A Q U A

Institutions

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in Andorra (AQUA) ensures the quality of higher education in Andorra with a continuous demand for quality and rigor derived from the demands of various social and labor groups. The evaluation system is the tool that allows us to adapt higher education to the framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) while ensuring continuous improvement of processes in higher education. In this sense, AQUA aims to evaluate, accredit, and certify the quality of higher education according to the standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) and coordination with higher education institutions.

Ex-ante Institutional Acreditation

Evaluation of Strategic Plans of New HEIs

Based on Decree 183/2022, dated May 4, 2022, authorizing universities and other private higher education institutions in the higher education system of Andorra, and Decree 15/2023, dated January 11, 2023, amending Decree 183/2022, universities or other private higher education institutions wishing to establish themselves in Andorra must submit a strategic plan that will be evaluated by AQUA.

 

The Ex-ante Institutional Acreditation consists of an assessment of the strategic plan submitted by the promoters of private higher education institutions (HEIs). The external evaluation process will be summarized in a reasoned report with a favorable or unfavorable outcome, establishing strengths and improvement proposals based on the evaluated criteria.

Process

The evaluation process of a strategic plan for new HEIs unfolds following the following steps:


Request 

The promoter of the project for the creation of the private HEI requests the evaluation of the strategic plan from AQUA and submits the associated documentation.


Acceptance of the request 

AQUA has fifteen days to analyze and accept the request. Once accepted, the promoter proceeds to pay the fee.


Formal aspects review

AQUA conducts a review of formal aspects. In case of detecting formal deficiencies, it notifies the HEI, which has ten business days to make the necessary modifications to the strategic plan and resubmit it.


Composition of the panel of evaluators

AQUA proposes the composition of the panel of evaluators according to the criteria established in Decree 63/2021, dated February 24, 2021, which approves the Regulation of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in Andorra (AQUA).

The promoter has five business days to legitimately challenge the members of the panel of evaluators. In case of a challenge, AQUA has ten business days to propose a new composition of the panel of evaluators.


Evaluation

The panel of evaluators evaluates the strategic plan, and the Evaluation Committee issues the preliminary evaluation report within a maximum period of two months from the start of the evaluation.

The HEI has ten business days to submit allegations, modifications, or additional information related to the preliminary report.

The panel of evaluators analyses the allegations, modifications, or additional information, and the Evaluation Committee issues the final evaluation report within a maximum period of two months from the receipt of the allegations, modifications, or additional information.

From the payment of the fee, AQUA must resolve the evaluation within a maximum period of six months. In case formal deficiencies are detected, the evaluation begins from the date the HEI submits the modified strategic plan, not from the payment of the fee.

 

Appeal

The HEI has the opportunity to appeal if deemed necessary.

Legislation