such as INSPIRE, OGC and ISO facilitates data interoperability and ensures that SMEs can integrate into the digital economy without relying on proprietary solutions. Focus on strategic sectors: Designing courses around real business cases (digital agriculture, mobility, urban planning) makes learning applicable and replicable in different industries. Scalability and replicability: The model can be expanded to other sectors and European countries, adapting to different levels of knowledge and the specific needs of SMEs. Learn more here